Every year during this season, I like to talk about what’s happening in the comics industry that I’m grateful for. While I’m starting my celebration a little early in 2025, the Thanksgiving holiday is coming soon in the U.S., so let me talk briefly about a few things I’m happy about!
For the past few years, many of us who love the comic book industry have been hoping some of the best creators would do what they could to keep the heartbeat of comics going! Well, this year, several important advances have happened that are very encouraging to fans like me!
The one development that has me happiest was that Marvel and DC were able to put aside their differences, at least for a while, and put out some comics that fans have been rushing to their local comics shops to get. That has included Deadpool/Batman #1 and Batman/Deadpool #1 (no, they’re not the same book). Word has recently come out that the previous Superman/Spider-Man team-ups are coming back in print, and we’ll even see NEW books featuring these two landmark heroes.
I’ve been particularly enjoying the other stories where comics characters we haven’t seen meet before are bumping into each other, like Green Arrow/Daredevil and Wonder Woman/Captain America. It’s been great to read different stories about different team-ups!
While these particular comics have been getting people to their LCS’s, DC and Marvel recently debuted two new crossover one-shot webcomics, this time with the Flash meeting the Fantastic Four. That’s something I’ll be delving into very soon! That is a very different gathering, something I honestly never thought of! I like it! It’s now available via Marvel Unlimited and the DC Universe Infinite (DCUI), so there are good and unique things happening digitally as well!
I’m also happy for the Marvel Ultimate line and DC’s Absolute Universe. These books have often been among the best-selling in the industry, and I’m enjoying them immensely! Granted, the Ultimate line will conclude soon, but I doubt that’ll be the end of things for that universe. I just bet that “because you demanded it,” they’ll be back with new creators or a different focus.
It is called show business for a reason, after all!
Anyone who reads this column knows that Batman is my guy! After all, his last name is my first name—Wayne! I also delude myself into thinking that, if the circumstances hit just right, I could be Batman! I mean, I wasn’t born on an alien world, so superpowers are not in the cards for me!
I have heard fellow fans clutch their pearls when they think of all the various Batman comics coming out each month! It’s hard to keep up with them all! If you aren’t interested in the previously published stories, you can currently buy Absolute Batman, DC K.O.: Knightfight, Detective Comics, Batgirl, Batman (from Matt Fraction and Jorge Jimenez), Justice League Unlimited, World’s Finest, Batman and Robin: Year One, Batman: The Long Halloween, The Last Halloween, and other occasional mini-series’ and one-shots.
For a Bat-guy like me, it’s a Bat-ocopia!
And the Dark Knight isn’t only ruling DC Comics! He’s also got several television series’ going on, including the first season of The Caped Crusader (anyone else remember Bruce Timm?) and the just-released Bat-Fam on Prime! (Why aren’t these on HBO/Max? I don’t get it!)
As I’m writing this, I’ve been working through the first season of Bat-Fam, about five episodes in. And I’m enjoying it! I know some of my comics friends are yelling it horror that “it’s too silly!” but Batman covers a wide spectrum of characters, from Adam West to Ben Affleck, so I’m okay with various versions of the Dark Knight. It’s all spinning out of 2023’s Merry Little Batman animated movie, with all the same voices returning while adding new ones to Wayne Manor! There’s an article on dc.com saying that “Bat-Fam is the Gotham family sitcom you didn’t know you needed,” and I’m good with that assumption. It’s got generous portions of action and humor, so it’s worth watching!
One point I’d like to make about Bat-Fam: It reminds me a lot of the recent CW Superman and Lois show because Bruce is having to do something he’s not good at—being a Dad. Clark faced that same kind of family issue on the CW, which I found engaging.
I can’t help but point out that Dynamite! keeps adding more and more comics to my pull list each month while DC’s numbers keep decreasing. (I’m hoping the upcoming DC “Next Level” will help remedy that!)
See, Dynamite! keeps revisiting my childhood with comics featuring The Herculoids, Space Ghost, Silverhawks, Blue Falcon and Dyno-Mutt, and the various Duck Tales-related books.
I keep looking forward to other new releases heading to us soon, including Thundarr the Barbarian and the new Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt, just to name a couple!
Am I buying all of these nostalgic titles? No, I never got into Speed Racer or Thundercats when they were out, so I’m passing on their books. If I sometime have some extra money, I may go back and pick up their trade collections when they come out. But until then, I’m very, very happy with what Dynamite! is doing. Keep it up, people!
And I’m also buying some other great books, including the Star Trek line (although I miss the Sisko-centric starship story), the Ghost Machine titles (although I am starting to lose interest in them, sadly), and Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s take on Marvel’s Hulk (who recently is going “Infernal”).
As I mentioned last year, I haven’t been very surprised to see the Whatnot app starting to decline. Sadly, even eBay Live seems to be losing steam as well. Yes, there are still deals to be had and some auctions worth checking out, but they aren’t quite what they were just a few years ago. I guess we all get our collections full and up to date eventually!
Local comics shops are being more flexible these days. For instance, my local shop, because I haven’t been able to get there in person on a regular basis, have been shipping me my comics when I need them. I make sure they charge me appropriately, and it helps me keep up with “the books,” as I like to call them.
Once again in 2025, I really appreciate the chance to write and create podcasts for fans here at MajorSpoilers.com.
MajorSpoilers’ Head Honcho Stephen Schleicher and the rest of the people here do a terrific job of keeping us all up to date and being exposed to a wide variety of opinions. We need to be aware of what’s happening, and MajorSpoilers is an important resource when it comes to learning what is going on in the comics industry! As always, you all do a great job, Stephen!
What do you think? What’s going on in the comics industry that you’re happy about? Whatever your opinion, share it on the Major Spoilers Discord server. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving in 2025, and I thank each and every one of you who reads my columns or listens to my podcast episodes! You really make my day every time!
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Wayne Hall creates the Wayne's Comics Podcast. He’s interviewed Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, John Layman, Kyle Higgins, Phil Hester, Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray, David Petersen, Christos Gage, Mike Grell, and Matt Kindt. On this site each week, he writes his "Comics Portal" column (general comics comments and previews) and reviews comics.