There are many enemies who test Batman physically and mentally. Bane is one of the few who can manage both tasks. Given that, it is unsurprising that a new version of the “Man Who Broke the Bat” is emerging within the pages of Absolute Batman.
Written by Scott Snyder, with art by Nick Dragotta, Absolute Batman has redefined the Dark Knight. The Absolute Universe, forged by the tyrant god Darkseid, was intended to test the heroes of Earth-Prime. Thus far, this version of Bruce Wayne has succeeded in instilling hope in a dark world.
However, he may have met his match in the Absolute Universe version of Bane. The solicitation for Absolute Batman #9 speaks of “a man known only as Bane,” who is summoned to stop Batman from infiltrating the twisted prison known as “Ark M.” This new Bane is depicted on the main cover of Absolute Batman #9, which may be viewed in full below.
New Bane is a notable threat to Absolute Batman
The introduction of Bane is notable given the Absolute Batman approach to the classic Batman villains. Thus far, most of the villains are friends of Bruce Wayne rather than thorns in his side. Several flashbacks have shown the young Bruce attending school with the likes of Oswald Cobblepot, Eddie Nygma, Harvey Dent, Waylon Jones, and Selina Kyle. More recently, Bruce leaned on his friends to help him protect the city, revealing his double life as Batman to them.
Thus far, the only supervillains to appear in Absolute Batman are Black Mask and The Joker. Even then, they are both manipulators, who act through proxies rather than menacing anyone directly. This makes the upcoming confrontation with Bane all the more pivotal to defining this version of the Dark Knight.
Absolute Batman #9 arrives on comic shops everywhere on June 11, 2025.
