DC Comics will publish a new middle-grade graphic novel this September that recasts Bruce Wayne as a 13-year-old trying to become Gotham’s first Batman while navigating school, crushes and a bank heist. The announcement spotlights a familiar cast — and a fresh, schoolyard-sized spin on classic Batman villains — timed to reach young readers ahead of the fall book season.
The sequel, titled Bruce Wayne: Not Super: The Bat-Catastrophe, reunites writer Stuart Gibbs with artist Berat Pekmezci. The story follows a teenage Bruce who is secretly training to be a vigilante even as he struggles with everyday middle-school pressures: keeping his double life hidden, staying on top of classes, and coping with the awkward reality that some classmates are enamored with his masked alter ego rather than the boy behind the cowl.
Plot snapshot
When schemers including Jack Napier team up with a muscle-for-hire and the calculating mind of Hugo Strange for a high-stakes break-in at Gotham City Bank, Bruce gets another chance to test his detective skills and physical daring. But complications arise when Selina Kyle is drawn into the plot — and her loyalties are not what Bruce expects. The book mixes heist beats with schoolroom dynamics, putting familiar Batman antagonists into a teenage setting.
The creative team leans into humor and character-driven moments rather than straightforward action beats, making the title aimed squarely at middle-grade readers who enjoy both superhero lore and coming-of-age stories.
Why this matters now
There is growing demand for accessible superhero stories that serve as entry points for younger readers. This release arrives at a moment when publishers are repackaging major franchises for new, younger audiences; the book’s school-centered take makes Batman’s moral lessons and identity questions easier to follow for kids and useful for educators and librarians curating fall reading lists.
For fans of the 2023 original, which earned picks on the American Library Association’s graphic-novel recommendations, the sequel promises continuity in tone and wider exposure to the Batman mythos in a format tailored to preteens.
- Title: Bruce Wayne: Not Super: The Bat-Catastrophe
- Author: Stuart Gibbs
- Artist & Cover: Berat Pekmezci
- Publisher: DC Comics
- Format & Length: Softcover, 160 pages
- Price: $12.99 (US)
- ISBN: 9781779528667
- On sale: September 1, 2026
The sequel builds on the premise of the original 2023 volume in which Bruce attends a prep school crowded with powered students and must rely on wits, training and determination rather than a superpower. That first book was noted by librarians for its appeal to reluctant readers and for bringing a humorous but earnest perspective to Batman’s origin themes.
Practically, the new volume will be of interest to parents looking for age-appropriate superhero reads, teachers planning library purchases, and comic shops preparing seasonal displays. It also continues a modest trend toward reimagined origin stories that foreground school-based drama as a way to make legacy characters relatable to younger audiences.
Readers who enjoyed playful takes on superhero lore — and who appreciate stories where the protagonist’s growth matters as much as the action — will likely find this installment aligned with that approach.
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Hello, I’m Jax. I guide you through the latest comics releases and enrich your geek universe.