"DC’s Absolute Universe: Chronological Reading Guide"

DC's All In publishing initiative offers renowned creators the opportunity to craft stories for some of the label's most iconic heroes, free from the constraints of established continuity. Spearheaded by comics legend Scott Snyder, known for his work on Batman, and Joshua Williamson, a veteran writer of The Flash, the initiative includes the Absolute Universe. This ambitious project serves as both the culmination and follow-up to the Absolute Power arc that concluded in late 2024. The Absolute Universe introduces a new status quo for the legendary trio of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, promising to subvert expectations for fans familiar with these characters.

Since its launch in October, the Absolute Universe has maintained momentum across multiple ongoing titles, which can be challenging to follow. To help fans navigate this expansive storyline, we're providing a detailed breakdown of the DC Absolute Universe's chronology and recommended reading order for 2025.

Note: It's important to distinguish between the Absolute Universe titles and DC's "Absolute" collected editions, such as the Absolute Batman: Zero Year omnibus. These are separate entities and not connected to the ongoing narrative of the Absolute Universe.

The Reading Order

For all ongoing series within the Absolute Universe, start with our recommended reading order, then continue with subsequent issues in their release sequence. Each of the main Absolute series will consist of a six-issue run, later collected into trade paperback editions.

1. DC All In Special #1 by Scott Snyder, Joshua Williamson, Wes Craig, and Daniel Sampere

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This oversized one-shot, crafted by architect Scott Snyder, lays the foundation for the Absolute Universe. It's the ideal starting point before diving into Absolute Batman.

2. Absolute Batman #1 by Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta

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First published in October 2024, Absolute Batman #1 marks the true beginning of the Absolute Universe. It presents a fresh, gritty take on the Dark Knight, exploring a scenario where Bruce Wayne isn't wealthy, lacks a high-tech Batcave, and is without Alfred to keep him grounded.

3. Absolute Wonder Woman #1 by Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman

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Released at the end of October following Absolute Batman #1, this reimagining of Wonder Woman flips the Greek mythos on its head. It portrays Diana as a heavily armed Amazon warrior on a quest for purpose.

4. Absolute Superman #1 by Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval

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Written by Jason Aaron, renowned for Southern Bastards and Thor, Absolute Superman delves into how the Man of Steel would navigate life without his usual advantages, offering a more relatable take on the hero.

5. Absolute Flash #1 by Jeff Lemire and Nick Robles

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Kicking off the second wave of the initiative in 2025, Absolute Flash explores Wally West's journey to master speed without the support of the Flash family or the Speed Force.

6. Absolute Martian Manhunter #1 by Deniz Camp and Javier Rodriguez

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The second entry in the 2025 wave takes a significant departure from the original character. FBI agent John Jones faces an internal struggle as a Martian gradually takes over his body and mind, drawing him into a much larger conflict.

7. Absolute Green Lantern #1 by Al Ewing and Jahnoy Lindsay

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This fresh take on the Green Lantern mythos involves four former Green Lanterns—Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Guy Gardner, and Jo Mullein—dealing with the aftermath of a large Green Lantern crash-landing in a small town.

Upcoming Collected Editions

Currently, release dates for collected editions have been announced for the first three Absolute titles:

• Absolute Batman Vol. 1: The Zoo releases on August 5
• Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Last Amazon releases on August 12
• Absolute Superman Vol. 1: The Last Dust of Krypton releases on August 19

For now, this encompasses the offerings of the Absolute Universe. However, we anticipate that these stories might lead to a grand finale or event by the end of 2025 or later, potentially introducing more heroes to the Absolute treatment in the future.