GOTHAM ACADEMY: FIRST YEAR
A story of secrets, survival, and moody adolescence.
The school has secrets. So does she. It’s going great.
Pack your notebooks (utility belts), sharpen your pencils (batarangs), and watch your back! DC’s beloved school of mystery and moonlit mischief is opening its doors once again! Today, DC Comics proudly announced Gotham Academy: First Year, a six-issue comic book series marking the long-awaited return of the fan-favorite Gotham-based teen saga!
Launching on October 1, 2025, the new comic book series reunites the original creative team of Brenden Fletcher, Karl Kerschl, and Becky Cloonan, whose inventive storytelling first introduced readers to Gotham City’s most prestigious prep school and its unforgettable student body. Joining them for this new chapter is interior artist Marco Ferrari, whose expressive and atmospheric visuals bring fresh depth to the academy’s haunted hallways. Returning to cover duties, Kerschl provides main covers for all six issues, channeling the signature visual flair that helped define the original run.
“I’m so excited to return to the world of Gotham Academy with Becky and Karl,” says Fletcher. “It’s a joy to be back with the original team, and to welcome the incredibly talented Marco Ferrari to the fold. His work brings such life to these characters and to the halls of the Academy itself.”
Gotham Academy: First Year continues the critically acclaimed story of Gotham Academy’s young students, perfect for longtime fans and new readers alike. Mystery and mayhem await Olive Silverlock, a shy, working-class teen from Gotham’s Narrows, as she navigates school life in a super-powered world, offering a unique perspective on Gotham through the eyes of a youngster as scared of its heroes as its villains. In addition to visits to Arkham Asylum and surprise appearances from billionaire weirdos, you never know who—or what—you might meet wandering the halls of Gotham Academy.
“We went back to where it all began,” says Fletcher. “Gotham Academy: First Year takes us into Olive Silverlock’s pivotal first year—the mysterious summer before it all started—and introduces one of Batman’s most iconic villains to the series for the very first time. We can’t wait for readers old and new to join us this October, exactly 11 years to the day since the original series debuted!”
Set before the events of the original series, First Year traces Olive’s reluctant arrival at the school after a traumatic event involving her mother—and a fateful handoff between Commissioner Gordon and Bruce Wayne. Shuffled from crisis into campus life, Olive must adapt to cliques, secrets, and a system that’s less supportive than it seems.
Underlying everything, Olive has a problem—and it’s shaped like Gotham’s most famous vigilante: Batman. But how will she process the weight of her past while navigating school politics, unexpected friendships, and a growing connection to Gotham’s darker mysteries? Who will she share her first kiss with? And why is everyone obsessed with… maps? What’s with these rich kids? Does Gotham Academy have a cartography class??
GOTHAM ACADEMY: FIRST YEAR #1
- On Sale October 1, 2025
- Written by Brenden Fletcher, Karl Kerschl, and Becky Cloonan
- Art by Marco Ferrari, Eva de la Cruz (colors) and Steve Wands (letters)
- Main cover by Karl Kerschl
- Variant covers by Dustin Nguyen and Sweeney Boo
- 40 pages
- Cover price: $4.99 US
Gotham Academy: First Year #1
Olive Silverlock has a problem, and it is shaped like Gotham’s favorite hero: Batman.
He “saved” her when her mom lost control and got Commissioner Gordon to pawn her off on Bruce Wayne, who promptly shuffled her off to Gotham Academy Boarding school.
With a bunch of awful rich kids! As if she wasn’t traumatized enough already!
How will Olive navigate her trauma as a new student? Who will she share her first kiss with? And… why are the existing fans talking so much about maps?
Creative Team
- Writer: Becky Cloonan, Brenden Fletcher & Karl Kerschl
- Artist(s): Marco Ferrari
- Letterers: Steve Wands & Karl Kerschl
- Cover Artist: Karl Kerschl
- Variant Cover Artists: Dustin Nguyen; Sweeney Boo
- Format: Limited Series
- Cover Price/Page Count: $5.99/72 Pages
The school has secrets, but so does Olive Silverlock as class is back in session in Gotham Academy: First Year #1 on shelves and digital platforms on October 1, 2025,
Bon, c’est sympathique mais je passe à côté, parce que cette mini-série est en fait un prequel à la série que je n’ai pas lue. Brenden Fletcher & Karl Kerschl & Becky Cloonan livrent ici un lancement sympathique, qui lance de bonnes pistes, révèle des mystères et montre l’arrivée d’Olive à l’Académie, puis sa rencontre avec Kyle Mizoguchi.
C’est en soi cool, sympathique, charmant, avec des dessins un peu mangas de Marco Ferrari. Mais ça convoque des éléments que je n’ai pas, et je n’ai pas assez d’attrait pour rester.
Bien, mais pas pour moi.
DC Comics · Releases Nov 5, 2025
Gotham Academy: First Year #2
School is about making friends… and enemies! Life at school is both terrible (pissing off the football team is never a good idea) and wonderful (almost kissing a cute boy is almost perfect), but Olive Silverlock will never be truly happy until she knows her mom is safe.
Visiting her in Arkham is supposed to be reassuring! But when Olive meets the man behind the Scarecrow’s mask, will her serenity be torn away, too?
Comic · 40 pages · $4.99
