The comic industry is something that’s complicated in more ways than one. At various points in time, it was one of the biggest things in all of media, which you could argue continues today via things like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which obviously takes inspiration from the comics Marvel has made. However, when it comes to actually selling comic book issues, things have been “up and down” for a long time, and both DC and Marvel have tried to “figure things out” in real time to get back on top. One such attempt was the DC Comics Absolute Line, which started last year and has been a landmark success.
If you don’t know, the DC Comics Absolute Line is a variation of their “Elseworlds” stories. Long story short, Darkside became the “main influence” on a universe that is equal to the “main universe” that the main Justice League and their allies live in. Within this world, evil prevails more often than not, and the heroes are either not what you think or have entirely new origins. This “blank slate” allowed for legendary teams to come together to create something truly new and special, and the results have been gangbusters.
As noted by The Hollywood Reporter, since its inception last year, the Absolute saga has sold over 8.2 million units! Absolute Batman leads the pack with over 3 million units sold just on its own.
So, why is it a success? First, anyone can dive in and not need a chart to understand everything. Second, there are plenty of fresh stories, worthy plot twists, and more to enjoy. Finally, they’re expanding things at a slow but steady rate to ensure quality.
This is the biggest win DC has had in a while, and they should revel in it.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
