WARNING: Contains Potential Spoilers for ABSOLUTE BATMAN #1!

DC’s newly launched Absolute Universe—a world created and powered by Darkseid’s energy after his death and rebirth—officially debuts its underdog Batman. This version of the Dark Knight redefines the fan-favorite character unprecedentedly, with Absolute Bruce Wayne addressing a major superhero criticism. But does this make him corrupt or the best version of Batman yet?

After a blink-and-you-miss-it glimpse of Absolute Batman in the Scott Snyder and Wes Craig half of the DC ALL IN Special #1, the new Dark Knight makes his full debut in Snyder and Nick Dragotta’s Absolute Batman #1. This issue introduces a Batman who is both an underdog and a fighter, with significant changes from his DCU counterpart, including a completely different origin story, socioeconomic status, and more.

One of the most notable differences is that this Batman is a professionally trained engineer, a change that not only alters various aspects of Bruce’s character but also helps him address a major superhero criticism—that heroes don’t fix what they break during their heroic escapades.

Absolute Batman Fixes the Property Damage He Causes, Slashing a Major Superhero Criticism

“You Even Fix What You Break…”: Bruce Wayne Rebuilds What He Destroys​​​​​​

Superheroes are often portrayed as leaving a trail of destruction behind them, with the property damage sometimes outweighing the help they provide. The collateral damage disrupts communities and often causes more problems, with the heroes responsible rarely taking ability. Hence, this has long been a major criticism of superheroes. While Batman’s role as an engineer doesn’t automatically mean he repairs his own damage, Snyder confirms in Absolute Batman that this version of Bruce Wayne does just that. As hitman Alfred Pennyworth narrates, Bruce not only fights crime but is “Creating. Building. You even fix what you break… repairing the stairs you blew up last night."

In this way, Bruce Wayne takes responsibility for the destruction caused during his crime-fighting by using his civilian persona as a civil engineer to rebuild what he breaks. While Bruce isn’t paying for all the repairs or doing them alone, it's a significant improvement in ability compared to most heroes. Hence, his dual roles in protecting and rebuilding Gotham show that Absolute Batman helps the city on two distinct levels, arguably making his contributions more impactful than his DCU counterpart—especially since he doesn’t have the resources of a billionaire.

Bruce Wayne Is Practically an Inside Man–Does It Make Him Corrupt or the Best Version of Batman Yet?

Absolute Batman Knows Gotham City Even Better Than His DCU Counterpart

Along with revealing that Bruce repairs the damage he causes, Alfred’s narration also emphasizes how deeply embedded Bruce is within Gotham’s infrastructure. He’s worked in sanitation, the power grid, the water department, city hall, and now as a civil engineer. This has given Bruce invaluable knowledge and influence in critical sectors of the city’s operations. While some might view this as potentially corrupt—given his dual identity and how he leverages this knowledge for his Batman activities—it’s clear that Bruce uses his expertise to improve Gotham rather than for personal gain. This makes him one of the best iterations of Batman, as Absolute Bruce Wayne knows Gotham on a level that even his DCU counterpart can't match.

Absolute Batman #1 is available now from DC Comics!