It’s hard to believe that it’s been more than a decade since Gotham Academy was first released. It was launched as the final wave of DC’s new 52 books from Becky Cloonan’s Creative Team, Brenden Fletcher’s creative team. The series followed the escape of students from Gotham City’s most prestigious prep school. It became a fan favorite that gained criticism, and the series ended with a second volume, which was rebooted in 2107. Since the end of Volume 2, characters from the Gotham Academy have appeared sporadically in publications like the Belleb Anthology saved. Good things are coming to those waiting as DC Comics announced that schools are back at Gotham Academy: First Year this fall.
The new miniseries reunites the original creative teams of Fletcher, Kirschul and Cronan. He will be joined by interior artist Marco Ferrari along with colorist Eva de la Cruz and letter Steve Wans. The main covers of this new Gotham Academy miniseries will be drawn again by Kerschl. The first issue features variant covers by Dustin Nuguen and Sweeney Boo.
Main cover by Karl Kerschul
Rather than continuing where the final series left off, Gotham Academy: First Year serves as an origin story documenting the first year of the protagonist Olive Silver Rock at a prominent school.
Here’s how publishers explain the miniseries:
Gotham Academy: The first year continues the acclaimed story of young students at Gotham Academy. Perfect for long-time fans and new readers. Mystery and Mayhem are waiting for Olive Silver Rock, a shy working-class teenager from Gotham’s Narrows. In addition to a visit to Arkham Asylum and a surprising look from the billionaire weirdo, you never know that you might meet people wandering through the halls of Gotham Academy.
Set before the events of the original series, First Year tracks Olive’s arrival at school after a traumatic event involving her mother and the fateful handoff of Commissioner Gordon and Bruce Wayne. Shuffled from the crisis into campus life, Olive must adapt to platitudes, secrets, and systems that are less cooperative than they appear to be.
There is a problem with the underlying olives. It shaped like Gotham’s most famous vigilante: Batman. But how does she handle the weight of the past, navigating the politics of school, unexpected friendships, and growing connections with Gotham’s dark mysteries? Who will she share her first kiss with? And why is everyone … so obsessed with the map? What are these rich children? Does Gotham Academy have a mapping class?
Brendan Fletcher, co-creator of the original Gotham Academy, expressed great excitement to return the world of Gotham Academy.
“I’m very excited to return to the world of Gotham Academy with Becky and Carl,” Fletcher says. “It’s a joy to come back with the original team and welcome the incredibly talented Marco Ferrari to the fold. His work brings that kind of life to the halls of these characters and the academy itself.”
Fletcher also teased what readers can expect from this story of origin.
“We’ve got back where it all started,” Fletcher says. “Gotham Academy: The first year marks the pivotal first year of Olive Silver Rock. The mysterious summer before it all began – we’ll be introducing one of Batman’s most iconic villains to the series for the first time. In exactly 11 years since the original series was discontinued, we can’t wait for new and new readers to join us this October!”
Released on October 1, 2025, this new comic book series reunites the original creative teams of Brenden Fletcher, Carl Karshull and Becky Cronan. Participating in this new chapter is interior artist Marco Ferrari. Its expressive and atmospheric visuals bring fresh depth to the academy’s ghost corridors. Back to cover duties, Kerschl provides the main cover for all six issues and channels the visual talent of the signature that helps define the original execution.
Find the 80-page Gotham Academy: A first-year one-shot of first-year students arriving in stores and digital on Wednesday, October 1st.
Dustin Nuguen Variant Cover Variant Cover by Sweeney Boo
Gotham Academy: 1st Grade #1
October 1, 2025, Brenden Fletcher, Carl Carschul and Becky Clone Art is on sale with Dustin Naguen and Sweeney Boo 40 pages of covers, with Carl Carschul Variant Covers by Marco Ferrari, Eva de la Cruz (color), and Steve Wans (words)
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