WARNING: Contains Potential Spoilers for ABSOLUTE BATMAN #10 (2025)!
TRIGGER WARNING: Body Horror
Fans are plenty used to Batman getting reimagined Batsuit designs, but DC is taking things to the next level by giving Bruce Wayne himself a redesign, one that puts body horror at the very forefront and is sure to leave all fans with one singular question: “Should we be worried for Batman?”
It remains uncertain whether Batman will develop any special abilities, like those of the other prisoners…
Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta, and Frank Martin’s Absolute Batman #10 picks up right where the last issue left off, with Bruce Wayne captured inside Ark-M, the newly opened black site prison in Gotham. This issue sees Bruce confined to one of Ark-M’s cells, where Doctor Arkham oversees efforts to break the hero while also conducting heinous experiments on him.
The issue shows Bruce going through repeated cycles of escaping his cell, only to be captured again by Bane and subjected to grueling procedures. Eventually, Bruce undergoes a series of treatments that result in a true body horror nightmare.
Batman Just Endured His Most Gruesome Transformation Yet
Main Cover by Nick Gragotta for Absolute Batman #10 (2025)
On day 91 of his captivity, Doctor Arkham records Bruce’s ongoing “progress,” noting that after two weeks of surgeries, Bruce has managed to survive the full cycle, something none of the 26 previous subjects could do. Among the procedures he endured were a craniotomy and a brainstem insertion, both of which were extremely risky and painful.
The damage Bruce has suffered is not just internal. His outward appearance also reflects the trauma he has endured. He now has a bald head and unnaturally pale skin, marked by large, protruding toxic-green veins that resemble Bane’s, making Bruce look more like a monster than a hero.
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It is clear Bruce has been in constant and intense pain throughout these procedures, but fans still do not know exactly what the experiments have done to him. It remains uncertain whether he will develop any special abilities like other prisoners who have undergone Ark-M’s torturous treatments, including the now-mutated Waylon Jones and Poison Ivy.
Absolute Batman Sets Up a Dark Knight Who’s No Longer Fully Human
Cover B Gabriele Dell’Otto Variant for Absolute Batman #10 (2025)
Absolute Batman #11 may reveal more about the effects these experiments have had on Bruce, but until then, fans are left to speculate. It is possible the procedures were done merely to test Bruce’s pain threshold, especially since both Arkham and Bane have shown a strong desire to see him broken. However, the fact that 26 others were also put through this same process suggests there is a larger purpose beyond just pain.
If Bruce were to become a mutant or develop metahuman abilities, it would mark a significant deviation from standard Batman lore. Seeing a version of the Dark Knight who is no longer entirely human in a main continuity storyline would be an exciting twist. However, it is sure to draw criticism from Batman fans who prefer the traditional version of the character.
ABSOLUTE BATMAN #10 is available now from DC Comics!
