Absolute Batman scribe Scott Snyder breaks down one of the most unsettling pieces of the Absolute Joker’s anatomy, and some fans will wish he hadn’t.
As explained in a recent Twitter post from Snyder himself, the Absolute Joker’s makeup is hardly what it appears. Snyder responded to an image of an upcoming variant cover for Absolute Batman #15 by Glenn Fabry that showcases the Absolute Joker’s grotesque visage, noting that “the red lines over his eyes are actually still his mouth. There are teeth in there,” much to the distress of fans across the internet. Readers can check out the image for themselves down below.
First glimpsed in the pages of Absolute Batman #1 by Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta, the Joker of the Absolute Universe is a far cry from both the Clown Prince of Crime fans are used to and the hulking monstrosity that has been teased at multiple points. So far, the Absolute Joker has played himself up to be a humorless and reclusive billionaire whose only real interest is in maintaining the status quo while expanding his personal power and influence. Over the course of his life, the Joker has cemented his place as both a titan of industry and an unrelenting powerhouse within the global underworld, largely thanks to his various Arks, such as Ark M, and the horrifying experiments they carry out in his name.
Back in September, Snyder gave fans their first glimpse at the Absolute Joker’s more monstrous form with an early preview of Nick Dragotta’s main cover art for Absolute Batman #15. The image features a crouching, albeit still hulking, Joker covered in spikes, spines, horns, and veins pulsing with what appears to be the infamous Venom serum that gave rise to Bane. The official solicit synopsis for Absolute Batman #15 from DC Comics reads, “SCOTT SNYDER REUNITES WITH LEGENDARY ARTIST JOCK! Alfred reveals to Bruce the story of the man he’s been chasing for years. Enter: Joker! Scott Snyder and Jock reunite for an epic tale in the Absolute Universe!”
While the Absolute Joker is gearing up to make a whole new kind of impression upon readers, the character’s original sidekick is preparing to take part in tearing down everything that he has built. Absolute Batman #13 saw the Absolute Universe’s very own Harley Quinn step out into the spotlight, putting a decidedly dour twist on both her and another classic Batman character. Rather than being a brightly colored antivillain, the Absolute Harley is the quietly calculating leader of the Red Hood Gang. During an explosive encounter between the Absolute Batman and the Red Hood Gang, Harley found an unlikely ally in the Dark Knight, as she harbors her own deep-seated reasons for wanting to help him sink the Joker’s Ark M into the very sea where it stands.
Absolute Batman #15 is currently slated to go on sale this December from DC Comics.
The cover to Batman issue #1 depicts Bruce Wayne as Batman and Dick Grayson as Robin swinging through Gotham City.
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