Big news in the comic book world as it’s learned legendary comic book artist Steve McNiven is headed to the direct competition and will tackle DC’s Batman with Tom King.
Rob Liefeld, who recently ended his tenure on Deadpool after 33 years, chimed in on social media, noting, “Man, I got out of Marvel right as it was collapsing.”
Man, I got out of Marvel right as it was collapsing. https://t.co/qHjULevpTG
— robliefeld (@robertliefeld) June 28, 2025
Steve McNiven DC Batman details
While yet to officially be announced by DC Comics, Tom King spilled the beans he is on a new Batman 40-page one-shot on The Batman Book Club podcast.
“I just wrote a Batman story, and I’ll keep writing Batman stories until they kick me off. I was in the DC Comics offices, meeting with editors, when the Batman editor approached me and said, ‘Hey man, I’ve got 40 pages of Batman. You want to write it? You can pick any artist you want.’ I said, ‘I have an idea—and he might be the best artist in comics.’ They said yes, the artist said yes… and I wrote the story. It might be one of the best things I’ve ever written. It’s coming out next year, I think as a standalone issue.”
According to reports, that artist is Steve McNiven, who has worked at Marvel for the past twenty years and whose credits include Avengers, Captain America, Civil War, Wolverine, Old Man Logan, and more.
DC Comics is back in a big way
Marvel Comics collapsing, and with the news that Steve McNiven is on Batman, lines up with Mark Millar’s recent YouTube interview with two prominent retailers in the comic book industry.
The retailers said sales have spiked, and that there is a lot of hype back in the industry, thanks to DC Comics, particularly DC’s new “Absolute” line that includes Batman, Superman, and more.
“I think the whole industry is doing good. We’re seeing a lot of good things in the comics with the DC’s Absolute line,” they said.
“What’s excited people about back issues, I think part of it is with DC Comics coming back into the fold with Absolute Batman, it’s really encouraged a lot of people,” said the retailers.
They added, “I’m going to say 80% of our growth in DC is ‘Absolute.'”
When Millar mentioned that it used to be the people would come in for Marvel and then get DC, but questioned if things have flipped, that now Marvel is actually benefiting from the success of DC Comics, the retailers agreed.
“Yes, absolutely,” confirmed the retailers.
