The long-awaited appearance of Swole Bane, a newcomer among Batman’s villains, is almost here… Fans of “Absolute Batman” have been eagerly anticipating this! Compared to iconic characters such as the Joker, Riddler, and Penguin, Bane was introduced relatively recently in 1993. Known for his powerful impact, he infamously broke Batman’s back during the “Knightfall” storyline where Bruce Wayne temporarily passed on the mantle of Batman to Azrael. Since then, Bane has continued to appear in various Batman comics, video games, animated series, and movies. Now, Bane is set for his next adventure in DC’s Absolute Universe.
DC unveiled a sneak peek of issue #9 from Scott Snyder’s series titled “Absolute Batman“. The story commences in the impartial land of Alegab, Biala, where rulers from Kahndaq and Qurac have recently established a peace treaty. Despite losing family members due to their prolonged conflict, they aim to cease hostilities now. As they move towards an elevator, they unexpectedly tread on a pool of blood oozing from it. Upon the elevator door’s opening, they are confronted by the colossal figure of Bane.
Bane is enormous, causing a portion of the door and surrounding wall to collapse when he enters the room. A network of tubes can be spotted connecting from his back to his arms and head, delivering the Venom substance that amplifies his physique. The imposing figure of Bane has made an appearance to disrupt these negotiations, threatening that one of the men will betray the other. He leaves it open for the two leaders to determine who will be untrustworthy, with one eventually admitting guilt. Bane then seizes the other man and brutally squashes his head within his hand.
The final scene of Absolute Batman #9 hints at Bane receiving a cryptic call from an unknown benefactor, urging him to travel to Gotham City. Kicking off this initial segment of the storyline, which goes by the name “Abomination,” there’s a striking image that fills a whole page. It appears to show an enormous muscle dominating the entire page, but it’s unclear whether it’s meant to be Bane with his masked head embedded within the muscle tissue or another one of Batman’s enemies like Clayface.
In the concluding chapter of “Absolute Batman” volume 6, DC subtly introduced the villain Buff Bane, marking the end of the story’s initial arc. With Black Mask and his gang, the Party Animals, vanquished, the narrative began hinting at additional adversaries for Batman. The enigmatic figure known as Absolute Joker made his debut in this series, making a phone call to Bane. Intriguingly, a character resembling the Joker, with pale skin, was receiving updates about Black Mask’s activities within Gotham City. This new version of the Joker seems to be adorned with various body parts, giving the impression that they are serving as his attire. The chilling and unsettling nature of this character perfectly aligns with the twisted personality of the Joker.
If Joker and Bane are working together in the Absolute Universe, that spells bad news for Batman.
Graham Nolan, one of the creators of Bane, voiced his opinion on social media about the appearance of Bane in previews for “Absolute Batman”. Nolan described the new design of Bane as a “horrific monstrosity” in a widely-shared post that garnered over 1.6 million views.
Following numerous requests for my thoughts on this portrayal of Bane, I provided an open and truthful response,” Nolan stated later on his X post. “I’ve been labeled as ‘outdated,’ ‘disgruntled,’ and ‘elderly’.
Take it easy, I’m just expressing my viewpoint here,” Nolan wrote next. “Don’t let it sway your feelings about the matter. Over a million people have seen this post and it appears that many have their own take on it. If everyone were purchasing comics instead of arguing over one person’s opinion, our industry would be much healthier. I’m putting forth a challenge to all of you. Why get angry at me, when you can outdo me? Buy this book! Spread the word and acquire multiple copies. Demonstrate that I’m wrong not with words, but with actions. Use your wallets to prove me wrong and give the artist a massive royalty check! Let’s aim for 1.6 million sales on this book! That will show me.
The recent progress in helping the neglected and disheartened members of our society is an establishment called Ark M – a functioning institution that, intentionally or not, has significantly contributed to the emergence of wickedness. This facility, which is currently operational, serves as the setting for Bruce’s attempt to infiltrate it and uncover its secrets in Absolute Batman #9. However, a new villain from Gotham City appears on the scene to address this issue – an old foe of Alfred’s, who goes by the name Bane.
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2025-06-09 21:23