If there were a comic book holiday, it’d be Free Comic Book Day, which takes place today, May 3rd, 2025! All you have to do is go to a local comic shop and you can pick up free comics teasing future stories or giving you a taste tester from the likes of Marvel, DC, and IDW. One of the hottest pickups has to be DC All In: Absolute Universe 2025 FCBD Special Edition, which features a story setting up Dan Slott’s new Superman Unlimited, as well as an Absolute Universe teaser by Jeff Lemire. After reading this, it’s safe to say this is a must-read for fans of all comics.
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Kicking things off is Slott’s story with art by Rafael Albuquerque. The story sets up new management at the Daily Planet, although Lois is still in charge. Much of this tale is a montage of the good work Superman does on a whim, from stopping robbers to showing appreciation to street performers. Slott nails the wholesomeness.
Albuquerque’s art is the right amount of edgy but hopeful. The ink work and hand-drawn shadows hint at a darker story to come, giving it a darker feel.
The last two pages set up the big cliffhanger, the leading hook to Slott’s first story arc. A giant meteor filled with kryptonite is coming to Earth, and Superman can’t stop it! It’s a good hook, which Slott detailed a few months ago with AIPT.
Get excited for Slott’s Superman tale!
Credit: DC Comics
After a handy recap of what has been going on at DC Comics, this issue moves on to the final tale focused on the Absolute Universe. This one is exciting, in part because it is the first story to connect Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superman. So far, these stories have been disconnected; the connecting element is a Flash villain: Mirror Master.
Essentially, this story follows Mirror Master, who is observing each of the heroes. The captions help flesh out his opinion on each hero, which is written well by Lemire. It leads to a cliffhanger that could uppend the narratives of these heroes making for an impactful final page.
Giuseppe Camuncoli does a great job capturing the ferocity and strength of these heroes. They’re more edgy for sure, and you can see it in their actions as Mirror Master observes them. Camuncoli ends the tale with a great full-page splash showcasing shards of all the other heroes already introduced, like Martian Manhunter and Flash, but a following double-page splash of clues takes the cake. It’s fun eye candy to peruse the notes, photos, and more placed on a big board.
DC All In: Absolute Universe 2025 FCBD Special Edition is a standout Free Comic Book Day offering that combines accessible storytelling with high-stakes teases for DC’s future. Dan Slott’s Superman tale captures the Man of Steel’s heart with charm and a looming threat, while Jeff Lemire and Giuseppe Camuncoli’s Absolute Universe story raises the narrative stakes across the entire DC line. It’s an expertly crafted sampler that delivers big thrills, thoughtful character moments, and a strong sense that DC’s next era is one to watch.
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