It’s safe to say the Absolute Universe has been a major hit for DC Comics since the start of the DC All In intiative. This subversive Elseworld, created thanks to villain Darkseid’s machinations, has leaned into darker iterations of iconic heroes, crafting an Earth where the elites with power and money rule via armies and iron fists.
This world of corporations and capitalism led to writers like Scott Snyder and Jason Aaron bringing characters like Absolute Batman and Absolute Superman to life to combat forces that are greater in number and strength. And the continuity is expanding, with Absolute Wonder Woman dissecting the magical realm and Absolute Flash touching on science and different dimensions. Meanwhile, Absolute Martian Manhunter is diving into an FBI agent, John Jones, who has a Martian possessing his mind, as they unlock secrets about bigotry on the planet.
But as this universe grows, more heroes are needed to quell the rising threats. Here is a look at five protagonists who absolutely need the Absolute Universe treament.
Absolute Aquaman Could Become a Social Justice Activist
In the pages of Absolute Superman, the wealthy (namely the Lazarus Group) exploit and drain Earth’s resources. This paves the way for Absolute Aquaman to enter the fray and protect the seas. The door to the ocean has been has already been opened in the pages of Absolute Wonder Woman, with Diana freeing Clea and her aquatic clan to go find their home, presumably Atlantis.
Absolute Wonder Woman writer, Kelly Thompson, even teased the sea king’s presence. This hints that a version of Aquaman could already be out there. This prospect may well be a darker, bitter version, who could have grown up in the Trench (the deeper, darker part of the sea in the main continuity) and not as pampered royalty. Or he could be a prince/king that hates the surface for its pollution, riffing off a similar plotpoint in the classic Flashpoint story. Or, given Ra’s al Ghul, Veronica Cale and The Joker are all running experiments inside their own private prisons, this creates an opportunity for the metahuman version of Arthur Curry to have been experimented on, a la the Golden Age version.
The point is, this Aquaman, if he’s someone ready to fight against persecution, would fit Superman and Batman’s motto of breaking the cycle of rich people ruining the planet. How extreme he goes, however, would be the intriguing point of the story. Such an Aquaman would be sympathetic, drawing in compassion and empathy, at a time where we’re seeing tech companies ravaging the planet’s water supply in real life.
Absolute Supergirl Could Stand Out As a Brutal Vigilante
One of the scariest aspects of Absolute Superman occurred when Brainiac traveled to Missouri to find Lex Luthor. He wanted to unleash Lex’s dark side, so he slaughtered the man’s family and friends on his birthday, making it clear Lex should become “interesting.” This sets Lex up to transition into an anti-alien activist. And, more so, a cruel “hero” with a harrowing perspective on global safety — something other Elsewords, cartoons and games have fiddled with.
But rather than mold war suits and weapons, it’s easy to envisage this Absolute genius remixing the Kryptonian clone arc: making Supergirl, rather than Superboy. Unleashing this version of Kara could see her become a violent version of Clark, harming villains the way Azrael and Red Hood did in Batman lore. This sets a more mature Kal-El up to redeem her and make it clear murder isn’t the way… He’s all about second chances and even tried to redeem Ra’s.
This would also allow him an unofficial “cousin” role where he can try to harness the best of Supergirl and convert her from being a bloodthirsty vigilante doing Lex’s bidding. A Dark Supergirl was toyed with in a DC arc where she was Darkseid’s apprentice. If the Absolute Universe goes this route, it could lead to a story of liberation and identity similar to what Zack Snyder wanted to tell with his Man of Steel story, introducing Supergirl to a planet she knows nothing about.
Absolute Constantine Has the Perfect Magical Role to Play
Diana of Themyscira’s story has been very refreshing, reshaping her as a witch who grew up in Hell. She was mentored under the tutelage of the sorceress, Circe, and has been battling supernatural enemies as she tries to get back to Queen Hippolyta and the Amazons. Now that both parties know of each other’s existence, it opens the door for more magical heroes to arrive, building out a pseudo-Justice League Dark.
