Summary
DC’s newestBatmanhasn’t even officially debuted yet, and he’s already changing up everything fans know about the Dark Knight’s mythos. DC Comics dropped a major bombshellwhen they revealed Absolute Batmanand the Absolute Universe. Now a glimpse into the future hints at a major confrontation between Bruce Wayne and an classic ally.
It’s still a few months until fans get tosee what the Absolute Universehas to offer. But thanks to the November batch of solicitations, fans are getting a new peak at what lies ahead for the radically different DC Universe.
Nick Dragotta
Variant Covers:
Daniel Warren Johnson, Jae Lee, Jeffrey Alan Love, and Sanford Greene
Batman was born out of violence – a horrible tragedy that shaped thetrajectory 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!
The solicited information reveals that an MI6 agent is stalking Batman and making several harrowing discoveries about the new hero. This agent is none other than the Absolute Universe’s version of Alfred Pennyworth and by the looks of the issue’s main cover by Nick Dragotta,Alfred and Batman are about to face off in a surprising fight.
Absolute Batman is Fighting His World’s Version of Alfred Pennyworth
There’s so much about the Absolute Universe that isn’t known at this point, but DC Comics has provided fans with a few key pieces of information. The formation of the Absolute Universe will spin out of the current event Absolute Power and the upcoming DC All In Special #1. In DC Comics' announcement video, writer Scott Snyder revealed that the Absolute Universe is a world built on “Darkseid energy” and that its heroes lack much of the comforts of their Prime Universe counterparts.Absolute Batman, in particular, lacks the Wayne fortuneand works for a living as a civil engineer.
Glimpses of this Alfred were seen at this year’s San Diego Comic Con, but this is one of the best looks of him yet. That said, it’s quite a shock to see how different he is from the Alfred fans know and love. While Pennyworth does have a military background, he’s rarely, if ever, presented as an antagonist for Batman. Then again, the creators behind the Absolute Universe have been hinted that this world will stay true to the core of beloved characters, sothis confrontation could lead to Absolute Batman and Alfred developing a bond like their counterparts.
What Will Alfred Discover about Absolute Batman?
While fans can only speculate at this juncture, if Alfred is half as competent in the Absolute Universe as he was in the Prime Universe, he’ll soon discover that the Dark Knight is, in fact, a good guy. Sure, there’s bound to be a few scraps in this darker, more antagonistic universe. But no matter how twisted the world around them is, Wayne and Pennyworth are allies, even if they don’t start out that way. AbsoluteBatmanmay be fighting Alfred, but it’s almost certainly going to be the start of a great partnership.
Absolute Batman #2is available on November 13 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.
