Micah Sutton
A&E Editor
Comic books have been a popular form of media for a long time, and their popularity has led to the creation of some iconic characters over the years, including Batman, Black Panther, Scarlet Witch, Daredevil and Wonder Woman. Many of these characters’ stories have been adapted into major motion pictures and television shows, such as the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) or its rival, the Detective Comics Extended Universe (DCEU), also known as DC. Even though these characters have been thriving on the big screen, comic book sales are not nearly as prolific as they used to be.
Comic sales have been down due to factors like a general loss of interest and the Covid-19 pandemic. As Dimitrije Curcic stated, “2020 was the worst year for comic books.” Comics sales have fluctuated frequently over the last couple of decades, with other examples including the 2008 Great Recession and the 1954 sales slump after Fredric Wertham’s essay, “Seduction of the Innocent,” was published. The essay linked juvenile delinquency to the content found within the comic books published at the time, leading comic books to take a huge hit. Despite the decline in sales over the years, the one thing that has consistently re-upped interest in comic books has been the creation of new versions of established characters and the introduction of new characters. One example of this is the ongoing “Absolute Universe” series published by DC. The Absolute series is widely popular because of the striking differences in heroes that have been well-established for years. The series includes heroes and villains such as Batman, The Flash, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Superman, and villains like Joker, Deathstroke, Bane, Black Mask, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, Mr.Freeze and Two-Face.
The differences in key character traits found in the characters can easily be identified in the case of Absolute Batman. The pivotal character Bruce Wayne is not a billionaire, but instead a blue-collar civil engineer. He is physically larger and approaches crime fighting less stealthily than the traditional Batman. Another key difference is the loss of his traditional butler and confidant, Alfred Pennyworth. The alterations of the character itself drew people in and allowed the Absolute series to stand out from its traditional predecessors. According to Comic Book Co., “the Absolute line accounted for an astounding 9 of the top 11 titles.” The revamp of the characters drew people into a story that was nearly a complete invert of the original, resulting in a surge in sales, which revitalized what some might say is a dying form of art. The Absolute comic series continues to revamp characters audiences know and love generating a surge of sales by creating a sense of nuance from depicting characters in a unique way.