The Absolute Universe is DC’s biggest alternate universe project ever, and they’ve been giving it everything they’ve got. The entire premise is that Darkseid has corrupted this world and turned it towards evil, and while the heroes are still here, they have to fight harder than ever to make a difference. The Absolute Universe immediately made a splash with its masterful and deeply creative reinventions of some of DC’s biggest names. Importantly, the core of the character is still present, but they’ve been broken down to their most essential components, with the rest being changed to reflect the darker universe and bring out their heroism even more.
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From Wonder Woman as the Princess of Hell to the working-class Batman, the reception to these new versions of the characters has been overwhelmingly positive so far. Superman has returned to his roots as the champion of the oppressed, and the Absolute Martian Manhunter is one of the coolest reinventions ever. Still, as much as we love these new takes on the characters, it wouldn’t be nearly as fun if they became the main versions, especially if they replaced them. However, there’s actually one character that I believe fully should and could replace the original, and everything would be the better for it.
The Best the Joker Has Been In Years
The Joker is one of the most iconic villains of all time, so calling for him to be replaced by his Absolute version might sound insane, but it could be exactly what we need to revitalize the character. In the last decade, the Joker has degraded from Batman’s biggest threat and a joy to read about to someone the fans desperately want to not see for a very long time. He’s lost all of his magnetism and humor, becoming an overbloated and overhyped caricature of himself. Modern Joker is all spectacle and no substance, but that’s exactly why Absolute Joker is the perfect replacement for him.
Absolute Joker has yet to confront his Batman, but even still, everything we’ve seen screams nothing but hype and anticipation. This Joker has a defined character that he is sticking to almost religiously. He has goals beyond causing as much bloodshed as possible, with a passion and drive so palpable it literally leaks out of him. Just look at his speech at the formation of the Absolute Justice League in Absolute Evil, which perfectly encapsulates the mix of dread and passion that makes him such a charismatic character.
They’ve created the Absolute Joker to be a new threat, all without sacrificing the monster that he is. As much as I’d love to see the Prime Joker return to his peak, replacing him with Absolute Joker would be a fantastic move. It would give Batman a brand new way to confront his oldest enemy, as this Joker has just as many resources and the same training as him. It would be a battle like no other, and test both of their character in ways far too cool not to be done.
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Image Courtesy of Bandai Namco Pictures/Studio Bones
