Ever since he shatteredBatman’sspine inKnightfall,Banehas stood as one of the Dark Knight’s most formidable foes. Known for his monstrous strength and imposing size, DC is now taking things even further—making him bigger, deadlier, and rewriting his origin in the process.
….Snyder’s hint about Deathstroke entering the narrative is sure to catch the attention of die-hard fans of the mercenary.
Scott Snyder recently sat down with CBR for an in-depth interview discussing all thingsAbsolute Batman—the Dark Knight-centric narrative set withinDC’s newly created Absolute Universe. This innovative series has already introduced a host of reimaginings of iconic villains, including Black Mask—the primary antagonist—alongside foes like The Joker, Killer Croc, The Riddler, Two-Face, The Penguin, and Catwoman.
However,Snyder hinted that even more rogues are gearing up to join the narrative, including Mad Hatter, Man-Bat, and Hugo Strange, with the notable return of Banebeing one of the most exciting developments fans can look forward to.
“He’s Scarier, Bigger, Tougher, Smarter”:Scott Snyder Teases ABSOLUTE BANE
Cover C Francesco Francavilla Variant forAbsolute Batman#4 (2025)
When discussing the villains of the Absolute Universe, Snyder teased that fans can expect to see various iconic rogues introduced into this unique Batman universe, with these appearances starting to trickle in with the second arc, beginning inAbsolute Batman#7(2025).Snyder then turned his attention to Bane specifically, revealing that while his origin will be revamped—just like every other character in the Absolute Universe—it will still retain elements of the original, staying true to what makes Bane such a memorable and iconic villain.
Snyder elaborated that Bane will be“who he’s always been, but it just makes him even bigger and more dangerous… So he’s scarier, tougher, smarter—all of it.”Given that Bane is already one of Batman’s most formidable enemies, this revelation is particularly intriguing. The notion of an even more terrifying and physically imposing Bane is hard to fathom. However, this amplification of size and threat aligns perfectly withthe overarching theme ofAbsolute Batman, which emphasizes making everything—including the Dark Knight himself—bigger and more formidable,evident in thelarger versions of his Batmobileand Bat Logo, among other things.
Scott Snyder: I do! You’re going to start to see the connection between a lot of your favorite villains from Batman’s rogues gallery – from Mad Hatter, Man-Bat, Hugo Strange, and Arkham. You’re going to start to see how all of these villains figure into our Batman universe in a really special way coming in the second arc.
You’re going to learn about Bane. Bane comes in. Bane’s origin is new, but it speaks to the old one. It’s very much in conversation with who he’s always been, but it just makes him even bigger and more dangerous, in my opinion. So he’s scarier, bigger, tougher, smarter – all of it. You’re even going to see a little bit of Deathstroke and how he has history with Alfred [Pennyworth].
Deathstroke Fans Rejoice: Bane Isn’t the Only A-List Villain Coming toAbsolute Batman
Main Cover by Nick Dragotta forAbsolute Batman#4 (2025)
While the news of Bane’s impending arrival in the Absolute Universe is incredibly exciting, Snyder’s hint about Deathstroke entering the narrative is sure to catch the attention of die-hard fans of the mercenary. Snyder teased,“You’re even going to see a little bit of Deathstroke and how he has history with Alfred [Pennyworth].”Given thatAlfred Pennyworth is a hitmanin this universe, it makes sense that he would have a connection to Slade Wilson, considering the latter’s own mercenary background. WhileAbsolute Batmanis already a major hit among fans, the introduction of iconic villains likeBaneandDeathstrokewill undoubtedly ramp up the excitement for this narrative.
