The man who helped Batman become the man he is today has just been killed in one of the most gruesome twists of 2025. Everyone knows that the Batman mythology is filled with people who helped transform Bruce Wayne from a man into one of the most effective superheroes in the DC Universe. These figures, though helpful to Bruce as they were, don’t factor into every story, but their role in DC lore is never forgotten. Which is why it makes it that much more tragic when they pop up again in more tragic circumstances.
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Fans who have been keeping up with DC Comics’ Absolute Universe know one solemn truth: Nothing is off limits in this world. The brutal universe that Darkseid has shaped with his Omega Energy is darker, and it’s geared towards robbing the heroes of things that have made their lives in the Prime Universe so much easier. But in Absolute Batman’s case, it’s not just the mansion or Batcave that’s been taken from him, but people who could have otherwise assisted this version of Batman, just like they did his doppelganger.
The Joker Kills Harvey Harris, Batman’s Detective Mentor
In Absolute Batman #15 by Scott Snyder and Jock, fans finally get everything they’ve wanted to know about this world’s version of the Joker. Narrated by Alfred, he goes over the history of the Grimm family, a powerful dynasty that got its start in entertainment way back in the 1800s. Alfred tells Batman that, publicly, the Grimms are known as wealthy, but philanthropic visionaries. But there’s a darker secret that binds the Grimms from Joseph ‘Jack’ Grimm all the way to his great-grandson, Jack Grimm V.
Alfred reveals that the Grimms aren’t what they seem and that they’ve been playing both sides of history and conning people for years. They’ve financed disasters and aid, enriching themselves. Worse, anyone who’s looked into them too closely has been disappeared or died under suspicious circumstances. Harvey Harris, an FBI associate of Alfred’s, was investigating them, only to end up dying in a boat accident. Alfred also reveals that he secretly believes that the Grimm family is a fabrication made up by Jack Grimm V, extending his life through some unknown means.
Alfred’s worst fears are correct. Because, as he and Bruce are talking, the Joker is on one of his many private islands. But it isn’t wild game he’s hunting here, but rather, people. The unlucky victim in this case is Harvey Harris, Alfred’s former colleague, who’s been stranded on this island for decades. Sadly, he’s not getting out as Jack reveals his monstrous true form, stalking, killing, and eating poor Harvey before he can even make a vain attempt at saving his life.
Harvey Harris’ Death Reinforces the Bleakness of the Absolute Universe
In case the name doesn’t ring a bell, Harvey Harris is a deep-cut character from the Silver Age. Once one of the premier detectives in Gotham City, he was approached by a young Bruce Wayne, who requested that Harris mentor him. Harris only had a handful of appearances in the Pre-Crisis DC Universe, but he was reintroduced into DC continuity as one of the people Bruce learned from when he was traveling the world. Harris hasn’t factored into many modern Batman stories, but he does stand out as one of Batman’s most well-known teachers.
There’s a real irony to Harris dying in the Absolute Universe. Aside from the fact that it fits the overall ‘vibe’ of this world, Harris was crucial to helping Bruce rein in his temper to prevent emotion from clouding his judgment as a detective. We’ve all seen just how much anger drives Absolute Batman, and it makes thematic sense since Bruce doesn’t have the people who taught him how to properly channel his emotions. Just another way that Darkseid is putting these heroes at a disadvantage.
Granted, I’m sure this was included more as a fun Easter egg than any serious example of just how much Darkseid has taken away from heroes like Batman. But seeing Harris meet such a grizzly end is still uncomfortable, and it shows just how high the stakes are in this world. Batman does still have allies, but he’s facing an incredibly uphill battle, and he’s going to have to do it without some of the things that the Dark Knight generally relies on.
How do you feel about Batman’s mentor dying in the Absolute Universe? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!
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