Fans who have been followingAbsolute Batmanare all wondering howRobinis going to be introduced into DC’s Absolute Universe. DC’s latest take on the Dark Knight has already overhauled quite a number of characters, but one notable ally is on the horizon, and he might not be what fans expect.
Scott Snyder,writer ofAbsolute Batmanand the leading voice for DC Comics' Absolute line, spoke with the Comic Watchers podcast onYouTube. Snyder discussed many things, from the collaborative effort of the Absolute Universe to what’s aheadfor Absolute Batman’s future.
Snyder teased many things about his smash-hit series, from new arcs to new takes on certain Batman villains. He also confirmed thatclassic Batman ally Dick Grayson was going to appear at some point this year. Snyder openly opined about Dick being an adult in this universe and what that would mean for the character.
Dick Grayson is Officially Heading to the Absolute Universe
But Don’t Expect an Absolute Boy Wonder Assisting DC’s New Caped Crusader
The Absolute Universe is analternate Earth like no other. In this world, Darkseid energy permeates the environment, making things far more difficult for the heroes than ever. In Absolute Batman’s case, he doesn’t have the privilege of a vast family fortune, and he works by day as a civil engineer. However, he’s just as bright and determined as any other Dark Knight and has built an incredible one-man operation that has put a serious dent in Gotham’s skyrocketing crime rate. Unfortunately,that’s also helped Absolute Batman attract the attention of some powerful people who wish to do Gotham harm.
Dick Grayson being an adult in this world would make sense. In the Absolute Universe, heroes are often missing formative experiences that their Prime counterparts had. One of the biggest things in Grayson’s favor was that he was the first Robin, which helped him blossom into the iconic hero Nightwing. But if he’s already an adult in this world, then he never had the chance to be Robin. As Snyder said, that kind of shift to Batman and Robin’s dynamic is going to change a lot of thingswhen Absolute Batman finally meets Dick Grayson for the first time.
What Will a Different Origin Mean for Absolute Nightwing?
How Much Different is He Than the Dick Grayson Fans Know?
Assuming that Dick’s origin is similar in every other respect (which isn’t impossible), Dick could still have seen his parents die at Haley’s Cirus. Did he stay in the circus after that happened? Or did he attempt to become a vigilante from the get-go (not unlike Absolute Batman)? Heck, given how modern the Absolute Universe is, it may remove the circus element altogether,adding another ripple to Absolute Nightwing’s characterization.
Whatever Snyder has in store, fans shouldn’t worry too much. So far, the Absolute Universe has remained true to who these characters are, even if they’ve lived wildly different lives. Maybe Dick is a vigilante on his own without Batman’s training, or maybe he’s just someone trying to do good in other ways. Whatever the case, fans shouldn’t expectAbsolute Batmanto be training a traditionalRobinanytime soon, but Bruce is going to have a familiar partner sooner than fans think.
