Absolute Flash #17: Brainiac Turns Lex Luthor's World Into a Chainsaw Nightmare
DC Comics' Absolute universe takes a truly brutal turn in Absolute Flash #17, delivering a shocking origin story for an alternate Lex Luthor. Brainiac, ever the puppet master, tortures Luthor by forcing him to watch his family get murdered with chainsaws. His goal? To break the happy, unassuming Lex Luthor of this parallel world and forge him into a new, twisted villain for an "Absolute Evil Justice League."
This isn't your standard Lex Luthor. In the Absolute universe, he’s been living an idyllic rural life, even sporting a full head of hair. Brainiac, following intelligence from the Absolute Mirror Master, sought out this different Luthor. Now, he's using unimaginable cruelty to mold him into a familiar partnership – but one born from pure trauma. This pushes the boundaries even for the grimdark "Absolute" imprint.
Meanwhile, the main focus of Absolute Flash #17 centers on Wally West. After seventeen issues, he finally gets a superhero name and discovers new abilities, including a healing factor. He and the Rogues are battling to free Colorado from Grodd's grip, adding another layer of chaos to this darker DC landscape.
“Brainiac tortures him by forcing him to watch his family get murdered with chainsaws.”
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Jeff Lemire and Haining helm Absolute Flash #17, while Jason Aaron and Juan Ferreyra guide the parallel horrors unfolding in Absolute Superman. This shared universe is clearly not pulling any punches.
Catzye Take
The 'Absolute' line continues to prove it's not for the faint of heart, pushing beloved DC characters into truly horrific scenarios. Fans of grimdark narratives and alternate universe tales, common in many popular manga, will find this a particularly brutal read. We'll be watching to see just how dark this 'Absolute Evil Justice League' can get.
Numerological Reading
Reading: Lex Luthor
Read through its central name, Lex Luthor, this story reduces to a Destiny 9 — Humanitarian & Sage. Its vibration — endings, compassion, and the closing of cycles — is a lens for the 9's sense of a cycle closing and something being released.
The 9 is the humanitarian — compassionate, wise, and ready to let go. It completes cycles and gives generously, and grows melancholy when it clings to what is over.
How the numbers are built
- Destiny
- 45 → 9 = 9
- Heart
- 14 → 5 = 5
- Personality
- 31 → 4 = 4
The subject is reduced with standard Pythagorean numerology — each letter mapped to a digit 1–9, summed, and reduced to a single digit or master number. A lens for paying attention, not a forecast.
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