It begins.
Next month, DC Comics will split in two. When "Absolute Power" comes to an end -- and we have a thread on that HERE -- something happens that creates, for lack of a better term, a new Earth-2. This new parallel universe will be published in DC's new "Absolute" line (not to be confused with their upscale reprints of the same name). Meanwhile, the "regular" universe is being described as having a, cough, rebirth of sorts, titled "All In." DC describes this as "a line-wide initiative combining an exciting, reimagined universe of DC's Super Heroes and an ongoing line of core titles, featuring bold new directions for DC's mainstay Super Heroes."
I am getting lots of info. Too much to just hang onto until October! It seems a shame not to share it. And then: Discussion! We bring to bear the Legion of Superfluous Heroes joint super-power of talking something to death! It will be awesome!
First, here's the information I have so far on the Absolute titles:
DC ALL IN SPECIAL #1
Written by SCOTT SNYDER and JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
Art by DANIEL SAMPERE and WES CRAIG
Cover by DANIEL SAMPERE
Variant covers by WES CRAIG and RAFA SANDOVAL
1:25 variant cover by JOHN GIANG
Foil variant cover by DANIEL SAMPERE
$4.99 US | 64 pages | Variants $5.99 US (card stock) | Foil variant $7.99
ON SALE 10/2/24
As Absolute Power ends (issue #4 on sale Oct. 2), DC’s All In initiative begins with a single-issue mega-event, presented as a startling, symmetrical flipbook!
Following the events of DC’s blockbuster storyline Absolute Power, the heroes of the core DC Universe have fought against the deep divisions in the world around them to usher in a new era of unity. And it’s just in time, too—because Darkseid has returned. Superman must gather every hero on Earth to hold the line against a very different version of the Lord of Apokolips, as they raise our cosmic defenses and prepare for war…and when the first blows land, the shock waves will ripple into every series in the DCU and shake the nature of their reality to its core!
But little do they know…the greater threat is still to come. For there is another Earth: the Absolute Universe. Here, DC’s biggest icons are coming of age with fewer advantages and facing greater opposition than ever before…while miraculously retaining the immutable heroism that has inspired fans for decades. But can they really protect the light that shines inside them when the world in which they live is hurtling toward a terrible destiny?
Co-written by Scott Snyder (Absolute Batman) and Joshua Williamson (Superman), the flipbook DC All In Special #1 features art by Wonder Woman artist Daniel Sampere when read in one direction and Deadly Class co-creator and series artist Wes Craig when read in the other direction. The 64-page one-shot features a main cover by Sampere, with variant covers by Rafa Sandoval, Wes Craig, and John Giang.
“The creation of the Absolute Universe is how I always imagined coming back to DC, and DC All In will be a great jumping-on point for new readers as well as lapsed fans to discover new stories to love and the chance to explore the new directions in store for DC’s core series lineup,” says Snyder.
ABSOLUTE BATMAN #1
Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Art and cover by NICK DRAGOTTA
Variant covers by WES CRAIG, JIM LEE, and MITCH GERADS
1:25 variant cover by IAN BERTRAM
1:50 variant cover by MITCH GERADS
1:100 black and white variant cover by JIM LEE
Foil design variant
$4.99 US | 48 pages
Variants $5.99 US (card stock) | Foil variant $7.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 10/9/24
Without the mansion…without the money…without the butler…what’s left is the Absolute Dark Knight!
Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta introduce fans to a new Batman with the release of Absolute Batman #1. In this iteration, fans will be introduced to a version of the Dark Knight that doesn’t have the money, mansion, or butler of his core-line counterpart. Readers will quickly find out what makes this the “Absolute” version of Batman when the debut issue, with colors by Frank Martin and letters by Clayton Cowles, arrives at participating comic book shops and digital retailers Wednesday, October 9. Absolute Batman #1 will publish with a main cover by Nick Dragotta and Frank Martin, plus variant covers by Wes Craig and Mike Spicer, Jim Lee, Scott Williams and Alex Sinclair, Mitch Gerads, and Ian Bertram (1:25).
