DC’s “Absolute” line of comics has offered bold new re-invention of core characters like Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman (with more on the way). Each of these books debuted by re-introducing us to the character in the world fully formed (or “en media res”) and from there have both looked backward at how they became this version of their heroic alter-ego and expanded outward to do more world-building with supporting character connections, and lore history. With Absolute Batman #4, writer Scott Snyder pulls out a masterful piece of origin story to explain why this version of Bruce Wayne/Batman has the gnarly costume and the abilities that come with it.
WARNING: SPOILERS FOLLOW
From the first issue it was established that in DC’s Absolute Universe continuity, Bruce Wayne’s father Thomas became a teacher instead of a wealthy surgeon – a teacher who heroically sacrificed his life protecting Bruce and his other students from a mass shooting event perpetrated by a violent and disgruntled gunman named Joe Chill. However, in “The Zoo: Part Four” we learn the heartbreaking truth about the events that led to that doomed school trip to the Gotham Zoo, and how it relates to the Batman suit Bruce eventually designs.
Absolute Batman’s Costume Was Born From Bruce’s Tragic Past
It turns out that Bruce won the trip to the Gotham Zoo for his class, after winning the Young Engineers Competition that year. The challenge for the competition was building an animal-themed bridge that could service one of the “Distressed Areas” that the zoo’s animals were rescued from. Bruce (shockingly) chose a bat for its intimidating nature; when his dad questioned whether intimidation is what a distressed population of people needs, Bruce revised his approach. He built a bridge that used an adjustable framework of girders and sturdy lightweight fabrics that allowed the bridge to transform into whatever the people needed – and could even be folded into a bat shape with aerial capabilities so that it could drop from plans and glide into remote areas directly to the people in need. Based on his father’s guidance, Bruce thinks he’s tapped into the core aspect of the bat: its environmental versatility; the ability to map and learn an environment and create the optimal conditions for thriving and surviving there.
After the Zoo trip tragedy and his father’s death, an older Bruce Wayne eventually revisits the idea he started with his bridge. After some failed first attempts at a vampire-bat costume (with paralysis fangs!), Bruce embraces his inner engineer and develops the “Bat-thumb,” a device that gives him Spider-Man-style thumb press command of those same Bat-bridge functions he developed. The one-man-army cap and cowl Absolute Batman wears are therefore confirmed to be the same system of adjustable girders and fabric that Bruce developed for his school project.
[RELATED: What Is Absolute Batman’s New “Bat-Thumb” Device???]
With this deeply emotional chapter, Snyder provides a powerful explanation for what initially seemed like Absolute Batman having a symbiote costume. From the fabric wrapped around his forearms to the hand poses he does in battle, this new Batman suit’s look and function flow beautifully into the character’s backstory and motivations. Before the costume’s meaning was drawn from Bruce simply encountering a bat and thinking it a scary symbol; now, Batman’s costume and his entire methodology (Bruce working as a city engineer, mapping out Gotham, setting up safehouse and supply caches, planning to not only clean up crime but improve infrastructure) all reflect this metaphor of the bat as a brilliantly adaptable and methodical animal that conquers and commands its territory.
It already feels like the Absolute Batman has a clearer mission and set of goals that not only seem more attainable and less pure dogma, but they reflect thematic consistency carried right down to the fabric of his cape.
Absolute Batman is on sale at DC.
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