Absolute Batman readers are finally receiving a formal reveal and/or lore for a long-awaited villain. Indeed, thanks to Batman’s unexpectedly long visit to Absolute Batman’s Ark M, we’ve seen all manner of harrowing monstrosities and seeds planted for future interpretations of iconic Batman villains in this universe, with some of those seeds sprouting and flourishing sooner than others.
Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta’s ongoing Absolute Batman series has presented readers with fascinating reimaginings of these villains, such as Mister Freeze, Bane, Joker, Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, and Clayface, the latter of whom is getting their big debut in Absolute Batman #23. Fortunately, anyone who’s been wondering where Man-Bat has been, after Absolute Batman teased the villain so long ago, will soon have their answers.
Absolute Batman’s Man-Bat Makes Their Big Debut Soon
On Twitter/X, Snyder confessed that we will be seeing more of Man-Bat in the next Absolute Batman arc. It’s undetermined whether Man-Bat will be the next arc’s main villain or not, but it’ll be great to learn more about them nonetheless.
The first thing Batman sees when he glides down into Ark M in Absolute Batman #9 is a giant humanoid bat-like skeleton (the second thing being Bane). Then, an issue later, Batman stumbles upon Ark M Level 246, Langstrom Experiment, where he finds several variations of large, Man-Bat-like creatures.
Absolute Batman’s Bruce Wayne is currently reeling from the apparent revelation of his father, Thomas, truly being alive all this time and held captive by Joker and/or Scarecrow, and we know that Barbara Gordon’s Batgirl—the Bat, as she’s called in Absolute Batman—will make her first appearance as a costumed vigilante in Absolute Batman #24. How Man-Bat will fit into this story or the one after it is anyone’s guess, and it’s also a mystery as to whether there’ll be one Man-Bat, or many, after all. Plus, Man-Bat may turn out to merely be a side antagonist whom Batman fights amid a handful of other villains, as Absolute Batman #25 is promising a massive climax with “all the villains.”
All the villains. All the heroes. All the stakes. What’s left… of Absolute Batman?
DC’s Ark M Is The Gift That Keeps On Giving
In fact, in all likelihood, there will be more than one Man-Bat—a colony of Man-Bats, if you will—created or inspired by Dr. Kirk Langstrom’s research. Perhaps Langstrom is the prototypical Man-Bat whose DNA has been copied in order to spawn numerous other Man-Bats, but whichever Man-Bat is the main one will hopefully be far more impressive and haunting as an eldritch, winged horror.
Every new Absolute Batman villain now has the enormously daunting task of having to follow the ones that preceded it, and there will undoubtedly be high expectations regarding the design of Absolute Man-Bat due to how awe-inspiringly phenomenal Absolute Batman’s Clayface design is as a sculptor-esque figure.
Of course, another villain who’s given Man-Bat and all future Absolute Batman villains a high bar to clear is Absolute Wonder Woman’s Cheetah, whose design is a heinous, ungodly, and literal blend of the feline beast and Barbara Minerva. Either way, Man-Bat has been highly anticipated ever since he was first teased, and if any comic book continuity has the creative talents to make him wonderfully scary and novel, it’s Absolute Batman.
Absolute Batman is scheduled to be released on August 12, 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
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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.