DC Just Extended an Absolute Series

DC’s Absolute Universe is a massive hit. The first three Absolute books — Absolute Superman, Absolute Batman, and Absolute Wonder Woman — were all day one sell-outs, the first issues going into multiple printings. Basically every issue since then has also been a sell out. Missing an issue of Absolute comic is actually a big deal for readers; unless they want to pay a premium by buying it online, they have to wait for a new printing to come out. This made the expansion of the line — Absolute Flash, Absolute Martian Manhunter, and Absolute Green Lantern — that much more exciting. Absolute Martian Manhunter, by Deniz Camp and Javier Rodriguez, was an intriguing book for fans, combining creators at the top of their game for something that previews made look amazing. Absolute Martian Manhunter #1 sold out on the 26th, and Camp soon after had an announcement on X about the series.

Camp posted, “I can now officially say that Absolute Martian Manhunter, thanks to your overwhelming response, has been extended to 12 issues. @javiercaster
and Hass and I are all super excited. Every issue will be by the same creative team, no fill ins. 🙂 It’s going to be great.” This is fantastic news for fans, as the first issue of the book is truly a work of art in comic form.

Absolute Martian Manhunter Tells an Amazing Story About What Fans Want

When Absolute Martian Manhunter was first teased, it immediately seemed like it was going to be something special. Deniz Camp, whose The Ultimates is one of the best books in Marvel’s Ultimate line and whose indie book Assorted Crisis Events dropped to massive fanfare, is an exciting writer, taking older ideas and breathing new life into them. Meanwhile, artist Javier Rodriguez was known for his brilliant work with Al Ewing on Defenders and Defenders: Beyond. Bringing the two of them together was a recipe for success, as they are two creators who understand how to use the comic medium to tell amazing stories. Each has a style that fits the mainstream, yet also transcends the mainstream. The preview art, showing Rodriguez’s very different portrayal of Absolute Martian Manhunter, blew everyone minds and brought excitement for the book to a fever pitch.

The book was announced as a miniseries, but looking at the first issue, it was basically always destined to become something more. Absolute Martian Manhunter #1 is a work of art from the first page, starring FBI agent John Jones. Jones survives an explosion by a wannabe supervillain named the Human Flame, and the issue goes into him looking for the man’s motive. It’s a heady series, with Rodriguez’s colorful art flowing through the book like the smoke that is so important to the story. Camp and Rodriguez give readers a comic with an indie sensibility, one that plays with what a superhero comic can be and look like, and so far, the reception to it has been phenomenal. Fans love this book and the massive success of its first day has led DC to extend it to a 12-issue miniseries. This should teach DC — and honestly Marvel as well — that fans want something new.

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There’s a energy to Absolute Martian Manhunter that most books just don’t have. The Absolute Universe, and Marvel’s Ultimate Universe, are having massive successes right now because they harness that same energy. According to Absolute Batman writer Scott Snyder, every issue of every Absolute book has orders that top out at six figures, which is insane in the current comic industry. Usually, nothing but The Amazing Spider-Man, Batman, big event books, or the debut of fan favorite creators on a title hit those kinds of numbers. The one thing that they all have in common is that they all bring something new.

Absolute Martian Manhunter is a book that is seriously unlike anything I’ve read in the thirty-four years I’ve been reading comics. It’s a mixture of art and words that is unlike anything out there. It’s the kind of comic that you can read digitally and love, but you need to go out and hunt down a physical copy. Being able to really peruse it is crucial to seeing why it’s so amazing. It’s completely unlike anything else on the stands, and that’s played a huge role in its success and why it’s went from a miniseries to a 12 issue series.

Absolute Martian Manhunter Is the Wave of the Future

An Absolute series being a sellout on day one isn’t a surprise anymore. We all know these books are going to sell like hotcakes right now. However, the fanfare surrounding Absolute Martian Manhunter since its release is pretty surprising. No one would have ever guessed that Absolute Martian Manhunter was going to be as big as it is, but seeing Camp and Rodriguez’s work made everyone see that they wanted more of this book. DC made the right decision in extending this book and hopefully, its experimental nature will seep throughout the industry. We, as readers, deserve more comics like this.

Absolute Martian Manhunter is on sale now.