Absolute Superman, written by Jason Aaron and drawn by Rafa Sandoval, has been published since November 6, 2024 as part of DC's Absolute line. It reads in six arcs, in publication order: "Last Dust of Krypton" (#1 to #6), "Son of the Demon" (#7 to #11), "The Battle of Kansas" (#12 to #14), "The Neverending Begins" (#15 to #17), "Reign of the Supermen" (#18 to #21), then "Get Brainiac", ongoing since #22. Issue #25, scheduled for November 4, 2026, is billed as a conclusion that opens a new era. In collected editions, volume 1 gathers #1 to #6 (August 2025), volume 2 gathers #7 to #14 (March 2026), and a volume 3 is announced for November 3, 2026. No prior reading is needed: the series reinvents Superman from scratch.
An issue #25 is a moment to take stock. For a series launched two years ago, it is the ideal occasion to catch up, or to reread it before it takes a new turn. Absolute Superman lends itself to this particularly well: its arcs are clear, its titles are explicit, and the whole tells a complete trajectory, from childhood on Krypton to the rise of a hero who chose his own name.
This guide gives the reading order, issue by issue, with what you should know before opening each arc, without giving everything away. It focuses on Superman. For the Absolute line as a whole and its collecting angles, we have published a separate overview.
The premise of the series
The Absolute line, announced by DC in July 2024, offers alternate versions of its best-known heroes, stripped of their usual advantages. For Superman, the central idea is simple and radical: Kal-El is not taken in as a baby by the Kents and raised with love on a Kansas farm. He grows up on Krypton, in the working caste of a highly hierarchical society, and arrives on Earth as a teenager, in a world dominated by multinationals, private armies and corrupt politicians.
This is Aaron's second run on the character, after a three-issue arc of Action Comics, "I, Bizarro". The originally planned artist, Rafael Albuquerque, had to withdraw because of severe flooding in his country, and Rafa Sandoval was recruited a month before the announcement. Becca Carey on lettering and Ulises Arreola on colors complete the team.
You do not need to know Superman to read the series. But a reader familiar with the character will enjoy the twists more: the famous "S" is here the mandatory symbol of a caste of workers, and familiar names, from Lois Lane to Ra's al Ghul, appear in unexpected roles. For the classic reference points, our Superman reading guide is the ideal companion.
The reading order, arc by arc
Last Dust of Krypton
The arc alternates between Kal's childhood on Krypton, with scientist parents banished from the elite for asking too many questions, and his present on Earth, where he protects workers exploited by a multinational, Lazarus. He is hunted by that company's soldiers, and crosses paths with an agent named Lois Lane. His armor houses an artificial intelligence, Sol, who serves as his companion.
Son of the Demon
The series' two great adversaries are revealed: Brainiac, a monstrous cyborg version with a tragic past, and the head of Lazarus, who turns out to be Ra's al Ghul. Kal allies for a time with the Omega Men, a group of insurgents, and Jimmy Olsen enters the story. The arc's title announces what Ra's wants to do with Superman.
The Battle of Kansas
Kal takes refuge in Smallville with Lois and Jimmy, and the town stands up with him against Lazarus' army. It is the first major open confrontation, and the arc that closes the series' first period with a moving scene around Martha Kent.
The Neverending Begins
Kal takes over the Kent farm and the name Clark Kent. He changes his colors, and starts acting all over the world. He meets Carter Hall, a winged man who tells him about other beings with powers. Meanwhile, an unexpected Lex Luthor, a gas station manager, crosses paths with Brainiac.
Reign of the Supermen
An ancient being, Teth-Adam, awakens and proclaims himself King Shazam. John Henry Irons, armed with a hammer, enters the story. The arc borrows the title of a famous 1990s storyline, but twists it completely.
Get Brainiac
Superman goes looking for Brainiac and runs into Metallo, an enemy already met in another form. This is the arc that leads to issue 25.
Reading single issues or collected editions
Both approaches are equally valid, with different constraints. With single issues, you follow the series at the monthly pace, and you get all the covers. With collected editions, you read complete arcs, but with a delay.
The first volume, Last Dust of Krypton, gathers issues 1 to 6. It came out on August 19, 2025, in hardcover and paperback, at 176 pages. The second, Son of the Demon, gathers issues 7 to 14, which means "The Battle of Kansas" as well, and it came out on March 3, 2026 at 206 pages. A third volume is scheduled for November 3, 2026, the day before issue 25. Its exact contents have not been published as we write, but the way the series is split suggests it will be the direct continuation.
You are discovering the series
Read the first two collected editions, that is issues 1 to 14, then switch to single issues from 15 on to catch up with the present before #25.
You dropped off along the way
Find your last issue read, then restart at the beginning of the matching arc rather than at the next issue: the arcs are short and quick to reread.
You collect single issues
Check that you have the first 24 issues before November 4. Issue #25 will be easier to appreciate with a complete run in hand.
Reading Absolute Superman alongside the rest of the line
The series can be read on its own. It does, however, share a universe with the other Absolute titles, and some elements, such as the ancient existence of other heroes hinted at by Carter Hall, gain more depth when you follow the other series too. The line's flagship remains Absolute Batman, whose issue 26 is scheduled for January 2027. Our guide to Absolute Batman and the Absolute line gives the reference points, and our article on the key issues of the Absolute universe covers the collecting side, which we do not address here.
If you only read one series from the line, Superman holds up very well: it is one of the most self-contained, and probably the most emotional. Aaron revisits themes that run through his career, the working class, institutional violence, the difficulty of being good, and Sandoval gives the whole a constant visual scale.
What to know before #25
Issue 25 is the series' first anniversary issue. As is often the case for this kind of issue, it is billed as a conclusion that opens a new era. That can mean many things: a change in the hero's status, a new adversary, a new creative team. As of October 3, 2026, nothing more is publicly confirmed, and we do not speculate.
A New York convention runs from October 8 to 11, 2026. Information about the post-#25 era could be given there, but as of this guide's date, nothing has been announced. In the meantime, the best use of these few weeks is still to read or reread the arcs in the order above.