DC Comics introduced new and old fans to its Absolute Universe in 2024 with Absolute Batman, Absolute Wonder Woman, and Absolute Superman. These series are massive successes for DC so far, and the publisher continues to invest in the Absolute Universe with future series like Absolute Martian Manhunter and Absolute Green Lantern. However, the Absolute Universe is not a reboot of the DC Universe at large.
The Absolute Universe being part of a separate continuity from the main DC Universe is a refreshing change of pace for the publisher, as DC Comics is no stranger to reboots. One of the most infamous cases of the publisher’s reboots is the New 52, which is a reboot to the main continuity set after the events of Flashpoint by Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert.
Often, with a reboot, there is a reset to the continuity, so new readers can dive in without worrying about past stories or events. There is still a risk to rebooting, though, as it can erase or alter years of canon, alienating long-time fans. The New 52 took this risk, but the Absolute Universe avoids said risk while delivering a new universe for new fans.
What Did DC Comics Want To Achieve With Its New 52 Reboot?
The New 52 Wanted to Welcome a New Generation of DC Comic Readers
Like with most reboots, the intention of the New 52 was to provide new comic readers with a clear entry point into the medium and the superhero genre. However, DC didn’t just reset its comics to Issue 1. Instead, the publisher brought its iconic characters – including characters who have been around for decades– back to square one, giving them new origins. The New 52 was an extreme reset, but DC was not just doing so for the sake of a reset. According to Dan DiDio, DC co-publisher from 2010-2020, a big push with the New 52 was to diversify the stories told by DC (via Polygon).
When I looked at the New 52, it wasn’t just about relaunching the books, but also diversifying the product and the characters. And everything was about diversification, before “diversification” became a buzzword.
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Diversifying DC’s storytelling meant stepping beyond traditional superhero fare. Along with new origins and takes on popular characters, the New 52 featured comics outside the superhero genre, like Men of War and I, Vampire. Plus, with 52 new titles, there was the hope of developing enough engaging material to be a financial success, so the publisher could take more risks down the line. While these were the intentions of the New 52, the reception of this reboot was not universally positive. There were some bright spots, however, including some New 52 titles fans should still check out today.
Was the New 52 a Success gor DC Comics?
The New 52 Had Best-Selling Comics, But Its Legacy Is Not Universally Beloved
There is no denying that the New 52 had a lasting impact on DC Comics, but its legacy is not always fondly remembered. By resetting the continuity to the very beginning, DC went back on decades of character development, and some characters, teams, and even franchises, like Wildstorm, were erased or destroyed post Flashpoint.
Plus, while there was the promise to diversify DC, many of the original New 52 comics took on a darker, edgier tone, which influenced the direction Zack Snyder took his DCEU films. This tonal shift, as well as the desire to change the characters, even impacted character designs, with some redesigns, like Starfire’s, feeling more regressive than progressive.
The New 52 also lived up to the promise of delivering comics that could be entry points for new readers.
While there are complaints about the New 52, this era had its bright spots. Batman: The Court of Owls, for instance, has become a beloved Batman story, one that has been reprinted as a DC Compact Comic because its status as a staple and a great introductory story for new readers. The New 52 also lived up to the promise of delivering comics that could be entry points for new readers, with several of the New 52 collected editions being among the top 100 DC best-selling trade paperbacks (via Penguin Random House) and several of the titles being New York Times bestsellers.
The Absolute Universe Welcomes New DC Readers While Maintaining Continuity
The Absolute Universe Stands Beside DC’s Main Continuity Without Sacrificing It
It’s too early to compare the legacy of the New 52 to the eventual legacy of DC’s Absolute Universe, but both initiatives have similar goals yet different approaches. DC’s Absolute Universe, like the New 52, re-imagines the origin stories of DC’s iconic heroes. However, where the New 52 rewrote these origins in the main continuity, the Absolute Universe does so in its own universe; therefore, the main continuity can continue as is. New readers can start their DC journey without needing to know anything prior to the Absolute Universe, while older fans can stick to standard continuity, opt into the Absolute Universe if they desire, or enjoy both.
What Absolute Universe titles should new fans check out? Try the first wave: Absolute Batman by Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta, Absolute Wonder Woman by Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman, and Absolute Superman by Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval, all available now from DC Comics.
The Absolute Universe is exploring darker stories, because the Absolute Universe is canonically created by “Darkseid energy.” Meanwhile, the main continuity can focus on the more hopeful side of heroes. Where the New 52 wanted to go for a diverse tone of stories, many of the initial New 52 comics felt tonally similar, but with DC’s main continuity and its Absolute Universe, readers actually have a variety of stories to turn to, whether that be something more optimistic or something more dour.
Not even a year into DC’s Absolute Universe, and it’s proven to be a massive success, with Absolute Batman #1 the best-selling comic of 2024. Plus, DC Comics has staked claim to a new era of readers thanks to the Absolute Universe with its unique takes on popular characters. Along with that, it’s achieved what the New 52 aspired to without throwing out the main continuity in the process. If the Absolute Universe is anything to go by, DC Comics is on the right path more than a decade after the start of the New 52.
DC’s Absolute Universe comics are available now, with more to come!
Sources: Polygon; Penguin Random House
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