WARNING: Contains potential spoilers for ABSOLUTE BATMAN #1!
THE Darkseid-created Absolute Universe redefined Batman in unprecedented ways, providing the Dark Knight with a new origin story and a stunning redesign, while significantly altering long-established elements of his lore. Notably, this version of Bruce Wayne was never a billionaire; instead, he grew up in a middle-class family before becoming an engineer – a move that is honestly one of DC’s best decisions in years.
It’s amazing how many aspects of this Batman’s lore connect to his civilian career…
Absolute Batman #1—by Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta, Frank Martin and Clayton Cowles — launches one of the most fun and fresh series about the Dark Knight in years. A significant reason why this Batman story stands out is that creating the Absolute Universe gave Snyder and Dragotta the freedom to reimagine the character like never before.
One of the most notable changes is that Bruce is an engineer in this universe, having grown up in a middle-class, single-parent family.making him more relatable to fans than his billionaire counterpart ever was.
DC making Bruce Wayne an engineer makes him infinitely more credible
Goodbye, Billionaire Bruce Wayne: Batman Is Officially a Working-Class Hero
Absolute Batman #1 is packed with changes for this version of Bruce Wayne, many revealed through the narration of Alfred Pennyworth – who is an assassin in this universe, rather than the beloved butler of the main DCU. In his reflections, Alfred details Bruce’s journey from a child who lost his father in a zoo shooting to becoming the mysterious Batman. Alfred focuses on Bruce’s career, highlighting his studies in applied mechanics, criminal psychology, chemistry, military theory and more, beforeand he returned to Gotham to work in various city departments – including energy, water, sanitation and city hall – until he became an engineer.
This depiction of Bruce stands in stark contrast to his familiar DCU counterpart, who was born wealthy and maintained his billionaire status throughout most of the mainstream continuity. Absolute Batman also differs in that he only lost his father, rather than losing both parents in a robbery in Crime Alley. As a result, this Bruce was raised by his mother in a brownstone in Gotham City rather than by a butler in a mansion in Bristol. Although he is still exceptional, these changes make him much more relatable – especially to younger generations, who rarely find billionaires attractive.
DC’s decision to make Absolute Batman a member of the working class and remove his billionaire status is a smart move, especially since younger generations often have a negative view of billionaires, some even seeing them as real-world supervillains. Snyder’s choice to distance Batman from this controversial association positions him as a more grounded hero, likely making fans new and old more inclined to root for him. Appropriately, the Joker of the Absolute Universe is now a billionaire, reinforcing the villain-billionaire association that many maintain today.
Absolute Batman’s Batsuit is an engineering masterpiece
Cover F Card Stock Variant by Rafael Albuquerque for Absolute Batman #2
Snyder and Dragotta took advantage of Batman’s engineering status when designing the Dark Knight’s latest Batsuit. This suit is essentially an engineering marvel, transforming the suit into a walking arsenal and giving new functionality to previously aesthetic elements. For example, the chest logo detaches to form a massive battle axe, while the bat ears are removable combat knives. The suit also shoots giant spikes out of Bruce’s back, and even the cape doubles as a weapon, moving in a way that strangely suggests sentience. All in all, these capabilities align impressively well with Bruce’s engineering background.
Bruce Wayne’s ‘Batcave’ is the PERFECT hideout for an engineer
Absolute Batman uses abandoned construction sites as a base of operations
Bruce’s civilian career also gave him a unique take on the main continuity. “Batcave.” Instead of the classic underground cave network, Absolute Batman uses the abandoned or unused upper floors of skyscrapers and construction sites. This ties into his engineering career as he knows these places are vacant because he helped build them. It’s amazing how many aspects of this from Batman the lore connects to his civilian career, making this one of the most well-thought-out versions of the Dark Knight yet.
Absolute Batman #1 is now available from DC Comics!
|
ABSOLUTE BATMAN #1 (2024) |
|
|---|---|
|
|
|