Who Is Absolute Batman? The New DC Character Explained

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Because of the events that occurred in DC All In Special #1, we now have ushered in a whole new era for DC super heroes. In that landmark comic issue, the All In and Absolute Universes collided and combined, coexisting due to a single prophecy. Darkseid resides at the center of it all, his essence and energy scheming inside Elseworlds. Meanwhile, the Trinity (Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman) has undergone some incredible changes. Make no mistake — they aren’t replacing the Prime Earth Trinity you know and love. But they are showcasing the rawer sides of them, plunging the depths of their despair to discover what lies beneath.

Each Absolute hero shares a similar origin to their main continuity counterpart. However, these Absolute super heroes lack many of the resources and allies that shaped those original characters. Such absences have impacted Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman’s personalities, motivations, and even physical appearances. Let’s learn more about these characters below — and discover why fans can’t get enough of these unique versions.

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Absolute Batman Is Bruce Wayne without the Money, House, or Butler

by Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta

Alternatively, Absolute Batman is Bruce Wayne as an absolute unit. You know I couldn’t resist. Anyway, Absolute Batman exists in a world where everything we understand about Gotham and the Wayne family is inverted. Thomas Wayne is a school teacher, while Martha Wayne is a social worker. The two working class citizens struggle to raise their son while living in Crime Alley. When Thomas is shot and killed, the event traumatizes and hardens Bruce Wayne into a bitter man hell-bent on ridding his city of senseless violence. A more disadvantaged Dark Knight is a refreshing concept, especially since it shows how crime disproportionately impacts more vulnerable communities.

Absolute Batman also has a criminal record from his childhood, illustrating how anger and a lack of resources such as therapy, guidance, or legal representation are a volatile combination. Bruce is also still incredibly intelligent, which only harshens his disillusion. He has all the capability, all the cunning, but his socioeconomic status is an insurmountable barrier to being and doing better. However, Bruce is still able to create his own Batsuit and Bat-Gadgets in order to fight crime — including his vicious Rogues Gallery, with updated, unsettling backstories of their own.

Does Absolute Batman kill?

While Absolute Batman is a little more ruthless, he still refuses to kill. After teaching himself to fight and engineer specialized weapons, he still ensures he uses them non-lethally. Of course, like I said, he’s still going pretty far. Absolute Batman isn’t above dismembering his enemies with his massive, sharpened hammer — which you’ll also notice in the center of his Batsuit. The bulkier take on the logo parallels Batman’s staggering height and muscle mass, but also his more working class mindset.

What happened to Alfred Pennyworth in Absolute Batman?

Actually, Absolute Batman #1 is told almost entirely from Alfred’s perspective. And he is one of Batman’s initial antagonists. That’s right — no longer a father figure, a mentor, or a butler, Alfred Pennyworth is an MI6 agent who thoroughly disagrees with Batman’s brand of justice. While Alfred admires Bruce’s vigilantism, he doesn’t exactly vibe with the methods. Those clashing ideals are fascinating to watch play out in these satisfyingly cinematic comic panels.

While I expect the two to eventually become allies, it’s important to note that neither of them is really ready to play nice. As always, in every universe, Batman is a bit of a loner. Alfred himself has a long ways to go in repairing his relationship with his estranged daughter. The comic obviously sets up the need for a father-and-child dynamic, as each man is missing one, respectively. We’ll see how long it takes the narrative to get there, though.

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The Universe Expands with Absolute Wonder Woman

by Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman

Unlike Batman, Wonder Woman has never been grounded in reality. Her entire backstory is inspired by Greek mythology. Absolute Wonder Woman really plays in this sandbox, turning Diana Prince into a princess … of Hell. Without paradise, without peace, and without her sisterhood, Diana is taken in by Circe. Then, things start to feel more familiar. Like many Wonder Woman stories, this one is pretty “coming-of-age,” following Diana’s first foray into the unknown World of Man.

Also, while the Absolute Universe is definitely grittier, we don’t lose Diana’s beauty, grace, compassion, or kindness. Her core values remain. She just happens to express those values while riding skeletal steeds, clad in dark gray and blood red armor, and wielding a massive great-sword. What’s not to love?

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And Absolute Superman Completes the Trinity

by Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval

Finally, Absolute Superman soars onto the scene. In Darkseid’s world of despair, this alternate Man of Steel helps hope thrive. But this story begins with pain. Jor-El, a labor guild member, discovers Krypton is doomed. Yet the rigid class system means no one believes him when he warns that the planet is in peril. Flash forward to decades later in Brazil, where Clark Kent now aids mine workers in their dangerous projects. He protects them when no one else will. That’s Superman at his best.

Of course, the Absolute Universe comes with its changes and upheavals. Superman’s suit is bonded to an artificial intelligence called Sol (Portuguese for “sun”). Additionally, his super strength and heat vision draw the wrong kinds of attention — that of the Lazarus Corporation and Phenomena agent Lois Lane. Wait, what!? Where is Metropolis? Does the Daily Planet even exist? I’m excited to see where this goes, and if we’ll get any hints about the Kents or Smallville, Kansas.

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Are you caught up on Absolute Batman? How does he rank in terms of your favorite Batman interpretations? Celebrate every version of this multiversal, multifaceted super hero with Batman action figures based on (almost) every era.

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