It’s hard to name a character with more iconic stories thanBatman, and it seems that DC is giving readers a reversal of one of his best stories. While almost everyone will praiseThe Dark Knight Returnsby Frank Miller, Scott Snyder is giving readers the inversion of this story with his brand-newAbsolute Batmanstory.
To satisfy fans' rabid hunger for new information on the Absolute Universe, Snyder recently gave an interview withthe Comics Beatwhere he explained how his story tookinspiration from the iconicThe Dark Knight Returnsstory by Miller. One of the biggest things to keep in mind is how these two stories are practically the exact opposite, but somehow, manage to end up at the exact same place.
It’s possibly one of the smartest things that Snyder has done, asThe Dark Knight Returnshas already proven immensely popular and is a great source of inspiration. As Snyder says, the new Absolute Batman is “…the chaos. He’s the one who’s willing to break the rules to make things better.” His youth makes him different from Miller’s grizzled Batman, but their persistence is exactly the same.
The Dark Knight Returnsby Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, John Costanza, and Lynn Varley
The Absolute version of Batmanhas managed to surprise a lot of people with just how brutally violent he is. He has used an ax to cut off a criminal’s hand, before mocking him about which direction the hospital is. While this brutality might seem a bit out of character, it’s actually prettysimilar to the older version of Bruce Wayne seen inThe Dark Knight Returns, who once referred to himself as a doctor, as he brutally broke every bone in a criminal’s arm. But the connection between these two versions of the same character goes much further than just their use of violence.
SinceThe Dark Knight Returnsfirst came out, it has become a seminal and iconic work. It took Batmanback to his dark and gritty rootsand made people realize that this character still had a lot of star power. The story follows an older Bruce Wayne who has essentially given up on Gotham City. He no longer acts as Batman and simply wants to be left alone in his mansion, where he can waste away and die. He is eventually spurred back into action to try and save Gotham from the threat of a new group of criminals.
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This version of Batman is old, but he’s brutal. He fights like a surgeon, turning any battlefield into his operating table as he breaks a criminal’s bones with expert precision. In this interpretation of Batman,he goes up against the system itself. Gotham City had mostly fallen into chaos and vigilantes weren’t welcome, to the point that Ronald Reagan orderedSuperman to bring Batman in for his crimes. It’s a dark story that’s perfectly reflected in how Absolute Batman is fighting in a very similar Gotham.
Absolute Batman Is a New Take on an Old Formula
Absolute Batman#1 Main Cover by Nick Dragotta and Frank Martin
Absolute Batman starts at nearly the exact oppositeplace of Miller’s Batman. This new version of Batmangrew up in poverty and had little to his name. He doesn’t have billions of dollars or a mansion he can retire to. Instead, this Batman has to fight tooth and nail to try and save his city, which is being torn apart by the gang known as the Party Animals. While both versions of Batman use brutal tactics to bring down their enemies, this version of Batman is also a lot younger. It’s an interesting twist to a well-known story.
Both of these versions of Batman are trying to break the system that has taken hold of their beloved city.
Miller’s Batman had to come out of retirement and fight against Gotham City, which had fallen even deeper into corruption due to the politicians far above the city. Snyder’s Batman is in a surprisingly similar spot. This version ofBatman is practically an agent of chaos. While Batman is usually trying to impose order on a chaotic city, both of these versions of Batman are trying to break the system that has taken hold of their beloved city. With Miller’s Batman, it’s the gangs and corrupt politicians, and with Snyder’s, it’s the ultra-wealthy like the Joker.
Absolute Batman Is Following in Frank Miller’s Batman’s Footsteps
An Old Concept for a New Age
DC isn’t shy about putting twists on iconic stories.Death in the Familywas one of the most important Batman stories of the decade when it came out, and DC has followed it up withDeath of the Familyand is now doingDeath and the Familyin the upcomingBatman and Robinstoryline. The publisher isn’t afraid to continually retell stories that have done well in the past, but this is the first time that DC has decided to truly revisitThe Dark Knight Returnsand put a twist on it. So far, it seems that Absolute Batman is completely worthy of following in the footsteps of Miller’sBatman.
Absolute BatmanandThe Dark Knight Returnsare both available now from DC Comics!
Source:The Comics Beat
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.
