DC To Celebrate Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month

DUO, the First Earth-M Title, to Launch on May 17

Seven Special Variant Covers Created by Members of the AAPI Community Available for May Periodicals

This May, DC has plenty of opportunities for everyone of all backgrounds to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. Extending far beyond Dakota, DUO #1, is the first title in the new Earth-M line of comics from Reginald Hudlin and Denys Cowan. As part of the annual celebration and to highlight the diverse culture, history and art that make up the AAPI community, DC will feature special AAPI variant covers on seven different periodicals this May.

Announced yesterday on DCComics.com, DUO is a six issue mini-series extending far beyond the Dakota Universe by writer Greg Pak (Action Comics) and artists Khoi Pham (Teen Titans) & Scott Hanna (Green Lantern Corps). DUO features two brand new characters, Nanotech engineers Dr. Kelly Vu and Dr. David Kim, who are committed to only one thing more than each other: using their regenerative nanobots to save the world. And following a violent attack, those very same nanobots end up saving David and Kelly’s lives…sort of. Their salvation comes with an unexpected consequence: husband and wife awaken to realize that they now share one super-powered body! DUO’s first appearance was teased in MILESTONE RETURNS: INFINITE EDITION #0, available to read on DC UNIVERSE INFINITE.

DUO #1 (of 6) is available on May 17 at local comic book shops featuring a main cover by Dike Ruan, a variant cover by Denys Cowan and a 1:25 variant cover by Nimit Malavia. 

Also as a part of DC’s AAPI Month celebration, seven of the top artists in comics created special AAPI themed variant covers that highlight their diverse backgrounds. Depicting scenes such as Monkey Prince singing Karaoke, Damian Wayne and Connor Hawke sharing Korean BBQ, Jon Kent and Jay Nakamura mirroring a famous pose in front of cherry blossoms and more, fans can pick up variant covers at their local comic book shops this May. The titles, which will include a special AAPI logo on the cover, include: 

• Batgirls #6 – Variant cover by Audrey Mok, on sale May 10
• Catwoman #42 – Variant cover by Takeshi Miyazawa, on sale May 17 (To be revealed later)
• Monkey Prince #4 – Variant cover by Marcus To, on sale May 3
• Nightwing #92 – Variant cover by Jen Bartel, on sale May 17
• Robin #14 – Variant cover by Dexter Soy, on sale May 24
• Superman: Son of Kal-El #11 – Variant cover by Brian Ching, on sale May 10
• ​Swamp Thing #13 – Variant cover by Anand RK, on sale May 24

Last year, DC released DC Festival of Heroes: The Asian Superhero Celebration #1 featuring an all-star cast of writers and artists Including Jim Lee, Gene Luen Yang, Bernard Chang, Ram V, Mariko Tamaki, Minh Lê, Trung Le Nguyen, Jim Cheung, Dustin Nguyen, Gurihiru and many more highlighting fan favorite characters like Cassandra Cain, Monkey Prince, Katana, Green Lantern Tai Pham, the Atom, Dana Tan (a.k.a. Batman Beyond), Red Arrow, Lady Shiva, Damian Wayne and the al Ghul clan, New Super-Man and more. DC Festival of Heroes: The Asian Superhero Celebration #1 is available to read as part of any paid DC UNIVERSE INFINITE subscription.

Stay tuned for more exciting AAPI news!

DUO #1
Written by GREG PAK
Art by KHOI PHAM and SCOTT HANNA
Cover by DIKE RUAN
Variant cover by DENYS COWAN
1:25 variant cover by NIMIT MALAVIA
MSRP: $3.99 US | 32 Pages | 1 of 6 
Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 5/17/22 

When Milestone returned, Reginald Hudlin and Denys Cowan weren’t planning to stop there! Now they welcome you to a whole new realm of original characters, extending far beyond Dakota…welcome to Earth-M!

Nanotech engineers Dr. Kelly Vu and Dr. David Kim are committed to only one thing more than each other: using their regenerative nanobots to save the world. And following a violent attack, those very same nanobots end up saving David and Kelly’s lives…sort of. Their salvation comes with an unexpected consequence: husband and wife awaken to realize that they now share one super-powered body! 

Writer Greg Pak (Action Comics, Batman/Superman) and artist Khoi Pham (Teen Titans) team up to introduce two thrilling new superheroes in the body of one, with the power of billions of nanobots. But how close is too close, with the love of your life literally in your head? And what happens when a couple so closely bound discovers they have very different ideas about how their newfound powers should be used?

Source: DC Comics