Credit: DC / Warmer Bros.
An exciting new DC Universe is underway. While DC Studios’ co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran are busy resetting the cinematic side of things, which will begin next year with SUPERMAN (2025), DC Comics has already launched its Absolute Universe.
The Absolute Universe completely reimagines iconic DC superheroes, with Bruce Wayne/Batman, Kal-El/Clark Kent/Superman, and Diana Prince/Wonder Woman leading the charge in three new separate stories (that will inevitably intersect) : “Absolute Batman,” “Absolute Superman,” and “Absolute Wonder Woman.”
Overseen by Scott Snyder (no relation to DC’s Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and 2021’s Justice League director Zack Snyder), the Absolute Universe takes place in a shared universe designated Earth-Alpha as part of the DC Comics Multiverse.
Though there have been numerous iterations of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman spanning the last several decades, these new “Absolute” versions are almost total inversions-yet they respect the foundation upon which the characters are built. So say goodbye to Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, and Gal Gadot–who famously portrayed Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman in the DCU movies. These new stories are part of the “DC All In” initiative, which debuts in the aftermath of the 2024 “Absolute Power” crossover event.
So far, “Absolute Batman,” “Absolute Superman,” and “Absolute Wonder Woman” have each released their first issue, with subsequent issues pending. These new titles have done nothing but impress even long-standing fans of the characters. Let’s take a look at how the “Absolute” versions of the Dark Knight, the Man of Steel, and the Amazonian differ from the portrayals we’ve all become so familiar with over the years.
Absolute Batman
Bruce Wayne is no longer a billionaire bachelor with a gigantic mansion and a live-in butler-he’s a young man who grew up in Crime Alley-one of the most scum-infested parts of Gotham City. This version of Gotham is also among the darkest and most brutal-which means that Bruce’s Caped Crusader is, too. Instead of fraternizing with supermodels at cocktail bars and lavish fundraisers as a means to keep up his public façade, Bruce is portrayed as a musclebound gym rat.
He’s also a city engineer, which explains why he’s able to design and build all of his own Bat-gear (now that he’s no longer a billionaire, he doesn’t have access to military-grade weaponry or the funds to craft state-of-the-art weaponry and vehicles–Wayne Enterprises doesn’t exist). One of the most “brave and bold” aspects about this new iteration of the iconic Caped Crusader is his logo-the first thing you’ll notice is that it’s blocky and almost featureless; while this fits nicely onto the hulking Batman’s chest, it also doubles as an axe blade which can be removed by some sort of magnetic hilt when it’s held near.
As for Alfred Pennyworth, he’s now a hardened mercenary who hunts Batman.
Related: Michael Keaton’s Batman Returns in New DC Project as Robert Pattinson’s Sequel is Shelved
Absolute Superman
The “Absolute” version of Kal-El/Superman (yet to be designated Clark Kent) arrives on Earth as an adult rather than a baby, as usually depicted. This means he grew up with his Kryptonian parents, Jor-El and Lara, and as such, wasn’t raised in Smallville, Kanas per traditional Superman lore. Kal-El is also able to communicate with his seemingly artificially intelligent costume (the “S” also has a very different meaning here) and needs to recharge his powers using solar energy.
This isn’t a far cry from the pseudo-science behind Superman’s powers, as we all know it’s essentially the Earth’s sun that makes him what he is, but it certainly helps to ground the character as it limits his otherwise God-like abilities. In other words, despite the planet Krypton featuring heavily in the plot, Kryptonite feels pretty redundant here–at least for the time being. Kal-El also doesn’t occupy the familiar Metropolis-this story opens in a bleak dystopian environment where miners are being enslaved by powerful forces.
But there’s still so much we don’t know about this version of the Man of Tomorrow-is he still a reporter at the Daily Planet? Did he grow up in Smallville? Does he have Earth parents? And where’s Lois Lane?
Related: Michael Keaton’s New Batsuit Revealed Ahead of Upcoming ‘Batman’ (1989) Sequel
Absolute Wonder Woman
Though far less iconic than Batman and Superman, Wonder Woman/Diana Prince has also been given a thrilling new makeover and a brand-new origin story–again, one that feels like an inversion of traditional lore. Where Batman is no longer a billionaire, and Kal-El no longer an alien who was raised on Earth, the “Absolute” version of Wonder Woman was raised in Hell rather than the somewhat utopian land known as Themyscira.
Consequently, Diana is darker and far more brutal, and is also seemingly able to form bonds with Hell beasts of all shapes and sizes. Absolute Wonder Woman” #1 is a lot shorter than the other two companion comic books, so it remains to be seen how this story unfolds and what else this new version of the character will bring to the table.
“Absolute Flash,” “Absolute Green Lantern,” and “Absolute Martian Manhunter” are set to follow in March.
“Absolute Batman” #1, “Absolute Superman” #1, and “Absolute Wonder Woman” #1 are on sale now.
Have you read DC Comics’ “Absolute” series yet? Let us know in the comments below!
