Posted in: Batman, Comics, DC Comics | Tagged: absolute, Absolute Batman, killing joke, nick dragotta, scarecrow, scott snyder

The Absolute Batman Conspiracy Is Even Worse Than You Think (Spoilers)

The Absolute Batman Conspiracy Is Even Worse Than You Think in Absolute Batman #20 by Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta (Spoilers)

DC Comics has published Absolute Batman #20 from Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta and Frank Martin in one state or another today. We ran a few looks at the Absolute Batman conspiracy that is being revealed, now we go the whole hog. Spoilers

In Absolute Batman #19, it was suggested that The Joker was behind the death of Thomas Wayne as part of a setup to turn Bruce Wayne into Batman

In the preview of Absolute Batman #20, it is also suggested that Jonathan Crane, the Scarecrow, was involved in Bruce Wayne's young life.

With those panels from Absolute Batman #1, the death of Thomas Wayne at the hands of Joe Chill,  in the report that Jim Gordon gave to Bruce, before his death at the remote hands of the Scarecrow, Jonathan Crane.

We noted that the objects in the sky were crows. And in Absolute Batman #20? Batman visits Joe Chill to get to the bottom of the files.

Only to find Scarecrow waiting for him. Who lampshades the Batman Project conspiracy.

Citing his mother, Martha Wayne, former deputy mayor of Gotham, political activist and single mother … over her involvement with The Court Of Owls. Something we have also seen in Absolute Batman #17…

…. and in  Absolute Batman #18.

She was a Talon, one of the Court Of Owls' trained assassins. Basically, she's as bad as Scarecrow, just in opposition to Jack Grimnm, The Absolute Joker and his Absolute Justice League.

And if Batman is responsible for what happens to Martha Wayne, then maybe Martha Wayne is responsible for what happened to Bruce Wayne in becoming Batman.

The cawing of the crows… but not just that.

Absolute Batman #5  also saw Bruce Wayne recall a poster at Gotham Zoo.

With a laughing Joker figure…

Of course, we know that The Joker never laughs…

…. not in his human form anyway.

And he is watching Batman. Bruce Wayne. From the first level of his Joker Cave under Grimm Manor. There are many more yet to be seen.

And now Scarecrow drives Joe Chill to his death, just as he did Jim Gordon, the farmers, everyone he chooses to…. and makes a promise.

There's more to find. It's worse than he thinks. The Absolute Batman was created by Jack Grimm and Jonathan Crane as a joke, but how deep does that joke go? But also… is this all part of a game? Is this the ultimate in unreliable narrators? A game devised by Grimm and Crane to drive Bruce Wayne to his own suicide, rather than do the job themselves? Is this the Absolute version of The Killing Joke? And what will Bruce say when he sees his mother again? If, of course, she survived? Absolute Batman #20 by Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta is published today from DC Comics.

• ABSOLUTE BATMAN #20
  (W) Scott Snyder (A/CA) Nick Dragotta
  As the dust settles in the city of Gotham after the loss of [redacted], [redacted] enter the scene ready to hunt and more than one secret will be revealed in this seminal issue. $4.99 5/13/26
• 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 6/17/2026
• ABSOLUTE BATMAN #22
  (W) Scott Snyder (A) Werther Dell Edera (CA) Nick Dragotta
  THE ORIGIN OF HARLEY QUINN! As the Robins nest in Gotham's backyard, and Batman faces ultimate defeat, Harley Quinn's origin is revealed. How does Harley connect with Ark M, and how did the Robins fledge from hatchlings to birds of prey? The call of more than one predator will be answered in this issue. $4.99 7/8/2026

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