While DC’s mainline Barbara Gordon is barely keeping her head above water in Gotham City Police Commissioner Vandal Savage’s Supermax, a brand-new Batgirl is about to make her debut next month. Unlike the Absolute universe’s Robins, who arrived suddenly and have already suffered a loss at the hands of Clayface, Barbara has been around as a supporting character in this continuity since Absolute Batman #1.
Barbara’s been simmering on low heat all along, and it wasn’t clear until issues #17 and #18 that her destiny of becoming Batgirl in this universe would soon be fulfilled, thanks to Batman giving Barbara a cape tendril and a cowl, as well as planting seeds for the idea that she’d need to “evolve” to fight what’s coming. Barbara’s Batgirl teases have been piecemeal so far, but she’s finally ready to make her debut—not as Batgirl, but as the Bat.
Of course, what truly propelled Barbara toward becoming the Bat is the murder of her father, Jim Gordon. Unsure of whether she believes in the law’s ability to deliver justice, Barbara fundamentally disagrees with Absolute Dick Grayson’s stance on the Robins and Batman at Jim’s funeral, and it’s obvious that she sees something of value in what Batman has been able to achieve, hence why she’s choosing to adopt his iconography and don her father’s trench coat.
The last appearance we have of Barbara before we see her as the Bat is in a surprising Absolute Wonder Woman cameo, however. Here, Barbara meets with Etta Candy and asks her about her experiences battling corruption (basically trying to find validation for fighting crime as a vigilante, rather than as a police officer).
Absolute Batman #24 is dedicated to Barbara becoming the Bat, and she’ll apparently be featured prominently thereafter and receive her own Batman: Year One-esque story. Interestingly, we know that the Bat will arm herself with Batman’s modified, non-lethal shotgun. The last time we saw this shotgun was when Alfred shot Bruce with it in Absolute Batman #23, suggesting that Barbara may be invited into the Absolute universe’s Bat-Family proper and supplied with whatever crime-fighting equipment this novel iteration of Batgirl desires. The solicitation for Absolute Batman #24 reads as follows:
WITHOUT THE BADGE… WITHOUT HER FATHER… ABSOLUTE BAT ENTERS THE SCENE. In the battle of self, of Batman versus Batman, there can be only one. Everyone Bruce has ever known, ever cared about, or ever loved will face their ultimate inner demons.
Absolute Batman #24 is scheduled to be released on September 23, 2026.
- Created By
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Bob Kane, Bill Finger
- Alias
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Bruce Wayne
- Alliance
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Justice League, Outsiders, Batman Family
- Race
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Human
- Franchise
- D.C.
One of DC’s most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world’s leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.
