DC All In Special #1 Review: The Epic Birth of a New Era

DC jumps into a bold new era with the much anticipated DC All In Special, an ambitious flipbook-style issue that seeks to set the status quo of the main universe while simultaneously detailing the origins of the Absolute Universe. It’s a daunting task, and while there’s a lot to get to, the team is up for the task, crafting a one-of-a-kind special that delivers on its mission statement while still letting the heroes and villains that power this grand universe shine on their own individual levels. This is just the beginning, but with All In DC has put its best foot forward, and the future couldn’t be brighter.

Two Sides of the Story

Both sides of the story in the All In Special take place 52 days after the events of Absolute Power, and each side features a different point of view. The Alpha side of the story is told from the perspective of the heroes, mainly focusing on Superman and Booster Gold. The fallout from Absolute Power is ever-present, and this side will get those who missed Absolute Power up to speed in the broadest of ways, with one main element of Amanda Waller’s plan in the spotlight.

While there are several takeaways from Absolute Power that deserve to be explored, All In zeroes in on how the heroes were so quickly broken down by Waller’s onslaught because of their lack of communication. They were all doing their own thing, and there was no Justice League to act as their central hub, and that is one of the biggest weaknesses to address in the aftermath. Joshua Williamson addresses this on both a macro and micro level, and as he’s done so many times in Superman, he also finds a way to explore the magnitude of those bigger decisions in a meaningful way by getting to the ground level with the characters those decisions affect.

Case in point, Booster Gold, and fans of the character are going to love how much shine Booster and Skeets get throughout the issue. In many ways this is a Booster story, as he acts as the perfect prism for so much of what happens in both stories and where they ultimately converge. Booster fans are also going to adore what Daniel Sampere, Alejandro Sanchez, and Steve Wands bring to the character throughout the issue, delivering several stunning scenes that completely steal the show.

Alpha and Omega

Let’s move to the Omega side, which as you might surmise, is the story from Darkseid’s point of view. Scott Snyder, Wes Craig, Mike Spicer, and Steve Wands shift not just the story but the entire feel of the Special, moving alongside a more resolute iteration of Darkseid than we’ve perhaps ever seen. Darkseid makes decisions in this special that might seem more audacious than he’s typically accustomed to, but it’s all still in line with his lead goal, which is bigger than anything he’s tried before.

I mean, if you’re involving The Spectre in something, that kind of goes with the territory, but it was still jarring (in a good way) to see Darkseid pushing the envelope in this way. Craig, Spicer, and Wands bring each of these encounters to life in all their gruesome glory, and when the two stories finally merge, the beautiful page at its center stuns both visually and contextually, as it sets up a major showdown at some point down the line.

Now, it’s not perfect mind you, but it depends on from which point you’re jumping in. If you haven’t kept up with Absolute Power, you’re likely going to be a little muddled in spots, even with the quick recap in some of the opening dialogue. Likewise, if you don’t find the dynamics of Darkseid’s supporting cast and family interesting, the Darkseid story will likely drag a bit as it gets going. New readers will get the gist of how the new universe was formed and where the main universe is heading mind you, but it might take a second read-through to catch some of the smaller details, just due to how much the story is tackling at once.

That said, I was impressed by All In’s extensive scope and how the team was able to connect all of those bigger elements together into a story that felt satisfying on an individual level. The flipbook aspect of it brought some inventiveness to the equation as well, but also delivered two truly distinct stories that coalescence into a compelling whole, and both sides of this larger than life story delivered gorgeous and unforgettable moments along the way. An epic new era has begun, and it’s already off to a fantastic start.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5  

Published By: DC Comics

Written By: Joshua Williamson and Scott Snyder

Art By: Daniel Sampere, Wes Craig, and Dan Mora

Colored By: Alejandro Sanchez, Mike Spicer, and Tamra Bonvillain

Lettered By: Steve Wands

DC All In Special #1 is in comic stores now.

What did you think of All In? You can talk all things comics with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!