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Posted in: Batman, Comics, DC Comics | Tagged: absolute, Absolute Batman, megacon, scott snyder
Scott Snyder Reveals His Absolute Batman Plans For The Rest Of 2026
Scott Snyder revealed his Absolute Batman plans for the rest of 2026 at Megacon Orlando, alongside Greg Capullo and Frank Tieri
Article Summary
- Scott Snyder unveils his Absolute Batman plans for 2026 with major story arcs and villain debuts ahead
- Scarecrow returns with a terrifying new look, launching the series’ biggest and most intense arc yet
- Multiple Robins are set to appear, with fresh character designs teased and the secrets behind the "R" cover
- Two-Face, Penguin, Harley Quinn, and Clayface all receive bold new revamps and expanded roles in Gotham
Fresh off the MegaCon Orlando 2026 stage this weekend, Scott Snyder dropped a detailed roadmap for the next several issues of Absolute Batman, confirming a major new arc is kicking off with the debut of a terrifying new take on Scarecrow and teasing multiple Robins on the horizon. Speaking alongside artist Greg Capullo and writer Frank Tieri at the Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo Batman Panel, Snyder outlined the immediate future of the title. Some of which he's said before, some of which he hasn't.
- Absolute Batman #19: Scarecrow's big debut and first major moment, complete with body horror elements. Snyder specifically mentioned a "thresher scene" in the opening pages. The issue launches what Snyder called the series's biggest arc yet, with Scarecrow bringing intense fear-based terror that destabilises reality itself.
- Absolute Batman #20: The concept of Robin explodes onto the page. Snyder emphasised, "You're going to meet the Robins" (plural), signalling multiple versions or interpretations of the Boy (and possibly Girl) Wonder entering the Absolute Batman mythos. He noted a ton of major character introductions are coming in this stretch. Previously, he has suggested that these would be The Joker's Robins.
- Absolute Batman #21: Full designs for Two-Face and Penguin. Two-Face sports long white hair styled like an old British judge, pulled over to cover his scarred side in a manga/anime-inspired look. Penguin is "beefed up" and flashier than ever, gold crutches loaded with guns, gadgets, umbrellas, and rings to show he's "big time" in this new world. Both can be seen on variant covers for the issue, but expect a lot more retailer-exclusive variant covers of the pair.
Snyder also highlighted Absolute Batman #22 for Harley Quinn's backstory (and more on the Robins), but also Clayface getting a deeper exploration around Absolute Batman #22–23. Then comes a two-part story in Absolute Batman #24–25, timed for New York Comic Con with what Scott sees as even bigger character introductions and game-changing developments that carry the story through October.
The Secret 'R' Cover That Drops Away
One of the more intriguing teases involved the cover for Absolute Batman #20. Snyder revealed that the version featuring a giant "R" (widely shared and hyped online) is not the final cover. "The R is going to drop away, and you're going to see the designs of what we're thinking for Robin," he explained. To prevent leaks and spoilers, the real designs were shared with variant artists under heavy encryption and watermarks. The dramatic reveal is coming soon, expect the masked "R" to transform and show the new Robins looks underneath. Snyder framed these issues as part of Bruce Wayne operating as "just a dude" trying to dismantle entrenched power structures in a world without the traditional Wayne fortune or resources. The tone remains dark and personal, with heavy emotional stakes, including body horror justified by deep psychological terror.
The panel also touched on Poison Ivy levelled up as a full avatar of the Green, a first meeting between Absolute Batman and Joker, and hints of an Absolute Joker series down the line, but the immediate roadmap focused squarely on the Scarecrow-to-Robin stretch as the next big swing for the series. You can catch up with the panel yourself here, filmed for Chris Covers Comics on YouTube.
- ABSOLUTE BATMAN #19
(W) Scott Snyder (A/CA) Nick Dragotta
ABSOLUTE SCARECROW EMERGES FROM THE SHADOWS OF ARK M AS A NEW STORY ARC BEGINS… Poison Ivy proved to be just one of the many horrors within the bowels of the ARK M facility, and as Joker sets his sights on Absolute Batman, he decides to enlist the help of one of the center's most terrifying doctors, Dr. Jonathan Crane. While Bruce Wayne tries to align himself with Barbara Gordon, there's more than one alliance formed in this issue. New debuts, new villains, new arc starts here. $5.99 4/15/2026 - ABSOLUTE BATMAN #20
(W) Scott Snyder (A/CA) Nick Dragotta
A TRAGIC LOSS ROCKS GOTHAM CITY! As the dust settles in the city of Gotham after the loss of [redacted], Robins enter the scene ready to hunt and more than one secret will be revealed in this seminal issue. $4.99 5/13/2026 - ABSOLUTE BATMAN #21
(W) Scott Snyder (A/CA) Nick Dragotta
SCARECROW'S REIGN OF TERROR CONTINUES! Friends become enemies. Enemies become friends. Final forms are revealed, and Scarecrow's reign of terror threatens to upend everything. $4.99 6/10/2026
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