Blab Entertainment
Absolute Batman #21 Delivers First Face-to-Face Clash with Absolute Joker
When the bat‑winged guardian finally meets the caped clown, the Absolute Universe’s long‑awaited showdown lands in a towering confrontation that echoes Christopher Nolan’s cinematic apex.
Scott Snyder’s latest script and Nick Dragotta’s dynamic pencils bring that moment to life in Absolute Batman #21, now available in comic shops and through DC’s official channels. The issue marks the first time the series’ version of Batman and the reimagined Joker lock eyes in the pages of a comic book.
The Absolute Universe, launched in October 2024, reimagines DC’s iconic figures in a shared Alpha‑World setting. Absolute Batman follows a 24‑year‑old Bruce Wayne who grew up in Crime Alley, works as a civil engineer, and fashions his own gear to fight crime. In contrast to mainstream continuity, he lacks inherited wealth or a butler; his enemies are childhood friends turned foes—Killer Croc, the Riddler, and Penguin. The imprint debuted with this title, alongside Absolute Wonder Woman and Absolute Superman.
Absolute Joker is revealed as Joseph “Jack” Grimm V, a billionaire industrialist who commands vast resources and a cadre of trained Robins. Grimm’s narrative arc has him morph into an eldritch horror and possess near‑immortality, a truth first disclosed in Absolute Batman #15 when Alfred Pennyworth explains Grimm’s true identity.
In #21, Bruce Wayne confronts Grimm atop a high‑rise still under construction. The setting mirrors the climactic scene of The Dark Knight, also on an unfinished tower. Batman refuses to let Grimm fall, echoing the film’s moment when the hero saves the villain. Grimm’s form shifts into a monstrous version, catching Bruce after a fall and saving him from a steel girder—an image that feels both familiar and freshly terrifying.
The issue also expands on recent plot threads. Earlier in the series, Jack and the Scarecrow orchestrated Thomas Wayne’s murder and framed Bruce for the death of Jim Gordon. Grimm’s sway over Gotham’s mayor painted Batman as a terrorist, a storyline that culminated in the confrontation in #21.
Absolute Batman #21 is part of a title that has already proven commercially successful. The first issue sold nearly 400,000 copies in 2024, and by the end of 2025 the series had sold close to three million copies—about 35 % of the Absolute line’s sales that year. The series has also earned critical recognition, including an Eisner Award nomination for Best New Series.
The meeting between Bruce and Grimm is described as a “historic first encounter” and a “fascinating showdown” in the source article. The narrative draws a direct comparison to Heath Ledger’s Joker in The Dark Knight, noting that both characters share a belief that their conflict is destined to continue.
Fans of the Absolute Universe can expect the series to keep probing the complex relationship between Batman and Joker, as well as the broader implications of the Alpha‑World setting. Absolute Batman #21 delivers a landmark moment by bringing the two central characters together on a high‑rise, echoing a pivotal film moment while expanding the narrative of the Absolute Universe.
The issue is currently in print and can be purchased through DC’s official channels and major comic book retailers.
Scott Snyder’s latest script and Nick Dragotta’s dynamic pencils bring that moment to life in Absolute Batman #21, now available in comic shops and through DC’s official channels. The issue marks the first time the series’ version of Batman and the reimagined Joker lock eyes in the pages of a comic book.
The Absolute Universe, launched in October 2024, reimagines DC’s iconic figures in a shared Alpha‑World setting. Absolute Batman follows a 24‑year‑old Bruce Wayne who grew up in Crime Alley, works as a civil engineer, and fashions his own gear to fight crime. In contrast to mainstream continuity, he lacks inherited wealth or a butler; his enemies are childhood friends turned foes—Killer Croc, the Riddler, and Penguin. The imprint debuted with this title, alongside Absolute Wonder Woman and Absolute Superman.
Absolute Joker is revealed as Joseph “Jack” Grimm V, a billionaire industrialist who commands vast resources and a cadre of trained Robins. Grimm’s narrative arc has him morph into an eldritch horror and possess near‑immortality, a truth first disclosed in Absolute Batman #15 when Alfred Pennyworth explains Grimm’s true identity.
In #21, Bruce Wayne confronts Grimm atop a high‑rise still under construction. The setting mirrors the climactic scene of The Dark Knight, also on an unfinished tower. Batman refuses to let Grimm fall, echoing the film’s moment when the hero saves the villain. Grimm’s form shifts into a monstrous version, catching Bruce after a fall and saving him from a steel girder—an image that feels both familiar and freshly terrifying.
The issue also expands on recent plot threads. Earlier in the series, Jack and the Scarecrow orchestrated Thomas Wayne’s murder and framed Bruce for the death of Jim Gordon. Grimm’s sway over Gotham’s mayor painted Batman as a terrorist, a storyline that culminated in the confrontation in #21.
Absolute Batman #21 is part of a title that has already proven commercially successful. The first issue sold nearly 400,000 copies in 2024, and by the end of 2025 the series had sold close to three million copies—about 35 % of the Absolute line’s sales that year. The series has also earned critical recognition, including an Eisner Award nomination for Best New Series.
The meeting between Bruce and Grimm is described as a “historic first encounter” and a “fascinating showdown” in the source article. The narrative draws a direct comparison to Heath Ledger’s Joker in The Dark Knight, noting that both characters share a belief that their conflict is destined to continue.
Fans of the Absolute Universe can expect the series to keep probing the complex relationship between Batman and Joker, as well as the broader implications of the Alpha‑World setting. Absolute Batman #21 delivers a landmark moment by bringing the two central characters together on a high‑rise, echoing a pivotal film moment while expanding the narrative of the Absolute Universe.
The issue is currently in print and can be purchased through DC’s official channels and major comic book retailers.
