DC Comics‘ DC Pride is an annual event in and of itself. But in between the lauded superhero stories, the collections have also occasionally included phenomenal, personal stories about finding your identity, like 2022’s “Finding Batman” by Kevin Conroy and J. Bone, or “Spaces” in 2024 by Phil Jimenez and Giulio Macaione. And now, DC Pride 2025 will complete the hat trick with “Master Planner,” a new story by Jenny Blake, who recently came out as trans.
Written by Blake with art by Sara Soler, and letters by Jodie Troutman, “Master Planner” is will touch on how Blake — a writer known for her work on Black Goliath, Black Panther, Ghost Rider, and more — explored, per a press release provided to Comic Book Club, “identity, authenticity, and the universal quest for self-understanding.”
“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.”
While light on details about the story’s contents, DC also shared quotes from other collaborators on the upcoming anthology, as well as a newly revealed cover by Sozomaika, which you can check out below. DC Pride 2025 hits stores on June 4, 2025.
“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.”
“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!”
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