Absolute Batman makes its biggest change to classic DC lore, revealing [SPOILER] is still alive

Warning: Spoilers for Absolute Batman #1Even casual DC fans are familiar with Batman Classic origin story, as it has seeped into every nook and cranny of pop culture over the years. The sight of Martha Wayne’s pearl necklace snapping off has been ingrained in the minds of comic readers for decades as a staple of Batman lore. However, Batman’s new backstory in the Absolute Universe subverts the original by revealing that Martha Wayne did not die when Bruce was a childChanging a staple of Batman lore forever.

Absolute Batman #1 by Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta, Frank Martin and Clayton Cowles begins the story of the Absolute Universe’s Batman, a working-class young man who lacks the luxury of a billionaire lifestyle to fall back on. In this issue, he visits the zoo where his father died in a mass shooting, holding a flower in his memory. When Bruce gets home to his apartment, He is greeted by a familiar face that will leave any longtime Batman fan stuck: his mother, Martha Wayne.

Martha Wayne is alive and well in the Absolute UniverseWith her pearl necklace intact on her neck. Having one of Batman’s parents present in his life offers limitless storytelling possibilities ahead, and Batman will never be the same now that he has his mother by his side.

Absolute Batman’s New Origin subverts a classic death

Bruce Wayne’s mother is still alive in the Absolute Universe

Batman’s unforgettable Crime Alley story has been revamped for DC’s new Absolute continuity, and while it hits some similar beats to the original, there are key differences that make it unique. In the Absolute Universe, Thomas Wayne is a teacher who takes Bruce and his classmates on a field trip to the zoo after Bruce wins an engineering contest. Everything is going well until the sound of a gunshot is heard. Thomas hides the school children, including Bruce, in the bat enclosure and says to his son, – Bruce, what do you hear, why don’t you open the door. The rest is, unfortunately, history.

Because Thomas Wayne is the only one of Batman’s parents present for the fatal shooting, Martha Wayne survives to raise Bruce as a single mother. By the looks of it, she and Bruce have a sweet, caring bond. She has a career where she works closely with Mayor Jim Gordon, serving Gotham in her own way and even delivering an empowering speech at his city hall. with his mother around, The Absolute Universe version of Batman is not an orphan in DC loreWhich makes him fundamentally different from most iterations of Batman.

Batman’s origin story has been a staple of his character for 85 years

The death of Bruce Wayne’s parents defines the Dark Knight

Batman’s backstory has been retold countless times, although the core facets of it have remained consistent in each variation. A young Bruce Wayne is watching a movie with his parents, and as they walk through Crime Alley, they are confronted by a mugger named Joe Chill. In a panic, the fat man protects Thomas and Martha, Bruce was forced to watch in horror as his parents were murdered right in front of him. This tragedy defines who Bruce grows up to be and leads him down the path to becoming Batman.

The loss of his parents in crime alley is the driving force behind Bruce Wayne donning the cape and coat. After watching his mother and father die at the hands of a criminal, Batman dedicates his life to avenging them by stopping Gotham’s criminal element from doing the same to anyone else. His mother still being around in the Absolute Universe is a huge difference that sets this revamped origin apart from anything that’s been done with Batman’s mythos in the past, and the first issue offers clues about the role Martha will have in Bruce’s life. .

Martha Wayne now takes Alfred Pennyworth’s place in Batman lore

Alfred Pennyworth evolves from trusted confidant to cold-blooded killer

Typically, the role of Batman’s closest confidant in DC lore is played by Alfred Pennyworth. Alfred is the Wayne family’s loyal butler, who becomes a father figure to Bruce after his parents’ early deaths. Here, in the absolute continuum, Alfred plays a more antagonistic role in Batman’s story. A special agent tasked with taking out assigned targets, Alfred sets his sights on the Dark Knight after watching him battle Gotham’s newest violent gang, the Party Animals. Batman manages to beat Alfred in their fight, and the two are set to become rivals in a major shift to DC lore.

With Alfred conspiring against Batman rather than supporting him, there is an opening for a new character to take his place as Bruce Wayne’s guiding hand. This is where Martha Wayne comes in. Bruce’s mother will replace Alfred as the person closest to BatmanOffer support when he needs it. Judging by the way Bruce hides the truth about his whereabouts, it seems that Martha does not know that he is Batman, unlike Alfred in the main DC continuity. It will be fascinating to see if he eventually reveals the truth about his vigilante alter ego to her, and if Martha ends up helping Batman from the shadows like Alfred does.

Absolute Batman’s backstory is the first of many changes for Bruce Wayne

DC’s Absolute Universe reinvents the iconic Batman lore

The Absolute Universe rewrites the stories of traditional DC superheroes, and its bold take on Batman rebuilds him from the ground up as a drastically different person than the Batman readers are used to. Bruce Wayne doesn’t come from money And had to work in order to support both himself and his mother. Instead of living in Wayne Manor, the two live in what appears to be a normal Gotham apartment. Bruce has no extended Bat-family, no Batcave full of modern technology, and no Justice League to back him up. Batman’s status quo couldn’t be further from his traditional fare in this all-new universe.

Of every change to Batman’s lore in the absolute continuity, Bruce’s mother being alive may be the most intriguing. Martha Wayne is a character whose role tends to be limited to flashbacks, so her more prominent role in Snyder and Dragotta’s Absolute Batman is definitely cause for excitement. This darker Batman lacks his larger support system, but his mother’s presence ensures that he is not alone in a world that is against him. Readers will have to wait and see how Martha Wayne changes the trajectory of Batmans story from here and beyond when she finally gets the chance to raise her son.

Absolute Batman #1 is available now from DC Comics.