When we got our first look at the Absolute Batman, his hulking image couldn't have seemed farther from what we typically associate with more famous versions of the Dark Knight. His muscular frame made him look like he needed to watch out for doorways more than bad guys, the logo on his chest was a geometry lesson (and an ax?!), and instead of a cape, he bore bat-paraphernalia on his hands like scimitars. However, as the new Absolute line of DC Comics has proven one after another with Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman, this look was deceiving. For all the fresh spins that these new books have provided, they are also deeply connected to the characters' long histories.
The Absolute line isn't alone in offering modern superhero reboots – Marvel is currently working on its own new wave of Ultimate comics, while the DC Universe film efforts are set to offer distinct incarnations of Superman and the Batman family over the next few years. But reboots can be a mixed bag of the timeless and the time-worn. Though the creators of many of these aforementioned series are doing a great job differentiating them from the past (Ultimate X-Men is a treat!), there is always the risk of falling into the familiar. Hit too many of the same beats and you defeat the purpose of having a reboot in the first place.