John Constantine is ideal for this burgeoning corner of the Absolute Universe. Zatanna, as a member of Cale’s Suicide Squad, already arrived to combat Diana, leading to her father, Zatara, going after Wonder Woman. Given Constantine’s romantic link to Zatanna and his friendship to her father in DC’s main lore, Constantine can show up to free both from Cale’s servitude.
With Absolute Batman’s Poison Ivy also opening up the Red (animal life), Green (plant life) and Black (resurrections), there are metaphysical rifts and dangers exposed for Constantine to heal. Doctor Fate has been mentioned, too, so it’d be organic for Constantine to work with not just Zatanna, but Diana, if they’re to stop the many magical incursions that have harmed Earth.
Rather than a sassy drinker and smoker, this can produce a wise, sage Constantine who’d mesh well with Fate, or other potential characters such as Beast Boy, the Shazam family and Swamp Thing/Alec Holland.
Absolute Starfire Has Potential to Become a Cosmic Power Player
Starfire has been one of DC’s most under-used characters over the years. Apart from the Teen Titans cartoon, the Justice League Odyssey comics, or the Titans TV series, Princess Koriand’r always feels like a peripheral figure. The AU, though, has a blank slate for her cosmic power to shine. While the Absolute Green Lantern book dissects the emotional spectrum and space characters on Earth, Starfire’s journey can tell us more about what’s happening off-planet.
As a Tamaranean royal, her kingdom could become similar to Krypton, except with more of a roving presence. It’d allow her and her sister, Blackfire, to unearth more of the apocalypse that the universe has hinted at, while connecting their clan to the literal Apokolips, Oa, New Genesis and other key planets. This would make Tamaran more important than usual, giving Starfire popular foils such as Mongul, Vandal Savage and his Warworld “death star” (per Young Justice’s stories), or allies like the Forever People, Orion and the New Gods like Mister Miracle and Big Barda.
There’s no better way to magnify a character than placing them in Darkseid’s crosshairs. Starfire unlocking more of what Darkseid did to create the Absolute Universe would indeed make her a focal point that she rarely is. With Ivy’s link to the Black teasing a possible Blackest Night remix over in Absolute Batman, Starfire may well end up being the herald whose clarion call has to be heeded. It’d be pivotal, giving the character her due outside of merely being someone for Nightwing to hook up with.
Absolute Cyborg Could Become Batman and Alfred’s Salvation
In the Dark Knight’s pocket of this universe, Bruce Wayne is becoming more violent. It doesn’t help that Alfred is a sadistic handler, while his mother, Martha, is a member of the Court of Owls. With the likes of Harley Quinn wanting to purge Gotham with her own gang, Dick Grayson seemingly about to become a macabre Robin, and Bruce’s friends (Croc, Penguin, Riddler and Two-Face) entering their villainous phases, the Caped Crusader needs light at the end of the tunnel.
The AU can remix what the Synderverse and Young Justice did, bringing in Vic Stone as a key asset in Batman’s life. Diana told Bruce to seek heroes who’d cure his rage. Cyborg fits as a comrade who can lock into technology and aid Alfred on a global level. Vic can also teach Batman about grief and loss, having lost his own career and body to become Cyborg. Vic’s story always hinges on resilience and perseverance. He can assist in reconnecting Bruce to his humanity and the idea of family.
The Doom Patrol TV show went this route, making Vic use the man inside, more than the machine. Alfred, Barbara Gordon and even Jim can all stand to be inspired by this young man. The icing on the cake is, with villains like Deathstroke, Man-Bat, Ivy, Clayface and others in Amadeus Arkham’s gang, DC can give Cyborg higher profile villains to contend with. Joker’s cult can offer up other demonic beings like Bane, too.
Notably, if Bruce is compromised when the time comes to rein in his friends, this could yield a potential conflict with Cyborg. Vic would know, in this case, logic trumps the heart. Such a test and dynamic would gnaw at the essence of Batman and address if he’s a hypocrite when it comes to justice.
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