It’s that time of year again! DC’s annual Pride event celebrates and spotlights queer DC characters with a collection of LGBTQIA+ themed covers, all-new short stories and a currently ongoing miniseries featuring Dreamer and Galaxy. Going strong since 2021, this initiative has spoken to countless fans (as seen via the letters, cosplay and art fan submissions in last year’s anthology), as well as inspired a new wave of DC comic readers. This year, the publisher has released eight different Pride variants that will grace the covers of some of their most popular ongoing titles. Let’s take a look and share some thoughts, shall we?
Batwoman #4 (Betsy Cola)
What better way to get started here than with some lesbian Pride! Batwoman, Kate Kane, is one of DC’s most well-known sapphic characters. Fitting because this woman-loving-woman term originated from the Greek poet Sappho, and the word lesbian originated from the Island of Lesbos, and Betsy Cola features Greek statues on this stunning cover. Kate Kane is surrounded by sculptures of goddesses and muses on each side, both cozying up to her, as she stands tall as the only pop of color. A lot of lesbian imagery and symbolism comes from Greek art and history, so this is a fitting call back to the history of queer women!
Emperor Aquaman #18 (Bruka Jones)
Jackson Hyde’s Aquaman proudly embraces his love interest Ha’Wea in Bruka Jones’ brilliant Pride cover! Mirroring the imagery of the yin and yang, Jones' cover leans into the softness of this romance with glistening water and a pastel color palette. As the two characters look into each other’s eyes lovingly, the rest of the world seemingly fades away. There is a softness to their romance that makes this one of the most romantic covers DC Pride 2026 has to offer!
Justice League Unlimited #20 (Jessica Fong)
Featuring Renee Montoya’s Question, another sapphic character being celebrated this Pride, Jessica Fong’s variant cover gives us an exciting Western take on Renee’s character. As the Question confidently takes center stage within the composition, she is surrounded by a vibrant palette of rainbow colors in the form of an art deco stained-glass window behind her. I believe this plays into the fact that many queer people naturally play with masculinity and femininity, with Renee taking on a more stereotypically masculine pose on this cover.
Wonder Woman #34 (Fatima Wajid)
The queen herself, Nubia, takes center stage on one of my favorite covers of this year’s Pride event! Fatima Wajid illustrates a Queen Nubia that is equal parts beautiful and tender, and equal parts fierce and powerful, representing what Amazons truly are! Her side profile looks like a Greek goddess, with her golden armor glistening in the light as a dove flies by. All of this is brought together with a literal rainbow that amplifies the beauty of this composition and Nubia herself. Simply obsessed with the sapphic goddess that Nubia basically is!
New Titans #36 (Rachael Stott)
Jon Kent’s Superman is one of DC’s most influential bisexual characters. In Rachael Stott’s stunning and sunny Pride cover, he’s taking a beach day with some familiar faces representing the LGBTQIA+ community: Traci 13, Bunker, Ray and Crush. My favorite detail has to be Bunker reading a book called “Boiling Enmity” with two hockey players on the cover, a perfect nod to the hit book series and live action show, Heated Rivalry! To me, it all represents the joy of community and friendship found within the queer community. All of these characters are unapologetically themselves, and Stott’s vibrant and warm hues add to the cozy and fun nature of this gay beach day. What’s not to love? This isn't the first DC Pride beach cover, either. It has become a tradition!
Poison Ivy #45 (Don Aguillo)
Don Aguillo’s stunning cover features another beloved sapphic character, Poison Ivy, now single and ready to mingle! Aguillo’s piece is strikingly vibrant for a comic book series that often leans into the macabre. From the New York Fashion Week-worthy outfit, the distinct glasses and the striking purple heels, this piece celebrates Ivy’s femininity. Many feminine queer women lean into the high fashion of it all, and this Ivy is clearly no stranger to the term “lipstick lesbian”…or rather, "lipstick bisexual”? This is simply a stunning cover, featuring a beautiful queer woman fearlessly expressing herself!
Harley Quinn #63 (Stephen Byrne)
It just wouldn’t be DC Pride without Harley Quinn! The DC Universe’s premiere “anti-villain,” Harley Quinn is a character that has never been afraid to be herself. Wielding her iconic hammer in Stephen Byrne’s vivacious cover, Harley is striking an action pose against the stark white background. It creates a high-contrast and eye-catching piece that is perfectly framed by a rainbow!
Detective Comics #1110 (Angel Solorzano)
Among my favorite of this year’s DC Pride covers is Angel Solorzano’s Detective Comics variant. Pride is not only a celebration, but a protest against hatred and an acknowledgement of the still ongoing fight for freedom and acceptance. This has been true since Stonewall in 1969, which sowed the seeds for the Pride Month we know today. The only words featured on this cover (outside of the book’s trade dress) are on a sign that says, “Pride is a Protest,” commemorating the history of the LGBTQIA+ community in the US. However, this cover is anything but somber. The hero featured is Tim Drake's Robin, another openly bisexual DC character, and the whole thing is a vibrant painting that fittingly represents queer joy!
Sami DeMonster writes about superheroes, horror and sci-fi for DC.com and reviews comics every week on social media. Follow her at @samidemonster on Instagram and Substack.
NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Sami DeMonster and do not necessarily reflect those of DC or Warner Bros. Discovery, nor should they be read as confirmation or denial of future DC plans.
