Notice! Spoilers ahead for Absolute Batman #1!The youngest Batman on the block comes face to face with its first real supervillains, and they reveal the dark depths of Darkseid New World. The Absolute Universe has finally debuted and it has a Gotham that makes the DC Prime Universe look like Metropolis in comparison.
In his attempt to gain more power than ever before, Darkseid teamed up with the Spectre. However, his power grab was thwarted and his physical body was destroyed. But his energy was dispersed and imprinted on a young, alternate Earth, creating a world that reflected Darkseid’s oppressive ideals. Now that the Absolute Batman is beginning his crusade, he comes face to face with villains who embody this terrifying new universe.
Party Animals are Batman’s first official villains
They are absolute monsters that will kill anyone
In Absolute Batman #1 by Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta, Frank Martin and Clayton Cowles, MI-6 agent Alfredy Pennyworth is pulled from a mission and forced to return to Gotham City for the first time in years. Alfred notes that the city has gotten worse during his time away, as a report discusses the fastest growing threat in Gotham: A criminal gang known as the Party Animals, who have just massacred nine people, including two police officers. Alfred returns to his base and prepares to be briefed on his new mission.
Don’t forget to read DC everything in special #1 to see the birth of the Absolute Universe!
Alfred’s trainers give him disturbing details about the Party Animals who, in just three months, single-handedly increased Gotham’s homicide rate by 700 percent. This criminal crew does everything they can to sow chaos in Gotham and nothing is off limits for them, not even a daycare center that the Party Animals burned down the day before, killing 32 people. Alfred is ordered to stay in Gotham and get information about the gang, but not to get involved with them. Alfred is also asked to keep an eye on Batmanwho is also chasing the gang.
…the Party Animals who, in just three months, single-handedly increased Gotham’s homicide rate by 700%.
At a meeting at City Hall, Mayor Gordon tries to appease his constituents, who fear for their lives with Party Animals in the streets. Unfortunately, the town hall is interrupted by the gang, who shoot and almost kill the mayor. Before they can massacre everyone attending the meeting, Batman arrives and confronts the entire gang at once. Batman uses every device at his disposal to give the Party Animals a show of strengthand, thankfully, they retreat after Bruce cuts off one of their members’ hands.
Party Animals are just the beginning of Batman’s dangerous new villains
Darkseid wants this Batman to go through the ringer
It should be noted that, unlike in the Prime Universe, this Batman is actually longtime friends with several of his villains (Penguin, Riddler, Killer Croc, etc.). Their colorful criminal personalities do not exist in this world, and so far, there is no indication that they ever will. But you can’t have a Batman story without over-the-top villains, so it makes sense that, in a world devoid of the usual suspects, new threats would emerge to challenge Batman. It also stands to reason that in a world built on Darkseid energy, they would be far more dangerous than the Caped Crusader’s normal threats.
A dark world like this is the ideal breeding ground for a crew like the Party Animals.
The Absolute Universe originally began as Elseworld, a young, alternate world that could be like any other variant of the multiverse. But because Darkseid’s energy was imprinted on him, it created a world that was far more brutal and cruel than Earth-Prime. The deck is purposefully stacked against the heroes of this Earth because Darkseid has woven tyranny and hopelessness into the fabric of reality. A dark world like this is the ideal breeding ground for a crew like the Party Animals. Worse, they might not even be the most heinous villains Darkseid created.
In DC everything in special #1Darkseid said that in his world there is hope”will have to shine brighter than ever to survive“. However, Batman does a pretty decent job of dealing with the Party Animals, but this is just one of his first outings. There is already a Black Mask demonstrated in this world, and from the looks of things, he is more extreme and violent than that Roman Sionis has already been portrayed. Not to mention that the ‘Joker’ of this world is a murderous and amoral billionaire which will almost certainly be a big problem in the future.
What’s next for Absolute Batman’s Rogues Gallery?
What other villains might Darkseid’s world spawn?
Thanks to Darkseid’s machinations, anything could happen in this new world. While there’s no doubt that Black Mask and the Joker are on the horizon to cause the Absolute Batman some serious grief, there are undoubtedly other villains, like the Party Animals, waiting in the wings. It will be difficult to overcome a gang that can increase the crime rate by 700%, but in a world that embodies the worst aspects of criminality Darkseidit won’t take long Batman eventually finds a villain who does so.
Absolute Batman #1 is now available from DC Comics.