DC is returning back to a fan-favorite tradition this summer. On Friday, as part of the publisher's June 2023 solicitations, it was revealed that DC will be launching a number of swimsuit variant covers. These covers will be open to order for a number of issues publishing in June, and will showcase the various heroes and villains of the universe in their swimwear of choice. This is the second year in a row that DC has done swimsuit covers, after launching them in August of 2022.
The idea of superheroes in swimsuits partially stems from the Marvel Swimsuit Specials of the 1990s, which were a series of annuals that showcased the publisher's characters in swimwear and were modeled after the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Specials of the same era. In recent years, as the array of comic characters and comic creators has grown more diverse, there has been a renewed fervor to see the concept brought back, with fans and even creators unofficially contributing art online in the summer of 2018. The next year, Marvel announced a newer Summer Special, but it was cancelled prior to its release.
The books that will be participating in the June 2023 swimsuit variant covers are:
- Sweeney Boo for Poison Ivy #13
- Terry and Rachel Dodson for Catwoman #56
- Joe Quinones for Titans #2 variant
- Michael Allred for Wonder Woman #800
- Pete Woods for Detective Comics #1073
- Babs Tarr for Batman/Superman: World's Finest #16
- Otto Schmidt for Action Comics #1056
Keep scrolling to check out the swimsuit variant covers, and share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