Snyder launches this new universe with the release of Absolute Batman #1, featuring art by Nick Dragotta. In this iteration, fans will be introduced to a version of the Dark Knight that doesn’t have the money, mansion, or butler of his core-line counterpart. Readers will quickly find out what makes this the “Absolute” version of Batman when the debut issue arrives at participating comic book shops and digital retailers Wednesday, October 9.
ABSOLUTE WONDER WOMAN #1
by Dan Panosian
Written by KELLY THOMPSON
Art and cover by HAYDEN SHERMAN
Variant covers by WES CRAIG, JIM LEE, and JEFF DEKAL
1:25 variant cover by DAN PANOSIAN
1:50 variant cover by JEFF DEKAL
1:100 black and white cover by JIM LEE
Foil design variant
$4.99 US | 48 pages
Variants $5.99 US (card stock) | Foil variant $7.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 10/23/24
Without the island paradise…without the sisterhood that shaped her…without a mission of peace…what’s left is the Absolute Amazon!
For Diana, there is no island paradise, no sisterhood to shape her, nor a mission of peace—so what is the purpose of an Amazon warrior in this new universe? Eisner Award-winning writer Kelly Thompson and breakout artist Hayden Sherman reinvent her from the ground up in Absolute Wonder Woman #1, with colors by Jordie Bellaire and letters by Becca Carey, on sale Wednesday, October 23. Absolute Wonder Woman #1 will publish with a main cover by Hayden Sherman and Jordie Bellaire, plus variant covers by Wes Craig and Mike Spicer, Jim Lee, Scott Williams and Alex Sinclair, Jeff Dekal, and Dan Panosian (1:25).
For Diana, there is no island paradise, no sisterhood to shape her, nor a mission of peace—so what is the purpose of an Amazon warrior in this new universe? Eisner Award-winning writer Kelly Thompson and breakout artist Hayden Sherman reinvent her from the ground up in Absolute Wonder Woman #1, on sale October 23.
ABSOLUTE SUPERMAN #1
by Wes Craig and Mike Spicer
Written By JASON AARON
Art and cover by RAFA SANDOVAL
Variant covers by WES CRAIG, JIM LEE, and CLAYTON CRAIN
1:25 cover by MATTEO SCALERA
1:50 cover by CLAYTON CRAIN
1:100 black and white cover by JIM LEE
Foil design variant
$4.99 US | 48 pages
Variants $5.99 US (card stock) | Foil variant $7.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 11/6/24
Without the fortress…without the family…without a home…what’s left is the Absolute Man of Steel!
Writer Jason Aaron and artist Rafa Sandoval join forces to present a new Man of Steel with the launch of Absolute Superman #1. This Superman has no family, no Fortress of Solitude, and no home. Will he still stand for truth and justice in this new universe? Readers can find out when Absolute Superman #1, with colors by Ulises Arreola and letters by Becca Carey, hits participating comic book shops on Wednesday, November 6. Absolute Superman #1 will publish with a main cover by Rafa Sandoval and Ulises Arreola, plus variant covers by Wes Craig and Mike Spicer, Jim Lee, Scott Williams and Alex Sinclair, Clayton Crain, and Matteo Scalera (1:25).
Writer Jason Aaron and artist Rafa Sandoval join forces to present a new Man of Steel with the launch of Absolute Superman #1. This Superman has no family, no Fortress of Solitude, and no home. Will he still stand for truth, justice, and a better tomorrow in this new universe? Readers can find out when Absolute Superman #1 hits participating comic book shops November 6.
All three launch issues will also have a “foil design variant” featuring the new crests for each of DC's new Absolute Trinity. Look for these at your local comic book store when Absolute Batman #1 publishes on October 9, when Absolute Wonder Woman #1 publishes on October 23, and when Absolute Superman #1 publishes on November 6.
Replies
Because I'm OCD, I went ahead and compared the DCU titles for October and November.
OCTOBER
DC ALL IN SPECIAL #1: All in, obvs.
BATMAN #153-154: New storyline, same creative team.
