Warning: Spoilers for Ultimate Batman #1.Batman he has always had a complicated relationship with his villains. Some of them, like the Joker, are his complete opposite, while others are simply flawed people who lash out and need to be understood. But the Ultimate Universe has reinvented his relationships by turning his traditional villains into his main friends, which completely changes the dynamic that Batman will have with his iconic villains in this new universe.
Awesome Ultimate Batman #1 Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta Presents new story between Batman and his scoundrels. This version of Bruce Wayne is very different from the one fans know and love. This version of Bruce Wayne does not have the amazing wealth of Wayne Enterprises; instead, Bruce grew up as a teacher’s child, which completely changes his relationship with Gotham.
But it’s not just his relationship with Gotham that has changed. Thanks to Bruce’s new working-class background, he spent his youth on the streets of Gotham itself rather than in the wealthy suburbs. As a child he became close to several characters who may have turned out to be his worst enemies — which would be a heartbreaking twist given the new personal history of Batman and these iconic characters.
Batman only knew his villains as criminals in the DC Universe
Ultimate Batman #1 by Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta, Frank Martin and Clayton Cowles.
In the DC UniverseBruce Wayne was born into one of the most powerful and wealthy families. in the city, if not in the DC Universe. He grew up in a mansion with a butler who waited on him, and never wanted for anything. It was an extremely privileged life, and so Bruce didn’t really have to interact with anyone who wasn’t in the same social class as him. Characters like Waylon Jones, Selina Kyle, Edward Nygma, and even Oswald Cobblepot were in completely different social circles due to their place in society.
But he met most of Batman’s main villains only after they became criminals.
While Prime Earth Bruce did meet some people who would later become villains during his childhood, such as Roman Sionis and Harvey Dent, these were just one-off encounters. He never became friends with Roman, and although he was once friends with Harvey, it was under special circumstances and their friendship did not last long. Bruce didn’t meet most of his major villains until they became criminals, meaning that Bruce has no real personal attachment to them. But the same can’t be said for the Ultimate Universe version of Batman, who grew up on the same streets as some of these fan-favorite scoundrels.
These Iconic Gotham Villains Are Some Of The Ultimate Batman’s Best Friends
Where Bruce grew up changed everything
In the Ultimate Universe, since Batman grew up on the streets, he is well acquainted with characters such as Waylon Jones, Oswald Cobblepot, Selina Kyle and Edward Nygma.. Bruce even trains regularly with Waylon at his gym and seems to be friends with him. Waylon also mentions that they used to hang out with the others more often. At this point in the story, it appears that these characters have not become the villains that readers know them to be. For example, Waylon is nothing more than a big-time gym owner with a love for crocodiles, a far cry from the scaly beasts of the DC Universe.
Connected
It’s unknown if Bruce’s friends will eventually turn into villains, but it’s certainly possible. Bruce seems to know that “Ozzy” is dealing drugs. and will likely end up with the police. While Waylon certainly seems to be on the right track, his willingness to ignore Ozzy’s illegal money-making ventures doesn’t bode well for either of them remaining civilians and not falling into crime like their DCU counterparts.
Batman’s villains are his main support network in the Ultimate Universe.
They are the only friends he has
It’s possible that Bruce’s longtime friends won’t remain friends with him. With Gotham and the Ultimate Universe itself more corrupted than ever, this is extremely it’s likely that Bruce’s old gang of friends will eventually become supervillainslikely sooner rather than later. While this would have been a heartbreaking turn for Batman, it was not something he had to deal with. After all, Bruce was already good friends with Harvey in the DC Universe before he became Two-Face, and that relationship only deepens in the Ultimate Universe version.
Looking for more Two-Face? You’re in luck; Harvey Dent is starring in his first solo series in the main DC Universe as part of DC All In. Check Two-Face #1 by Christian Ward and Fabio Veras, on sale December 4, 2024 from DC Comics.
In this world, Batman has very little experience and training compared to his DCU counterpart. This version of Bruce Wayne never got to travel the world and learn from the best to become Batman. All he has are the skills he learned at home. While this may make the idea of ​​becoming Batman impossible, it also he may have learned some valuable talents from his friends. For example, Selina Kyle is often portrayed as a thief, and while she may not be the world famous cat burglar that she is in the DCU, she is still likely capable of teaching Bruce how to pick locks.
How will Ultimate Batman’s morality change with his new friends?
His main group of villains were his childhood friends.
It’s heavily implied in the comic that Oswald is also involved in drug trafficking, a fact that Bruce seems well aware of. In a world without his Match Malone identity, Oswald could provide Bruce with information about up-and-coming criminals. and other dealers that Bruce wants to take care of. A deal like this wouldn’t be the first time Batman and the Penguin have worked together as partners. Oswald’s drug dealing may not be a major problem either, as Batman has been much more lenient with his criminal friends such as Ghost-Maker and Catwoman in the past.
Batman has always had a complicated relationship with his villains. These characters have pushed Batman to his limits over the years and forced him to evolve as a crime fighter. But in the Absolute Universe, his connection with them is much deeper. Although Batman always wanted to save his villains, he did not know most of them personally. That’s not the case in this universe, where Batman’s potential villains are people he’s known his entire life. It will be much more difficult to defeat the Riddler or the Penguin if they are not just random villains trying to destroy the city: they Batman Friends.
Ultimate Batman No. 1 Available now from DC Comics!