DC’s Absolute Universe Did Something I Never Thought Was Possible

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DC Comics has, in recent years, struggled slightly with its output of stories surrounding characters like Batman, Superman, and the Flash. Some of the company’s most iconic heroes and villains have found themselves in mediocre, forgettable stories and long-running series, and fans have generally been disappointed by this fact.

Though there are people who wholeheartedly enjoyed series like Chip Zdarsky’s Batman, Brian Michael Bendis’s Superman, and Tom King’s Wonder Woman, the general consensus on these books was somewhat lackluster, something that DC Comics has obviously not been happy about. With such a long history for these characters, it has been time for a while for there to be a significant change or shake-up in the status quo, and that finally came in the form of the all-new Absolute Universe.

The Absolute Universe Is the Revamp DC Has Needed for Years

DC’s New Universe Is an Easy Jumping-On Point for Fans

One of the major issues surrounding a comic book publisher as old as DC Comics is the fact that new readers are often intimidated by the sheer number of books that they seemingly have to read in order to “catch up”. While there are DC reading guides to get people started, anyone wanting to be privy to all the information surrounding their favorite characters is signing themselves up for a lot of reading.

So many Batman books have been released over the last few decades, so many stories have featured Superman and the Justice League and the Suicide Squad and the Green Lantern Corps and the JSA and so on. There’s so much lore, so much history at play in the current DC Universe, and it can be difficult to engage with for newer readers.

Thankfully, the new Absolute Universe seems to be giving readers the perfect opportunity to jump in on the ground floor. Though the universe technically did come about due to a storyline involving Darkseid and the heroes of the mainline DC Universe, the stories so far have been completely self-contained. The Absolute Universe has already had plenty of standout moments, and books like Absolute Batman and Absolute Wonder Woman have stunned readers with their incredible artwork and spectacular characterization of their central heroes.

Absolute Superman and Absolute Flash have been slowly but surely establishing bold new iterations of their title heroes, and despite slower starts than the other books in the Absolute Universe, they have consistently been gaining effective narrative momentum. It’s too early to tell what fans will think of writer Al Ewing’s Absolute Green Lantern, as it has had the fewest number of issues so far, but arguably the best book in the whole bunch is writer Deniz Camp’s unbelievable Absolute Martian Manhunter.

All of these books have one thing in common: they are brand-new interpretations of pre-existing icons of the comic book medium. This means that new readers can jump in and find new love for these heroes through a new lens. Martian Manhunter has never been more compelling than he is in the first three issues of Absolute Martian Manhunter, and the character is barely even recognizable as a version of the iconic DC hero.

The same goes for Green Lantern and Flash, who both seem to be receiving drastically different origins and storylines from their mainline counterparts. This fact allows for readers to be excited about what might come next, what’s going to happen to these characters, and how they’ll compare and contrast to the well-known interpretations from the main universe.

The Absolute Universe Is Even Better Than DC’s Mainline Universe

They’re the Best Versions of Iconic DC Characters in Decades

With so many storylines and so many years of history, characters like Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman can begin to feel stagnant in their solo books and team-up series. Batman has gone through so much, battled so many foes, and handled so many tragedies, that it feels difficult for readers to latch onto anything happening in his contemporary stories. They’ve seen it all, and it’s harming the image of the Dark Knight.

The best thing to do, and something that DC desperately needs to accept, is giving Batman an entirely new status quo, shifting his character and stories in a direction that has never been done before. This is the way to keep readers engaged and interested in the plights and plots of the Caped Crusader. The same goes for Wonder Woman and Superman.

While the mainline universe hasn’t quite done that with any of the three icons of the DC Universe, the brand-new Absolute Universe books have come out swinging with bold new interpretations of the heroes. Each member of the trinity has their own solo title in the Absolute Universe, and each one has arguably been the best book for its respective hero in decades.

Absolute Wonder Woman is one of the most compelling books about the character in decades, and it makes the current Tom King run look absolutely dire by comparison. The characterization of Wonder Woman herself is jaw-dropping, and her interactions with the supporting cast of the book are some of the most engaging moments in the entire Absolute Universe. The artwork by artist Hayden Sherman remains some of the best DC has ever offered up, as well, and fans are hopeful that the series will continue to deliver incredible comic book storytelling each month.

While Absolute Martian Manhunter‘s John Jones is a far cry from his mainline counterpart, that’s absolutely for the best. The character is free from all continuity constraints, all matters surrounding status quo and history and previous characterization. He can simply be a new and compelling protagonist in a brand-new story. That’s what makes the Absolute Universe so wonderful: exciting new stories can be told by writers and artists in ways that could never be done in the mainline, and they are freed from any editorial constraints or continuity issues.

John Jones and his mental Martian companion can solve crimes and battle the forces of evil in ways that the Martian Manhunter of the core DC Universe cannot, and that is the beauty of an alternate universe. Batman can be more violent, less rich, and more connected to his family than his mainline counterpart, and it all works in the universe’s favor. Everything about the Absolute Universe is expertly crafted to best capture the attention of readers new and old, and it’s the best lineup of books DC has published in years.

DC’s Absolute Universe Is Only Going to Get Better From Here

Absolute Versions of DC Characters Could Surpass the Originals in Popularity

With such a strong start to this new universe, the Absolute books are increasingly looking like the definitive interpretations of the most iconic DC characters for fans to read right now. Instead of picking up the latest issue of Batman, rife with extensive continuity, convoluted ties to Batman: Hush, and lackluster art from the once-great Jim Lee, fans of the character would naturally gravitate toward the sleek, mean, and gritty Absolute Batman from Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta. The book is unlike anything DC has published in decades, and it’s a total breath of fresh air for readers.

Reading comics is supposed to be enjoyable, not a chore or a slog in the name of keeping up with current continuity. The Absolute books are some of the most creative, emotionally fulfilling books releasing from either DC or Marvel comics today, and their future is looking bright.

So many readers are gravitating towards books like Absolute Wonder Woman and Absolute Martian Manhunter, with the latter even extending its run from six issues to twelve due to popular demand. Comic book stories can so easily be some of the most effective and prescient tales in the contemporary pop-cultural zeitgeist, and the Absolute Universe is the definitive example of this fact.

The Absolute Universe’s Batman is perhaps the best version of the Caped Crusader in decades, and the same goes for characters like Wally West, Kal-El, and Diana Prince. These versions of the iconic characters and their stories in the all-new Absolute Universe are just getting started, and fans are anxiously awaiting what comes next for these bold new heroes.

With the Absolute Universe practically designed to be an oppositional force to the mainline universe, it’s interesting to see what these heroes do in a world where they’re practically destined to lose. One thing is for sure, though—the Absolute Universe and its popularity are signs of what the comic book community wants more of: bold, exciting stories that readers old and new can engage with every single month.

“}]] DC Comics has recently introduced a new Absolute Universe, and the alternate reality stories are already surpassing the original universe’s.  Read More