A New Costume & Attainable New Powers, Defined

As we converse, James Gunn and Peter Safran are working to shepherd the DC Comics universe on movie. We’ll have a greater sense of how this new franchise may play out (and whether or not it is right here for the lengthy haul) after “Superman” — personally directed by Gunn and starring David Corenswet as Superman — soars into theaters on July 11, 2025.

Whereas DC Movies is getting ready to introduce a brand new silver display Superman, DC Comics is doing the identical. This fall, DC is launching a brand new “Absolute” publishing line. That is, in a nutshell, a reboot for the shared setting of DC Comics (although it’s going to run alongside the unique as a substitute of changing it). Acquainted characters will begin from the start and may end up very otherwise than they’ve earlier than.

Comedian writers Scott Snyder and Joshua Williamson are the architects of “Absolute DC.” On July 18, 2024, Snyder shared background on the challenge in his “Our Finest Jackett” e-newsletter. He described the relaunch as “a universe the place we are able to do the sorts of issues that we tried to do with the New 52 [a previous DC reboot] the place we are able to reinvent the characters in actually daring methods which can be private to us.”

“Absolute Superman” is being written by Jason Aaron (“Thor: The God Butcher,” “Scalped,” “Avengers,”) and drawn by Rafa Sandoval (“Motion Comics,” “The Flash”). Particulars are obscure to date, however Aaron has promised a reinvention of Superman. Can we imagine him?

The Absolute Universe launches on October 2, 2024 with the one-shot “DC All-In Particular” #1. It has been confirmed that Darkseid will probably be behind the creation of the brand new actuality. Snyder defined on his e-newsletter: 

“Darkseid, our best villain, turns into that determine that claims ‘it is time for superheroes to finish.’ I’ll develop into the brand new factor, the factor that they haven’t seen coming however has been prophesied as their finish. And I’ll remodel myself or I’ll make myself into this factor that may lastly put these tales to relaxation. I’m Omega. I’m the top of all issues.”

“Absolute Batman” launches first (Batman getting high billing, what else is new?), adopted by “Absolute Marvel Girl,” after which “Absolute Superman.” The complete record of confirmed “Absolute DC” titles is as follows:

• “Absolute Batman” by Snyder and Nick Dragotta, starting October 2, 2024.

• “Absolute Marvel Girl” by Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman, starting October 23, 2024.

• “Absolute Superman” by Aaron and Sandoval, starting November 6, 2024.

• “Absolute Flash” by Jeff Lemire and Nick Robles, launch TBA.

• “Absolute Inexperienced Lantern” by Al Ewing and Jahnoy Lindsay, launch TBA.

BleedingCool additionally reported in July 2024 that Deniz Camp is writing an “Absolute Martian Manhunter” sequence, although that sequence was not confirmed to be taking place at San Diego Comedian-Con 2024 with the others.

You may’t perceive “Absolute DC” with out understanding “Final Marvel.” That refers to a publishing initiative launched in 2000, the place Marvel Comics up to date their core characters for the twenty first century and restarted them from the start. The “Final Universe” was first conceptualized by Marvel VP Invoice Jemas and spearheaded with Marvel Editor-In-Chief Joe Quesada as a technique to win new readers with out dropping previous ones. The early titles, like “Final Spider-Man” (by Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley), “Final X-Males” (by Mark Millar and Adam Kubert) and a reimagined Avengers referred to as “The Ultimates” (by Millar and Bryan Hitch), have been successes and Final Marvel was a powerhouse through the 2000s.

The setting ultimately had its “leaping the shark” moments as soon as the last decade closed. Marvel retired the Final universe after 2015’s “Secret Wars” (by Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribic). Two of its major characters have been introduced over from Earth-1610 (Final Marvel) to Earth-616 (“mainstream” Marvel); Miles Morales/Spider-Man and the Maker, the Final Reed Richards/Mister Implausible who’d turned evil.

The Maker’s survival turned out to be key when Marvel revived the “Final” branding in 2023. Within the kick-off mini-series “Final Invasion” (by Hickman and Hitch), the Maker escapes Earth-616 and decides to construct his personal “excellent” world, Earth-6160. The result’s a world the place most superheroes by no means existed and the Maker’s acolytes rule.

In “Final Invasion,” 6160 Tony Stark and Reed Richards (who the Maker sealed inside Physician Doom’s masks) overthrow the Maker and set about cleansing up his messes, making the world the way it “ought to” have been. As Tony and Reed’s new Ultimates have been studying, some adjustments cannot be undone. Whereas the brand new “Final Marvel” shares the branding of the 2000s one, it’s not a recreation. Somewhat, it honors the unique initiative’s intention of resetting the desk and providing a recent begin.

“Absolute” clearly intends to do the identical for DC. Even the chosen adjectives are comparable, suggesting that this retelling may have solely the necessities and be even higher than earlier than. “Absolute” additionally has the identical feeling of early aughts x-treme branding that “Final” does. I am not going to accuse plagiarism, however Darkseid’s keystone position in “Absolute DC” and the premise of twisting the characters (relatively than setting them again to fundamentals) does really feel harking back to the brand new “Final Marvel.”

