Overview

• On September 19, 2025, Scott Snyder shared the first full image of Absolute Joker as a hulking, reptilian take on the character.
• The preview spread quickly across X, Reddit, and TikTok, with viral posts joking that Absolute Batman should retire in the face of increasingly monstrous foes.
• In this alternate continuity, Bruce Wayne is depicted as a blue-collar engineer confronting grotesque adversaries with handmade weapons.
• Recent issues show Batman adopting Bane’s Venom and harsher methods, a direction trade coverage suggests could set up friction with Superman, though that remains speculative.
• DC’s first Absolute crossover is slated for late 2025, with Batman meeting Wonder Woman in Absolute Wonder Woman #12.