12/31 Comic Reviews: Ending the Year with the DC Trinity

Immortal Legend Batman #5 written by Mat Groom and Kyle Higgins with art by Erica D’Urso and Dan Mora

“...Every path leads back to Gotham.”

We’ve reached the penultimate issue of what has easily been one of my favorite books of 2025. Bruce has reunited with the other Immortal Legends and is now heading back to his home planet of Gotham to confront his final shadow-self. The moment they share in the cockpit with Nightwing bantering, Robin playing the beleaguered younger brother, and Bruce keeping a straight face through it all was the the first of many moments this issue which really highlighted just how much more room there is in this series to expand on both the world and the characters. The chemistry these three have can fill enough books to last years, and that’s without any of the other amazing bits of worldbuilding this creative team just loves to sprinkle in. Another spin-off I’d love to see is one that explored this version of Gotham with the Joker (ok, he’s not called the Joker, but it’s the Joker so I’m going to call him Joker) pulling the strings. We get a small taste of his personal militia painted in Joker colors and shortly after we get what’s arguably one of the coolest entrances a character has ever gotten which introduces us to Barbara Gordon. The idea of a series about her staging a one-woman-war against Joker’s corporate fascism IN SPACE is such an amazing pitch for a book that I’ll be devastated if we don’t get it.

Shortly thereafter, we’re introduced to the Immortal Legend Joker. Like all of the shadows we’ve seen, he’s a reflection of Bruce’s darker traits. In this case, he’s a hedonistic narcissist untethered by any of Bruce’s morals or obligations. He makes half-hearted attempts to use the grief of his parents’ deaths to justify his actions, but it’s clear that he doesn’t even believe it himself. Considering how recently it was that we had The Batman Who Laughs, one would think that the idea of “Bruce Wayne but the Joker” would be well-worn territory by now, but the version we’re presented here actually takes a completely different approach. Rather than being a mastermind slowly orchestrating the end of the world, he’s just a loser with too much power who’s squandered any potential he had. He has Bruce’s intellect, but it just makes him vicious and opportunistic rather than giving him the ability to make any meaningful plots. In some ways, his banality is what makes him frightening. The Joker often feels almost mythological and representative of primordial evil or perhaps our baser traits as humans. He, himself, is less of a person and more a vessel for the worst qualities a person can have. This version of Joker, on the other hand, is actually a person, just a fundamentally terrible one. He’s someone who neither cares for nor believes in anything, and so he has nothing to hold him back from using his unlimited resources to capitalize off of suffering and misery all for the sake of his own pleasure. In that way, he’s the perfect antithesis to a Batman forged by tradition and personal responsibility and the final page perfectly hammers home just how capable he is of perverting that legacy.

But before all that, we have to have a mecha-fight! Since this book was announced, I knew that surely, some time, somewhere, there would have to be a Bat-mecha fighting something giant.   Well, we finally get it and it’s everything that I could have hoped for. Erica D’Urso is a wizard when it comes to making the art feel kinetic. The whole fight is perfectly choreographed and practically bursts out of the page with how much energy each panel has. Is there anything cooler than one mecha ripping off another one’s arm and using it as a flail? No, there simply is not. It’s not just the mecha fight either. This is easily the most action-packed issue and the human-scale fights are full of amazing sequences too as we get to see more of Nightwing and Robin cutting loose. This time, rather than drawing a backup, Dan Mora does the art for the final act of the book in a sequence that’s basically non-stop explosions and it looks amazing. As I mentioned earlier, that final page is such a striking image and a perfect cliffhanger to leave the book on as we wait for the finale.

Beyond the art and the story, this book is full of so many little touches that I just found delightful. Without spoiling anything, this book gives us yet another henshin phrase. As cool as it can be to have an iconic phrase as part of a legacy, there is something to be said for characters having personalized transformation calls that play off of the traditional ones. It’s something that we actually don’t see a lot of in tokusatsu media, but it can add an extra punch to a transformation when used effectively. There’s also one line where Joker calls someone a “Gloomy Grumpus.” A cute line on its own, but as someone who listens to the entirely unrelated podcast Ranger Danger on the regular, it almost made me spit out my coffee.

I’d been falling behind on a lot of my pull-list recently, but what a joy it was to catch up on this book. I say it every time, but it’s just such a fun ride and I’m so torn about being excited for the finale and never wanting this series to end. It’s such an amazing concept that it’s insane the corporate vultures aren’t descending on it to turn it into a media franchise. Regardless of whether the story continues beyond this, this book has been fantastic from jump and I’ll be going back to it for years to come. After all, “Legends never die.”

Absolute Superman #14 written by Jason Aaron with art by Rafa Sandoval

“We were the People of Steel!”

