DC Surprises Fans with New Original Story for DC Pride 2025

DC Pride 2025 is set to hit comic stores this June, but in a welcome surprise, DC has revealed another big addition to the special. The original story is titled by ‘Master Planner’ and comes from the stellar team of writer Jenny Blake, artist Sara Soler, and letterer Jodie Troutman, and like Kevin Conroy’s ‘Finding Batman’ story from the 2022 Special or Phil Jimenez’s ‘Spaces’ story from 2024, Blake’s story is also autobiographical, personal, and poignant, and you can get your first look at the new story below.

‘Master Planner’ invites fans to join a deeply personal and incredibly relatable journey, and Blake hopes readers can see something of themselves in this story. “When I came out as transgender, the comics community was overwhelmingly loving and supportive. Being asked to contribute to this anthology was unexpected and so affirming,” Blake said. “I’ve done a lot of cool things in my 50-plus years in comics, but this story is one of the things I’m most proud of. I see myself in this story and I hope readers see something of themselves in it. I had a wonderful time writing my story, and I hope the readers enjoy it as much as I did.”

“Superhero comics are a really perfect medium for telling a story about community,” said Jude Ellison S. Doyle about DC Pride 2025. “These characters inherently live in community, in-universe and out, and are kept alive by the community of fans and readers that sustains their existence. So getting to sit with a bunch of queer comics creators and build a story about queer superheroes together felt really healing and right.”

“Growing up, I was a huge DC Comics fan,” continued Maya Houston. “Once I realized my own queerness and found a community within that identity, it became even more exciting to see the heroes I grew up loving resemble the lives of my loved ones and myself. It showed that we didn’t need a cape to feel triumphant. DC Pride is so important because it serves as a celebration of LGBTQ+ experiences.”

[RELATED: Absolute Wonder Woman #7 is a Triumph of the Gods]

“It really is an honor to work alongside these talented, passionate creators and tell stories that celebrate our community,” added Josh Trujillo. “I came out at a time when there were virtually no mainstream queer superheroes, so I can’t overstate what being a part of DC Pride means to me. All of us in the book are lucky enough to build on the hard work of previous queer creators. I hope together we can move the needle and expand what representation means in the DC Universe.”

“Oh man, I’m like a broken record on this when I say: Every reader deserves to see themselves in comics!” said Tim Sheridan. “And if Pride stands for anything, it should stand for our resilience in the face of uncertainty, anxiety, and hate—and for the heroes, all around us and in the mirror, who, despite all of it, keep on going. This year’s story (and it is, for the first time, one big, unified story) will try and address some of what we’re collectively feeling, because ignoring it just feels dishonest. And, like, if we’re gonna have pride, let’s have pride in everything, including our anxieties and fears. The idea is to own all of it, even that darker stuff, and, together, look for the light to lead us through. Now, that doesn’t mean there isn’t any joy in this book! Quite the opposite, in fact. It’s got all the things: highs, lows, ups, downs, a smooch or two, and a big, cosmic superhero problem to be dealt with!”

DC is also going to have a handful of letters, cosplay, and fan art included in the DC Pride 2025 Special’s letters page. These were originally shared on the official DC Discord server, and DC hopes to highlight these wonderful fan contributions to reflect how “the legacy of DC’s storytelling has impacted, or reflected, their LGBTQIA+ identity, journey, or experience.”

DC Pride 2025 will feature contributions from writers Vita Ayala, Jude Ellison S. Doyle, Maya Houston, Sam Maggs, Tim Sheridan, and Josh Trujillo; artists Don Aguillo, Vincent Cecil, Derek Charm, A.L. Kaplan, Giulio Macaione, Alex Moore, Skylar Patridge, Emilio Pilliu, Max Sarin, and Phillip Sevy; colorists Eren Angiolini, Jordie Bellaire, Tríona Farrell, and Marissa Louise, and letterers Aditya Bidikar, Frank Cvetkovic, Lucas Gattoni, Ariana Maher, Morgan Martinez, and Jodie Troutman (for The Heart Wants) as well as Blake, Solar, and Troutman for ‘Master Planner’.

DC Pride 2025 will land in stores on June 4th, and the 96-page Prestige format book will also feature a main cover by Kris Anka and variant covers by Sozomaika, Julia Reck, and Jack Hughes (1:25).

Are you excited for DC Pride 2025? Let us know in the comments, and you can talk all things comics with me on Bluesky @knightofoa!