DC made a very interesting decision in late 2024. Following the death of long-term villain Darkseid, the DC universe split in two. In one half was the traditional DC continuity that we’ve all been following for many years, in the other was a new “Absolute” universe, that saw remixed versions of classic characters.
In part this felt like an attempt by DC to ape the success of Marvel’s Ultimate universe – an early 2000s comics line that presented revamped versions of the publisher’s characters, and which provided much of the inspiration for the early MCU movies. As the comics have progressed, however, they’ve developed a strong identity of their own – and proved wildly popular. A staggering 15 of the top 20 best selling comic issues of 2025 were DC Absolute titles.
With DC hosting an Absolute panel at this year’s New York Comic Con, we thought we’d give you a quick overview of where the line is at currently and the three must-read comics from a line that, so far, has yet to put a foot wrong.
Absolute Batman
The best-selling US comic in the world right now. Helmed by writer Scott Snyder (who previously penned a classic 2011 run of the mainline Batman title) and artist Nick Dragotta, the series presents a version of Batman that is simultaneously radical and familiar.
In this version of events Bruce Wayne is not a wealthy playboy, but a working class kid who grew up in Gotham’s Crime Alley. His father Thomas is dead, killed in a tragedy that continues to haunt Bruce, but his mother Martha is very much alive. Another intriguing twist is that many of Batman’s traditional rogue’s gallery of villains have been reinvented here as the flawed, but essentially decent, people that Bruce grew up with.
Even with these changes, this version of Bruce is every bit as dedicated to fighting crime as his mainstream version – he just has to work that bit harder. He’s bigger (almost comically huge, something we had fun with when the comic launched), tougher and wields a massive axe.
At this point in the series (#25 is about to drop), Bats has taken on revamped versions of Black Mask, Bane, Mr. Freeze and Scarecrow. But it’s a reinvented Joker – here depicted as a murderous billionaire and a sort of dark mirror of the original Bruce Wayne – that has proven to be his most intriguing foe. This is superhero comics with the action and intrigue cranked up to 11 and a hero who feels more in tune with our times than his mainstream counterpart.
Absolute Wonder Woman
Arguably the best comic in the Absolute range continues to be Absolute Wonder Woman, by writer Kelly Thompson and artist Hayden Sherman (with various other artists filling in from time-to-time).
Like Absolute Batman, this version of the Amazing Amazon also has an inverted backstory, with Diana being raised not on Paradise Island/Themiscyra, but the Wild Isle of Hell. She was brought up not surrounded by loving and supportive women, but by the witch Circe (traditionally a villain in the mainline Wonder Woman continuity).
Despite these hardships and being raised in an environment where everything wanted to kill her, this version of Diana is typified by her compassion and empathy as well as her fighting skills. In many ways she’s very similar to the regular Wonder Woman just… more so.
So far Absolute Wonder Woman has brought Diana into the outside world where she has tackled kaiju, met Steve Trevor, teamed up with Batman, faced the Suicide Squad and a whole host of divinities. Thompson’s writing throughout is terrific, while Sherman’s art is some of the best in mainstream comics. It’s just a beautiful, well-considered comic book in every respect.
Absolute Martian Manhunter
My final pick will likely be the most divisive choice here. Where Absolute Batman and Wonder Woman are both crowd-pleasers, Absolute Martian Manhunter, from writer Deniz Camp and artist Javier Rodríguez, takes a far more experimental approach.
The title follows an FBI Agent, John Jones, who somehow survives a bombing and bonds with a mysterious green alien entity that takes root in his mind, enabling John to see the thoughts of those around him. Inspired by the writing of novelist Thomas Pynchon (whose work also provided the blueprint for last year’s One Battle After Another), Absolute Martian Manhunter is trippy, idiosyncratic and the antidote to formulaic superhero comics.
The series wrapped up in July this year with #12. This was not a case of DC cancelling a “difficult” book, however, but a creative decision made by Camp and Rodríguez as the story reached its natural end. It proved something important, however, that the Absolute Universe not simply about giving the big characters a slight remix, but a label that produces groundbreaking and genuinely innovative comics.
All three of these titles are modern classics and the good news is, the Absolute Universe is still young enough that you can jump onboard now without having to do years-and-years of homework to catch up.
DC’s Absolute Universe panel at New York Comic Con will take place on Friday, October 9 at 11AM ET, and is moderated by DC executive editor Chris Conroy and DC group editor Katie Kubert.
For more, check out our guides to upcoming DC movies and shows on the way.