Whether or not you’ve read Absolute Batman, you probably know the DC book is charmingly over the top. A big Batman goes up against retooled versions of his rogues’ gallery that range from monstrously big Bane and Killer Croc to Poison Ivy as a living fusion of the animal kingdom and Scarecrow as…whatever the hell this scary thing is. And what about the next villain our hero will fight? Well, it’s actually two villains, and they’re both quite personal.
The DC Comics solicits for June 2026 reveal Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta’s Absolute Batman #21 will debut that universe’s Two-Face and Penguin. In this continuity, Harvey Dent, Waylon Jones, Oswald Cobblepot, Selina Kyle, and Eddie Nygma were Bruce’s childhood friends growing up. As adults, they all know about his night life, which led to Bane brutalizing Eddie, Oz and Harvey in ways that’s left the latter two angry at their friend.
That resentment has apparently now boiled over into full-on villainy, as the synopsis mentions that “friends become enemies, [and] enemies become friends.” Instead of taking on grotesque monster forms, the Absolute Two-Face has just grown his hair out to hide half of his face, which is blue as a nod to his most well-known (and less gruesome) version from Batman: The Animated Series. And instead of a double-headed coin, he’s got a poker chip to make decisions for him. As for Penguin, he’s using machine guns as crutches and… yeah, I can stop there; that’s just kinda cool as hell. Love it.
We’ll see if Bruce can repair his friendship with Harvey and Oz when Absolute Batman #21 hits shelves on June 10.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
