Batman is ever-changing. Since his inception in 1939’s “Detective Comics” #27, we’ve seen countless iterations of the Caped Crusader. But when Batman changes, so does everything around him. His iconic enemies. Gotham City. And, of course, everything he has in his extensive arsenal, from the tiny Batarangs to the big old Batmobile.
Now, a formidable new Dark Knight has arrived. From DC Comics, writer Scott Snyder and illustrator Nick Dragotta bring us “Absolute Batman,” a bold new retelling of the iconic crime-fighter. The five-part series forms part of the wider Absolute Universe, a collection of new Multiversal stories that include “Absolute Superman” and “Absolute Wonder Woman.”
In this reimagined version of Gotham City, everything has changed. Bruce Wayne isn’t a billionaire who resides in a gigantic mansion with a Batcave–he’s a city engineer and gym rat who hails from Crime Alley. And when he’s Batman, he might be the most brutal version we’ve seen since Frank Miller’s graphic novel miniseries “The Dark Knight Returns” (1986).
Related: Goodbye, Affleck, Cavill, and Gadot: New DCU’s Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman Revealed
If you’ve read #1 and have yet to pick up the latest issue, you might think that there’s no beating the major twist involving Batman’s chest emblem in #1. But wait till you get a load of what the latest installment has to offer (it’s pure badassery).
In the latest issue of “Absolute Batman”, which hit shelves on November 13, we finally get our first look at the Dark Knight’s new Batmobile in one of the last panels. And if the “Tumbler” in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy is comparable to a tank, then the “Absolute Batman” Batmobile looks like a gigantic bulldozer.
Though a huge departure from the more traditional Batmobiles that span all mediums of storytelling, from Batman comic books to movies and everything in between, the Caped Crusader’s signature vehicle has long left that familiar sleek look behind, which started with The Dark Knight films and has continued in more recent years in the likes of Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, in which the Batfleck’s wheels are a sportier version of Christian Bale’s, and in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, which has a drag car-style Batmobile.
Related: Snyder’s Justice League Returns in New Follow-Ups: Affleck, Cavill, and Gadot Replaced
However, while “Absolute Batman” continues to break away from familiar lore, the evolution of the character and the world he inhabits is of equal importance to his endurance as the more traditional storytelling.
Per DC Comics, here’s the official description for “Absolute Batman” #2:
“Batman was born out of violence – a horrible tragedy that shaped the trajectory of his future. But when a vigilant MI6 agent starts tracking the lonely life of Bruce Wayne, he discovers the interconnectivity between a hero’s shell life and the many layers of the Black Mask Gang. It’s Batman versus Alfred Pennyworth!”
“Absolute Batman,” “Absolute Superman,” and “Absolute Wonder Woman” issues one and two are on sale now. Each series will collect five issues. “Absolute Flash,” “Absolute Green Lantern,” and “Absolute Martian Manhunter” are set to arrive in March, 2025.
Have you read DC Comics’ Absolute series yet? Let us know in the comments below!