Preview: Mr. Terrific: Year One #1 – A New Beginning for a DC Hero

DC Comics is giving Mr. Terrific a fresh start in a brand-new comic series! Mr. Terrific: Year One #1 is the first issue in a six-part story that tells the origin of this smart and powerful hero.

Before he appears in the upcoming Superman movie, readers can learn how Michael Holt became Mr. Terrific. He was once a young inventor with a bright future.

But everything changed when his wife Paula and their unborn child died in a car accident. Heartbroken, Michael gave up his dreams and sold his company to a greedy tech billionaire named Athena Prescott.

That choice sets off a chain of events that turns Michael’s life upside down. This new series shows how he goes from a man in pain to a hero ready to stand tall.

In the present day, Mr. Terrific is also working on a mystery about Darkseid, one of the biggest villains in the DC Universe. This part of the story connects the past and the present in a powerful way.

Writer Al Letson says he wanted to bring Michael’s story full circle. He hints that understanding Michael’s past is the key to solving today’s problems in the DC world:
“I was really focused on bringing Michael’s life to a full-circle moment. I don’t want to give too much away, but I wanted the stories about Mr. Terrific and the wider DC Universe to build to a moment where looking back at Michael’s past was necessary to understand the present.“

The comic is written by Al Letson, known for Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, and drawn by talented artists Valentine De Landro (Bitch Planet, Black Manta) and Edwin Galmon (Superman: House of Brainiac Special).

Mr. Terrific: Year One #1 is a great place to start if you’re new to the character. It’s full of action, heart, and big ideas—perfect for longtime fans and new readers alike.

The first issue releases on May 28. Have something to add? Let us know in the comments below!