DC’s Absolute Characters Ranked

DC’s Absolute Universe is now well into its second wave of characters, and I can firmly say that every single series so far has been incredible. Unlike the main DC Universe, the Absolute Universe’s heroes are small bastions of light and rebellion in a cold, dark world. They are underdogs fighting the good fight that nobody else can or will, inspiring others to do the same. Each series has not only managed to completely reinvent its title character in unique ways, but also captured the essence of what makes each of them so beloved in the first place. The heroes feel like themselves while also being refreshingly original.

 However, while all of them are incredible, only one can stand as the best Absolute hero. So why don’t we take a look at each one and rank them to figure out just who stands as the best of the best so far? Specifically, we’ll only be looking at the main heroes themselves, not the side characters. Believe me, if we included side characters or villains like Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, or Killer Croc, then this list would be much longer and much more contentious for plenty of its spots. Especially if Brainiac were a contender. So with that rules set, let’s dive into the ranking.

6) Green Lantern

As much as it pains me to say it, Green Lantern Sojourner takes last place on our list. This is not to say that she’s a bad character, far from it, but so far only the first two issues of Absolute Green Lantern have been released, and Jo hasn’t had that much of a spotlight yet. The two starting issues focused more on Hal Jordan’s struggle with the Black Hand and flashbacks to Abin Sur’s arrival. I loved these first two issues through and through, but because of the way that plot has been moving we haven’t been able to see much of Jo’s character yet. She’s a bastion of will and resolve, along with having a complicated marriage, but that’s all we have so far. Until we learn more, I can’t put her any higher on the list, but man am I excited to learn more about her in the coming issues.

5) The Flash

Absolute Wally West races into fifth place here on our list, and he is the first character that has been focused on long enough for us to dissect a little bit. So far, what we’ve seen is pretty good. Wally is a scared teenager who has been thrust into circumstances he could never understand, and is blaming himself for a tragedy that is way outside his control. The first arc, “Of Two Worlds,” perfectly captures the inescapable feeling of anxiety that chases you down and threatens to tear you apart when you’re going through major life changes. Ultimately, he comes to accept who he has become and rushes to face his new destiny with his head held high, which is beautiful to see. Wally only ranks fifth because I believe he overcame that anxiety a little too quickly for my tastes, but his relentless charge forward and newfound friendship with Grodd is still a treat to read. Even the weakest characterizations in the AU are still top tier, and they only get exponentially better from here.

4) Superman

The Man of Steel has been taken out of the farm, but the farm and its values can never be taken out of Kal. This version of Superman feels like the perfect modern reinvention of his Golden Age counterpart, being a good man with unmatched power trying to save the little guy however he can. This Superman is definitively the Champion of the Oppressed, and while he faces down corruption and evil that feels all too real, what really is so amazing about his character is that you can feel the struggle of his kindness all the way through. Superman wants to save the world and help everyone, but everywhere he looks he sees more people in pain for no reason other than greed, and his anger only grows. He knows he can’t become a monster, but he wonders if that is the only way he will be able to help finally put an end to the systemic abuse that has murdered millions. He is a beautifully complex and loving character, and exactly who Superman should be in a world without hope. He is the hope. Having Absolute Superman down so low on this list feels like a crime, but the rest of the entries are simply that incredible. 

[RELATED: Absolute Flash Teases Two Iconic Villains]

3) Batman

Absolute Batman is the purest form of Batman possible. His wealth and privilege have been stripped away, his character boiled down to his essentials of wanting to help his city and willingness to shroud himself in darkness, and then dialed up to eleven. He is a boots on the ground, fist in your face hero who will tackle the evil that permeates Gotham City in order to keep the embers of its dwindling light alive. Not only that, but Absolute Batman has completely reinvented all of Batman’s most notorious rogues, many of which are his best friends, showing the heart and connections that are so important yet so often overlooked in Batman’s character. He is who he is because of the good people around him, and this new version showcases that perfectly. Batman is not an insane, vengeful man who is venting his guilt and hatred, he is a man fighting a neverending war he knows he can’t win, but will always fight because he might be able to save one person. Absolute Batman has the single greatest first issue I have ever read, and I don’t think there was any better character to launch the Absolute Universe with. And somehow, he’s still not the best character it’s produced.

2) John Jones / The Martian

The Absolute version of Martian Manhunter is without a doubt the most wild and creative reinvention of any of the Absolute characters. Instead of a literal Martian transported to Earth against his will, he is an alien from so far away that explaining with distance is impossible. He is a psychic being of pure imagination and emotion who bonded with the human FBI agent John Jones when he nearly died in an explosion. This comic book is a trippy and impressionist exploration of the human condition, the two forming an unlikely buddy-cop duo who attempt to track down and stop the White Martian from driving all of humanity to destroy itself with despair and fear. Absolute Martian Manhunter is a metaphor as much as it is pure art, with the Martian taking the name to symbolize his alien, otherworldly and unknowable nature. John is a very humanly flawed man who is pulled into a psychedelic adventure by a being he is only just beginning to be capable of understanding, and every single page pushes the comic book medium further than ever before. I’m shocked that anyone at DC approved such an out-there reinvention of such a classic character, but I cannot thank them enough because this is exactly the kind of crazy and free that new versions of characters have to be. But not even this insane level of creativity and care for how people work can compare to the wonder that is our number one spot.

1) Wonder Woman

Absolute Wonder Woman is not from Paradise Island. She literally grew up in Hell, and was denied not only her family, but even the word Amazon, the very name of her heritage. And yet, through growing up damned to a world and woman that were meant to kill her, Diana grew up with nothing but love in her heart. Wonder Woman is the Princess of Hell and Witch of the Wild Isle, and she has come to Earth to protect it. She has been given every reason to hate everything, but despite the circumstances the powers that be have forced her into, she still embodies the mission of peace her main universe counterpart is famous for. Wonder Woman is the very soul of the Absolute Universe, because while even Superman struggles to hold onto hope for a better tomorrow, Wonder Woman knows that it’s out there, just within reach, if they are willing to stretch out their hands. She knows exactly how evil the world is, but also how much goodness there is, and how much more that is worth. What could possibly make for a better superhero than someone like that? 

So there we have the six headliners for the current string of Absolute Universe titles. There will be more to come in the future, of course, and these characters will only continue to develop over time, but for the moment, this is where they stand. Believe me, organizing this list was definitely hard. Still, do you disagree with this list? Think someone else should be standing on top, or someone should be pushed down a space or two? Let us know in the comments below!