Among the many changes in DC’s Absolute Batman from the main universe, Batman’s costume also received some updates. Some of those were of the aesthetic variety, including the Dark Knight Returns-style logo and the fact that the symbol is actually the top of an axe, but that’s only scratching the surface of what the new suit can do. Later in the first issue, we see Batman throw down with a legion of gang members in the city, and this is where fans really get to see this new Batman in all his efficiently brutal glory. The new suit effectively turns Batman into a walking weapon, and here’s everything the new suit can do.
The Cape
Let’s start with some of the basic capabilities of the Absolute Batman costume, which shares some core principles with the traditional main universe costume. Batman swoops in from the ceiling to kick off the battle outside, and the gang quickly starts firing bullets toward him. Batman has his cape swirled around him like Bat-wings, forming a complete cocoon around himself that deflects around 18 bullets.
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As we see later in the sequence, there aren’t any holes in his cape either, as the splits in the cape are by design, meaning that it successfully deflected all of the gunfire. While his cape has been able to deflect some gunfire in the past, it’s seemingly more like a true shield this time around thanks to the sheer amount of bullets it managed to protect him from.
There’s also a panel later in the fight that shows larger spikes emerge from the cape and suit, with several on the shoulders and the back of the cape. It’s not known if those are part of a different mode for the suit or if he can call more spikes up at any time, but they are gone when we see him face Alfred on the next page, so we do know they are quickly retractable.
The Tendrils
That’s just the start of what the suit can do though, and one of the coolest attributes of the new suit comes in the form of its controllable tendrils. The cape is able to form around Batman’s arms and hands thanks to Bruce’s engineering, and it’s able to extend to a pretty substantial distance. Batman showcases this early in the fight by having one arm of his cape shoot someone through a building’s upper window while the other tendril reaches around a minion’s throat and then slams him into a lamp post.
At this point those become more like full extended legs, clanking along the ground as they raise him up higher off the ground so he can kick two thugs in the face at the same time. There are going to be even more uses in the future mostly likely, but just seeing what they can do in this early tease was rather impressive.
The Ears
Just about every part of the costume features some sort of hidden component, and one of the coolest forms of this is in his cowl. The bat ears aren’t just for show it turns out, as Batman removes both ears from the cowl to reveal two lethally sharp blades. He throws those at an enemy and hits two critical points in his shoulders, stopping him in his tracks.
The Gauntlets
If you’ve glanced at the costume, you’ve likely noticed that Batman doesn’t have his usual bulky gloves or gauntlets, trading those in for a spiral-style design that is more lightweight and sleek. This is misleading though, as after he throws the knives, he then activates the three wraps around his arm to reveal three blades, which he sets about using with bloody efficiency. As Alfred notes from his surveillance, he is brutal but precise, and while there’s plenty of blood spilled, he also avoids any arteries, leaving everyone worse for wear but still breathing.
The Symbol
That leads us to one of the previously previewed elements of the costume, and while we knew about it before, it doesn’t make it any less cool. At one point Batman is approached by a bigger opponent, who is equipped with a large cleaver. Batman then removes a handle from his belt and then attaches it to the Bat symbol on his chest, taking it off completely and revealing that the symbol is actually a giant axe.
That doesn’t deter his opponent, but it absolutely should have, as after charging in he gets his hand completely sliced off, with the cleaver still in his fist. Batman doesn’t kill him and even tells him there’s a chance he can get it re-attached, but he should probably run to a hospital if he has any hope of that happening.
What do you think of Batman’s new costume and everything it can do? You can talk all things comics and DC with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!
