Published May 15, 2026, 1:00 PM EDT
John Dodge is an MTV Writer for CBR who specializes in movies, television, comics, and pop culture. He has a deep knowledge of franchises like Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Marvel, and DC Comics, along with a passion for indie and horror titles. An expert on obscure productions from the ’80s and ’90s, John is known for his encyclopedic recall of cult classics like Beetleborgs.
The following contains major spoilers for Absolute Batman #20, on sale now from DC Comics.
Absolute Batman's entire world just got turned upside-down, and so did his tragic origin story.
After receiving files pointing towards a grander conspiracy at play regarding his own tragic beginnings, the titular hero of Absolute Batman #20 (by Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta, Frank Martin, and Tom Napolitano) visits the man purportedly responsible for it — Joe Chill. Unfortunately, Scarecrow is one step ahead of The Dark Knight, and to make matters even worse, he is more than happy to finally reveal exactly why he and the Joker ensured Bruce's transformation into Batman so many years ago.
Absolute Batman #20
- Written by SCOTT SNYDER
- Art by NICK DRAGOTTA
- Colors by FRANK MARTIN
- Letters by TOM NAPOLITANO
- Main cover art by NICK DRAGOTTA & FRANK MARTIN
- Variant covers by KRIS ANKA; FABRIZIO DE TOMMASO; KYUYONG EOM; NICK ROBLES; JAVIER RODRÍGUEZ; RICKIE YAGAWA & ALEX SINCLAIR; JAHNOY LINDSAY; IVAN TALAVERA; STEPHEN SEGOVIA; and MARTIN SIMMONDS
The official solicit synopsis for Absolute Batman #20 from DC Comics reads, "A TRAGIC LOSS ROCKS GOTHAM CITY! As the dust settles in the city of Gotham after the loss of [redacted], Robins enter the scene ready to hunt, and more than one secret will be revealed in this seminal issue."
Absolute Batman's Origins Have Been Twisted For A New Era
Image via DC ComicsAs the Absolute Scarecrow explains, he and Jack Grimm, better known as the Joker, orchestrated Bruce's rise as Batman to serve what is effectively one big joke. According to Scarecrow, Bruce's mother was a member of the Court of Owls, already fated to meet a tragic end for her role in the organization, whereas turning Bruce into Batman was merely a way to strike back against their enemies and craft a convoluted punchline at the same time.
No matter how gut-wrenching this revelation might be, it is just one in a long line of schemes that have been carried out by the Absolute Joker over the course of generations. Rather than being the Clown Prince of Crime of the Absolute Universe, the Absolute Joker is both a corporate powerhouse and a literal monster unto himself. This has allowed the Joker to create the likes of Ark M, not to mention other villains such as Bane.
The Absolute Joker has also been given one of the few seats on his world's Justice League, which consists of some of the worst villains the Absolute Universe has to offer. Of course, the Absolute Justice League is currently down a key member with the recent death of Ra's al Ghul at the hands of a newly freed King Shazam, which could very well create the kind of power vacuum that forces the League to take more direct action as a group than they have so far.
Absolute Batman #20 from DC Comics is on sale now.
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