This article contains spoilers for Absolute Batman #3 (2025) by Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta.
Heroes are often confronted with impossible decisions, sometimes forced to choose one evil over another, which is exactly where Bruce Wayne has found himself. The offer on the table is 200 million for the Batman to stand down for 1 week, to yield his crusade and let the tides flow as they will. Doing so will allow the party animals to terrorize Gotham through murder and mass destruction. The greater evil: a blacksite prison called Ark M, which will infect Gotham and create an even more radical destruction, is heading straight for Gotham. If Batman stands down, the 200 million could be used by Batman to fight this greater evil.
A point Scott Snyder has made is this Batman is an average person mixed with an average amount of wealth. He lacks all the weapons and gadgets Earth-Prime Batman has. Which makes me wonder if this Batman will actually follow through on this deal when wealth is such a defining characteristic. It just seems too easy.
And there are people trying to coerce Batman, “look around, past your fists, at all the people who’ll get hurt. Look up past the towers, the satellites, at the forces at work. A whole sky tilted against you. And then look down past your feet, at how far you could fall, and do the only good thing you can” (Absolute Batman #3, 2024). Which seems like a strong argument. Look how far you could fall. Which is mentioned after Bruce speaks with his mother, implying she may be part of the casualties of Gotham. And remember, Bruce only has one parent, a parent who is not willing to lie low, a parent who wants to be the change in the world, a parent who is an easy target. For her, Batman must take the money.
And so, Batman agrees.
Overall, I think as the stakes are getting raised, I am finding myself more drawn into the story. Though this is lower on my list of favorite Absolute titles, I do appreciate the thought which has gone into the story.
