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Everyone in my immediate circle thinks Batman is my favorite superhero. I've written articles about him. There is a metal poster of the Batman: The Animated Series cast on my wall. As I type this sentence, several Batman figures and paraphernalia are on my desk. I see how people will think he is my favorite. 

He isn't, but I get it. I happen to be very critical of Batman. From his incredible plot armor masked as 'Prep time' to his general ineffectiveness as a justice-seeking vigilante. But more than any of that, he's a rich guy bearing up the broke and mentally ill of Gotham. Instead of using his seemingly endless Scrooge McDuck wealth to provide services and help to the city of Gotham, he stalks the night as judge, jury, and executioner. 

Absolute Batman flips the power dynamic and makes Batman one of us. The writhing masses yearning to be free of villainous tyranny. It's not the most original take, but it's very welcome. As a matter of fact, Absolute Batman is my favorite incarnation of my non-favorite character.

Come down from your Ivory (Wayne) Tower, Batman!

Batman is not an effective hero. He's entertaining, he has a good brand, and anyone who can intimidate Superman is a force to be reckoned with. That said, the streets of Gotham are constantly on fire. For all the fear this Bat figure strikes in the hearts of criminals, they all keep committing crimes. Baman's primary weapon against crime is his fists. He will slam his privileged knuckles into the teeth of low-level criminals and highly dangerous meta-human crime bosses alike. For every Mr. Freeze or Killer Croc that is successfully shipped off to Arkham (again), there are hospitals full of broken thugs who probably got into crime because they were broke.

On the flip side, Bruce Wayne and Wayne Enterprises are sitting on Billions of dollars. That's a capital B for all the capital Wayne is worth. Given his wealth, access, and determination, Bruce did everything for Gotham? Nah. Where are all the Urban Redevelopment Projects? The conversion of abandoned industry sites to parks and affordable housing? Infusing some cash into the GCPD so they don't have to take bribes from goofy-dressed villains. How about mental health programs that try to rehabilitate the villains and goons? You know, something not led by Hugo Strange. 

I have no concrete idea of how Bruce and his money can revitalize Gotham. I do know that he could, and that is the point. Gotham's entire problem is a lack of strong infrastructure. Crime and corruption are fueled by poverty and a general lack of opportunity. Throw in old rich Bruce punching criminals at night, and the whole thing feels like punching down, pun intended. The guy's heart is in the right place, and he truly believes in his crusade against the criminal element of his city. I also understand it's a personal vendetta, but Bruce is touted as one of the most intelligent people in the world. He has to see that he isn't making anything better. All the villains end up back on the streets and worse than ever in every new series!

Batman sees Gotham as broken. He looks out atop a roof and sees a diseased city needing a savior. But how often does Bruce walk the streets of Gotham? Has he heard the stories of why some of these thugs are running around at night stealing everything that moves? No. If he did and then continued to bash in their faces without instituting some kind of help for the masses, he's crazier than we thought. To me, the optics of a rich man fighting crime with violence instead of opting for infrastructure development and social programs isn't a great use of his time. 

Absolute switch with Absolute Batman

In comes Absolute Batman, by the creative team of writer Scott Snyder and artist Nick Dragotta. This series brings Bruce down to the stoops of Gotham. Stripped of his wealth and influence, Bruce Wayne is just another denizen of Gotham. Without giving too much away, Bruce is a nomad, moving from job to job. Gaining skills and access via hard labor and anonymity. What he lacks in wealth, he more than makes up for in size.

Do you know the popular idiom 'If you lose one sense, your others get stronger.' For Bruce, losing billions of dollars gives you Bane-like size and strength. He is an absolute unit, trading in trust funds and a fancy French press for hip thrusts and heavy bench press. To be Batman in the Absolute universe, Bruce must compensate for the lack of funds by leaning on what he has. Strength, brains, and his everyman anonymity.

Absolutely Batman

The Absolute universe gives its Batman perspective. Gone are the days of fancy Batmobiles (though he does have an impressive one!), high-tech gadgets, super surveillance, and luxurious bat caves. He's an everyday guy at the whim of the city's elite. Writer Scott Snyder does a great job setting up this version of Batman to have a villain who is actively putting the city's underprivileged to work, waving money and greed in their faces in the hopes of chaos.

In the absence of wealth, Absolute Bats is forced to be smart, tactical, and a true specter as he vanishes into Gotham, his one big Batcave. I am here for all of it. Bruce's nomadic tendency to pick up various construction jobs around Gotham has given him an intimate knowledge of the city, its darkest corners, and advantageous tactical positions. That impressive Batmobile I mentioned is tied to Bruce's access to heavy machinery.

The core idea of Batman is that he is a vigilante who tries to clean up his city so no other child will lose a parent to violence. The Absolute version of Batman fulfills that idea and gets to the core of what makes the character compelling. His determination to build his body strong enough to be a threat, developing his intellect to think two steps ahead of his opponents, all without the crutch of the traditional Wayne Foundation wealth. Where the rich version of Bruce Wayne could do way more for the city with his power, money, and influence, Absolute Bruce is one man trying to protect the good people of Gotham from the bad. 

Absolutely get it

I get it. Who wants to read a comic book about Bruce Wayne fundraising or trying to clear red tape to renovate one of those ominous, villain-creating industrial waste sites? Talk about dry. That is the beauty of Absolute Batman. This new monetary limitation forces Batman to think strategically. This version of Bruce cannot make any difference by throwing unlimited money at it. All he has are his wits, his city, and massive fists. His one-man army feels more raw and makeshift and frames his violence in the context of a vigilante making use of his tools at hand. That makes him the 'everyman' hero. I would sooner believe and generally accept that a random construction worker became Batman than some trust fund socialite. 

This is a long-winded way to say I am enjoying Absolute Batman and the world the creators are crafting. It's one where its version of Batman feels more relevant. No longer is Bruce misusing his wealth, neglecting Gotham's infrastructure, and opting to violently beat up the poor and supervillain alike. He is a man who must use his intelligence, resourcefulness, anonymity, and size to effect change in Gotham. Gone are the countless dossiers of highly curated Prep Time for everyone worldwide. Replaced with calculated tactical assessments of each individual situation by a genius. It's very satisfying to watch (or read). Now, perched on those rooftops, Batman has a different perspective. One of a citizen.

He is vengeance, he is the night, he is... one of Popverse's favorite subjects. Learn how to do a Dark Knight movie marathon right with our Batman movie guide, and for the true World's Greatest Detectives out there, dive deep into the heart of Gotham City by getting to know Batman with Popverse.