Publishing initiatives are two words that always get me excited. That probably says more about me than anything else, but there is something so freaking cool to me when a comic book publisher gets all their talent together to chart a course for their shared universe.
What makes DC’s All In unique from others like Marvel’s “Ultimate Universe” or Skybound’s crazy cool “Energon Universe” is that DC is both launching a brand-new universe with Absolute AND they are also focusing on their core line of comics. It’s not just focusing on the cool, new, sexy universe; DC has set aside a large chunk of their line and their ongoing narrative to show new and old readers what makes their superheroes so special and enduring.
All this leads to this: DC All In Special is the starting point for everything new from DC and is also a well laid out and awesome comic book.
The special is a flip book with one part focusing on the main DC Universe and the second showing what Darkseid is up to that leads to… well, the easy way to not spoil it is to say that this half shows you where the Absolute versions of characters come from.
Joshua Williamson and Scott Snyder write both sides of this flip book with “Alpha” focusing on the Justice League and “Omega” showing Darkseid’s tale. What is really interesting with this is that each half works both independently of the other while also having parts of each narrative affect the other in real time. It’s really hard to describe other than it is something that really only can be pulled off in the physical comics medium. I found myself flipping back and forth when certain events happened to realize just how creative and well thought out this little narrative trick was.
Like I said, “Alpha” focuses on the Justice League in the aftermath of Absolute Power #4 (also on sale today and I both HIGHLY recommend this series as well as reading that final issue right before starting this special) and sets up the new status quo for the universe while also previewing several upcoming books like “Justice League Unlimited”, “Question: All Along the Watchtower”, and “New Gods” to name just a few. This half of the book has Daniel Sampere (artist on “Wonder Woman”, which if you haven’t checked out Lukas’ episode on the Midwesternerds Podcast this week, he can speak to how amazing Sampere’s art is) and Alejandro Sanchez on art and coloring duty respectively. Sampere is like a modern George Perez where each character looks just like how you want them to. From the big three of Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman to other characters like Booster Gold or Detective Chimp, Sampere just gets them right. Sanchez’s colors accentuate the perfection of DC that Sampere has.
Then there is “Omega” which can be said to be Darkseid’s version of “Thanos Quest.” After the events of Absolute Power #4, something is missing from Darkseid that he just can’t seem to put his finger on. This half of the book follows the dark god throughout the DC universe asking cosmic individuals if they know what he seeks, only to be warned not to go any further. But, if Darkseid is anything, he doesn’t let anyone stop him once he has set out on his quest. I really don’t want to give away any more for each of these because there are some really cool comic book moments in each and there are some really freaking cool things Snyder and Williamson do to make each side connect to each other. Wes Craig (“Deadly Class”) and Mike Spicer handle art and colors on this half and just wow. Craig’s style is so unique and different from Sampere’s but fits Darkseid’s quest and the preview of the Absolute Universe. I love Craig’s independent work like “Kaya” and “Deadly Class”, so it is really cool to see him on an epic superhero comic from one of the big two. Craig brings Jack Kirby’s New Gods pantheon to life here. Spicer’s colors are much darker than Sanchez’s but fit this half perfectly. Steve Wands letters both halves and does some really, really cool stuff that I just can’t give away. I know, you’re thinking “Tripper, it’s just letters”, but trust me when I say this shows the importance of letters to a comic book.
This is a giant epic of a comic that pays off so many stories for longtime readers as well as welcomes a whole new audience to the wonderful world of DC.
This reminds me of those moments from DC like the New 52 and Rebirth where every title was a starting point. Both of those eras of DC gave us stories like “Court of Owls” or Tomasi’s amazing “Superman” run, and the All In era of DC is here and is promising to give us more of that.
This is the book to grab this week.
You want to start superheroes? Start here.
Want to give DC a chance with something? Start here.
Want to know what this Absolute Universe is going to be? Start here.
Excited for the upcoming DC movies and shows like “Superman” and “Creature Commandos?” Start here.
This is the All In era and I am so All In.
Save the world, read comics!
-Tripper
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