Ever since the DC Universe was rocked by Metal, Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo have teased an even bigger, wilder event still on the way. Now that time has officially arrived, with DC finally announcing the release of Dark Nights: Death Metal. A special series that will once again send DC’s greatest heroes on an apocalyptic adventure… embodying entirely new levels of badass as they fight for the future.

The question of a sequel or follow-up to Dark Nights: Metal was settled before the first event had even ended. Not only was it a massive sales success, but it created two of the most significant elements of the last two years of DC Comics. The Dark Multiverse clawing its way into DC’s reality, and its most terrifying resident – The Batman Who Laughs. Both were spun from Metal into the leading stories of DC’s Universe. Scott Snyder’s Justice League, James Tynion IV’s Year of The Villain: Hell Arisen, and Joshua Williamson’s Batman/Superman, to name just a few. But all those storylines are crashing to a climax in time for the summer. And when the heroes fall, Dark Nights: Death Metal begins.

The team of Scott Snyder, artist Greg Capullo, inker Jonathan Glapion, and colorist FCO Plascencia are reuniting for the six-issue miniseries kicking off on May 13th, 2020. And from the first official details and preview art, it would be an understatement to say the heroes are headed for Hell. When the story begins, Earth has been consumed by Dark Multiverse energy, with The Batman Who Laughs and his corrupted Justice League heroes apparently victorious (descending the world into his brand of Dark Multiverse evil, possibly even putting the supremely villainous Perpetua on hold). While the brightest heroes like The Flash and Wonder Woman wielding her Chainsaw of Truth try to protect what’s left of humanity… not everyone has been as lucky.

The motorcycle driving Grim Reaper Batman fights with the resistance. And as for the long-haired, grizzly Superman? He’s been “cursed to literally power Earth’s sun for eternity.” But when Wonder Woman gets the lead she needs to rally Earth’s last heroes to take down The Batman Who Laughs for good, it’s going to result in a battle for the ages.

The series will also be accompanied by several “Metalverse” one-shots to fill out the summer, showing how other heroes and villains have been transformed or corrupted by the stark, dystopian world that Earth has become. There are still more announcement to come, and mysteries to be maintained in the meantime. But now that the veil of secrecy has been lifted, Snyder is able to comment on the coming series directly:

 

I’ve been waiting to do this story since we finished Dark Nights: Metal. As much as it was a complete event, we left some threads hanging there for sure. I’d hoped that if people liked the first series enough, we’d have a chance to set up something bigger, and that’s our plan for Death Metal.

With Capullo once again re-imagining the DC Universe in heavy metal–sorry, death metal fashion, it should come as no surprise that his own comments remind fans that the top priority is to make this one hell of a ride:

In addition to these quotes from the creators, DC has released the first collection of cover art and variants for Dark Nights: Death Metal. Fans can also take a look at early interior artwork from Capullo below, showing The Batman Who Laughs enjoying his new role as ruler of a corrupted world, seemingly joined by a few more twisted versions of Batman from other worlds in the Dark Multiverse. All unfolding beneath the watchful eyes of Perpetua… and Wonder Woman, too.

For all of us, Dark Nights: Death Metal is about the fun factor. Comics should be fun, bombastic, and over-the-top. This series is going to be exciting and jam-packed with great ‘metal-esque’ moments that will make fans lose their minds when they see them.

With the main cover for Dark Nights: Death Metal #1 covered by Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion, and FCO Plascencia, DC confirms a Batman Variant from David Finch, as well as a 1:100 Death Metal variant by Greg Capullo and Jonathan Glapion. There will also be a Superman variant cover by Francesco Mattina, as well as a Wonder Woman variant by Stanley “Artgerm” Lau (seen combined above).

Dark Nights: Death Metal is a six-issue monthly series with the first three issues releasing in May, June, and July. After a brief break in August (for reasons not yet revealed) the final three issues will be delivered in September, October, and November. And as fans of Dark Nights: Metal already know, but DC is sure to promise, the coming event will bring with it a whole host of tie-ins and special issues to show how the DC Universe is transformed by this Death Metal nightmare.

Dark Nights: Death Metal #1 will arrive in your local comic book shop on May 13th, 2020.

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