So far, DC Comics‘ line of Absolute Universe comics have stood on their own. There have been references to the other series, like a mention of Absolute Wonder Woman‘s Gateway City in Absolute Flash. However, there has been no interaction between the various superheroes and supervillains. That changes this October as the Absolute Joker forms a fearsome new team of villains in Absolute Evil #1.
The idea of the chaotic Joker forming an organized team might stun casual superhero fans. However, the idea makes perfect sense in the Absolute Universe, which twists the classic DC Comics characters in different ways. In this case, the Absolute Batman villain is a mysterious billionaire defined by his lacking any sense of humor.
Joker’s goals are thus far unexplained, but his interests include the founding of secret prisons/laboratories in international waters. These prisons are known as arks. The latest and most advanced of these prisons, Ark M, was built off the coast of Gotham City.
What villains are part of Absolute Joker’s supervillain group?
The cover for Absolute Evil #1 shows seven hands clasping. Not all the hands are easily identified. Further confounding the problem is the announcement that this new supervillain team will include two characters who will make their Absolute Universe debut as part of the one-shot. However, the remaining four villains apart from Joker have been confirmed.
Ra’s Al Ghul
The main villain of Absolute Superman, the Absolute Evil Ra’s Al Ghul is a more ruthless figure than his Earth-Prime counterpart. Head of the Lazarus Corporation, this Ra’s seeks to rule the world through oligarchy. He also hopes to turn Kal-El of Krypton into his heir.
Veronica Cale
On Earth-Prime, Veronica Cale was a self-made CEO, who hated that Wonder Woman was held up as a feminist champion instead of her. The Absolute Evil version of Cale seems to harbor similar suspicions of the Amazing Amazon. However, she is an advisor to the US President and director of an unidentified department. She seems to hold power equivalent to that of Earth-Prime’s Amanda Waller.
Hector Hammond
The classic Hector Hammond was a petty crook given psychic powers by an alien meteorite. By contrast, the Absolute Universe Hector Hammond is an unscrupulous billionaire trying to cash in on the alien encounters in Evergreen City. He does not seem to have superpowers yet, but it seems likely the events of Absolute Green Lantern will ultimately leave him altered.
Dr. Elenore Thawne
Perhaps the most drastically changed supervillain in Absolute Evil is Dr. Elenore Thawne. In the original universe, Eobard Thawne was the Reverse-Flash and sworn enemy of Barry Allen. The gender-flipped Dr. Elenore Thawne, by contrast, is the head of the Project Olympus, an American government program that seems to be creating metahuman soldiers.
Absolute Evil #1 arrives in comic shops everywhere on October 1, 2025.
