DC Comics made waves today at the DC K.O. panel at NYCC, which included news of their next initiative: DC Next Level. Along with that news was multiple titles and creators attached to this “Next Level” line.
A series of creators was announced along with titles, although it’s not yet known who is working on what.
Creators working on these titles include: Deniz Camp, James Harren, Jeff Lemire, Dani, Jamal Campbell, Tony Fleecs, Dani, Jorge Corona, Skottie Young, Marko Tamaki, Greg Rucka, and more.
Greg Rucka is returning to Batwoman for the first time in nearly two decades—joined by rising star artist Dani and colorist Matt Hollingsworth. The new series, launching in March 2026, marks Rucka’s first time writing Kate Kane since leaving the character in 2009, and he didn’t mince words about how personal the return is.
“There are a handful of characters that if I’m offered, I’d sit up and beg like a puppy,” Rucka said. “And Kate is one of them. When I left in 2009, it went unresolved. When you have the story and it’s in your head and you have to walk away for some reason, the story doesn’t go away.” He laughed before calling the project “an exorcism.” “It’s about me, it’s not about entertaining you. I conned DC into solving my issues.”
Back to Batwoman, Darker Than Ever
Rucka revealed that Batwoman will be set in Greece, a nod to artist Dani’s roots. “It’s shaking things up, and it’s starting in a very dark place—and it’ll only go down from there,” he teased. Dani’s preview art, shown during the panel, drew audible gasps from the audience—moody, painterly, and brutal in tone. The story pits Kate Kane against her sister, a conflict Rucka says he’s wanted to explore since his original run. “It’s a story I wanted to tell back in the day, but the world moves on, and so does this story.”
The creative team, which Rucka called “a murderer’s row,” includes Hollingsworth on colors over Dani’s haunting linework. “It’s weird because I don’t want to give anything away,” Rucka teased before adding, “One of them dies in the first issue, so that’s a spoiler.” Whether he meant Kate herself is anyone’s guess—but the tease sent fans buzzing.
A Long-Awaited Return
“Seventeen years later, I’m back,” Rucka said. “Batwoman #1 is going to blow your fucking minds.”
The announcement came amid a flurry of enthusiasm from Next Level architects Scott Snyder and Joshua Williamson, who emphasized that this new line is built around creators’ passion projects. “We just said, what do you want to do?” Williamson said of recruiting talent. Snyder added that inspirations like Marvel’s Ultimate Universe and Energon Universe helped shape the idea: “These are their passion projects.”
As Snyder put it simply: “It’s so epic. These books are going to be so good. I’m not bullshitting you.”
Rucka’s return to Batwoman proves that DC’s Next Level isn’t just about fresh starts—it’s about unfinished business finally getting the ending it deserves.
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