5 Reasons Batman’s Controversial New Logo Is a Good Thing (Hear Me Out!)

You’re probably already shaking your head, but I promise, the new Batman logo that’s getting fans up in arms is not that bad. If anything, I think it’s the perfect logo for the story it’s trying to tell for DC Comics’ new Absolute Universe.

In case you missed it, DC Comics has revealed a new Dark Knight to the world, the Absolute Batman. This Caped Crusader has lit the internet on fire, with many hotly debating the size and un-bat-like look of his new logo. If you’ve seen it and hate it, trust me, I understand. But let me just give you five reasons why I believe this new symbol is going to ultimately work.

5 DC Isn’t Changing the Prime Batman’s Symbol

The Biggest Bat Symbol Belongs to the Biggest Batman

For a lot of fans (and not just comic book fans, mind you), Batman is a property you do not change. There are elements that need to stay consistent in order for him to properly feel like the Dark Knight they know and love. His ‘no-killing’ code, his array of gadgets, and the bat-like image he projects. Some details can be played with across various alternate stories and media adaptations, but when fans see Batman, they want him to feel like the one they know. But when the general public discovered how Absolute Batman looked, all hell broke loose online.

Comic fans were still in the process of figuring out how they felt when DC Comics officially revealed the existence of the Absolute Universe in July. But even more people caught wind of Batman’s new look when DC revealed the official covers and variants for its first wave of Absolute titles. One set of variants was foil covers that showcased the new symbols and while Absolute Superman and Wonder Woman’s new crests received little-to-no pushback, numerous fans raged after seeing Absolute Batman’s logo. One fan even asked DC Studios’ James Gunn to do something about it (Sorry, but he can’t).

I don’t know if people were confused thinking that this was the main Batman’s new symbol or if some thought this is what Bruce’s logo would look like in a future movie, but let’s just make one thing clear: Absolute Batman has nothing to do with the Prime Universe Batman. The Bruce Wayne featured in Batman, Detective Comics, and almost every other DC book will still have a chest symbol that’s more familiar with what fans know. If you’re worried DC is making a permanent change to Batman’s iconic symbol, let me say it one more time: They’re not.

4 The New Bat Symbol is Contained to the Absolute Universe

DC Comics Goes All In Creating a New Batman for a New World

OK, so now that we’ve cleared things up and confirmed that this logo solely belongs to the Batman of the Absolute Universe, you might be asking ‘What the hell is the Absolute Universe?’. And that’s a great question because the truth is I don’t know. None of us who aren’t involved in the creative process know anything substantial yet. We know a few things based on what creators involved with the Absolute line have said. But first, we need to back up just a bit to discuss the initiative that’s going to usher in the Absolute Universe, DC All In.

Just before this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, DC Comics released a video announcement with Scott Snyder and Joshua Williamson to discuss DC All In, a new, line-wide initiative on the scale of the New 52 or Rebirth. The initiative spins out of the publisher’s current event Absolute Power and is set up in a special one-shot story DC All In Special #1. While Snyder and Williamson kept their cards close to their chests on the ‘why’ and ‘how’, Snyder did spill some secrets regarding the Absolute Universe and what would help it stand apart from the Prime DC Universe.

Snyder compared the universes by saying the Prime Universe was influenced by Superman energy and that this new world was built on ‘Darkseid energy’. As such, the Absolute Universe and its heroes lack many of the comforts their Prime counterparts have. Absolute Wonder Woman doesn’t have her Amazon sisters while Absolute Superman lacks his family and the Fortress of Solitude. As for Absolute Batman, he doesn’t have the privilege or wealth of other Batman. This Batman is a civil engineer who makes all of his unique gear by hand and boy, he’s got the muscles to show for it.

3 Absolute Batman’s Symbol Has an In-Universe Reason for Its Shape

This New Bat Symbol is a Weapon Hidden in Plain Sight

The idea that this logo is contained to one particular Batman may make it a little more palatable for some. But if you’re still not convinced by it, you should know that this symbol wasn’t made just to be as in-your-face as possible. I haven’t had the privilege of getting to speak with Scott Snyder or Nick Dragotta, but I did get to talk to Jason Aaron at this year’s SDCC. And he was very upfront that everything with Superman’s new look served a purpose. You’ll be happy to know that the same can be said for Absolute Batman.