The battle of Kansas reaches its climax as Lazarus Corp and the Peacemakers move in on Smallville. Ra’s al’Ghul is beating down Kal-El with a kryptonite sword while Brainiac has hijacked Kal’s sentient suit, Sol, and turned it against Lois and Jimmy along with the townspeople. It was unexpected when the first major foe for Superman turned out to be an enemy traditionally linked to Batman, but his role as a corporate fascist worked as a counterpoint to Kal-El as the working class underdog. However, we see in this issue, that even as a physical threat, he is not someone to take lately. Kryptonite or no, he is still demolishing Superman in a physical fight and feels even more like a force of nature than Kal-El. There’s no doubt that this is a villain for Superman. Our hero isn’t about to just give up the fight though. Even stripped of everything he has, the teachings of his parents still burn brightly in his heart and he will not stand by while oppressors trample the innocent.

Recently, just about all of the Absolute Universe books have been reminding us that this is the world where Darkseid is. The game is rigged in evil’s favor and there is no guarantee of a happy ending for anyone. But, through it all, people are still people. The Peacemakers are ruthless enforcers of a corporate entity that eagerly deploys them against the poor and downtrodden around the world, but here on their home soil in a town much like the ones that many of them grew up in, it finally begins to break through that they’re on the wrong side of it. It doesn’t lead into a sudden shift in their ranks, but there’s a hesitation and the barest flicker of their better natures breaking through, which in this universe is a miracle unto itself. Each of these battles has been a fight against entropy, against apathy, against an establishment designed to beat us down for the benefit of a few, but even Darkseid cannot change the nature of a person, only their circumstances, and all it takes is the right circumstance for them to burn brightly once again. Even the fight with Ra’s has been a philosophical one. Ra’s is a madman with delusions of godhood that wants Kal-El to come to his side. He thinks that he’s course-correcting Kal-El and restoring some sort of balance by turning him as cruel and vicious as he is, but steel may bend but it will not break. Kal-El’s position is less of a stance and more of a question. Is it possible to stand against the crushing might of an institution that would stamp the throats of anyone who dare oppose them? Is it worth it to try regardless? In the Absolute Universe, victory does not come without loss, but it is obtainable and feels all the more raw and powerful to have taken back even a little bit of hope in such a cruel world.

Rafa Sandoval does a brilliant job as always, but there are two scenes were he truly outdoes himself. The first is a two-page spread spread capturing an epic and glorious moment in the battle. It’s exactly the kind of moment this book has been building towards and shows Kal-El truly beginning to step into his power and his role in the universe. Then there’s the final page of the book which is both heart-wrenchingly beautiful and the perfect ending to this bittersweet victory. It’s moments like this that really hammer home just how much the team behind the Absolute Universe is nailing it. It’s still possible to read a Superman story and feel moved to tears by the ending because it feels hard-won and all the more worthwhile because of it.

When the first issue came out, I wrote about how much it had rekindled my sense of hope at a time when I desperately needed it. In the year and change since, that hope has waned at various points just like it did in this book, but at this moment on the last day of the year, Superman is still here and so am I. Who knows what the next year will bring, but I’ll be going into it with hope in my heart and my eyes looking up to the sky.

Absolute Wonder Woman #15 written by Kelly Thompson with art by Hayden Sherman

“...I suppose we all have our own paths. Though I think my father would have liked yours.”

I’m going to start off with a confession. When the first three Absolute Universe books began, this was the book I was least hooked by. There was no doubt from the first issue that it was well-written and beautifully drawn, but compared to downtrodden Superman and Batman wrecking oppressors, I didn’t get that same sense of catharsis I had in the other books. Since then, I’ve been continuously eating those words as this book has proven to be, in my opinion, the strongest of the Absolute line (which, if you consider how much I’ve been raving about those other books, is really saying something). The catharsis I get from this book feels more like something simmering that I’ve struggled to put my finger on which, along with the usual procrastination and burnout, is part of why it took me so long to finally write about it despite having been fully won over a long time ago. I think what it is is that Diana is powerfully and unfailingly good. She is uncompromisingly polite and respectful to everyone she meets. She adheres strictly to the rules of hospitality she was raised by, specifically the spirit in which those rules should be followed. She refuses to yield to injustice, but never hesitates to offer compassion and conversation as a first, second, and third resort for conflict. Most importantly, her kindness is not born from naïveté or ignorance of the world. She knows how cruel the world can be as much as anyone else, but she still chooses to do the right thing regardless of the risks or cost to herself. Compared to the rest of the Absolute universe which is mired in cynicism and apathy, her relentless goodness seems to bend the very universe around her, making it a better, more joyful place. It’s her role as an awe-inspiring beacon of hope that has really solidified her as my favorite of the Absolute heroes. The book has been full of magic, mythology, wonder, and hope, all of which made me even more curious for this particular issue which gives us her first meeting with Absolute Batman along with the first crossover between heroes in the Absolute Universe!