This isn’t DC’s first try at their very own Final universe both. They’ve tried this earlier than — first in 2005, with the “All-Star DC Comics” initiative. The premise there was to take all-star writers and artists to ship accessible takes on DC’s main character. It solely produced two titles: “All-Star Superman” by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely is a contemporary basic. “All-Star Batman and Robin, the Boy Marvel” by Frank Miller and Jim Lee? Not a lot.

DC tried once more with the “Earth One” graphic novel sequence, an much more direct analogue to Final Marvel; reintroducing youthful, much less ostentatious variations of basic characters in a brand new world. “Earth One” produced extra comics than “All-Star” however quietly fizzled out and none moreover Morrison and Yanick Paquette’s “Marvel Girl: Earth One” trilogy are particularly beloved.

Even the aforementioned “New 52” (launched in 2011) felt crafted in Final Marvel’s picture, with a extra interconnected setting and militarized superheroes. There have been some highlights (Snyder’s run on “Batman” with Greg Capullo and DC’s savior Grant Morrison’s “Motion Comics), however the consensus these days is that the New 52 failed as a result of it wasn’t a clear break with the previous continuity. Some previous tales have been nonetheless canon, some weren’t, and this glad no-one. DC pivoted to a brand new relaunch, “DC Rebirth,” in 2016 to stave off criticism.

Will the “Absolute” universe lastly give DC what they have been making an attempt to do for 20 years. We’ll know quickly.

In an interview with Display Rant, Aaron shared some particulars about his “Absolute” reimagining of Superman. Absolute Superman remains to be from Krypton, although Aaron teases that the planet itself is being modified too. “His place in Krypton, his mother and father’ place and Krypton and his relationship with them. That is all completely different,” Aaron defined.

“How he got here to Earth is completely different,” Aaron added; this Superman was not raised in Kansas by the Kents. “The story would not begin in Metropolis, it simply begins in Brazil in a diamond mine.” As a consequence of his completely different upbringing, this Superman will probably be much less of the massive blue boy scout, although Aaron mentioned Absolute Superman will not be fairly “darkish” or “edgy” both.

“No Fortress. No Household. No Residence,” was the “Absolute Superman” tagline that Aaron shared on his Substack.

Superman is not the one DC hero getting a brand new origin. Absolute Batman just isn’t a silver spoon-fed CEO; this Bruce Wayne is a working class metropolis engineer with no mansion, no countless cash, and no butler sidekick. Absolute Marvel Girl just isn’t on a mission of peace; she was raised in Hell, not Paradise, and is outwardly each a warrior and a witch.

Absolute Superman nonetheless seems like Superman: blue swimsuit, red-and-yellow chest insignia with an “S” image, black hair, and flowing crimson cape. There are refined variations although; he wears crimson wrist gauntlets that, alongside together with his boots, appear to glow. Aaron has mentioned there is a (unrevealed) purpose why this Superman has longer, messier hair than traditional (no spit curl in sight), and teased a brand new element to his cape. “Have a look at the cape. It is obtained a gradient texture. He is actually carrying the mud of Krypton,” Aaron mentioned.

Superman appears reflective of the “Absolute DC” design ethos; classical sufficient to be recognizable, however with some new particulars to face out. Take Batman, who’s far more buff than traditional. Snyder mentioned on Twitter that since this Bruce Wayne just isn’t a public determine, he has much less purpose to hide his secret id. Ergo, he is as jacked as a vigilante would should be. 

That was one of many moments that I liked pondering on this — if he is not weathy/well-known, he would not should stroll a line as Bruce. He would not should put on tuxes, cover his physique to faux. He might be enormous, b/c Bruce Wayne is nobody, so look out.

— Scott Snyder (@Ssnyder1835) August 3, 2024

Many jokes have been made about Absolute Batman’s chest insignia, which seems extra like a strong black brick than a bat’s wingspan. The rationale for such a thick look? The insignia is a removable ax head. Marvel Girl additionally has an enormous sword resembling Guts’ Dragon Slayer from “Berserk,” to not point out a darker crimson, black and silver coloration scheme and tattoos working down her left arm.

Superman has a variety of superpowers, amassed from completely different writers including to him in his early years. Lately, his most accepted powers are: tremendous energy, tremendous sturdiness, flight, warmth imaginative and prescient, x-ray imaginative and prescient, ice breath, tremendous listening to, and many others. He will get his powers from Earth’s yellow solar juicing up his Kryptonian cells, and the one factor that may hurt him is Kryptonite (inexperienced glowing radioactive meteorites that land on Earth as particles after Krypton’s destruction).

Will the Absolute Superman have these standard powers? That is been stored mum for the second, and that actual fact has led to hypothesis that his Man of Metal may need completely different powers. Nonetheless, the glowing gold vitality working by means of his costume does recommend the photo voltaic motif of Superman’s powers will probably be maintained — maybe it is going to be emphasised much more so than traditional.

“Absolute Superman” #1 releases in comedian shops on Wednesday, November 6, 2024.