Superman and Batman are trapped in a comic book in Superman: Kal-El Returns #1

(Image credit: DC)

For the last year, Kal-El (the original Clark Kent Superman, for those who don't speak Kryptonian) has been on a mission in space that's taken him far away from Metropolis and his family, leaving his son Jon Kent as Earth's number one Superman.

Now, on November 29, Kal-El is returning to Earth in the aptly named Superman: Kal-El Returns #1 one-shot which features a variety of stories from writers Mark Waid, Sina Grace, Alex Segura, and Marv Wolfman, and artists Max Raynor, Dean Haspiel, Jack Herbert, and Reilly Brown.

DC has released a preview of interior pages from the story by Batman/Superman: World's Finest writer Mark Waid, artists Clayton Henry and Marcel Maiolo, and letterer Dave Sharpe in which Superman and Batman are reunited after Kal-El's time away - only to find themselves trapped inside a comic book by the enigmatic Doom Patrol villain Mr. Nobody.

Quite a metatextual fate for Superman and Batman indeed. Here's the gallery of preview pages:

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In January, following Kal-El's return to Earth, the Superman line is undergoing a revamp as part of DC's Dawn of DC publishing initiative, which will launch and relaunch new titles all throughout 2023.

The Superman portion of Dawn of DC will include a new anthology approach to Action Comics, with several stories focused on Superman characters in each issue, a new Superman #1 with the spotlight on Kal-El, as well Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent #1 which focuses on Jon Kent, and Superboy: Man of Tomorrow #1 which sends Conner Kent on a cosmic adventure.

In the mood for the Man of Steel? Check out the best Superman stories of all time.

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I've been Newsarama's resident Marvel Comics expert and general comic book historian since 2011. I've also been the on-site reporter at most major comic conventions such as Comic-Con International: San Diego, New York Comic Con, and C2E2. Outside of comic journalism, I am the artist of many weird pictures, and the guitarist of many heavy riffs. (They/Them)