Absolute Batman #1 ending explained: How does Scott Snyder change the status quo? Details explored
Absolute Batman #1 was finally released in stores today on October 9, 2024, and started this brand new era of the DC Universe. The book was written by Scott Snyder with artwork done by Nick Dragotta, the story follows a middle-class Bruce Wayne who wages his war on crime by dressing up as Batman after witnessing the death of his father at an early age.
Scott Snyder initially promised that Absolute Batman #1 was going to shake up the status quo of the character, and it does so in a big way. The story focuses on Bruce Wayne who doesn't have his billionaire-playboy persona and is rather just a normal city engineer, and many of his rogues are his close friends as well.
Aside from that, characters like Alfred Pennyworth get a brand new reimagining as well, and the villain Black Mask is set up to be the big bad of this arc. Overall, the status quo has certainly been shaken.
What happens in Absolute Batman #1
Batman's origins explored
In Absolute Batman #1, Bruce Wayne doesn't come from riches but rather comes from a middle-class family. His father, Thomas Wayne is a teacher and is gunned down during a field trip which Bruce Wayne is a witness to as well. Now living with his mother Martha Wayne, Bruce Wayne becomes a city engineer and takes up the mantle of Batman waging his war on crime in Gotham.
Aside from that, classic Batman characters like Alfred Pennyworth get reimagined as well. In this story, Alfred is an ex-MI6 agent who has now become a mercenary and is on an assignment to gather intel on Black Mask's gang.
Killer Croc aka Waylon Jones makes an appearance as well in his normal human form who is in the trade of exotic animals. He is shown to be a childhood friend of Bruce Wayne's alongside characters like Harvey Dent, Selina Kyle, Edward Nygma, and Oswald Cobblepot.
Batman takes on Black Mask's gang
In Absolute Batman #1, Black Mask is shown to be a ruthless criminal in Gotham. His gang is running around terrorizing the city and killing innocents. Black Mask, on the other hand, also collects his victims' faces as masks. With crime on the rise in Gotham, Batman is forced to play his hand and take on the criminals.
The first big action set piece comes when Commissioner Gordon is addressing the gang's attacks on Gotham, and this is when Black Mask's forces come in and start open firing on people. Right on time, Batman shows up and disperses the criminals with ease, while also taking on Alfred Pennyworth and dispatching him off quickly.
Pennyworth then keeps track of Bruce Wayne and eventually finds him, but Wayne is able to get the jump on him again and steals his bike to run away.
A new take on an old foe
The final page of Absolute Batman #1 introduces a classic foe from the Dark Knight's rogues' gallery and hugely reimagines him as well. In the book, it is revealed that before coming to Gotham, Alfred was tracking someone but was pulled from the mission. The target is said to be someone who had trained with the League of Assassins, killed them, and also killed Henri Ducard.
This target is also said to be someone who doesn't have a name and has gone by the alias of Arthur and Jack and is also one of the 30th richest men on the planet. However, no one should joke around in his presence as he doesn't appreciate it. The man is eventually revealed to be The Joker, teasing that the foe is set to make an appearance in future issues of the comic as well.
With this version of the Joker, it also looks like Scott Snyder is again making drastic changes to him, by essentially giving him the lifestyle that Bruce Wayne has had in the prime DC universe.
Fans can check out Absolute Batman #1 as it is on sale right now.