Absolute Batman # 1 The DC W.I.P. 11 X 17 Format Framed 2025 NM

The DC W.I.P. (Work In Progress): Absolute Batman #1 is a specialized, oversized "Artist's Edition" that showcases the raw, uncolored creation process of the debut issue. Released in September 2025, this edition allows fans to see the original artwork by Nick Dragotta at its actual drawn size (11" x 17"). Frame 14.25 X 20.25 Comic is Bagged and Double Boarded, too. 

Key Features of the WIP Edition 

• Original Art Reproduction: The book features high-quality scans of the original ink pages, including production details like pencil marks, white-out corrections, smudge marks, and even pieces of green painters tape used for paste-ups.
• Artistic Process: It provides a rare look at Dragotta's draftsmanship, highlighting his use of heavy blacks, brushwork, and manga-influenced storytelling techniques.
• Special Presentation: The edition uses semi-transparent digital lettering and a transparent logo on the cover to ensure the focus remains entirely on the background artwork.
• Behind-the-Scenes Content: It includes a brand-new introduction by Nick Dragotta and features roughs and thumbnails that illustrate how the book's sequences were built. 

Collector & Purchase Details 

The WIP edition has become a high-demand item for collectors due to its unique format and limited nature. 

• Format: Giant-Sized (11" x 17"), 48-page softcover.

Absolute Batman # 1, released on October 9, 2024, is the blockbuster debut of DC’s Absolute Universe. Created by writer Scott Snyder and artist Nick Dragotta, it reimagines Bruce Wayne as a working-class "chaos agent" rather than a billionaire socialite.

The Story & Setting

In this reality, the "wealth" is stripped away. Bruce Wayne is a massive, 6'6" city engineer who grew up in the public housing of Crime Alley.

• The Origin: His father, Thomas Wayne, was a social worker, and his mother, Martha, was a municipal employee. They were killed in a mass shooting at a zoo, leaving Bruce with a raw, structural understanding of Gotham’s decay.
• The Mission: Without a cave or a butler, Bruce uses his knowledge of Gotham's infrastructure to fight from the bottom up. He views Batman not as a symbol of order, but as a "beast" meant to tear down the corrupt systems of the elite.
• The Villains: The issue introduces the Party Animals, a lethal gang wearing animal masks, who serve a mysterious group of wealthy elites known as the Black Mask.

Key Reinventions

• The Arsenal: His bat-ears double as combat knives, and his massive cape is made of heavy, weighted ballistic material. His primary weapon is a brutal, foldable battle-axe formed from the chest emblem of his suit.
• Alfred Pennyworth: No longer a butler, Alfred is a high-level MI6 field agent sent to Gotham to observe and potentially neutralize the threat that Batman represents.
• The Batmobile: He drives a modified, heavy-duty armored motorcycle rather than a high-tech supercar.

Major First Appearances

The debut issue introduces reimagined versions of iconic heroes and villains: 

• Absolute Batman (Bruce Wayne): First full appearance of this 24-year-old, blue-collar civil engineer.
• Alfred Pennyworth: First appearance as a grizzled MI6 field agent and mercenary sent to observe Gotham.
• The Party Animals: First team appearance of this brutal, nihilistic criminal gang.
• Black Mask (Roman Sionis): First appearance as the lanky, lethal leader of the Party Animals.
• The Joker: First cameo appearance of this version, who is later revealed to be an amoral, billionaire mastermind. 

Supporting Cast Introductions

The issue also establishes many of Bruce Wayne’s friends and allies:

• Waylon Jones (Killer Croc): Introduced as Bruce’s close friend and the owner of "Croc’s Gym".
• Key Law Enforcement: First appearances of Mayor Jim Gordon, Officer Barbara Gordon, and Commissioner Harvey Bullock.
• Cameos & Flashbacks: Features the first appearances of Martha Wayne and Thomas Wayne (the latter dying in a flashback), as well as childhood versions of Selina Kyle, Oswald Cobblepot, Edward Nygma, and Harvey Dent seen in a photograph.