Bane Co-Creator Graham Nolan Calls New "Absolute Bane" Design “An Abomination”
It didn’t take long for DC Comics’ Absolute Bane to turn heads, and not in a good way.
The latest issue of Absolute Batman #9 introduced an updated version of Bane, one that’s… well, let’s just say the proportions are off. Think massive, hulking body. Now shrink the head. No, smaller. A little more. There you go.
Fans weren’t the only ones baffled by the redesign. Bane’s co-creator Graham Nolan saw the image and made his feelings known loud and clear. Taking to X, Nolan posted: “As the designer /co-creator of Bane…this is a terrible abomination.”
When someone followed up and asked if it was mainly the head that bothered him, Nolan simply responded, “We can start there.” And when asked if he’s ever seen other successful takes on the character over the years, he said: “Of course. Many have, and done excellent interpretations. This is not one of them.”
The entire Absolute line of DC Comics has taken a big swing in reimagining its core characters. This alternate universe strips away key elements of origin stories and reshapes the icons from the ground up.
In this world, Bruce Wayne doesn’t have money, his mother is still alive, Alfred’s an MI6 agent, and most of his rogues gallery, including Catwoman and Killer Croc, are his friends.
So, yeah, everything’s different. Superman remembers Krypton vividly and rocks a nano-tech cape with built-in AI. Wonder Woman was never on Themyscira because it doesn’t exist. She’s raised by Circe on a monster island and rides a skeletal Pegasus that feeds on magic. It’s all very metal. But for many longtime readers, it's been… alienating.
The art by Nick Dragotta in Absolute Batman has been intentionally exaggerated. This Batman is the biggest ever put on the page, oversized, and Bane, who’s supposed to be his physical equal or superior, has now been pumped up to match. Unfortunately, in doing that, the anatomy feels more silly.
So far, Dragotta hasn’t responded to Nolan’s comments, but fans continue to debate the design online. Is this version of Bane bold or broken? Creative or cringeworthy?
Whatever your stance, one thing’s clear: the Absolute Universe isn’t afraid to tear things down and start from scratch.
