The Absolute Universe has built a name for itself by creating new and radically different versions of some of DC’s most beloved characters, and Absolute Batman is no different. Bruce Wayne has been reimagined as a broke, working man who is fighting against the corrupt powers that control his city and large swaths of the entire world. His allies have all but been stripped away, and his enemies have all become much darker than before. Now, DC is bringing in a new twist that stands to change everything about Batman’s mythos, and it will have horrible, long-lasting consequences for everyone involved.
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Absolute Batman #13 just introduced us to the Absolute version of Harley Quinn. While the maniac Joker is more than active in this universe, Harley isn’t anywhere near his sidekick. Instead, she’s the leader of a gang dedicated to bringing him down, and wields the same name the original Joker once used. Absolute Harley Quinn is the leader of the Red Hood gang. Not only is this a radical shift for her character, but it sets up the worst exchange for Batman of all time. If Batman gets Harley, then it stands to reason that the Joker will get Robin.
The Absolute Red Hood
Last issue, it was revealed that Batman had been working with the mysterious Red Hood to keep the peace in Gotham. It’s a gang comprised of plenty of Gotham’s youth who want a way to strike back at the system. They wear red hoodies and focus mainly on disrupting the city’s functions and hacking, and there are a lot of them. When Batman was almost broken by the horrific experiments inside Ark M, he told the gang to call off their plans, but they refused to listen. They were only working with Batman because it was convenient, but they had more than enough gumption to do it on their own.
This issue, Batman and Catwoman made their way to the abandoned amusement park they use as their base. After a brief fight, Batman convinced them that he was on their side, and their leader appeared to show her approval. Harley Quinn revealed herself and agreed to work with Batman to take down Ark M. Not only does Harley being the leader of the Red Hood change everything about her character, given that she’s nowhere near a doctor or working with the Joker, it sets up for the worst possible scenario for Batman’s usual partner.
The Looming Absolute Robin
Ever since Batman’s debut, people have been wondering about Absolute Robin. They’re the Dynamic Duo, and every Batman needs a Robin, so it was only a matter of time until he showed up. There’s already been some teasing, as a character who was almost certainly Dick Grayson made a small cameo as a paramedic in an earlier issue. However, this stunning reveal that Harley Quinn is working with Batman changes everything. Batman is working with the criminal gang Red Hood, and alongside that, the Joker founded the Absolute Justice League. Everything is backwards, and so this leads us to the possibility that Joker will create his own Robin.
Without Harley, Joker will need his own sidekick, after all. Joker will see that even his ultimate problem-solver, Bane, couldn’t stop Batman, and will have to try something new to bring down the Dark Knight. That could be a costumed vigilante of his own. Given their history in the Prime Universe, it’s very likely that the Joker will recruit a young Jason Todd to serve as his Robin to finally take down Batman. Joker would break Jason and turn him into his killing machine, maybe even getting him killed in the process, who’s to say. It would also play into the typical theme of Jason’s character if he eventually betrays Joker to join the other side and becomes Red Hood.
There’s also the possibility that Joker could recruit other Robins to join his cause. Such as the probably-adult-aged Dick Grayson, or even a different character connected to the Batman mythos. Joker could easily recruit the child-assassin Cassandra Cain to do his dirty work, given her reputation as the best fighter in the world. He could even attempt to clone Batman and wind up creating Damian as a test tube baby. There are plenty of likely options, but whichever one comes to pass, it’s almost a certainty that Joker will be getting his own Robin.
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Absolute Batman #13 is on sale now!
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