DC’s Earth One graphic novel line ended before reaching its full potential, but DC’s new alternate continuity of the Absolute Universe is more than compensating for it. Few intellectual properties are as synonymous with concept of the multiverse as DC Comics is, with DC encompassing a vast multiverse of parallel realities with different versions of all of its iconic superheroes and villains. DC’s multiverse has facilitated innumerable new interpretations of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and countless other characters, with one such example being DC’s Earth One graphic novel line. While DC Earth One told new origin stories for DC’s Trinity along with Green Lantern and the Teen Titans, the imprint seemingly came to an abrupt end with Batman: Earth One Vol. 3 in June of 2021.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Despite the misfortune of Earth One’s end, the multiverse is still essential to DC, as the new ongoing and highly popular alternate continuity of DC’s Absolute Universe shows. Like DC Earth One, Absolute DC has introduced new versions of several of DC’s iconic superheroes, with other possibilities for Absolute DC characters on the table. The unexpected cherry on top to the success of DC’s Absolute Universe is also the fact that it, in many ways, is embodying the kind of Elseworlds continuity that DC Earth One started out as, and is showing great potential in reaching the heights that Earth One could have reached.
DC Earth One Was an Elseworlds Comic Book Line With Great Potential
DC Earth One debuted on the comics scene with the fascinating and intriguing sales pitch of presenting versions of DC’s heroes outside of the primary comic book continuity with all-new origin stories. While DC has done plenty of Elseworlds stories before, Earth One was an especially exciting trip into an alternate DC reality with the new versions of each hero. From Hal Jordan being re-worked into a space mining astronaut to General Zod becoming Superman’s uncle, every DC Earth One book came with new changes to their respective hero’s mythology that made all of them a terrific read.
Unfortunately, the major issue DC Earth One ran into was a very irregular publication schedule, with new books having intervals of months or years before landing on comic book shelves. This ultimately made it much harder for DC Earth One to maintain a consistent momentum of hype and excitement with the long gaps between new books and new volumes of each character’s title. The unconfirmed but nonetheless apparent end to DC Earth One remains a true shame with the graphic novel line’s phenomenally captivating stories, artwork, and re-told origin stories for so many superheroes and villains.
DC’s Absolute Universe is Going Even Wilder in Its Character Re-Imaginings
Compared to DC Earth One, DC’s Absolute Universe has a somewhat more direct relationship to DC’s main comics continuity due to the new universe emerging as an off-shoot of Darkseid’s energy. Nonetheless, Absolute DC began as and is presented as more or less the same concept as DC Earth One – new universe, new origins stories, new everything for every DC character involved. Moreover, the Absolute Universe is arguably taking its new vision for DC in even more radical new directions than Earth One’s re-imaginings.
In the Absolute Universe, Batman has become and axe-wielding, power-lifting construction worker, Wonder Woman was taken from Themsyscira to spend her formative years in Hell, and Superman is a crusader for the downtrodden clad in an A.I.-supported tech suit. Additionally, Wally West is on the run from the Rogues after gaining his super-speed during the apparent death of Barry Allen, Martian Manhunter is an alien consciousness in the mind of human detective John Jones, and a slew of Green Lanterns both old and completely new are debuting in the Absolute Universe. On every possible level, each Absolute version of a DC character has arrived in a way that makes them wholly unique from any other version to precede them, and on top of making the Absolute Universe a gripping comic book read, the universe-wide re-imagining is an accomplishing something it never sold itself on in spades.
The Absolute Universe is Becoming the Phenomenon That DC Earth One Could Have Been
Right from it introductions of Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman, Absolute DC has become a true phenomenon for DC Comics and the entire comic book world, every title flying off the shelves and being a consistent hit with readers. With a year-long run behind it already, new heroes like Green Arrow joining the Absolute roster, and the bigger plans for the Absolute Universe being gradually revealed, DC has also effectively taken a second shot at the goals for DC Earth One with the the Absolute Universe, with fantastic results.
The more consistent, regular publishing schedule is certainly a key factor in the success of Absolute DC, but just as importantly is the fact of how much it is following in the footsteps of Earth One with the same basic Elseworlds concept turned up to eleven. With the Absolute Universe just starting to the reach the point of heroes crossing paths in Batman and Wonder Woman’s upcoming Absolute crossover in Absolute Wonder Woman #15, the real pay-off for Absolute DC is quite clearly not just the potential of what an Absolute version of the Justice League will bring when it finally arrives. DC’s Absolute Universe has also taken everything that was great about Earth One, and armed with a stronger publication push from DC Comics, is hitting the heights that DC Earth One had all the potential to achieve.
Most Viewed
-
Image courtesy of Marvel Studios. -
Toei Animation
