Can Superman break the Chained?

Superman soars.
(Image credit: DC Comics)

Joshua Williamson's run on the core Superman series continues to soar with September's #6. Gleb Melnikov will be taking on the art duties for the issue, replacing Jamal Campbell (who still provides the main cover).

The issue, which marks the start of a new story arc, promises to be a big one for the Man of Steel as it introduces a mysterious villain known only as "the Chained". 

DC has also teased that we'll find out more about what Braniac's been up to, enjoy some time with Lobo, and discover more about the bottled city of Czarnia, introduced way back in 1994 and recently revisited in Knight Terrors: Superman and this year's Superman Annual.

Jamal Campbell's cover leads our gallery below and is followed by variants from Lee Bermejo, Tiago da Silva, Alex Saviuk, Rose Besch, Gleb Melnikov and Mikel Janin.

The publisher's official synopsis for the new issue reads:

"THE CHAINED PART ONE!

Following the shocking cliffhanger of Superman #5 and the events of Knight Terrors, Superman has learned that Lex Luthor kept a prisoner beneath Stryker's Island for decades. Who are they and why did Lex lock them up? Can Superman unlock the secrets of the Chained?"

Check out some gorgeous unlettered interior pages by Melnikov, which start with Lois and Clark going about their business, before introducing us to a new character that we're going to hazard a guess is the Chained because of... well, just take a look.

Williamson's run on Superman has seen the Man of Steel forced to take ownership of LexCorp - rebranded as Supercorp - and try to turn it into a force for good, while Lex continues to pester him from prison. It sounds like he'll have a lot to say about this latest threat to Metropolis...

Superman #6 is published by DC Comics on September 9.


Animated series My Adventures with Superman will "make you smile from the moment you start watching".

Will Salmon
Comics Editor

Will Salmon is the Comics Editor for GamesRadar/Newsarama. He has been writing about comics, film, TV, and music for more than 15 years, which is quite a long time if you stop and think about it. At Future he has previously launched scary movie magazine Horrorville, relaunched Comic Heroes, and has written for every issue of SFX magazine for over a decade. He sometimes feels very old, like Guy Pearce in Prometheus. His music writing has appeared in The Quietus, MOJO, Electronic Sound, Clash, and loads of other places and he runs the micro-label Modern Aviation, which puts out experimental music on cassette tape.

Read more
Superman and friends.
DC's reveals packed plans for a "Summer of Superman" including a new one-shot, a globetrotting anthology, and an eight-year-old Clark Kent
Superman flies with Krypto.
The Man of Steel's world is about to change forever as former Amazing Spider-Man writer Dan Slott launches new series Superman Unlimited at DC
The Justice League assemble.
DC reveals its full slate of May 2025 comics and covers featuring Batman, Superman, the Justice League, and more
Supergirl with Krypto and Streaky.
Supergirl gets a new costume and a new comic from former TMNT writer Sophie Campbell
Superman surrounded by the exploding Krypton.
Absolute Superman #5 puts a devastating new spin on the Man of Steel's origin story
David Corenswet as Superman in first look at James Gunn's new movie
Superman release date, trailer, cast, and everything you need to know about the new movie
Latest in Dc Comics
Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman.
DC June 2025 solicitations: 10 must-have comics to pre-order this month
Batman and the Jason Todd Robin leap into action.
Sweet Tooth creator Jeff Lemire revisits the early days of Batman's second Robin, Jason Todd
New History of the DC Universe #1
Almost 90 years of DC history will be refined into an official timeline in New History of the DC Universe: "It's a chance to realign all of DC's sprawling continuity into one master timeline"
Sonic and the Flash racing over water
We'll finally learn if Sonic is faster than the Flash as Sega's famous hedgehog and pals team up with the Justice League in a new mash-up comic
Superman surrounded by the exploding Krypton.
Absolute Superman #5 puts a devastating new spin on the Man of Steel's origin story
Superman and the rest of the Super family at Pride.
DC Pride 2025: A revamped special issue starring Green Lantern Alan Scott, new books, and a host of variant covers
Latest in News
Ezra Bridger in Ahsoka
A Star Wars actor just quietly confirmed that filming has begun on Ahsoka season 2
Mario
A surprise bonus Nintendo Direct is coming a week early: "There will be no updates about Nintendo Switch 2 during this presentation"
God of War
20 years later, God of War's original monster art has been revealed: behold this army of stick figures slapped on a whiteboard, no clue Kratos is coming for them
Assassin's Creed Shadows Naoe facing off against samurai warrior on red bridge
An Assassin's Creed Shadows fan is showing off some of the RPG's most impressive little details, and it's done more to get me interested than Ubisoft ever did
A woman chasing a shining butterfly with a leaping cat on her shoulder in InZOI
InZoi has a long way to go before it can actually rival The Sims as its director says EA's "spent decades perfecting" the formula
Final Fantasy 14 Dawntrail
Final Fantasy 14 patch makes an effort to combat mods that can enable harassment, but players report it's "very easy" to reverse newly hidden account IDs