Wait... Did Ben 10 Just Reference Absolute Batman?

3 weeks ago 29

Published Jun 27, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT

Jason is an award-winning journalist whose writing career dates back to when he developed the ability to use a crayon. He, most notably, worked previously as a "professional fan," as he likes to call it, at CinemaBlend, for which he wrote about anything and everything under the pop culture umbrella... especially Batman. His passion for the art of cinema began even earlier, stemming from repeat viewings of The Wizard of Oz.
This initially led him to pursue a career in filmmaking -- and even work briefly in the industry as an extra in the straight-to-video family film, Alice Upside Down -- before deciding that his talents would be better served discussing and showing appreciation for the various forms of entertainment he is passionate about.

When a comic book achieves icon status, it is practically an unspoken rule that other series, even from competing publishers, will pay tribute to it in some way. DC's best-selling Absolute Batman reached that point faster than most other modern titles can claim.

Not long after the 2024 debut of Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta's reinvention of the Dark Knight, other popular comics began releasing variant covers recreating the art of its first issue. It appears that the latest title to jump on this trend is Ben 10.

A New Ben 10 Variant Cover Channel Absolute Batman

In June 2026, Dynamite Entertainment announced that the shockingly popular Ben 10 #1 would receive a second reprint just two months after its initial debut. The publisher put out a preview of the variant covers associated with the upcoming release, including one that social media user Dan 10K could not help but point out looked familiar.

The shared image depicts a decidedly ripped Benjamin Tennyson standing underneath an archway with the green, glowing power of the Omnitrix surrounding him. To fans of the Absolute Universe, this seems to be a clear tribute to the cover of Absolute Batman #1, which sees the bulky Bruce Wayne standing under an archway wrapped in his tattered cape.

The variant cover is designed by artist Matthew Jenkins. It will be made exclusively available from the online comics and merchandise retailer, Comic Tom.

Ben 10 is the latest comic book adaptation of Cartoon Network's hit 2000s animated series of the same name, following a boy given the power to shapeshift into various species of extraterrestrial after a mysterious device becomes attached to his wrist. One of the original show's creators, Joe Casey, pens the comic that is illustrated by Robert Carey of Batman/The Shadow fame.

Ben 10 Is One Of Absolute Batman's Fiercest Competitors

Matthew Jenkins' Ben 10 #1 reprint cover, seemingly inspired by the art for Absolute Batman #1, could be interpreted as more than a simple homage. It is likely a clever way of sending a peace offering for outselling the DC Comics series.

Indeed, Absolute Batman was dethroned by Ben 10's debut issue when it first hit the shelves in May 2026. The overwhelming popularity of the Dynamite Entertainment release caused the acclaimed one-shot, Absolute Batman: Ark M #1, which delves into the origins of the eponymous deadly experiment and has received multiple reprints of its own, to take the second-place slot that week.

Coincidentally, prior to its debut, the Ben 10 comic received comparisons to Absolute Batman from its own author. Casey described the series as the "Ultimate or Absolute Ben 10," in reference to his approach to reinventing the beloved sci-fi property for a new generation as more of "a straight-up superhero comic that's going to compete with every major series out there." Well, it is safe to say that he was pretty dead on about its competitive potential, given the results.

The success of Dynamite Entertainment's Ben 10 is actually not so much of a surprise in retrospect. Casey had also previously shared on a post to his Substack blog that the first issue cleared 82,000 units in pre-orders from readers who likely grew up with the now-21-year-old franchise. In the same week it topped the comic book sales charts, the debut issue acquired a $26 value for a near mint copy, according to Covrprice.

Ben 10's first transition from the screen to the page was as a segment in the Cartoon Network Action Pack. In 2023, IDW Publishing launched a four-issue series written by Jason Henderson and Gordon Purcell before Dynamite assumed the rights.