From the previous issue, we know that Diana has been drawn to Gotham because of murders in which Hecate’s symbol has been left behind in blood. Neither a Gothamite nor a detective, she’s decided to call upon someone who can help her with both of those things, casting a massive bat-symbol into the sky in order to draw the person she intends to make an ally. Right off the bat (pun not intended, but not regretted either) the chemistry between Diana and Bruce blew me away. It’s not romantic at the moment, though it did bring to mind memories of their dynamic in the Justice League animated series. The chemistry stems more from how perfectly they compliment and contrast each other. Bruce is intense, cynical, and paranoid, the very definition of burning the candle at both ends. His entire persona is intended to evoke fear and his physique is intended to back it up while giving nothing of himself away. On the other hand, Diana is open, direct, and gentle. She is forthcoming with information and answers all of Bruce’s questions. Even when those questions are unintentionally personal, she answers them and holds nothing back. Bruce is a self-styled wrecking ball while Diana is aware of exactly how powerful she is and exercises restraint in both word or action so as never to lord her power over another. The two could not be more opposite each other, but it’s precisely for that reason that they work together so well. Diana’s openness and compassion win Bruce’s trust, while she’s able to see past his armor and recognize him for the heroic individual that he is.

What follows their meeting is a Wonder Woman/Batman supernatural buddy cop thriller that perfectly shows off the strengths of both characters. We’ve seen that Bruce is intelligent, but the detective aspect of his persona hasn’t been in as much focus so far, and this issue does a good job at including it by combining his meticulous nature with his local knowledge, helping Diana to navigate clues and puzzles she’d otherwise have no context for. The answer to the mystery turns out to be part of a larger attempt to strike at both of them as a spell is cast to subvert Diana’s will and have her kill Bruce. It’s an oft-spoken of tradition for two superheroes to fight in crossovers and tends to be scoffed at as something of a cliche that often gets used as fuel for debates over things like “power-scaling.” However, this issue highlights just what a potent narrative tool these conflicts can be, using the fight as a way to showcase more than just their physical prowess. As Diana succumbs to the spell, her only thought is to handicap herself as much as possible to give Bruce a fighting chance. There is no question that Diana is the stronger of the two, but the point isn’t about answering “who would win?” It’s about answering “how will they save each other?” Diana’s self-sacrificing kindness saves Bruce from immediately getting his head torn off, while Bruce’s adaptability and coolheadedness allow him to exploit what he’s learned about magic to find a work around for the spell. The resolution is perfect because the set up was done in a way so consistent with the characters that it wouldn’t be flagged as foreshadowing by the readers. Diana’s adherence to the manners and traditions she was raised with has consistently proven to work in her favor and here is no exception. The two escape their trap and regroup for a short conversation and a moment of peace together as the issue ends with what is probably the most optimistic scene in the entire Absolute Universe thus far.

Hayden Sherman’s art has been amazing since the beginning of this run, but now I finally get to gush about it. There’s a cleanness to their work that I wish I had a better vocabulary to explain. Each page is filled with details in both the environments and character designs, but it feels like you could take any panel and examine it from every angle and never find a single inconsistency in the way anything is drawn. The art always feels evocative of Greek mythology even in the most mundane scenes, and the structure of the compositions contrasts perfectly with the wild chaos of magic every time a spell is sent out to disrupt the world. Seeing them drawing Batman along with Wonder Woman was a special treat for this issue too. Batman in a well-lit scene can sometimes feel off, but here that same consistency is applied to the Absolute Caped Crusader’s insane physique and it works even in a well-lit space. It’s fun to see the two heroes in the same scene together, because they’re both significantly larger than their mainstream counterparts but in completely different ways. It adds several extra layers to the contrasts being presented to us by the narrative. Neither character is a stranger to over-the-top violent action and this issue gives us plenty of fun moments, especially when the Bat-axe gets involved. More blood is drawn than is typical for these kinds of crossovers and it has me wondering what kinds of scenes we’re in for as the rest of the Absolute heroes start to meet each other.

“Crossover” is an easy term to equate with “cash-grab,” but this issue feels like the natural progression for both characters as well as a significant turning point in the universe as a connection is finally formed between two of its heroes. The way in which they compliment and bring out the best in each other just goes to show how even with the entire universe on their side, the villains of this universe have every reason to be terrified of its heroes. Yet another phenomenal issue of Absolute Wonder Woman while also being a must-read for anyone following the larger Absolute Universe narrative, it’s the kind of light-in-the-darkness moment that’s perfect to end the year on.