DC Comics Just Made One Iconic Batman Death Far More Tragic

Death is an all-too-common occurrence in Batman’s life, and tragically, one death just got worse. Batman’s very origin is connected to the loss of loved ones. His parents were gunned down in front of him after a showing of a Zorro movie, and that event would leave a long-lasting impression on Bruce, one that sent him down the path of becoming the hero he is today. Ever since Batman burst onto the comic book scene, other storytellers have taken cracks at updating or reinventing the Waynes’ deaths, but rarely have any hit as hard as the original.

Now that being said, Absolute Batman made a huge change to Batman’s origins by slightly altering things. Instead of losing both parents, Bruce only lost his dad as a child. And instead of dying in a mugging gone awry, Thomas Wayne was a victim of a mass shooter incident at a zoo (where he was leading a field trip for Bruce’s class). That loss haunted Bruce, arguably more so than the deaths that tormented his Prime Universe counterpart. And sadly, the Absolute Universe wasn’t done taking things away from its Batman.

Martha Wayne Meets Her End Thanks to the Court of Owls

Now, with Scott Snyder penning Absolute Batman, fans have been wondering if and when they’d appear in this new world. After all, this was a world where powerful elites like Joker and Ra’s al Ghul ran everything, so it seemed like this world was primed for a Court of Owls. And we finally got our answers in Absolute Batman #17 via its stunning epilogue, which revealed that Bruce’s mother, Martha, was once a member of the Court, and she’s getting back in touch with them.

Absolute Batman #18 by Snyder, Eric Canete, Frank Martin, and Clayton Cowles, builds on that stunning cliffhanger. Matha has left Gotham for New Mexico, and while leaving a message for Bruce, she’s confronted by an armored vehicle filled with people dressed in owl-themed paramilitary gear. Martha is abducted and taken to an airfield where she’s grilled by her former associates. Apparently, back in the day, Martha served as a Talon, one of the Court’s elite operatives. But the Court had to go underground after they were targeted by a powerful and influential person (hinted to be the Joker).

To make matters worse, the Court wants to take Martha out for violating the team’s agreed-upon no-contact rule. But Martha uses the opportunity to remind the Court of the things they once stood for. In the Absolute Universe, the Court of Owls operated in the shadows in order to strike back against the ruling elite. Martha notes that the team was defeated, but tells her allies that things are changing in Gotham and that they can continue their fight. Unfortunately, Martha’s words fall on deaf ears as one of the Court’s Owls pulls the trigger, seemingly killing her.

What Losing Martha Means for Absolute Batman

Obviously, this is going to have a serious effect on Absolute Batman. Losing his father back in the day was enough to fill him with an anger that’s lasted Bruce into his twenties. I can’t imagine him coping very well with the loss of Martha, either. Despite losing Thomas, this version of Bruce still had a connection to his past, a grounding presence in the form of his mother. Now she’s gone, and with Bruce’s mission growing increasingly difficult, there’s no telling what he’ll be like with the last of his family gone.

I find it interesting that this issue had a theme of needing to evolve (something hammered home quite a bit during Batman’s battle with Poison Ivy). By the end of this issue, we see that Batman is evolving in the sense that he’s growing colder. He’s given up on trying to repair things with his friends, and when it comes to taking down villains, he’s flirting with the idea of killing. Bruce is clearly not in a great place right now, and what’s going to exacerbate things is the loss of one of the few people left in his corner.

The Absolute Universe is not a forgiving world, and it often takes more than it ever gives people like Batman. Sure, it gave him Martha longer than the Prime Bruce ever had with her, but in the end, he still lost her at a point where he needed her the most. Thankfully, Bruce isn’t alone as he still has allies like Alfred and Harley Quinn. But losing Martha is going to have a major effect on Batman, one that’s more than likely going to take him to some very dark places in the coming months.

What do you think about Batman losing Marth to the Court of Owls? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!

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