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Absolute Batman and Absolute Martian Manhunter Win Big at the 2026 Eisner Awards | Comic Con 2026
DC’s Absolute Universe was the leading success story at the 2026 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, announced during San Diego Comic-Con. Absolute Batman and Absolute Martian Manhunter received major honours, underlining the commercial and critical momentum behind DC’s newer imprint.
DC was the most awarded publisher overall, collecting 10 prizes, including awards for Best Continuing Series, Best Limited Series and Best One-Shot/Single Issue. Image Comics came second with four awards, while nominees across the categories included work from Marvel, Dark Horse, BOOM! Studios, IDW and other publishers.
In short
- DC’s Absolute Universe dominated the 2026 Eisner Awards.
- Absolute Batman and Martian Manhunter won major honours.
- DC collected 10 awards; Image Comics won four.
Explained simply
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards are the comic book industry's most prestigious honours, recognising excellence in storytelling, art and publishing. They were announced this year at San Diego Comic-Con, one of the largest comic book and pop culture events in the world.
The Absolute Universe is DC's recent line of reimagined versions of its classic characters, which has become commercially successful. Absolute Batman and Absolute Martian Manhunter are new takes on familiar superheroes by different creative teams, representing part of DC's strategy to refresh its intellectual property.
DC was the most successful publisher overall at this year's Eisners, winning ten awards across various categories including best series and best one-shot comic. This recognition reflects both critical acclaim for DC's recent work and the company's significant position within the broader comic book industry, where it competes alongside publishers like Marvel, Image Comics and others.