It is one of the most iconic moments in all of superhero history. Bruce Wayne, pondering how criminals are “a superstitious, cowardly lot”, decides he must disguise himself as something that inspires fear. Startled by the sudden appearance of a bat flying through his study window, Wayne declares, “I shall become a bat!” Thus the Batman persona was born. However, as Absolute Batman #4 reveals, bats played a different role in inspiring the young Bruce Wayne in the Absolute Universe.
Plotted by Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta with art by Gabriel Hernandez Walta, Absolute Batman #4 shifts gears somewhat. The series to date has been narrated by Alfred Pennyworth, who is a soldier of fortune in this reality rather than the Wayne family butler. The first three issues followed Pennyworth as he observed Bruce Wayne in action. By contrast, the current issue is told exclusively from Batman’s point of view and is more focused on flashbacks than his current battles with Black Mask.
Most of these flashbacks detail a young Bruce Wayne discussing an engineering contest with his father. The theme for the contest is to design a bridge for animals in distressed environments that is also designed to reflect the core of that animal. Bruce chooses bats and starts work on a scary bridge because most people find bats intimidating.
However, Thomas Wayne suggests that something meant to help people shouldn’t be scary. This inspires Bruce to tackle the project from another angle, though he decides to stick with the bat theme. This, in turn, resonates thematically with his actions in the modern day as the Absolute Batman.
How Bruce Wayne models himself on the humble bat in Absolute Batman
The young Bruce ultimately designs a multi-use bridge. Lightweight and aerodynamic, it folds up like a bat’s wing. However, the bat theme goes beyond the shape of the bridge. Bruce builds it to be versatile because bats are one of the most adaptable creatures on Earth. Indeed, Bruce notes that bats number more unique species than any order of mammal apart from rodents.
This flexibility is reflected in Bruce’s actions in the present day in Absolute Batman #4. Denied the fortune of his Earth-Prime counterpart, this Bruce Wayne makes do with ingenious solutions to big problems. Moreover, he draws inspiration from bats’ unique status as flying mammals to defy convention and achieve the impossible. In this, he reflects the spirit of the bat while not focusing on striking fear into the hearts of criminals.
Absolute Batman #4 is now available at comic shops everywhere.
