It was just announced at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival that Warner Bros. and DC Studios have announced an Absolute Batman animated series is in production, with the creators of the comic book, writer Scott Snyder and artist Nick Dragotta, as executive producers. This is huge news for DC Comics fans, as Absolute Batman has been a massive hit for the publisher. According to many comic book shop retailers, its success has led to sales not seen for DC since the ’90s comics boom. But if successful, we think Absolute Batman should be but the first in a whole new animated universe. One that could be a game-changer if done right.
Absolute Batman, in comic book terms, is a truly generational hit. The series has sold around 3 million copies since it debuted in the fall of 2024. That title is by no means a one-off. The entire Absolute line at DC has sold a staggering 8 million copies overall, with Batman leading the charge. Absolute Batman #20, the most recent issue, sold half a million alone. Western superhero comics, in general, haven’t sold like this in a very long time. So it’s incredibly wise for Warner Bros. to look at what’s working so well in publishing, and strike while the iron is hot. It’s no different than how producers back in the ’90s saw that X-Men #1 sold 8 million, and greenlit X-Men: The Animated Series to debut the very next year.
For those unaware, Absolute Batman is the main title in DC Comics’ Absolute Universe. This alternate world showcases the main DC heroes reimagined in an inherently darker world. However, while it may sound very “grimdark” and “edgelord,” it’s actually anything but. In the Absolute Universe, Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman are not born into privilege. Kal-El was not born to a noble house on Krypton; his parents were miners. He didn’t come to Earth as a baby, but as a teenager who saw his world die. Wonder Woman wasn’t raised a princess in Paradise; she was raised in Hell by a witch. And Bruce Wayne wasn’t a billionaire; he was a working-class kid whose father died in a mass shooting. His mother, Martha, is still alive.
Absolute Batman makes several huge changes to established Dark Knight lore. This Bruce grew up in Crime Alley, and most of his famous rogues’ gallery were his childhood friends. Without the resources of a billionaire, he uses his skills as a civil engineer to come up with all the equipment he needs to fight crime. Bruce is a giant hulk of a man, measuring 6’9 and weighing 400 pounds. And those 400 pounds are of pure muscle. And the Joker? He’s an immoral billionaire, flipping the script on the usual Batman/Joker dynamic. In a real world where billionaires are villains, and those who struggle are finding the heroism to fight back, let’s just say, this version of Batman resonates in a big way.
But none of these circumstances make the DC Trinity into “darker heroes.” Ok, Batman is darker. But he doesn’t become a killer. Batman might chop off a hand or two with his bat-ax, but he’s not the Punisher. He’s not a wanton murderer. And Superman isn’t The Boys’ Homelander. The great thing about the Absolute Universe is that it shows that, despite less ideal upbringings, the inherent goodness and nobility of the DC heroes always shine through. This has been an incredible canvas for DC Comics to reinvent its 90-year-old universe. All while letting the classic version exist alongside it. And it’s captured the imagination of a new generation of comic book readers, mainly those raised on manga. So Warner Bros. is incredibly wise to mine this take on their heroes in mass media.
If Absolute Batman clicks, then we think Warner Bros. Animation should instantly look to Absolute Superman and Wonder Woman next. Make an entire mini-Absolute anime universe. Writer Jason Aaron’s and Kelly Thompson’s takes on Kal-El and Diana, respectively, are equally perfect for animated adaptation. The designs for Superman by Rafa Sandoval, and Wonder Woman by Hayden Sherman, are exaggerated in just the right way for animation. While the classic iterations of these heroes may continue to live on in live-action films, as they should, there’s no reason the Absolute versions can’t thrive in animation. And they can inject new life into the characters for an entirely new audience, maybe ones who always thought of them as their grandparent’s superheroes.
All of this can help DC Comics too, in a big way. The pipeline from manga, to anime adaptation, right back to manga, has only helped manga sales go through the roof in North America. This could be the exact kind of synergy that could help Western comics compete with manga in raw sales. No blockbuster superhero movie or TV show has ever helped lift comic book sales significantly, despite the genre’s dominance for the past two decades. But this might be the thing that works. If readers love the Absolute anime series, they’ll run to the comics to see what comes next. And long before the next animated season arrives. It’s a win/win for everyone. Hopefully, the folks in charge see they have a gold mine in the Absolute universe and utilize it.
The post ABSOLUTE BATMAN Should Launch a New Animated DCU appeared first on Nerdist.
This articles is written by : Nermeen Nabil Khear Abdelmalak
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