Absolute Batman comics are an outright hijack of a classic character who has, for decades, embodied justice and individualism. Batman wasn’t meant to be a mouthpiece for woke politics, yet here we are, watching as DC transforms the Dark Knight from a symbol of law and order into a partisan warrior fighting political battles with a left-wing slant. It’s not just a rewrite; it’s an insult to loyal readers who grew up loving Batman as the tough, uncompromising protector of Gotham, not as a social crusader with a political agenda.
Scott Snyder, the architect behind this reboot, insists he’s distilling Batman to his core by making him a victim of modern-day traumas like school shootings and economic instability. It sounds noble until you realize this “distilled” Batman is depicted strangling ICE agents and white power activists in storylines dripping with political posturing. Daniel Warren Johnson’s Absolute Batman 2025 Annual is an even more brazen, heavy-handed mess masquerading as a bold political statement.
It’s a comic that pounds readers over the head with the messaging that superheroes should be literal executioners against anyone deemed a political enemy, in this case, white supremacists and ICE agents. The annual features scenes where Batman brutalizes a violent white supremacist gang and strangulates an ICE officer, making it glaringly obvious that the story’s intent is to endorse violent political extremism masked as heroic justice. The entire comic is a diatribe of social justice messaging.
The narrative collapses Batman’s complex moral code into a simplistic and dangerous vigilante fantasy where lethal force is the go-to response for politically defined enemies. This isn’t the Batman fans know, a thoughtful, calculating protector who seeks order rather than chaos. Instead, Johnson’s Batman takes on the role of a far left-wing executioner, endorsing firebombing and brutal beatdowns with little regard for nuance or character consistency.
Artistically, Johnson’s work is usually fun to look at. It’s intense and chaotic, and is visually compelling but here the work is narratively reckless. It’s a fever dream of a story drenched in a righteous fury that forgoes subtlety and nuance. The political allegories are clumsy, using hyperbolic extremism rather than any meaningful exploration of themes, instead branding anyone who disagrees with its ideology as a villain deserving of violence, fostering a toxic divisiveness rather than thoughtful discourse. You just know Johnson was primaly aroused while he drew the pages. It’s masturbatory.
What Warren Johnson can’t stand is the fact that Batman has always been right-wing, and commentator Connor Tomlinson’s video essay breaks it down beautifully.
Batman Has Always Been Right Wing
Less an exploration of Batman’s enduring mythos, this comic is a self-righteous propagandistic vehicle. It insults the intelligence of readers by reducing a complex character into a blunt instrument for political messaging. If this is a new direction for Batman, longtime fans have every right to feel outraged and alienated. Daniel Warren Johnson’s Batman forgoes depth and character for cheap political theatrics, eroding what made Batman a lasting icon in the first place. It’s little more than a shameful, divisive chapter in the franchise’s legacy.
We’re seeing this trend more and more. Left wing idealogues are taking beloved characters and co-opting them as tools in their political struggle sessions, disrespecting fans and readers who only want escapisms and fun stories. Absolute Batman isn’t a fresh take. It’s a politicized spectacle that cheapens a hero who deserves far better. For those who remember the true Batman, this new direction is more than disappointing, it’s downright offensive.
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English (US) · 