After the runaway success of the brand-new “Absolute Universe” line of DC Comics, the company has announced a rare move: comic reprints. While reprints aren’t unheard of, it’s fairly uncommon for single issues, especially when the comics in question were only printed at most two years ago.
The Absolute Universe line, as the comics are collectively referred to, is a series of comics focused around highly popular, mainline DC heroes: Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman and more. However, instead of walking down a well-trod path of superhero backstories and story arcs, the Absolute line places the heroes into a grittier, dirtier, more vicious world, featuring some of the most horrifying villains ever put to page.
“Absolute Batman” kicked off the new line with “The Zoo,” a five-part epic detailing a darker Gotham City. In this series, Bruce Wayne’s mother is still alive, but his father, a teacher, was killed during a mass shooting at the Gotham Zoo, which Bruce escaped by hiding in a literal bat cave exhibit.
Bruce is, noticeably, no longer rich in the Absolute line. He has a mind naturally suited for engineering but also excels in a variety of other subjects. By day, he is a construction worker, and by night, he’s a towering figure at over six feet tall, wielding a massive hammer, and going by the name Batman.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Absolute Universe line had sold over 8.2 million units by the end of November 2025, just over a year since the line first launched. This is an astonishing number by all accounts — the comic industry hasn’t seen massive success since the Golden Age of comics in the 1940s.
Marvel, DC and now Image have been duking it out for the top spot for many years, but the Absolute Line seems to be securing the crown for DC — if only for what could be a very short time. Furthermore, the revitalized DC Cinematic Universe seems to be opening the door for new fans to enter the franchise.
With DC now seeing a monumental rise in sales thanks to the Absolute Universe, and with the recently announced reprints of the line, one question remains: Which comics are worth reading?
Thanks to the reprints, all of DC’s newest universe will be readily available for consumers in March. If the line intrigues you at all, my personal recommendation must be “Absolute Batman.”
Batman is a tried-and-true staple of DC, but after so many years of the character acting as the main figure of DC, it’s easy to get tired of him. “Absolute Batman” is a fresh take on the character that brings in new ideas and concepts while remaining faithful to the true meaning of the character. Additionally, the book doesn’t treat the reader like a Batman veteran — the series is accessible for both new and returning fans.
“The Zoo” is also simply a perfect opener for the Batman character. This volume is short but memorable, with plenty of references to various parts of the Batman mythos. And with the cover of issue #20 hinting that Batman may finally find himself an “Absolute Robin,” it seems things are only looking up. Give the first issue a try; it’s impossible to hate.
Batman-related ravings aside, I also recommend “Absolute Wonder Woman.” While “Absolute Batman” places rich-boy Bruce Wayne in a world without the vast resources of the Wayne estate, “Absolute Wonder Woman” depicts a Diana Prince who grew up in hell, not the sunny beaches of Themyscira.
The re-vamped Diana Prince is a force to be reckoned with, character-wise. Her bolder, tougher persona is a fresh take on the character and a welcome sight.Keep an eye out for both Diana and Bruce this March!
If you’re more interested in starting something fresh instead of catching up on the current comic landscape, it’s best to keep an eye on comic stores when May arrives. “Absolute Green Arrow” will finally hit the shelves that month, followed by the long-awaited “Absolute Catwoman” in June. If Catwoman’s depiction in “Absolute Batman” is anything to go off of, the new book should be a wild ride.
I also recommend taking a look at “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow,” written by Tom King and illustrated by Bilquis Evely. The Supergirl movie coming out this summer is based on King and Evely’s 2022 book, and it’s highly regarded as one of the best Supergirl comics out there.
“Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow” does a lot of legwork to fully separate Kara Zor-El from Clark Kent, also known as Kal-El. Kara is depicted as angrier, more troubled and certainly more intense than Clark, which makes her a very compelling character. You can find it on Amazon if you’re interested.
Editor’s Note: This article was changed to add a paragraph that was included in the print version of The Daily Campus but absent from the digital one.