While I didn’t talk to Snyder or Dragotta, I did get one of the Absolute Batman #1 ashcans which showcase our big new Batman in action. The last couple of pages showed a few of Nick Dragotta’s designs that dug into his design for Absolute Batman. Virtually everything in this Dark Knight’s costume is multi-functional. His ears? They serve as makeshift knives. The ends of Batman’s cape? Can be used to grab and sling criminals around like ragdolls. And that chest symbol that’s caused so much ire in recent weeks? It doubles as the head of Absolute Batman’s ax.

A bit of online searching can help you find the preview art that showcases Absolute Batman’s ax. But in case you can’t find it, just look up Jim Lee’s variant for Absolute Batman #1, which shows ‘thick boi’ Bruce holding his new weapon in the rain. Now I can understand those who don’t like the symbol because of how it looks. But at least it was designed with a purpose in mind. Not only does it give Batman a pretty cool new weapon, but it’s a testament to Absolute Batman’s resourcefulness and creativity as he begins his crime-fighting career.

2 Fans Generally Don’t Like New Costumes (And That’s OK!)

Big Changes and Comic Book Fans Don’t Always Mix

So this new symbol just belongs to Absolute Batman and it actually has an in-universe reason for its design. Maybe that’s enough for some fans to come around to this new crest. But some who know all of this still don’t like it, vastly preferring Batman having a symbol that actually looks like a bat. And you know what? That’s perfectly valid. Not every fan is going to like every costume, especially when publishers make big changes to characters that have been around for fans’ entire lives.

For those old enough to remember, right before the New 52, Wonder Woman had a costume change that had some fans absolutely seeing red. As part of the “Odyssey” storyline, Diana’s traditional outfit got a major overhaul, giving her a jacket, a choker, and, to the strange displeasure of some, pants. I remember seeing so many message boards freaking out about that costume, even though there wasn’t really anything that offensive about it. But for all the complaints that costume received, Wonder Woman’s “Odyssey” look stood the test of time and is remembered fondly by many fans.

Obviously, not every redesign is looked back on with love and affection (the New 52 is littered with costumes many fans would love to forget). But time has a funny way of giving us new perspectives on things as we move away from them. Is Absolute Batman going to be remembered as one of Bruce’s best new costumes ten years from now? I honestly have no idea. But I do think that there’s no reason getting up in arms about one particular Batman costume right now. Now if a decade from now, this costume is still hated, that’s another story.

1 Batman’s Symbol is Always Going to Evolve

The Bat Symbol Changes Over Time and We Should Welcome It

Batman is one of the few comic book characters who has a history vast enough to even generate a controversy like this. But the one thing that we have to remember is that the image we all have of Batman as he is today is one that’s been evolving since he first debuted nearly a century ago. Take a look at the Golden Age Batman for a second and really look at his symbol. It’s almost certainly nothing like the image most fans have in their head, but at the same time, it’s unequivocally Batman, right?

The thing about Batman is that he has so many fans, that there are always going to be disagreements when it comes to his symbol. Look at the yellow oval that was part of his costume throughout the Silver and Bronze Age. For some, it’s a crucial part of the Dark Knight’s look. Of others, it serves absolutely no purpose. As time goes on and Batman evolves, some fans are going to be partial to certain changes while others positively despise them. And yes, Absolute Batman’s symbol is a bit more radical, but it serves the story it’s trying to tell.

Absolute Batman is deviating from what fans know about Batman to truly explore the character. Changing the symbol is just one small way Snyder and Dragotta are conducting their experiment and I for one think we should give them a chance to see what they have in store. Is the Absolute Batman logo my favorite? No. But am I intrigued by it and do I want to see what the creative team has in store? Absolutely. I don’t know what DC Comics has planned for Absolute Batman and this curious redesign of the Dark Knight’s iconic symbol.

Absolute Batman #1 is available on October 9th from DC Comics.