The voice of Gengar is our new Superman

It’s a bird… it’s a plane… no, it’s a feisty Ghost-Poison Pokémon with a giant tongue!

On Thursday, DC Comics announced a brand new adaptation of the beloved comic All-Star Superman, but with a twist: It’s a fully cast audiobook retelling, led by prolific voiceover artist Marc Thompson as the Man of Steel. Thompson has so many credits to his name, from narrating Star Wars’ Thrawn audiobooks to voicing a ton of anime characters — including Gengar on Pokémon Journeys. Could this version of Superman also grunt and grumble as he contemplates his sad existence?

On top of voicing Superman, Thompson will also voice Zibarro, the highly intelligent version of Bizarro. Co-starring is Kristen Sieh as Lois Lane, Christopher Smith as Lex Luthor, Brandon McInnis as Jimmy Olsen, and Ray Porter as Jor-El. The full cast is 25 actors deep, and DC says the recording will also feature an original score and sound effects.

Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s All-Star Superman is the stuff of legends — James Gunn cites it among his inspirations for the upcoming Superman feature film, which is a high bar to raise for himself. The audiobook, adapted by Meghan Fitzmartin, will directly adapt the complete 12-issue run of the original comic, and push the psychological story even further into the minds of its characters.

“I’ve been a fan of All-Star Superman since its initial publication 20 years ago, and we’re thrilled to work with DC to adapt Morrison and Quitely’s extraordinary vision in a fresh way unique to the audiobook,” says Lance Fitzgerald, DC’s SVP, Content and Business Development, in a news release. “In her adapted audio script, Meghan Fitzmartin takes listeners inside the minds of the characters, including their inner thoughts. We hear Zibarro wrestling with his uniqueness, Lex Luthor’s imperiousness, and Superman’s own reflections on his world and his mortality.”

The audiobook version of All-Star Superman arrives June 24.