Warning: Spoilers for Absolute Batman #1Even casual DC fans are familiar withBatman’sclassic origin story, as it’s seeped into every nook and cranny of pop culture over the years. The sight of Martha Wayne’s pearl necklace snapping off has been ingrained in the minds of comic readers for decades as a staple of Batman lore. However, Batman’s new backstory in the Absolute Universe subverts the original with the reveal thatMartha Wayne didn’t die when Bruce was a child, changing a staple of Batman lore forever.
Absolute Batman#1 by Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta, Frank Martin, and Clayton Cowles begins the story of theAbsolute Universe’s Batman, a working-class young man who lacks the luxury of a billionaire lifestyle to fall back on. In the issue, he visits the zoo where his father died in a mass shooting, holding a flower in his memory. When Bruce comes home to his apartment,he’s greeted by a familiar face that will leave any longtime Batman fan stunned: his mother, Martha Wayne.
Martha Wayne is alive and well in the Absolute Universe, with her pearl necklace intact on her neck. One of Batman’s parents being present in his life offers limitless narrative possibilities moving forward, and Batman will never be the same now that he has his mother by his side.
Absolute Batman’s New Origin Subverts a Classic Death
Bruce Wayne’s Mother Is Still Alive in the Absolute Universe
The unforgettable Crime Alley origin story of Batmanhas been revamped for DC’s new Absolute continuity, and while it hits some similar beats to the original, there are key differences that make it unique. In the Absolute Universe, Thomas Wayne is a teacher who brings Bruce and his classmates on a field trip to the zoo after Bruce wins an engineering contest. All goes well until the sound of a gunshot is heard. Thomas hides the schoolchildren, Bruce included, in the bat enclosure and says to his son,“Bruce, whatever you hear, you do not open this door.“The rest, unfortunately, is history.
I Can’t Believe How DC Is Recreating Batman’s Most Heartbreaking Moment of All Time
The cover to the forthcoming Little Batman: Month One #1 gives the Dark Knight’s most heartbreaking moment an adorable makeover.
BecauseThomas Wayne is the only one of Batman’s parentspresent for this fatal shooting, Martha Wayne survives to raise Bruce as a single mother. By the looks of it, she and Bruce have a sweet, caring bond. She has a career where she works closely withMayor Jim Gordon, serving Gotham in her own way and even delivering an empowering speech at his town hall. With his mother around,the Absolute Universe’s version of Batman is not an orphan in DC lore, which makes him fundamentally different from most iterations of Batman.
Batman’s Origin Story Has Been a Staple of His Character for 85 Years
The Death of Bruce Wayne’s Parents Defines the Dark Knight
Batman’s backstory has been retold countless times, though the core facets of it have remained consistent in each variation. A young Bruce Wayne sees a movie with his parents, and as they walk through Crime Alley, they’re confronted by a mugger by the name of Joe Chill. In a panic, the mugger shoots Thomas and Martha,forcing Bruce to watch in horror as his parents are murdered right in front of him. This tragedy defines who Bruce grows up to be and leads him down the path to becoming Batman.
The tragic death of Bruce Wayne’s parents was first depicted in 1939’sDetective Comics#33 by Bill Finger, Gardner Fox, Bob Kane, and Sheldon Moldoff, available now digitally and in collected formats from DC Comics.
The loss of his parents in Crime Alley is the driving force behind Bruce Wayne donning the cape and cowl. After watching his mother and father die at the hands of a criminal, Batman dedicates his life to avenging them by stoppingGotham’s criminal elementfrom doing the same to anyone else. His mother still being around in the Absolute Universe is a huge difference that sets this revamped origin apart from anything that’s been done with Batman’s mythos in the past, and this first issue offers clues about the role Martha will have in Bruce’s life.
Martha Wayne Now Takes Alfred Pennyworth’s Place in Batman Lore
Alfred Pennyworth Evolves from Trusted Confidant to Cold-Blooded Killer
Typically, the role of Batman’s closest confidant in DC lore is played by Alfred Pennyworth.Alfred is the Wayne family’s loyal butlerwho becomes a father figure for Bruce after his parents' untimely demise. Here, in the Absolute continuity,Alfred plays a more antagonistic role in Batman’s story. A special agent tasked with taking out assigned targets, Alfred sets his sights on the Dark Knight after watching him battle Gotham’s newest violent gang, the Party Animals.Batman manages to beat Alfred in their fight, and the two are set up to become rivals in a major shift to DC lore.
With Alfred conspiring against Batman rather than supporting him, there’s an opening for a new character to take his place as Bruce Wayne’s guiding hand. That’s where Martha Wayne comes in.Bruce’s mother will be replacing Alfred as the person closest to Batman, offering support when he needs it. Judging by the way Bruce hides the truth about his whereabouts, it seems Martha doesn’t know that he’s Batman, unlike Alfred inDC’s main continuity. It’ll be fascinating to see whether he eventually reveals the truth about his vigilante alter ego to her, and whether Martha ends up helping Batman from the shadows like Alfred does.
Absolute Batman’s Backstory Is the First of Many Changes for Bruce Wayne
DC’s Absolute Universe Reinvents Iconic Batman Lore
TheAbsolute Universe rewrites the stories of traditional DC superheroes, and its bold take on Batman rebuilds him from the ground up as a drastically different person than the Batman readers are accustomed to.This Bruce Wayne doesn’t come from moneyand has to work in order to support both himself and his mother. Instead ofresiding in Wayne Manor, the two live in what appears to be a standard Gotham apartment. Bruce has no extensive Bat-Family, no Bat-Cave full of state-of-the-art technology, and no Justice League to back him up. Batman’s status quo couldn’t be further from his traditional fare in this all-new universe.
This darker Batman lacks his larger support system, but his mother’s presence ensures that he isn’t alone in a world that’s pitted against him.
Of every change to Batman’s lore in the Absolute continuity, Bruce’s mother being alive might be the most intriguing. Martha Wayne is a character whose role tends to be limited to flashbacks, so her more prominent role in Snyder and Dragotta’sAbsolute Batmanis definitely cause for excitement. This darker Batman lacks his larger support system, but his mother’s presence ensures that he isn’t alone in a world that’s pitted against him. Readers will have to wait and see how Martha Wayne alters the trajectory ofBatman’s story from here on out as she finally gets the chance to raise her son.
Absolute Batman#1is available now from DC Comics.
Batman
One of DC’s most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world’s leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.
