DC Comics unveiled Absolute Justice during New York Comic Con 2026, announcing that a series written by Jason Aaron will unite the publisher’s Absolute Universe heroes, as reported by Zona Negativa, La Cueva del Nerd, and AIPT Comics.
The Bottom Line
- Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta confirmed that Absolute Batman #25 will feature 30 pages and major revelations regarding the Joker and Grimm, while Cliff Chiang handles art for issue #26 featuring Barbara Gordon as The Bat.
- Additional NYCC 2026 announcements included Batman: Justice Year by Joshua Williamson and Bruno Redondo, a new Starfire series by Alyssa Wong and Belén Ortega, and Swamp Thing: Hallowed Ground by Steve Foxe and Riccardo Federici.
Jason Aaron and Juan Ferreyra Spearhead Absolute Justice
The upcoming crossover event will bypass tying into every ongoing title, as creators deliberately structured the project to avoid disrupting individual book arcs. Zona Negativa noted that J’onn J’onzz returns to action following the conclusion of Deniz Camp and Javier Rodríguez’s work, maintaining his Martian identity. La Cueva del Nerd highlighted that the miniseries will keep current titles independent. AIPT Comics added that Aaron explained the team took time establishing individual worlds before forcing a team-up.
Absolute Batman #25 Promises Major Joker Revelations
Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta emphasized the scale of Absolute Batman #25 during the NYCC panel. La Cueva del Nerd reported that Bruce Wayne goes directly after Grimm following his encounter with Scarecrow in a 30-page issue that expands the mythology of the Arks. AIPT Comics added that colorist Frank Martin and Dragotta discussed the 13th Ark as the Joker’s masterpiece. Furthermore, issue #26 arrives in January with Cliff Chiang on art and Barbara Gordon stepping up as The Bat while investigating her father’s fate.
Expanded Lineup and Future DC Next Level Projects
The publisher detailed multiple upcoming projects under the second phase called DC Next Level. Al Ewing outlined the ongoing mythology in Absolute Green Lantern #19, noting that concept groups like the Justice Society of America never survived Darkseid’s reshaping of reality.
| Title / Project | Creative Team | Key Details |
|---|---|---|
| Absolute Justice | Jason Aaron & Juan Ferreyra | 5-issue miniseries launching April 2027 uniting the Absolute Universe. |
| Absolute Batman #25 | Scott Snyder & Nick Dragotta | 30-page issue featuring Grimm, major Joker reveals, and the 13th Ark. |
| Batman: Justice Year | Joshua Williamson & Bruno Redondo | Maxiseries exploring early post-Justice League Gotham dynamics. |
| Starfire | Alyssa Wong & Belén Ortega | New regular series drawing tonal inspiration from Red Sonja and One Piece. |
Unresolved Timelines and Future Releases
Several announced titles remain without explicit release dates following the convention panels. Projects such as Shadow of the Bat, Vixen, and Static received situational updates regarding Detroit’s narrative weight and Dakota’s high metahuman density, yet publishers omitted launch dates. Matt Fraction also joked about future Batman storylines involving Matches Malone, while new series like Gangs of Gotham spin directly out of the ongoing Bad Seeds event.
