For some, September means going back to school. For others, it means saying goodbye to summer and getting ready for the upcoming fall season. But here at DC Comics, this September means one thing: Villains Month!

The Justice League is presumed dead and the Crime Syndicate has arrived following the tragic events of this summer’s blockbuster “Trinity War”. With the heroes gone, everything is up for grabs. Bizarro, Relic, Reverse-Flash, General Zod and all the villains you love to hate have unleashed a wave of evil sure to dominate the fall! They’ve commandeered their comic books. They’ve even vandalized their once-heroic logos.

“One of the things that makes us stand out from others is our depth and breadth of our villains," DC Entertainment Co-Publisher Jim Lee told USA TODAY. "Sometimes our villains are even more infamous than some of our heroes, and we are able to explore that side of the universe in a way very few other companies can.”

In addition to their Q&A with DC Entertainment Co-Publishers Jim Lee and Dan DiDio, USA TODAY’s coverage also includes the first exclusive preview of FOREVER EVIL #1 (in stores today!) and an interview with the miniseries’ superstar creative team of writer Geoff Johns and artist David Finch. Plus, their story included exclusive first looks at a wide and diverse variety of Villains Month titles that’ll be hitting stores this September, as well as exclusive commentary from writers such as Tony Bedard, Ray Fawkes, Sterling Gates, Sholly Fisch, Matt Kindt, Andy Kubert, Francis Manapul, Ann Nocenti, John Ostrander, Greg Pak, Charles Soule, Frank Tieri, James Tynion IV, and Robert Venditti.

“The Justice League is gone and the Crime Syndicate is here. You have all the villains in new roles, and the world has been really altered. The strongest team in the world isn't what you'd expect — it's a team of villains,” Johns said of FOREVER EVIL to THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. “The great thing about villains is that they cross the line all the time. They don't know where the line even is. They're unpredictable. You're not sure which way they'll turn, which makes writing them always compelling and motivating.”

“One of the things this story gives us, especially with JUSTICE LEAGUE, which ties directly into it, it gives us a chance to really explore these characters. And the Crime Syndicate, for me, each one has a different reason for being there. Each one has a history and a story and a mission and a goal and a desire and a need. Those will be explored throughout this story line. Just because they’re together doesn’t mean they’re necessarily a well-oiled machine,” Johns continued to THE LOS ANGELES TIMES’ HERO COMPLEX, who debuted Finch’s stunning 4-page interior gatefold showcasing the Crime Syndicate addressing the united villains of the DC Universe. “I think all these characters are really fascinating because they’re such twisted fun-house mirrors to our world’s greatest superheroes.”

As for those 3D lenticular covers you’ve been hearing so much about? Each one includes five separate layers of artwork! “There's the hero in the background, two layers of the villain, one layer for the villains power, and the logo layer,” DiDio explained to CNET. “You're trying to capture the spirit of the villain,” added Lee.

For more on these innovative covers, head on over to BUZZFEED to find out why they’re calling them “the most amazing thing to happen in comics.” And if you’re looking to check out how even more of these 3D covers look, MTV GEEK has an exclusive first look at some of this week’s releases!

Following Villains Month, all of the New 52 titles not directly tying into FOREVER EVIL will pick up where they left off in August. Come April, however, all of the other books will catch up with the timeline of FOREVER EVIL and will be drastically impacted by that miniseries' explosive conclusion in March.

“There will be consequences, huge ramifications,” editor Brian Cunningham teased to COMIC BOOK RESOURCES. “A lot of pieces will need to be picked up for all the characters we all care deeply for. But it's all in the name of keeping the audience on its toes, that DC is not going to play it safe.”

FOREVER EVIL #1 and the first batch of Villains Month titles are available in stores today.