DC Is Getting Rid Of A Major Batman Villain, And It’s A Big Mistake

Published Sep 19, 2026, 10:30 PM EDT

Jared is a writer, editor, and Communications Studies graduate who loves popular nerd culture (almost anything to do with Marvel, DC, Star Wars, or The Lord of the Rings) and the interactive storytelling medium. Jared's first console was the PS1, wherein he fell for Spider-Man, Spyro the Dragon, and Crash Bandicoot.

Absolute Batman is nearly a quarter of the way to 100 issues, and it will hopefully go on for at least as many as that. Batman unquestionably has enough villains in his traditional rogues’ gallery rotation to accommodate 100 issues, but, for the last 23, Absolute Batman has debuted villain after villain at a breakneck pace. Not every arc has been as long as others, for instance, with some iconic Batman villains being given a taller pedestal than the rest.

It’s still bizarre and dizzying that Mister Freeze arrived as one of the most terrifying Absolute Batman villains and vanished without any breadcrumbs to trace thereafter. Now, considering how profoundly Absolute Batman’s Scarecrow has affected Bruce Wayne’s whole world in tandem with Joseph “Jack” Grimm’s Joker, it’s rather odd that he might not be around to see Barbara Gordon finally don Batman’s cowl and Jim Gordon’s coat and make her debut as the Bat.

Absolute Batman Teases Scarecrow’s Departure From Gotham City

Absolute Batman #24 is being highly secretive ahead of its release next week, with only two lettered preview pages revealed. However, in one of these pages alone, a surprisingly rich portrait is painted regarding what Joker and Scarecrow’s relationship is like in Absolute Batman, with Scarecrow then seemingly leaving Gotham City after having successfully played his part in Joker’s machinations.

The decision to have Scarecrow leave already would be irritating for two reasons: firstly, Scarecrow’s own “Straw Man” storyline hasn’t even concluded, meaning that it would obviously lack resolution if he were to be written out of Absolute Batman so unceremoniously; and secondly, Scarecrow leaving so soon would mean that the Bat won’t be able to settle the score and fight him for however long he’s away. Scarecrow won’t be gone forever, of course, and there’s a high likelihood that, for the aforementioned reasons, he won’t actually be gone at all.

Scarecrow’s Not Really Gone, Though, Is He?

On the one hand, Scarecrow legitimately leaving Gotham would be highly unsatisfying. But, on the other hand, it’d be equally unsatisfying to show readers that Scarecrow has left Gotham, only for him to still be around, much less make an appearance again later in this same issue or Absolute Batman #25. Plus, Absolute Batman #24 is the second-last issue of Scarecrow’s debut arc, and it would be foolish not to suspect any more of the Straw Man and his artful subterfuge.

Regardless, Snyder and Dragotta clearly want readers to believe that Scarecrow has packed his bags, even though readers can rest assured in knowing full well that he’ll be back—the “Now leaving” signage Scarecrow passes by even says, “Come back soon,” foreshadowing that he may not be gone for long. Either way, it’s thrilling that Barbara will become the Bat in this upcoming issue, and it’ll be neat to see how the series itself takes shape in the aftermath of Absolute Batman #25, which is apparently remarkably climactic. The solicitation for Absolute Batman #24 reads as follows:

WITHOUT THE BADGE... WITHOUT HER FATHER... ABSOLUTE BAT ENTERS THE SCENE. In the battle of self, of Batman versus Batman, there can be only one. Everyone Bruce has ever known, ever cared about, or ever loved will face their ultimate inner demons.

Absolute Batman #24 is scheduled to be released on September 23, 2026.