San Diego Comic Con 2024: DC’s Upcoming Films, Shows & Comic Books

There was a time when DC used to dominate Hall H of San Diego Comic Con, especially back in 2013, when, as a sequel to Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was announced as the foundation of the upcoming DCEU, and the crowd reaction was something to behold. In the following years, DC’s cinematic ventures’ presence in SDCC gradually died down. Still, during the COVID years, DC FanDome—the first of its kind virtual DC Comic con—gave millions of fans worldwide a chance to experience the joy of connecting with their favorite creators and stars and become acquainted with different arenas of DC comics and media. However, those days are long gone, DCEU has ended, along with all the major original series on HBO Max, and the cumulative media adaptation output of the franchise is back to square one again. Under the leadership of James Gunn and Peter Safran, the new DC Universe will consolidate every non-print medium of DC comics adaptations into a single whole, and SDCC 2024 revealed some of the snippets of the much anticipated, rebooted DC verse. 

Classic DC Logo Will Represent DC Studios

James Gunn has taken the very first step to introduce DC Studios as a brand by introducing its new logo at SDCC, and it’s an updated version of a classic one, the blue bullet DC logo created by Milton Glaser, which serves as a callback to the franchise’s glory days. With animation of the iconic cover of golden age Superman breaking chains (from Action Comics #12, 1939) on its flipside, this logo will appear in every upcoming DC project from now on, giving the varied ventures a sense of unity and cohesion, which is what DCU is aiming at. It’s a small gesture, but the significance lies in acknowledging the legacy of DC comics, the creators, and in celebration of the fanbase. 

‘Superman and Lois’ Season 4 Terrifying Final Battle Clip Released

The fourth and final season of CW’s much-acclaimed masterpiece of a series, Superman and Lois, will premiere in October, and before the Comic-Con began, the first full trailer showcased the emotional journey the characters will have to undertake in a world without Superman. The third season finale had ended in a cliffhanger, with Superman taking on Doomsday on the Moon, and the continuation of the battle was highlighted at SDCC 2024, as fans got a glimpse at footage from the upcoming fourth season. In the dark depths of space, the Man of Steel appears broken, battered, and severely wounded, while Doomsday grows stronger with each blow he takes. Even with CW’s moderate budget, the fight scene visuals look brilliant, and Doomsday’s appearance seems much more polished compared to the previous season as well. Holding on to his dear life, Superman prepares to unleash a powerful charge of heat vision as Doomsday lunges towards him—and the footage ends right there. The fourth season will adapt the seminal Death of Superman storyline, and from the glimpse of the released footage, it is quite clear that fans will be hit with emotional gut punches through and through.

Superboy Will Appear In ‘My Adventures With Superman’

There is no shortage of amazing Superman content, and the recently concluded animated series My Adventures With Superman will continue its brilliant run next year with a third season. The second season had introduced Kara Zor El, and by the end of the season, it had made her a mainstay member of Superman’s extended family. As shown in the stills prepared for the third season, Superboy will join the squad, and from the jacket-wearing appearance, it seems this Superboy will be Kon El version of the character. 

Creature Commando Gets Its First Trailer

The first project of James Gunn’s DCU, Creature Commando, the animated series created by James Gunn, released its first trailer at SDCC 2024. The eponymous non-human task force consisting of obscure DC characters like Frankenstein, the Bride, G.I. Robot, Weasel, Dr. Phosphorus, and Nina Mazurksy will be led by Rick Flagg Sr., and once again Amanda Waller is at the center of the formation of this covert organization. There will be certain similarities that the series will share with The Suicide Squad, and it will be interesting to see how the animated series differentiates itself from Gunn’s previous DC ventures. 

Updates on the Batman 2 and Penguin Series

A brand new trailer for the Penguin series has been released at SDCC, which showcases the crime lord Penguin’s rise to power from the dark underbelly of Gotham. The series will have a mafioso crime-thriller tone and treatment, focusing on the power-grab struggle in the aftermath of Carmine Falcone’s demise. Robert Pattinson will likely appear as Batman in the series as well, and Matt Reeves himself confirmed in Hall H that the much anticipated sequel to The Batman will begin production in the first phase of 2025. 

A Number of Game-Changing Comic Series Announced

To top it all off, some seminal DC comic-book series were announced in SDCC, which will usher the franchise into a new era. Line-wide Absolute DC, which is a retelling of the origins of classic DC heroes in the veins of the Year One or Earth One series, a New Gods series by Ram V (thirty years since the last New Gods series), and Justice League Unlimited by Mark Waid and Dan Mora are the most significant titles that were announced in the SDCC. A common factor in all three series is the malevolent dark lord of Apokolips, Darkseid, and fans will be eager to learn how the stories will find an interconnected space.