Warning: Contains potential spoilers for Absolute Batman #2!
Batman’s relationship to the animal that his superhero persona is based on, the bat, has never fully hooked me as a reader, but DC’s Absolute line makes it a fascinating and disturbing focal point of his new origin. Bruce Wayne’s fear of bats has been a factor in many of his stories, but hasn’t always made the most sense. However, the updated backstory behind it is truly traumatizing.
Absolute Batman #2 – written by Scott Snyder, with art by Nick Dragotta – harrowingly rewrites Batman’s earliest defining moment. Of the Absolute Universe’s many changes to Batman lore, Thomas Wayne’s death is one of the biggest, and I might find the scene even scarier than the original.
Thomas is killed in a shooting at the Zoo after hiding Bruce in the bat sanctuary when the winged creatures suddenly swarm the terrified child. By tying this distressing moment with his father’s murder, Bruce’s complicated relationship to the animal has become way more understandable to me.
I Love How Absolute Batman’s Fear Of Bats Makes So Much More Sense In This New Origin Story
Absolute Batman #2 – Written By Scott Snyder; Art By Nick Dragotta; Color By Frank Martin; Lettering By Clayton Cowles
Throughout various iterations of the Dark Knight in comics and elsewhere, Batman’s childhood fear of bats and adoption of it as his symbol has never seemed as relevant to the character as it does in his new Absolute origin. His bat-themed getup is often explained as a fear tactic for the criminals he fights, sometimes based on a frightening interaction with the flying mammal species as a child, but I struggled to strongly connect it with his superhero persona. However, the preview for Absolute Batman #2 gives a better reason for this Bruce Wayne’s bat obsession, and I am unsettled.
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Combining the disturbing memories of the death of his father with the unfortunate bat attack makes Bruce Wayne taking on the creature as his symbol more complicated and interesting to me as a reader. The Zoo’s bat sanctuary is fascinatingly a saving grace for Bruce and his young peers, with Thomas shuffling them into there to keep them out of harm’s way, but also the core of his defining trauma. As the bats swarm the child in terror while he’s already hiding out from a horrific shooting, the new origin fuels Batman’s mission and gives important context to his symbol.
I’m So Excited About How The Absolute Universe Gives New Meaning To Classic DC Iconography
Redefining The Bat
Bruce’s new backstory and connection to bats is pretty dark and upsetting, but it’s also really rewarding as a reader to see the different pieces come together to build up the iconic DC hero and his peers in all-new ways. Despite all of Absolute Batman’s major changes, it unequivocally feels like Batman to me and provides further understanding of the legendary superhero under different circumstances. As classic DC lore is reimagined in the Absolute universe, I think there could be more opportunities to enhance and streamline famous elements of the heroes, like Snyder and Dragotta do with Bruce Wayne’s origin.
The Caped Crusader’s new Absolute origin is truly horrific, but I believe it really enhances Batman’s connection to both his symbol and superhero persona.
There is much more to be revealed in Absolute Batman, and I can’t wait to see what’s coming next for both Bruce and his supporting cast. As an alternate take on the hero, in a universe powered by Darkseid energy, the major updates to his story have a chance to be groundbreaking as they explore the essence of iconic heroes with brand-new backgrounds. The Caped Crusader’s new Absolute origin is truly horrific, but I believe it really enhances Batman’s connection to both his symbol and superhero persona, with Bruce Wayne’s trauma around bats re-established in one devastating scene.
Absolute Batman #2 will be available November 13, 2024 from DC Comics.
Batman
One of DC’s most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world’s leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.
