WARNING: Spoilers for ABSOLUTE BATMAN #1

With a rich comic history and a knack for upgrading his gear, Batman has one of the most diverse costume wardrobes in DC Comics. His looks range from the humble beginnings of wearing purple gloves to the more flamboyant, like the fan-loved rainbow batsuit. Yet, Batman’s latest costume transcends anything he has worn before, taking his cryptid status to unprecedented levels with a suit crafted almost entirely from weapons.

Is it a remarkable feat of engineering, or is there something more supernatural lurking beneath the surface of this Batman?

Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta, Frank Martin, and Clayton Cowles’s Absolute Batman #1 has completely redefined the Dark Knight in multiple ways. Within the Darkseid-created Absolute Universe, Bruce Wayne has been reimagined with a new origin story, a career as a civil engineer, one parent still alive, and significant changes to long-established aspects of his lore.

Perhaps the most visually striking alteration to Gotham’s protector, though, is his new Batsuit, which is as creepy as it is badass, featuring an eerie, almost sentient cape, a chest axe that detaches into a massive battle axe, and so much more.

Absolute Batman’s ‘Symbiote’ Cape & Back Spikes Elevate Him to Official Cryptid Status

Batman’s Suit Was Always Meant To Be Scary (But This Goes Beyond Scary)

The fear factor of the Batsuit is a long-established element of Batman’s lore, tracing back to Detective Comics #33 (1939) by Bill Finger, Gardner Fox, Bob Kane, and Sheldon Moldoff. This pivotal issue features the moment Bruce Wayne chooses his character-defining bat theme. While contemplating a disguise that will instill fear in the hearts of Gotham's superstitious criminals, a huge bat flies through the window of Bruce’s study. Upon seeing the bat, he exclaims, “A bat! That’s it! It’s an omen. I shall become a bat!”

Hence, from the very beginning, the Batsuit was intended to be creepy and scary. However, Absolute Batman takes the creepiness of the Batsuit to an unprecedented level, primarily due to the cape, which moves in a way that almost seems sentient—reminiscent of Marvel’s symbiote Venom. While this Batman is a career engineer, the cape’s movements transcend impressive engineering, especially with its tendril-like appendages that appear almost alien in origin. The cape also packs a massive punch, effortlessly disarming and tossing criminals around like ragdolls in the narrative.

Absolute Batman’s living-weapon cape is unlike anything any version of the Dark Knight has ever worn. Yet, it’s not the only weaponized and creepy aspect of this Batsuit. During a confrontation with Black Mask’s Party Animals, Bruce unveils another unique feature of his costume—massive spikes that shoot out from the back of his suit. These spikes further intensify this Batman’s cryptid appearance and raise intriguing questions: Are these spikes a remarkable feat of engineering, or is there something more supernatural lurking beneath the surface of this Batman?

Batman’s Chest Logo Is a MASSIVE Battle Axe

Bruce Wayne Debuted His Axe by Cutting Off a Man’s Hand

In addition to the back spikes and the Venom-esque cape, Batman reveals that even the logo of his Batsuit is a weapon. While facing off against the Party Animals, the Dark Knight pulls an axe-less haft from his utility belt and brings it to his chest. There, he attaches it to his logo, pulling it away to reveal that he has been wearing a giant axe head on his chest the entire time. Batman then uses the massive battle axe to sever the hand of one of the Party Animals in one clean swoop, emphasizing that not only is this Batman a walking arsenal, but he’s also unafraid to wield these weapons.

Bruce Wayne’s Bat Ears Are Detachable Combat Knives

Batman’s Ear-Knives Are a Tribute to a Classic Cowl Feature

While the chest axe, back spikes, and cape are the most notable features of this Batman’s suit, the weaponized cherry on top is the revelation that his extremely long bat ears are actually knives that detach from his cowl. The Dark Knight showcases his skills by slicing and dicing the Party Animals, striking just on the edge of lethality without crossing it. This addition pays homage to the long-established feature in DC lore that allows the bat ears to function as projectiles. However, Snyder and Dragotta elevate this concept by transforming them into actual combat knives. It’s exciting to see what other surprises the two creators have in store for Absolute Batman’s Batsuit.

Absolute Batman #1 is available now from DC Comics!