During the DC All-In Special, Darkseid set things in motion to create a universe in his image. As predicted, it was a grim universe where all hope is lost. It’s known as the Absolute Universe to DC Comics fans, and so far, it’s changed the course of the multiverse.
After Darkseid disappeared from the Justice League’s Watchtower (DC All-In Special), Booster Gold was sent to investigate what happened. He was almost immediately captured by Darkseid’s Legion (a dark version of the Legion of Super-Heroes). Since then, we've only seen Booster a few times, and he's always chained up and at the mercy of his captors.
In Joshua Williamson’s Superman (issues 19-23), we learn that the Absolute Universe is more than another spot in the multiverse. It’s a possible future too. It's confirmed in issue No. 27, where the Dark Legion says that they’re going to meet the Superman of the time-traveling Doomsday (known as Time Trapper) they captured (this Doomsday first appears in Superman No. 19).
Superman No. 27 creative team
- Writer: Joshua Williamson
- Artist: Eddy Barrows and Sean Izaakse
- Colorist: Alejandro Sanchez
The idea of a future timeline and an alternate reality being connected may be a bit confusing because it is. Alternate realities are both the future and on a different branch of a timeline. Still doesn't make sense? Allow me to explain that in terms of DC Comics’ Earth Prime and Darkseid’s Universe.
The Absolute Universe seems to take place before present-day Earth Prime. As the Time Trapper explained, the Dark Legion has stolen the future. That’s why you have a universe where Wonder Woman hasn't been on Earth long. However, the alternate reality aspect is proven because Bruce Wayne, Barbara Gordon, and (possibly) Dick Grayson are around the same age instead of Batman being much older. So, that means the Absolute Universe is both the future and an alternate reality.
It’s easy to guess that this still doesn’t make any sense. Thankfully, things will become clearer soon. At the end of Superman No. 27, there’s a message that says: “Superman meets Darkseid’s Legion as the countdown to DC’s biggest event of the year begins!”
Hopefully, the next issue will give some hints as to why the future has somehow intersected with another reality. Some of this could be thanks to Gorilla Grodd messing with the timestream (this happened in the event We Are Yesterday). His actions caused heroes from different timelines to be stuck on Earth Prime with no way of getting back. That will certainly come into play in this year’s event. To find out how, stay tuned to Bam Smack Pow.
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