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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Start with DC All In Special #1 if you want the shared origin of the Absolute Universe. Then choose any hero series at its own #1—Absolute Batman, Absolute Superman or Absolute Wonder Woman are the simplest entry points. You do not need to finish one title, or the entire line, before beginning another.
The short answer: read the origin, then follow your favorite hero
DC All In Special #1 is the best first stop for readers who want to understand why the Absolute Universe exists. DC presents the one-shot as the point where readers learn the circumstances behind the universe’s creation, and writer Scott Snyder calls All In “a line-wide jumping-on point.”
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After that, start any Absolute series with issue #1. The individual books are designed to work as separate introductions, according to the practical reading guidance from Comic Catch-Up Guide. There is no DC-required sequence that forces you to read every Batman issue before Superman, or every launch title before Wonder Woman.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsIf you are choosing only one book today, use the character or creative team that interests you most. The first three series DC highlighted were:
#1 Best Overall
| Series | Creators named by DC | Best fit if you want |
|---|---|---|
| Absolute Batman | Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta | A radically reworked Batman launch from a writer returning to the character’s wider DC initiative |
| Absolute Superman | Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval | Superman interpreted by a different creative team and setting than the familiar status quo |
| Absolute Wonder Woman | Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman | Wonder Woman’s new starting point, built as a self-contained entry into the line |
The “best” first series is therefore personal rather than mandatory. Pick the hero you already care about, or the team whose work you want to try.
What reading DC All In Special #1 adds
The one-shot supplies the line-wide context that a character issue cannot provide on its own. It explains the circumstances behind the dawn of the Absolute Universe before the ongoing books branch into their own stories.
That makes All In useful, but not a prerequisite for understanding every scene in an individual series. If your priority is simply reading Batman, Superman or Wonder Woman immediately, you can begin at that character’s #1 and return to the special later. The practical guide’s independent-series approach supports that choice.
DC’s official description frames the setting as a stripped-down reinvention: “In this universe, there is no island paradise, no stately manor, and no fortress of solitude…just heroes stripped down to their absolute best.” Treat that as DC Universe Infinite’s description of the collection, not as a promise that every book has the same tone or plot structure.
Choose your first series
Absolute Batman #1
Choose Absolute Batman if Batman is the character that brought you to the line or if Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta are your deciding factor. Begin with issue #1, then continue numerically in that series. You do not need prior knowledge of the other Absolute books to make sense of the opening volume.
For readers who prefer a collected edition, Penguin Random House lists Absolute Batman Vol. 1: The Zoo. A volume lets you sample a complete opening arc without buying several unrelated series. Retailer stock, format and price can change, so verify those details at the time you order.
Absolute Superman #1
Absolute Superman is the direct route for Superman readers. Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval are the credited launch team, and issue #1 is the correct place to enter. Read forward through the series before deciding whether you want to branch into the other heroes.
Penguin Random House also lists later collected material, including Absolute Superman Vol. 2: Son of the Demon. The existence of a later volume does not mean you must read it before another hero’s first issue; it simply gives collection readers a series-specific way to continue.
Absolute Wonder Woman #1
Start with Absolute Wonder Woman #1 if Diana is your priority or if Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman are the creative team you want to follow. The same rule applies: issue #1 is the entry point, and the book can be read without completing the other launch titles first.
Collected-edition readers can look for Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 2: As My Mothers Made Me after the first volume. Check the current edition information with a retailer because publisher catalogs do not guarantee live inventory.
How the Absolute line is organized
DC launched the line around the three series above, then expanded it. DC’s All In material identifies these additional 2025 series and creators:
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| Series | Creators named by DC | Catalog status described in the available material |
|---|---|---|
| Absolute Flash | Jeff Lemire and Nick Robles | Added to the line in 2025 |
| Absolute Martian Manhunter | Deniz Camp and Javier Rodríguez | Added to the line in 2025 |
| Absolute Green Lantern | Al Ewing and Jahnoy Lindsay | Added to the line in 2025 |
| Absolute Green Arrow | Not stated in the catalog information summarized here | Issue #1 listed for May 20, 2026 |
| Absolute Evil | Not stated in the catalog information summarized here | Listed as one of the catalog’s eight Absolute Universe groupings |
The current DC Universe Infinite collection page groups eight series under “The Absolute Universe”: Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern, Flash, Absolute Evil and Green Arrow. Catalog groupings and issue dates are changeable; they describe what that page listed when accessed, not a permanent promise about future releases.
