DC Comics

'Absolute Green Arrow' presales surpassed 'Absolute Batman 1'

Originally posted on Nerdist | By Ella R. Dunn | Last updated Jun 30, 2026 9:05 PM ET

It is no secret that DC’s new Absolute comic line is doing well. From Batman to Wonder Woman, classic heroes are getting their time to shine in alternate, gritty storylines. Absolute Green Arrow is one of the newest installments in the series, and its first issue officially surpassed Absolute Batman‘s in preorders. According to PopVerse, the first printing of the first issue was 300,000 copies. With each selling at $4.99 an issue, that is over $1.4 million to DC on a first printing. It sold out immediately, and its second printing came out on June 17.

The Absolute series is all about changing canon, essential character-building events in the lives of heroes. In Absolute Batman, this means Bruce Wayne grew up in Crime Alley, creating Batman without the unlimited budget. He doesn’t kill, but he definitely doesn’t show as much restraint as other iterations of Bruce Wayne. He is brutal and unforgiving. In Absolute Wonder Woman, Circe raised Diana in Hell. The circumstances in the Absolute series change the characters in fundamental ways, but also answer the “what if” questions.

Absolute Green Arrow is a ruthless killer, targeting corrupt and predatory billionaires. Absolute Evil, released in October 2025, was our introduction to this version of Green Arrow, an entry-level vigilante hoping to kill the DC equivalent of Jeffrey Epstein. It also showed that the group labeled the “Justice League” in this universe is made up of billionaire villains. That comic revealed the “Justice League” had murdered Oliver Queen. Now, audiences are curious who, if not Queen, will take the helm from this murderous Robin Hood. Or, did Queen somehow survive? Is it a group hiding behind one unified identity? The story is told from the perspective of an ex-lover, Dinah Lance, a.k.a. Absolute Black Canary. This ex-MMA fighter-turned-bodyguard takes on investigating a series of killings linked to Oliver Queen and committed with his trademark green arrows.

The series brings in horror elements, too. We have seen that style developed in other Absolute series, which don’t shy away from blood, suspense, and disgusting monstrosities of villains.

The preorder frenzy on Green Arrow is more than just a testament to the public’s love for Oliver Queen—it says a lot about the popularity of the Absolute series itself. Audiences are loving these gritty reimaginings of their favorite heroes. Green Arrow came at a great time for the comic line, especially with Absolute Batman getting an animated series. This popularity may open the doors for the series to continue to grow.

Issue #3 of Absolute Green Arrow is expected to come out sometime in July.

This article first appeared on Nerdist and was syndicated with permission.

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