You Won’t Believe What Batman Just Did

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Among the startling instances found within Batman comics, the latest development in “Absolute Batman” could potentially outshine them all. The Absolute Universe by DC Comics offers a fresh perspective on the DC Universe, reinterpreting characters such as Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and others. “Absolute Batman” has been particularly groundbreaking, offering a riveting new origin story for the Dark Knight that significantly alters Gotham City and Batman’s mythos. Each installment has kept readers on the edge of their seats, and in “Absolute Batman” #6, Bruce Wayne performs an unprecedented action – something never before seen even in films.

CAUTION: Spoilers for Absolute Batman #6 follow.

Issue #6 of “Absolute Batman” is penned by Scott Snyder along with artists Nick Dragotta, Frank Martin, and Clayton Cowles. This instalment concludes the “The Zoo” storyline that kickstarted the series, where the villainous Roman Sionis (Black Mask) triggers citywide riots in Gotham City. A fresh aspect presented in “Absolute Batman” is Bruce Wayne’s childhood friendships with several of Batman’s infamous adversaries – Riddler, Killer Croc, Penguin, Two-Face, and Catwoman. They remain unaware that their friend Bruce has taken on the role of a masked vigilante, but this secret is eventually revealed when Bruce chooses to disclose it himself.

Batman’s greatest enemies know his secret identity

In a twist of events, we encounter Waylon Jones, better known as Killer Croc, who uncovers the secret identity of his friend, Bruce Wayne, as the vigilante known as Batman. As Waylon tunes into a news broadcast about the disturbances in Gotham City, an unexpected visitor breaks into his gym. Threatening the interloper with a confrontation, Waylon soon realizes that it’s Bruce, wearing a big yellow jacket. Upon placing his hand on Bruce’s shoulder, one of the blades on Batman’s armor accidentally pricks him. A wounded and battered Bruce then confesses to Waylon that he is indeed Batman and requests his aid.

From a passionate cinephile’s perspective, it appears Waylon is instrumental in providing a Penguin and an aircraft, as we find Batman later riding with Oswald Cobblepot in one. It’s evident that Oswald has recently discovered Bruce’s secret identity as Batman, given his foul language and outbursts towards their long-standing friendship. The Penguin demands to know why Bruce kept this secret, to which Batman responds it was for protection. Killer Crock (Waylon) wants to confront him physically, Harvey Dent (Two-Face) wishes to apprehend him, and Eddie Nigma (Riddler) boasts about guessing Bruce’s alter ego weeks ago. The only one who seems unfazed by this revelation among their circle is Selina Kyle (Catwoman), who might even find it intriguing or appealing.

In a turn of events, Batman gets Penguin to transport him to a vessel in the heart of the waterway. There, Black Mask maintains his local servers that support his citywide terrorist network. If Batman manages to disable these servers, they’ll be unable to transmit data to the masks Black Mask has scattered throughout Gotham. In an attempt to escalate chaos, Black Mask is putting out rewards for criminal actions like the assassination of Mayor James Gordon and Deputy Mayor Martha Wayne. Eventually, Batman succeeds in apprehending Black Mask and dismantling his entire operation, ultimately preventing any further mayhem.

Absolute Batman concludes with a cliffhanger ending

As a devoted cinephile, I’d rephrase it this way:

The latest Batman installment doesn’t dilly-dally over the weight of its big secret identity reveal. Instead, a brief, chilling epilogue hints at the impending arrival of a new menacing villain in the next storyline. This Joker seems to be a twisted, grotesque version of his former self, with the character’s white skin being given a gritty update within Gotham City’s underworld, controlled by Black Mask. The Joker in this movie appears to be adorned with various body parts – faces, arms, and heads – serving as makeshift clothing. It’s downright spine-chilling and terrifying, perfectly embodying the true essence of the character.

In the event that the Joker, a longtime associate of Batman, were to discover Bruce Wayne’s secret identity as Batman, it would undoubtedly spell trouble. The intrigue lies in uncovering the origin story of this formidable villain, the Absolute Joker, and how much more we might learn about him beyond his portrayal in the main DC Universe. It seems that the Joker is manipulating Black Mask and even summoning Bane at his bidding.

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2025-03-19 17:41