While it hasn’t been a year since DC released its “Absolute” line of comics, with three comics finishing their first arc and three more halfway through, now is the perfect time to stop missing out.
DC has revamped fan favorite characters with all-new backstories, and if their multiple reprint runs are any indication, people are enjoying it. Batman isn’t rich, Superman doesn’t have the Kents, and Wonder Woman grew up in hell. This is just the tip of the iceberg, as all the characters in the Absolute Universe have been given harsher origins.
Absolute Batman
In this Universe, Bruce Wayne isn’t the orphaned child of murdered millionaire parents, but rather the son of elementary school teacher Thomas Wayne and Social Worker Martha Wayne. That’s right, Batman has no mansion in this story, no limitless supply of gadgets, and no family butler to help him.
Instead of travelling the world, training under monks and learning from top professors, this universe’s Bruce Wayne stayed in Gotham. Still a genius, Bruce picked up odd jobs focusing on the city; from trashman to construction worker, he worked his way to be a construction manager for the city. His position provides him with blueprints for all of Gotham; all the while, Bruce trained daily at “Croc’s Gym,” owned by his childhood friend Waylon Jones.
Waylon Jones is the name of a Batman villain in the main universe, often referred to as “Killer Croc” for his scaly exterior. This isn’t the only instance of a villain turning to an ally in this universe, as many of Batman’s most prolific villains are now longtime friends. The Penguin, Two-Face, The Riddler, and even Catwoman are all close friends to Bruce Wayne, not enemies of Batman.
That’s not all, as a group called the “Party Animals” has hit the streets of Gotham City. The members all wear the same black skull helmet and treat Gotham as their own personal GTA server. Batman has his work cut out for him as the group is well funded and the system itself is stacked against him.
The creative team is truly stacked on this one with Scott Snyder (American Vampire, Swamp Thing, and Batman) and art by Nick Dragotta (Ghost Cage, East of West, and the Fantastic Four). Syder is expected to be writing yet another classic for DC with this one, and Dragotta’s stylized rendition of the Dark Knight has already become a fan favorite.
Absolute Superman
What if Superman were allowed to grow up on Krypton? That is the question at the heart of Absolute Superman, where Kal-El was able to see the damage his people did to Krypton before it was destroyed. On this Krypton, his parents aren’t top scientists, but rather farmers who are affected by the planet’s mismanagement.
By the time Kal makes it to Earth, he sees the same signs leading to Krypton’s destruction, with the “Lazarus Corporation” and their “PeaceMaker” military force destroying the planet for natural resources. Superman travels the globe trying to save those being exploited by Lazarus, but the Peacemakers always seem to make it just in time to stop him.
With top Lazarus agent Lois Lane on his trail, there doesn’t seem to be anywhere for him to hide. Lois doesn’t seem so sure Superman is the bad guy, as she tries to do some research of her own the Lazarus AI “Brainiac” stops her.
This story is setting up to be something truly spectacular, being written by Jason Aaron (the Mighty Thor, PunisherMAX, and SCALPED) with beautiful illustrations by Rafa Sandoval (Avengers, X-Men, and Flash).
Absolute Wonder Woman
In the main continuity of DC, Themyscira is an island paradise and home to Wonder Woman along with the Amazons. It may still be a paradise in the Absolute Universe but Diana, Wonder Woman, will never know. The gods took her from her home as a baby and sent her to an island in the deepest pit of Tartarus to be raised by the evil sorceress Circe.
Diana herself seems much the same, her boundless kindness and godly strength shining brighter than ever in the darkness of the underworld. She spends much of her childhood befriending small monsters and settling disputes between the denizens of Hades, all the while being trained by the most dangerous witch of Greek mythology.
By the time Wonder Woman takes up the charge to defend humanity, she is much older and stronger, now sporting a giant sword and riding the back of a winged, skeletal horse. There are still many unanswered questions, but one thing is certain. Wonder Woman will save the day, or die trying.
This one caught me off guard. I didn’t have previous exposure to Kelly Thompson (Birds of Prey, Jessica Jones, and Hawkeye) but her writing on Absolute Wonder Woman is compelling, coupled with the one of a kind art by Hayden Sherman (Batman: Dark Patterns, Batman: Urban Legends, and Detective Comics) this is already one of my must read recommendations of the year.
Conclusion
These three comics spearhead the Absolute Universe line of comics, and what a way to get the ball rolling. These fan favorites are already becoming staples of DC, and this is only half of what is out right now. Absolute Flash, Absolute Martian Manhunter, and Absolute Green Lantern are just starting their first arcs to much fanfare. The Absolute Universe is the next phase of DC and a must-read.
