The DC-All In Special offered the first glimpse of the Absolute Universe. This new Earth, born of the mad designs of the tyrant god Darkseid, is a drastically different world than Earth-Prime. The opening pages of Absolute Batman #1 make it clear just how different it truly is.
Written by Scott Snyder, with art by Nick Dragotta, Absolute Batman #1 opens with a flashback showing Bruce Wayne as a child. The story then shifts forward to now and the viewpoint of Alfred Pennyworth. This Alfred, however, is no butler and no foster father to the Dark Knight. Indeed, he is newly arrived to Gotham City, having come to “do some bad things.”
The main cover and first five pages of Absolute Batman #1 may be viewed below.
New Alfred first of many changes in Absolute Batman
The idea of Alfred Pennyworth as a hired gun is a dramatic deviation from the main universe. Alfred’s background has shifted over the years, with stints as an actor, a military medic, and a secret agent before becoming a butler depending on the continuity. It is not impossible to imagine that circumstances might make him a soldier of fortune, though it is a new spin on his character. He is still a tea snob, however, because the universe can only shift so much.
It remains to be seen how Absolute Batman will differ from the original Dark Knight. The first wave of preview pages indicated a bulkier, more brutal Batman who wields a battle axe. Despite that, he still reportedly adheres to the classic code against killing.
Absolute Batman #1 will arrive in comic shops everywhere on October 9, 2024.
