Warning! Preview pages ahead for Absolute Batman #6!DC’s newestBatmanhas just given a new meaning to one of the Dark Knight’s most well-known catchphrases in pop culture. Things are heating upin the Absolute Universeand thanks to Black Mask, Gotham is preparing for war.But Bruce Wayne isn’t doneyet, and one classic catchphrase proves it.
In a preview forAbsolute Batman #6by Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta, hell is breaking loose fast as Black Mask has dropped off weaponry and masks all over Gotham, urging everyone tojoin his Party Animals. As the city urges people to stay inside, Waylon Jones holds up in his gym when someone makes their way in.
It’s Bruce, who’s come straight to his childhood friend after Batman’s last encounter with the Party Animals. As Jones asks Bruce an all-encompassing “Why?",the injured hero says it’s “Because I’m Batman” and he needs his friends' help now more than ever.
DC Reinvents Batman’s Catchphrase to Show How He Needs Others
Absolute Batman Knows That He Can’t Save Gotham Alone
In the far more brutal and unforgiving Absolute Universe, Bruce Wayne doesn’t have the privilege of wealth or a family company. Instead, he’s had to build Batman up piece by piece, using whatever he could cobble together. Thankfully, with his relentless determination, his skills as an engineer, and the occasional unknowing help from his oldest friends, Bruce has been able to make headway in helping improve Gotham. But Black Mask, a powerful international criminal, has been working hard with his flunkies, the Party Animals, to ruin the city,forcing Batman to push himself harder than ever to save Gotham.
Any big Batman fan has probably heard the phrase “Because I’m Batman” over the years as a meme justification for how Bruce is able to do all of the amazing things he can. But here, it’s not used to justify an amazing or impossible stunt. Instead, Bruce is saying these classic words to his friend to let Waylon know why Bruce is in such a bad spot. It’s also followed with a request for help, because in the more brutal Absolute Universe,Batman recognizes that he’s up against the most impossible challenges, and he simply can’t do it alone.
This Version of Batman Knows He’s Not a Bat-God
The Caped Crusader Has to Rely on Others to Survive This Harsher World
The world Absolute Batman lives in is one influenced by Darkseid and, as such, is more arduous and challenging. This version of Bruce is competent, but he’s far from being the classic ‘Bat-god’ fans love to joke about. He’s definitely not the type to use his position as Batman to brag, but he does know he’s one of the few people who can stand against the evils trying to destroy Gotham. “Because I’m Batman” might usually be a cool declaration of how awesome he is. But here, it showcases how muchAbsolute Batmanneeds others to keep his city safe.
