Abstract: New carbon based magnetic composite absorbing materials have become the mainstream of electromagnetic wave absorbing materials because of their light weight and high performance. Carbon based wave absorbing materials have the advantages of low density, large specific surface, high conductivity, but also have the disadvantages of non-magnetic and low impedance matching level. They are often combined with magnetic loss materials to build light composite materials with various microstructures and multiple cooperative loss mechanisms to achieve efficient and broadband electromagnetic waveabsorption. On the basis of summarizing the research on the wave absorbing application of carbon matrix composites at home and abroad, this paper analyzes the research progress of new graphene, carbon nanotubes, biomass porous carbon and other carbon matrix magnetic composite wave absorbing materials with composition, composite method and microstructure as the main line, and finally points out the existing problems and future development trend of carbon based magnetic absorbing materials.