Everything you need to know about the comics that lead into DC All In Special and Absolute DC

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DC All In Special #1, in stores (and available digitally) today, is undoubtedly a new beginning for the DCU — one that sets the tone for the next two years of comic book storytelling, if architect Scott Snyder is to be believed — but it is also a comic that builds on DC’s long history of almost 90 years of storytelling, and one that lets fans discover previously obscure pieces of continuity and canon, should they want to go searching.

Here, we’re all about the searching, of course. But we’re also about the sharing — so we thought we’d share some of the biggest references and callouts we noticed in the issue, to help deepen your appreciation of the beginning of All In… and maybe help uncover some of the clues of what’s to come across the next two years.

Consider what follows to be lightly spoiler-filled, so continue at your own risk. The future of the DC Universe (and its past) begins… now!

DC All In: Alpha

Page 1

“52 Days Later” is, of course, a reference to 2006’s 52 miniseries, as well as DC’s The New 52 relaunch from 2011. Or the number of worlds in the DC Multiverse from 2006 through 2022. There’s a lot of 52s in DC’s mythology.
The third panel, intentionally or otherwise, references the core Justice League team from the Cartoon Network Justice League/Justice League Unlimited series from the early 2000s… which is fitting, given that the new comic book version of the team is inspired by the Justice League Unlimited animated series it shares a name with.

Page 2-3

The seven recent events referenced in flashback panels are, in order, The Death of the Justice League in Justice League #75, Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths, Lazarus Planet, Knight Terrors, Titans: Beast World, the Superman/Action Comics event House of Brainiac, and finally, Absolute Power.

Page 15

“The future has changed…” says Skeets, which may prove to be more important than it first seems; Booster Gold isn’t the only time-traveler whose history ties him to the future of the DCU. Superman, too, has a history with the Legion of Super-Heroes from 1,000 years in the future. Of course, we get a glimpse of what has become of them soon enough…

Page 17

Superman just had a three-issue team-up with Zatanna where he learned to get over his distrust of magic, in Superman #s 16-18, but this is far from the first time we’ve seen Superman use Zatanna’s backwards magic; for that, you have to go all the way back to 1981’s DC Comics Presents #18.

Page 21

The Elseworld was introduced, as this issue states, in 2020’s Dark Nights: Death Metal #7 — which, not coincidentally, was written by Scott Snyder, who co-writes DC All In Special #1. It was one of two new planets introduced as a result of the events of Death Metal, with the other, ‘Earth Omega,’ turning out to be the Great Darkness itself, and the home to Darkseid, as seen in 2021’s Infinite Frontier #0… written by Joshua Williamson, who is the other co-writer of DC All In Special #1. See how it all connects?

Pages 26-27

Darkseid now appears to control the Legion of Super-Heroes, or some version thereof, who are present in whatever timeframe Booster Gold has landed in. But this doesn’t seem to only be the Legion… looks like Brainiac is also present, so perhaps this is part Legion of Super-Heroes, part Legion of Doom…?

DC All In: Omega

Page 1

“52 Days Earlier” is, of course, a play on the same 52 references as noted before, but it also means this story begins during the end of Absolute Power.
It’s not explicitly stated in this scene, but the machine Himon built for Darkseid is a Miracle Machine, as originally introduced in 1968’s Adventure Comics #367. It’s a machine that uses the same technology as Green Lantern’s ring to essentially turn wishes into reality. If this sounds at all familiar to readers of more recent DC comics, it might be because a Miracle Machine was central to the end of 2008’s Final Crisis event.

Page 7

Darkseid is addressing Lady Blaze, one of the (many) rulers of Hell in the DCU; introduced in 1990’s Action Comics #655, she’s traditionally been both a Superman and Shazam villain, with the latter connection being that she is the daughter of the Wizard Shazam.

Page 8

Darkseid is fighting Laurel, a one-time Justice League member and literal angel of God who first appeared in 1997’s JLA #6. Fun fact: he was created by Grant Morrison and Howard Porter as a stand-in for Hawkman, who at that time was unavailable to join the team; this was considered an alternative route to having a guy with big wings in the team.

Page 9

Here, Darkseid returns to a longstanding chess game with Eclipso, the villain who originally debuted back in 1963’s House of Secrets #61. It’s not a new invention that the two have a rivalry that plays out via chess games; that was a concept originally introduced in the 1990s Eclipso series, first showing up in #10 back in 1994.

Page 13

Look, it’s the Quintessence, a group of cosmic entities that show up to try and keep the peace on a grand scale when something threatens to upset all of reality. They’re made up of Highfather of the New Gods, Ganthet (a Guardian of the Universe of Green Lantern fame), Hera of the old gods, the Wizard Shazam, and the Phantom Stranger. Traditionally, the Spectre hangs around with them, but… well, you see what happens to him.

Page 16

The Prime DC Earth got shut up from the rest of the multiverse in Absolute Power #4.

Page 17

While I would not swear to it in a court of law, the four images would appear to reference Jack Kirby’s original Fourth World saga, the ‘Supergirl from Krypton’ arc of 2003’s Superman/Batman comic book series, 1995’s Genesis event, and 2008’s Final Crisis.

Page 18

The first panel on this page references Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths, when Darkseid was possessed by the Great Darkness. (Yes, even Darkseid wasn’t immune!)

Page 20

The first appearance of Absolute Wonder Woman (and her skeleton steed). Mark that in your buyers’ guides. 

Page 21

• The first appearance of Absolute Batman, looking swole yet not as swole as he’s going to get in his own book. The Batman who lifts, indeed.

Page 22

• The first appearance of Absolute Superman, and… has he appeared on Earth for the first time as a fully-grown adult, or is the crater for another reason that we’ll find out at a later point…?

For those looking to track down some of these older DC comics I’ve referenced above, might I suggest DC Universe Infinite, the subscription service that offers a deep dive into DC’s back catalog — something may become even more fun as DC All In continues across the weeks and months ahead. As to where the story goes after this special issue… well, Absolute Batman and Justice League Unlimited are coming out very, very soon…