During the ComicsPRO ONLINE Comic Book Industry Meeting 2022 (which took place in late February), DC Comics announced DC Mech. It's a new series with an innovative concept that gives Superman, The Flash, and Batman their own Gundam-like super robot, essentially combining comic books and the mecha anime genre into one. The story will follow these three superheroes (and many more) as they battle against a Darkseid invasion on Earth.
DC Mech is yet another alternate universe in the DC Multiverse. However, instead of happening in the main continuity, it's an Elseworld story. In fact, it's a limited series with only six issues created by Kenny Porter and Baldemar Rivas, which comic and anime fans will be able to read from July 26, 2022.
8 It Is Written By Kenny Porter
DC Mech will be written by American comic book writer Kenny Porter. The author, who has written for DC Comics, SEGA, and Top Cow, is known for his work in Are You Afraid Of Darkseid?, Yakuza, and A Very DC Halloween. Porter is also the creator of Scholastic's comic Fearless and the Insight Comics series Barnstormers!
According to Porter, he's enjoyed comic books, manga, and anime since he was a young child. This new series is inspired by his "deep love of the DC Universe and the mecha genre." The author has cited Mobile Suit Gundam – of which he's been a fan since middle school – as one of his main inspirations for DC Mech.
7 It Features Baldemar Rivas' Art
Born and raised in California, Baldemar Rivas is a freelance artist especially known for his work in Unearth, the horror series published by Image Comics in 2019. In DC Comics, Rivas drew for the limited series Robins, in which he worked alongside Tim Seeley. Additionally, he worked in DC: The Doomed and the Damned #1.
DC Mech isn't the first time Kenny Porter and Baldemar Rivas have teamed up. In September 2021, they created "The Batman With No Name" for Batman: Urban Legends #7. In this futuristic story, Batman has the ability to transform into past Batmen, a gift clearly inspired by Kamen Rider. This story is a great example of the love Rivas and Porter have for manga and anime, which will also be palpable in DC Mech.
6 It's Completely Inspired By An Anime Genre
DC Mech's concept is simple: everyone's favorite superheroes get to ride robots in epic fights that may or may not destroy whole cities. This series is inspired by the Japanese Mecha genre in anime and manga, created in 1956 by Mitsuteru Yokoyama. This genre features robots (or mechas): gigantic machines controlled by humans and mainly used for battle. According to Rivas, DC Mech is a love letter to the genre of Mecha anime.
Some of the most important mechs in anime and manga are Mazinger Z, Eureka Seven, and Mobile Suit Gundam, which Porter cited as inspiration alongside Neon Genesis Evangelion and Robotech. Other accidental works inspired by this genre are Pacific Rim by Guillermo del Toro and Transformers.
5 The Comic Pits Batman, The Flash & Superman Vs. Darkseid
Like all Elseworlds, DC Mech is set in an alternate future of the DC Universe where Earth suffered an alien invasion from the planet Apokolips right after World War II. The Earth's saviors, the Justice Society of America, fell in this battle. So, to stop the invasion's full force, humanity built a fleet of giant robots to help them defeat Darkseid when he returns. The battle will be led by Superman, Batman, and The Flash, who already have their own mecha.
Given Darkseid's nature, he's a natural choice as a villain for DC Mech. In fact, the cover for DC Mech #1 shows how this villain has created new technology of his own to defeat Earth's champions. Nothing has been said about Darkseid receiving a mecha for himself, but it'd make an epic moment in DC history.
4 Fans Believe It's The Perfect Concept For Action Figures
Since DC Mech was announced in February 2022, DC fans have been excitedly discussing this series' concept on social media and forums. One of the most common comments regarding this series is how the DC Mech robots would make great action figures or even LEGO sets — especially considering these toys' mechanics.
Of course, this wouldn't be the first time DC created a line of figures based on an Elseworld tale. In the '90s, the company produced several Kingdom Come action figures following the comic's success. The opposite has also happened. In 2011, a line depicting figurines of 1940s inspired heroines became a whole series: DC Bombshells by Marguerite Bennett.
3 Marvel Has A Similar Concept In Avengers: Mech Strike
In February 2021, Marvel published the first number of Avengers: Mech Strike, a story by Jed MacKay and Carlos Magno. Avengers: Mech Strike gave Earth's Mightiest Heroes their own Gundam robots created by Tony Stark himself. This miniseries, which only ran for five numbers, pitted the Avengers against Kang the Conqueror and the dangerous mechanoids.
This isn't the first time Marvel and DC have shared a concept — it's impossible not to notice the similarities between Marvel Zombies and DCeased. Regardless, Avengers: Mech Strike and DC Mech aren't identical, so true mecha fans will be able to enjoy both comics, regardless of their likeness.
2 Dinosaurs, Vampires, Knights, & Now Robots?!
DC Mech isn't the first time the DC Universe characters have been radically modified into something super-cool. In fact, it isn't even the first time it's happened in the last year. In addition to battling with robots in DC Mech, Justice League's most beloved members will become dinosaurs in The Jurassic League by Daniel Warren Johnson and Juan Gedeon, which will kick off on May 2022. What's more, two Elseworlds that change the nature of DC's superheroes and villains are currently in publication.
First, DC. vs. Vampires, which follows Batman and Green Arrow as they try to figure out which heroes have been turned into blood-sucking monsters. Also, Dark Knights of Steel reimagines the DC universe in a medieval fantasy setting. Both stories have been very successful so far. DC betting on alternate universes, no matter how random, is truly paying off and keeping fans happy.
1 Every Mecha Is Carefully Designed For Each Hero
According to the artist behind DC Mech, Baldemar Rivas, he created the mechs of each hero by making sure he didn't stray too far from their characters' nature, whilst also holding onto the Japanese mecha aesthetic. To do this, he considered the functionality of each mech and their connection with their respective pilots.
Fans on the internet have already noticed how Superman's robot features Kal-El's distinctive forehead curl, while Batman's mech has a cape just like the Dark Knight suit. However, this design goes beyond aesthetics. For example, Batman's mech is sleek and dark, which fits with Batman's well-known stealth capabilities. Additionally, it includes several gadgets he often uses. Surely the Flash's robot will be as fast as the hero it's based on, while Kal-El's will be as powerful as the Man of Steel himself?