DC Officially Unveils Iconic Hero’s Best Costume Of All Time

Ever since its 2024 debut, DC’s Absolute Universe has excelled at pumping out visually arresting imagery for its premium lineup of superheroes, supervillains, and key allies in between. But while plenty can be said about the headliners of each comic book so far, other iconic DC characters are getting their dues lately, as new milestones inch closer and key reveals come as if back from the dead. In the case of Ray Palmer, aka the Absolute Atom, his Absolute Flash return is imminent with the release of issue #20 on October 21, 2026.

But Ray’s story has been a complicated, subtle one in the Absolute Universe so far. He’s long been presumed to be dead, reported as such after a lab accident leaving nothing behind. But as everyone knows about the Atom, this was always bound to lead into the reveal that he’s entered the subatomic realm of this universe. In addition to the revelations about how he survived, the S.T.A.R. Labs researcher (abbreviated to Starlabs) revealed his brand-new, stunning suit in the previews for Jeff Lemire and Haining’s Absolute Flash #20, and it warrants further discussion.

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Courtesy of Nick Robles’ cover art for Absolute Flash #20, the July reveal featured the first glimpse at the Absolute Atom in his shrunken glory. The suit notably retains much of the fundamental aesthetics from previous versions, including the usual shades of red and blue, but Ray’s face on full display is a solid choice, showing his chiseled features and radiating a somewhat Arrowverse vibe to its overall presentation. It even resembles Palmer’s armored suit from the multitude of live-action appearances, mixing in a greater deal of supersuit fabric aesthetic while retaining the high-tech qualities predominantly on the torso.

But beyond breaking down the features everyone can see, it’s thrilling to see yet another Absolute Universe character get a costume makeover to fit their debut. Absolute Atom’s suit is reasonably more elaborate with the weaving of its central colors, yet remarkably subdued thanks to a steady application of black throughout. It’s one of the best, superhero-esque outfits seen so far, and certainly a thrilling fit for Ray Palmer, whose return is deeply tied to one of the central mysteries of Absolute Flash currently going on. It’ll be positively thrilling to see him brought to life via series artist Haining’s kinetic and thrilling illustration in future issues.

Created By

Gardner Fox, Harry Lampert, Carmine Infantino

First Appearance

Flash Comics

Alias

Jay Garrick, Barry Allen, Wally West, Bart Allen, Avery Ho

Alliance

Justice Society of America, Justice League, Teen Titans

Race

Human

Franchise

D.C.