DC Black Label Unveils 17+ 'Golden Age' Superman Series, 'The Stranger'
Get ready for a Superman you haven't seen before. DC Black Label is dropping "Superman: The Stranger," a new six-issue series from writer-artist Wes Craig that reimagines the Man of Steel's earliest days for mature audiences. This isn't your grandma's Golden Age. This is 17+, grit-fueled Metropolis.
Craig plunges into an Art Deco-inspired 1938 Metropolis. He channels the iconic visual language of Golden Age comics and the groundbreaking Fleischer Studios cartoons, which famously defined Superman's early animated look and even established his flight. But Craig’s twist? He's stripping away all modern mythology. Forget Smallville, Krypton, even Ma and Pa Kent. He wants to tell the raw, vital myth of a brash young man with incredible powers battling a corrupt city. He calls it the "original" Superman, strangely relevant to our modern world.
The story follows Clark Kent struggling to make ends meet by day. By night, he's Superman, fighting to keep the streets safe. Yet, he questions his impact. The rich get richer; the poor suffer. Can he truly change anything in a city plagued by systemic inequality?
“He wants to tell the raw, vital myth of a brash young man with incredible powers battling a corrupt city.”
Catzye Take
This is a fascinating approach to Superman, blending classic aesthetics with a mature storytelling lens. Fans tired of the same old takes will definitely want to see how Craig explores the hero's foundational struggles in a more grounded, questioning way. It’s a compelling direction for the Black Label imprint.
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