Get ready, comic book fans! DC Comics has dropped a new Batman series, and this one is seriously dark!
Absolute Batman: A New Dark Knight
This new Batman, in the Absolute Universe, is one messed-up dude. We're not just talking about the usual brooding, but a whole new level of tormented. His new catchphrase? Pure heartbreak.
The Catchphrase: "Whatever You Hear..."
The catchphrase, "Whatever you hear, you do not open this door," pops up in Absolute Batman #1, written by Scott Snyder, illustrated by Nick Dragotta, colored by Frank Martin, and lettered by Clayton Cowles, during a crazy showdown between Batman and the Party Animals gang led by Black Mask. At first, it just seems like a warning to Barbara Gordon. But there's way more to it.
A Heartbreaking Origin
The catchphrase's true meaning gets revealed in a flashback showing a field trip gone horribly wrong. During a school trip, young Bruce Wayne's dad, Thomas Wayne, is protecting his son's class from a mass shooting, ushering them to safety in a bat enclosure at a zoo. In a final heroic act, before engaging the shooter, Thomas Wayne tells Bruce, "Whatever you hear, you do not open this door."
So, when adult Batman warns Barbara Gordon not to open that door? Those are his dad's last words. Talk about an emotional gut punch!
Angst Potential Off The Charts
This is gonna be amazing. Now that we have this incredible and devastating backstory for Batman's catchphrase? Well, DC, and the writing team, really knows how to turn that to maximum emotional power! It's pretty much guaranteed that it is going to have major impact on fans!
- Imagine the first time Batman tells this to his new sidekick!
- That "full-circle" moment is going to destroy many a fan’s emotional core.
What’s fantastic about Snyder's team's writing choices in the introduction of Absolute Batman and these character-driven scenes, especially that chilling catchphrase is its raw, emotional power. This story sets up intense conflicts!
Read Absolute Batman!
If you're even a casual fan of the Dark Knight, don’t miss out on Absolute Batman #1, which hits comic book stores now. It seems that we are being shown what happens to the character and what can happen as the character's tragic past is forever in the forefront!
