Newton began his career at DC with "DC Special" #28 (July 1977). Newton contributed the pencils on an Aquaman strip inked by his old friend Dan Adkins. Newton would draw Aquaman off and on for the next three years. That same month saw the release of Newton's first series at DC, "The New Gods" #12. Dan Adkins inked most of his work on the New Gods. It was during his tenure on this strip that Newton left his job as a junior high school art teacher to go work full-time as an artist. In the middle of Newton's run on "The New Gods", he and David Michelinie co-created the Star Hunters for DC but Newton dropped the feature after drawing two stories.