DETECTIVE #1090: New writer (Tom Taylor)
SUPERMAN #19: Repercussions of Absolute Power.
ACTION COMICS #1070-1073: New writer (Mark Waid)
HARLEY QUINN #44: New writer (Elliott Kalan)
GREEN ARROW #350: Repercussions from Absolute Power. Chris Condon joins Joshua Williamson as writer.
NIGHTWING #119: New story.
FLASH #14: New story.
WONDER WOMAN #14: No change.
GREEN LANTERN: No change.
TITANS: No change.
BATMAN AND ROBIN: No change.
BIRDS OF PREY: No change.
CATWOMAN: New storyline.
POISON IVY: No change.
WORLD'S FINEST: No change.
POWER GIRL: No change.
SHAZAM: No change.
NOVEMBER
JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED #1: New ongoing!
BLACK LIGHTNING #1: New ongoing!
JSA #1: New ongoing!
BATGIRL #1: New ongoing!
BLACK CANARY: BEST OF THE BEST #1 (OF 4): New miniseries (Tom King).
THE QUESTION: ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER #1 (OF 4): New miniseries (Alex Segura).
DETECTIVE COMICS #1091: Continues new writer..
BATMAN #156-157: Continues new storyline.
SUPERMAN #20: Continues post-Absolute Power storyline.
ACTION COMICS #1074-1077: Continues new writer.
NIGHTWING: Continues new storyline.
WONDER WOMAN #15: No change.
GREEN LANTERN #17: May have a new Star Sapphire backup. Hard to say.
GREEN ARROW #18: New writer (Chris Condon), continues post-Absolute Power storyline.
HARLEY QUINN: Continues new writer.
THE FLASH: No change.
WORLD'S FINEST: No change.
BATMAN AND ROBIN: No change.
POWER GIRL: No change.
POISON IVY: No change.
CATWOMAN: New storyline continues.
TITANS: No change.
BIRDS OF PREY: No change.
SHAZAM: No change.
I don't know if that information is useful to anyone else.
I am looking at DC Connect #51, and all of the titles you designate as "no change" for October (except World's Finest #32) are labeled "All In."
In the words of George W. Bush, "Fool me once, shame on ... shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again."
One small point, Cap'n, you said that Wonder Woman will be in Gateway City, the "Silver Age" home of Hawkman. That was MIDWAY City. Gateway City was the Silver Age home of the Spectre on Earth-Two (the real one).
I stand corrected!
1) So far, none of this interests me, not even a little bit.
2)By me, today's Marvel characters cannot be the same as the 60's versions. Hell's Bells, they're not the same characters as the 80's versions. It just doesn't work.
3)"Sangraal" is another name for the Holy Grail.
4)Ultimabsolutimate Batman's logo looks dumb AF.
Prediction: This Absolutultimate stuff will last maybe a couple of years, then it will burn down, fall over and sink into the swamp. The most successful bits of it will then somehow be folded into the mainstream DCU.
The Baron said:
Isn't that always the way?
By me, today's Marvel characters cannot be the same as the 60's versions.
I know what you mean. I myself have a hard time believing that Dagwood is the son of a millionaire and that Blondie once was a "flapper."
Well, we never see Dagwood's parents (and I don't believe they've been shown since they disowned him). And Blondie's maiden name, "Boopadoop," always made me wonder if she was a cousin to Betty Boop.
Prediction: This Absolutultimate styuff will last maybe a couple of years, then it will burn down, fall over and sink into the swamp. The most successful bits of it will then somehow be folded into the mainstream DCU.
DC: "All the publishers said I was daft to build an imprint in a swamp! But I built it all the same ... just to show 'em!"
DC's SOP is to buy a bunch of characters, pull what works into the DCU and then dump the rest, so no one's going to argue with you! They're probably giddy at the prospect of adding another Batman to the regular line.
Marvel did it too, with the original Ultimate line and Miles Morales ... and then started another Ultimate line. I'm not reading it, so I have no idea what might survive from this line when it inevitably folds.
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