Next month, a DC Comics heroine will step into the spotlight in her own all-new ongoing solo series. Spinning out of the pages of JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA and BIRDS OF PREY, KATANA comes to you from the creative team of Ann Nocenti and artist Alex Sanchez. But who is this elusive former assassin and why does she believe that the soul of her deceased husband is trapped in her sword?

“Katana is a trained, disciplined martial artist. She removes herself from Birds of Prey to go on a personal journey in Japantown, San Francisco, and pursue a quest for vengeance against the Sword Clan, the men that killed her husband,” Nocenti explained to MTV GEEK. “In KATANA #1, she fights COIL, who has a spiral sword, a whip of a sword, and she realizes she's not just up against him, but legions. She is allowing herself to let loose, to unravel a bit, to fight this battle. But when the JLA calls -- she's all business. She's a soldier in an army for them. Back to the restrained, disciplined fighter. She brings that to the team -- a reliable, fearless martial arts master. But as things change in her solo book, that might change in JLA also.”

“The first issue you see that she’s got new villains – really nasty new villains,” she continued to IGN. “She pretty much hooks up with a new supporting cast in Japantown right off the bat. We set the scene and then everything starts to change with issues #2 and 3. She’s also going to be very connected to the DC Universe. She’s got guest stars in issues #2 and 3 who are surprising. I want her to be connected to the DCU, even in her solo missions.”

To read more from Ann Nocenti about the launch of KATANA, see the full interviews that ran this morning with the writer on MTV GEEK, IGN, AOL’s COMICS ALLIANCE and COMICOSITY, and Katana’s character profile on NEWSARAMA. And don’t forget to visit all five of these outlets for your first looks at Alex Sanchez’ interior art for KATANA #1.