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Batman swings into action courtesy of Spawn creator Todd McFarlane in new Whatnot NYCC 2025 exclusive

Todd McFarlane’s 1980s run on DC Comics’ Dark Knight is celebrated with a new limited edition release at New York Comic Con 2025

News by Graeme McMillan, Editor

Published on Thu Oct 09 2025

This article is brought to you by Whatnot - the live shopping marketplace. Whether you're here at New York Comic Con or anywhere in the world, you don't have to miss out on some of the big exclusives happening this weekend.

There’s a lot to love about the '80s comic book storyline ‘Batman: Year Two’ — not least of which is the fact that iconic comic book artist Todd McFarlane illustrated the bulk of the four-part storyline, in the process previewing an art style that he’d transform into the basis of his best-selling Spawn just a handful of years later. Decades after the fact, McFarlane’s '80s take on the Dark Knight is finally being properly celebrated at New York Comic Con 2025, courtesy of Whatnot.

McFarlane’s time with DC’s Caped Crusader was particularly short — just three issues of Detective Comics in 1987, finishing out the ‘Year Two’ storyline with writer Mike W. Barr following the departure of artist Alan Davis. By the time that was finished, he had already moved across to Marvel Comics and drawing The Amazing Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk, and coming one step closer to his 1992 co-founding of Image Comics and creation of Spawn… but his connection with Batman continued through 1994’s Spawn/Batman crossover (with Frank Miller) and 2022’s follow-up Batman/Spawn #1, not to mention McFarlane Toys’ many DC figures.

For New York Comic Con 2025, Whatnot has created a limited edition collectible only available through their on-site Whatnot House (Booth #1000 on the show floor of the Javits Center) to mark the impact that McFarlane has had on the character: a variant edition of Detective Comics #575 — the first chapter of ‘Batman: Year Two’ — with Todd McFarlane cover art, taken from his work on the interior of Detective Comics #578. Take a look at the cover:

It’s one of two releases in Whatnot’s DC x Todd McFarlane collaboration for NYCC 2025; the other is a brand new variant edition for 1987’s Justice League #1, the first issue of the fan-favorite ‘Justice League International’ run that inspired James Gunn’s Justice Gang in Superman and Peacemaker Season 2. That issue features a new cover taken from McFarlane’s artwork from 1989’s Invasion #2, and it looks like this:

As if the chance to have two new McFarlane covers isn’t exciting enough, he’ll also be signing at the show — meaning that fans have the chance to leave New York Comic Con with two signed McFarlane covers they didn’t have before they got there.

Both covers will be available exclusively at NYCC 2025 while supplies last. Check out the Whatnot House at Booth #1000 on the show floor.

Here's everything you need to enjoy New York Comic Con 2025:

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Dates

Oct 10 - Oct 13

Location

New York City
United States

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Graeme McMillan: Popverse Editor Graeme McMillan (he/him) has been writing about comics, culture, and comics culture on the internet for close to two decades at this point, which is terrifying to admit. He completely understands if you have problems understanding his accent.