DC Comics’ Absolute Demon Is the Most Hardcore Hero From Its New Continuity: Here’s Why

Warning! Spoilers for Green Lantern/Green Arrow: World’s Finest Special #1 ahead!The heroes of DC Comics’ Absolute Universe may be incredibly powerful, but they’re nothing compared to the beast that’s been hinted at. The brutal, new universe is still taking off and is slowly introducing new DC icons. Now fans are getting a tease of the one who could be the most powerful Absolute hero yet.

In Green Lantern/Green Arrow: World’s Finest Special #1’s story “Livin’ Free” by Jeremy Adams and Lucas Meyer, Green Arrow and Green Lantern are on a road trip seeing America when they’re attacked by Deathstroke. After escaping him, Green Arrow lugs Green Lantern to the nearest available place to get him treated for a gunshot wound.

The nearest spot is a convenience store, where a clerk is passing the time reading a comic. The series is titled “Absolute Demon” and the cover shows a buff version of Etrigan in a suit mimicking Bruce’s pose on Absolute Batman #1’s cover.

DC Just Hinted at an Absolute Version of Etrigan the Demon

A Joke or a Multiversal Signal?

After the DC Universe was separated from the greater multiverse, Darkseid went mad and attempted to change the cosmic order by bonding with the Spectre. The fusion attacked the Justice League, resulting in Darkseid’s physical body dying and his energy breaking through the dimensional barrier and settling on a younger, impressionable Earth. This world became the Absolute Universe, a dimension that reflects Darkseid’s ideals such as turmoil and strife. As such, its heroes lack many of their creature comforts and are forced to work harder than ever to survive and become the symbols of hope they need to be.

In the DC Universe, comics often act as windows to other worlds. In the Silver Age, Barry Allen discovered that his comic book hero, the Golden Age Flash, actually lived the adventures he read about in comic books. The Multiversity also played with this idea, often having characters on one Earth read a comic set on another issue in the miniseries. If this is real, then this is the first confirmation that the Absolute Universe has an Etrigan. The real question is when and if fans will ever get to meet this new take on the DC Universe’s demonic hero.

Will We See Absolute Etrigan the Demon Soon?

If Real, It’s Going to Take Some Before the Demon Rises

Is it likely that “Absolute Demon” is just a throwaway gag? Certainly. But stranger things have happened, and Jeremy Adams loves bringing back the most unexpected creations in his books (like Gold Beetle). But the Absolute line is intentionally progressing slowly, with its Flash and Green Lantern books not arriving until March. But as the world gets bigger and more opportunities arise to explore the alternate Earth, there’s always a chance the Absolute Etrigan could eventually show up. Hopefully, when the Absolute Demon does appear, he’ll be a friend to the Absolute DC Universe heroes and not an enemy.

Green Lantern/Green Arrow: World’s Finest Special #1 is available now from DC Comics.