DC’s Next Level initiative, the next phase of DC All In, is already in full swing, with a number of titles having debuted over the past few months. Now a new one-shot will plot the course for the future of the initiative, with an iconic assassin at the center of the action. Next Level: One Shot #1 will arrive in August from the creative team of writer Gerry Duggan and artist Fernando Blanco. It will follow Deadshot on a mission that goes awry, with far-reaching consequences.
Here’s how DC describes Next Level: One Shot:
In Next Level: One Shot, DC’s deadliest assassin goes to the Next Level and uncovers a conspiracy that will change everything. Duggan and Blanco tell the tale of a job gone sideways, a father and his daughter, and a web of super-powered lies that stretches throughout the entire DC Next Level cast of characters…and points in the direction of war on the horizon. This epic issue tells you everything you need to know about what’s next for Next Level…if you survive the experience.
(If you survive the experience? Is the reader joining The X-Men?)
Next Level: One Shot marks the first DC work for writer Gerry Duggan in over a decade. Duggan’s last work for the publisher, Arkham Manor with artist Shawn Crystal, was published in 2014-2015. It’s the latest work at DC for artist Fernando Blanco, who’s most recent interior work was on the 2022 “House of Gotham” backup stories in Detective Comics with writer Matthew Rosenberg.
Along with a main cover by Blanco, Next Level: One Shot will sport covers by Mark Spears (open to order), Jorge Corona (open to order), Carmine Di Giandomenico (open to order), and Mario Foccillo (1:25 incentive).
DC has been known to launch new initiatives with one-shots named after them, but this might be the first time they’ve had the self-named one-shot come out once the initiative is already underway. Next Level unofficially launched out of the ending of the DC K.O. event series, and has so far been a series of unconnected, creator-driven titles starring characters like Batwoman, Lobo, Firestorm, and another hired assassin, Deathstroke. The description of this one-shot sounds like there’s going to be a connection established between all of those books, but hopefully any connection or crossover doesn’t halt the momentum of these overall great series.
Look for Next Level: One Shot #1 to arrive in stores and digitally on Wednesday, August 19th.
“Next Level: One Shot marks the first DC work for writer Gerry Duggan in over a decade. Duggan’s last work for the publisher, Arkham Manor with artist Shawn Crystal, was published in 2014-2015.”
He just wrote the Guy Gardner one shot for DC that came out last week.