Absolute Rundown

It's easier than ever to get into comics, and the hottest new series among fans. Nowhere is this truer than with DC's Absolute titles, which reimagine classic characters and provide a fresh jumping-on point for new readers. (It feels like a huge achievement, considering none of the Absolute titles have got the cheaper, smaller Compact editions that are driving interest broadly across the industry.)

The Absolute titles tell quality stories from talented creators like Scott Snyder, Jeff Lemire, Kelly Thompson, Deniz Camp, and Nick Dragotta. That's not just one person's opinion: The Harvey Awards, which typically skew toward independent and small press comics, have nominated two DC Absolute series for 2026 Book of the Year...

Absolute Batman has become phenomenally popular, leading to endless mimicry and parody callbacks to Dragotta's iconic cover artwork for its first issue. The last time I can recall a title driving enough interest to boost the entire industry was with Spawn #1, and I was too young to absorb exactly why.

With Absolute Batman, Snyder and Dragotta stripped Bruce Wayne down to his core, kicked him out of his comfortable mansion and cave, and rebuilt Batman as a self-made, blue-collar vigilante. It makes more sense when comparing how people feel about billionaires right now versus how they felt in 1994, (the same year in which Bill Gates launched the Gates Foundation). Then they pumped him full of shonen manga energy and turned every meaningful relationship in his life on its head.

When it comes to Absolute Martian Manhunter, the Harvey nomination makes more sense. As senior contributor Chris McDavid notes below, the series has mind-blowing artwork, and stars a character without the same cultural footprint as DC's trio of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman.

Camp and artist Javier Rodriguez eschew Martian Manhunter's origins as a shapeshifting detective, reimagining him as a psychic entity residing within John Jones' psyche. With this premise, the creators tell a psychedelic story about mental health, communication, and human relationships that turns all those innately intangible themes into something searingly, beautifully visual.

But it is worth noting that the Harvey Award nominating committee didn't limit or shy away from adding it to the category alongside the more visible Absolute Batman. If that doesn't make you want to check it out, don't miss what Chris has to say...

Enjoy!

An Absolute Ranking of DC's Most Exciting New Line In Years

By Chris McDavid, for Weird City

In early July, the nominees for the 2026 Harvey Awards were released, and two trends stood out among the Book of the Year nominees: no nominees were from Marvel Comics, and two nominees were from DC’s Absolute line. I bring this up to point out that while the Jonathan Hickman-led Ultimate line at Marvel started with a fair amount of buzz, nothing is as exciting as DC’s Absolute line.

The line's depth and the talent involved made most of the books at the very least interesting. Several of the books are rightfully lauded as among the best currently on stands. Here, I'll offer a few thoughts on each series, and how I rank them from best to least best. [Note: These rankings are based on the first two trade paperbacks of each series, except for Martian Manhunter, which I haven’t read the second trade paperback of yet.]

Absolute Batman Successfully Reinvents The (Bat) Wheel

I am not the biggest Batman fan in the world. I’ve read plenty; I’ve read all the classics; I’ve seen all the movies. If anything, I’m more interested in the side characters, particularly Batgirls Stephanie Brown and Cassandra Cain. However, Absolute Batman has me interested in a way I’ve never been before.

I’m excited to see where the story goes with every turn, and the way writer Scott Snyder has changed the characters elevates this above a standard Elseworlds story...