The DC Comics solicitations for June 2026 came out earlier today, and two specific covers set social media ablaze for Absolute Batman #21. The main cover, featuring Two-Face, and a variant featuring Penguin, give us a first peek behind the curtain of these yet-to-rise supervillains. While these Absolute versions of the characters share familiar elements, they also introduce nuanced new details that set them apart.
The devil is in the details
Two-Face looks familiar in the black-and-white suit, though his very blue skin is more akin to Batman: The Animated Series than to mainline Two-Face. The biggest differences, however, are his long hair, not unlike that of an overly dramatic manga character, and his coin.
Or is it a poker chip?
Looking closely, the object he’s flipping has the colors of what appears to be a poker chip. Could Absolute Two-Face be in the casino business?
When it comes to Penguin, he’s nearly unrecognizable, save for the widow’s peak haircut. Based on how Bane left him, his armored shoulder and back pieces are likely keeping him standing up straight, and the darkness of his jaw seems to suggest some augmentation as well. Gone here is the classic umbrella, and instead, he’s got machine gun crutches. These gun-crutches also seem to have bullet rounds similar to what Catwoman uses for her whip. Curious, is there a connection between the two?
Beyond looks, the big difference between these villains and those in the main universe is that they are close friends with Bruce Wayne and know he’s Batman. That’s likely going to make things tricky for Batman to navigate as his growing rogues gallery comes knocking at his door.
Want more info on Absolute Batman villains? Read our Absolute Joker primer.
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