Three reading paths that work
Path 1: the complete introductory route
- Read DC All In Special #1.
- Choose one of Absolute Batman #1, Absolute Superman #1 or Absolute Wonder Woman #1.
- Continue that series in issue order.
- When another character appeals to you, begin that title at its #1.
This gives you the shared setup first without making you wait to explore the character you actually want to read.
Path 2: favorite-character first
- Open the series for your preferred hero at issue #1.
- Read its issues or first collected volume in publication order.
- Read DC All In Special #1 whenever you want the line-wide explanation.
- Add other Absolute series from their own #1 issues.
This is the lowest-friction option if you are buying a single comic or borrowing digitally and do not want to commit to a crossover-sized reading list.
Path 3: collected editions
- Select one first volume, such as Absolute Batman Vol. 1: The Zoo.
- Finish that volume before deciding whether to continue the series.
- Move to another hero’s first volume if you want a broader sample.
- Use the publisher catalog to identify available volumes, then confirm the exact edition and stock with a live retailer.
Collected books are a format choice, not a different continuity. They gather the same series material into volumes and do not make buying every title necessary.
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Do you need to read the series in a strict order?
No, not for a normal first read. The independent-series recommendation comes from a secondary reading guide, while DC’s official material establishes the launch and the shared-universe premise. The evidence supports starting each hero at #1; it does not establish an official, exhaustive, issue-by-issue chronology for every inter-series appearance.
If you want to read everything in a carefully sequenced order, use a detailed secondary guide as optional navigation. Treat its inter-series placement as a reader aid unless DC explicitly labels a crossover or chronology. A guide can help you alternate books, but it should not turn a preference into a requirement.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- Waiting to finish the whole line: You can begin a favorite hero immediately at #1.
- Assuming the first three are the only books: The line expanded in 2025 and the catalog later listed Green Arrow and Absolute Evil among its groupings.
- Confusing a catalog listing with guaranteed availability: Publisher entries establish that collected editions exist; they do not guarantee current stock, price or format.
- Expecting one universal tone: “Absolute” describes the shared reinvention initiative, while each series has its own writer, artist and character focus.
- Using a fan chronology as an official mandate: Secondary guides can be useful, but the supported recommendation is simply to start a chosen series at #1.
Issue-by-issue or collected volume?
Choose single issues when you want to follow releases as they appear, discuss each installment while it is current, or change direction quickly after a first issue. Choose a collected volume when you prefer an uninterrupted opening arc, want fewer purchasing decisions, or are testing one hero before expanding.
Penguin Random House’s catalog lists collected editions for Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter, including the Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman volumes named above. Because publication schedules and retailer inventory change, check the edition’s publication details and availability at the point of purchase.
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A practical recommendation by reader type
| If you are… | Start here | Why |
|---|---|---|
| New to the Absolute Universe and want the premise | DC All In Special #1, then any hero #1 | It supplies the stated origin context before the individual books. |
| Primarily a Batman reader | Absolute Batman #1 | It is the character’s own entry point and does not require another series first. |
| Primarily a Superman reader | Absolute Superman #1 | It begins the Superman branch with its credited launch team. |
| Primarily a Wonder Woman reader | Absolute Wonder Woman #1 | It begins Diana’s branch and can be read independently. |
| Interested in the wider line after the launch | Any current series at #1, then branch out | The catalog now lists additional heroes and groupings beyond the opening trio. |
| Trying to minimize commitment | The first collected volume of one series | You can sample one complete opening collection instead of buying the whole line. |
What is established—and what remains flexible
The strongest, directly supported points are the existence of DC All In Special #1 as the origin-context one-shot, the initial trio of Absolute series, the ability to start a chosen hero at #1, the line’s expansion, and the availability of collected-edition listings.
What is not established here is an official complete chronology covering every issue, a requirement to read one hero before another, or a permanent final list of series. DC’s catalog can change as new books are added and issue-one listings update. For that reason, use the simple entry rule rather than treating any unofficial master list as immutable.
The best first choice
For the fullest introduction, read DC All In Special #1 and then pick the hero you are most curious about. For the fastest route to a character, skip directly to that character’s Absolute #1. Start with Batman, Superman or Wonder Woman if you want the line’s original launch trio; choose a later series only if that character or its creative team is the reason you are interested.
Quick Recap
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