NYCC ’26: What comes next for DC’s Absolute Universe?

Some of the primary architects of DC’s mega-popular Absolute Universe shared what’s coming next — including the line’s first-ever big series team-up — Friday on a panel at New York Comic Con.

This included new villain design reveals — Silver Swan chief among them — news about what’s coming after Absolute Batman #25, and an intricate chart that explains the colors in Absolute Green Lantern, among other things.

We ran a breaking news note about said team-up here, but in brief, it’s happening in a book called Absolute Justice, which is a five-issue mini-series starting in April from Jason Aaron and Juan Ferreyra. The creators on the panel emphasized that it will not directly disrupt any of the ongoing titles, and it will not have any crossover issues that readers need to buy.

The publisher also showed a trailer for the series, and the creators reminded readers that in the Darkseid-controlled Absolute Universe, the Justice League is a force for evil, not a unified group of the world’s greatest heroes.

Details were scarce (I mean, the comic is like six months way, so), but part of the idea here is the Absolute Universe has noticed the rise of these heroes, and it is actively fighting back against it. The other tidbit here is that Martian Manhunter of Absolute Martian Manhunter is the driving force that brings them together.

Now on to other business!

What’s up with Absolute Batman? 

The panel had three members of the Absolute Batman creative team on it: Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta, and Frank Martin. 

They talked about what’s coming in Absolute Batman #25, and also gave out details about #26 and #27. Absolute Batman #26 is coming in January with guest artist Cliff Chiang telling a story centered on Barbara Gordon.

“Something happens in 25 that spins the series, and it’s not what you think,” Snyder said. “During this moment, Barbara steps up as The Bat.”

The story, he also said, will be about Barbara’s history with Bruce and how she fits into Gotham.

“She’s doing it because she wants to find out the truth of what happened to her father,” Snyder said.

Then in February, main series artist Nick Dragotta will return to the book.

Aaron, meanwhile, talked a bit about the book he writes, Absolute Superman, specifically noting that after Absolute Superman #25, Superman will be going into space.

And the big news about Absolute Wonder Woman at the panel came from artist Hayden Sherman, who revealed for the first time the design for Silver Swan, which you can see below.

“We wanted her to have a ballet quality, a theatrical quality,” Sherman said.

Finally, I will end by leaving you with this … a very-involved chart related to how the colors works in Absolute Green Lantern, which writer Al Ewing specifically told us not to photograph (facetiously… I hope!).

Stay tuned to The Beat for more news from NYCC ’26.