{"id":34615,"date":"2026-07-09T07:08:10","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T11:08:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/absolute-batman-23-reveals-clayfaces-terrifying-new-look\/"},"modified":"2026-07-09T07:08:10","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T11:08:10","slug":"absolute-batman-23-reveals-clayfaces-terrifying-new-look","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/absolute-batman-23-reveals-clayfaces-terrifying-new-look\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Absolute Batman\u2019 #23 Reveals Clayface\u2019s Terrifying New Look"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tScreenshot<\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Absolute Batman<\/em> #22 hit comic shops yesterday, and, as usual, Scott Snyder<\/strong> and Nick Dragotta<\/strong> somehow found another gear.<\/p>\n

This issue shifts the spotlight to Harley Quinn, completely reinventing her origin in a way that\u2019s far darker, more disturbing, and far more horrifying than longtime Batman fans are probably expecting. The major reveal had already begun circulating thanks to future variant covers, which seems to be the unfortunate reality of modern comics, but even knowing it was coming didn\u2019t lessen its impact. It\u2019s one of those moments that fundamentally changes how you look at these characters going forward while continuing to lay the groundwork for the next major chapter of Snyder and Dragotta\u2019s epic.<\/p>\n

One of the things I\u2019ve loved most about Absolute Batman<\/em> is that it never feels content introducing just one villain at a time. Every arc peels back another layer of this terrifying new Gotham, revealing another member of Batman\u2019s rogues gallery and slowly exposing the larger conspiracy lurking behind the curtain.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve already learned that this universe\u2019s Joker isn\u2019t simply a criminal mastermind. He\u2019s a billionaire wielding unimaginable wealth and influence to manufacture fear on a global scale. It\u2019s an obvious reflection of the modern world, where fear has become one of the most powerful tools for maintaining control, and Bruce Wayne has found himself standing directly in its path.<\/p>\n

That idea came to a head with Absolute Scarecrow, whose shocking revelation connected him directly to the murder of Bruce Wayne\u2019s father in the series\u2019 opening issue. Pulling back the curtain revealed that the real puppet master wasn\u2019t Scarecrow at all. It was the Joker, manipulating events from the shadows and proving that every horrifying piece of this universe has been connected from the very beginning.<\/p>\n

As incredible as all of that has been, I don\u2019t think any of us were prepared for Clayface.<\/p>\n

An early glimpse of the character leaked months ago through a Felix Comic Art<\/strong> exclusive that showcased Nick Dragotta<\/strong>\u2018s stunning design, but seeing him fully realized on the page is something else entirely. Equal parts monster movie and body horror nightmare, this version of Clayface immediately feels like one of the Absolute Universe\u2019s most memorable reinventions.<\/p>\n

Which brings us to today.<\/p>\n

With Issue #22 officially on shelves, retailers have begun revealing the massive wave of variant covers for Absolute Batman<\/em> #23, the issue that promises Batman\u2019s first full confrontation with Clayface. The timing couldn\u2019t be better, with Clayface<\/strong> also making the jump to the big screen in his own feature film next year, making the character one of DC\u2019s hottest villains once again.<\/p>\n

The first cover to stop me in my tracks comes from Martin Simmonds<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve followed Simmonds\u2019 work, you already know his painterly style has a haunting, weathered quality that feels tailor-made for horror. But this might be one of his strongest Batman pieces yet. Every inch of the image feels drenched in dread, with Clayface rendered as a grotesque nightmare that\u2019s impossible to look away from. It\u2019s unsettling, beautiful, and exactly the kind of cover that collectors are going to regret passing on.<\/p>\n

As I\u2019ve written before, Absolute Batman<\/em> isn\u2019t slowing down. If anything, it feels like it\u2019s accelerating.<\/p>\n

Sales continue to be remarkably strong more than twenty issues into the run, something that\u2019s virtually unheard of for a modern superhero relaunch. Every time it feels like the market might cool, Snyder and Dragotta introduce another major character, another unforgettable twist, or another must-own issue that sends collectors scrambling all over again.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why I keep coming back to the same conclusion: we\u2019re still in the early chapters of this phenomenon. The animated series has only just been announced. We haven\u2019t seen footage, casting, a trailer, or even a release date yet. If the comic can maintain this level of momentum on its own, imagine what happens once millions of people are introduced to this universe through animation.<\/p>\n

If Issue #22 is any indication, the Absolute Universe isn\u2019t running out of steam.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Categorized:Comics \/ Books News<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Screenshot Absolute Batman #22 hit comic shops yesterday, and, as usual, Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta somehow found another gear. This issue shifts the spotlight to Harley Quinn, completely reinventing her origin in a way that\u2019s far darker, more disturbing, and far more horrifying than longtime Batman fans are probably expecting. The major reveal had […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":34616,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.dreadcentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0642.jpeg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11617],"tags":[9250,2329,24639,576,1761],"class_list":["post-34615","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-horror-global-news","tag-absolute","tag-batman","tag-clayfaces","tag-reveals","tag-terrifying"],"rttpg_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/www.dreadcentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0642.jpeg",0,0,false],"landscape":["https:\/\/www.dreadcentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0642.jpeg",0,0,false],"portraits":["https:\/\/www.dreadcentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0642.jpeg",0,0,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.dreadcentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0642.jpeg",150,150,false],"medium":["https:\/\/www.dreadcentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0642.jpeg",300,300,false],"large":["https:\/\/www.dreadcentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0642.jpeg",1024,1024,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.dreadcentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0642.jpeg",1536,1536,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.dreadcentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0642.jpeg",2048,2048,false],"post-thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.dreadcentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0642.jpeg",370,265,false],"kava-thumb-s":["https:\/\/www.dreadcentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0642.jpeg",150,85,false],"kava-thumb-s-2":["https:\/\/www.dreadcentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0642.jpeg",230,230,false],"kava-thumb-m":["https:\/\/www.dreadcentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0642.jpeg",400,400,false],"kava-thumb-m-vertical":["https:\/\/www.dreadcentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0642.jpeg",370,500,false],"kava-thumb-m-2":["https:\/\/www.dreadcentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0642.jpeg",570,450,false],"kava-thumb-l":["https:\/\/www.dreadcentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0642.jpeg",1170,650,false],"kava-thumb-xl":["https:\/\/www.dreadcentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0642.jpeg",1920,1080,false],"kava-thumb-masonry":["https:\/\/www.dreadcentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0642.jpeg",600,999,false],"kava-thumb-justify":["https:\/\/www.dreadcentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0642.jpeg",640,640,false],"kava-thumb-justify-2":["https:\/\/www.dreadcentral.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0642.jpeg",1280,640,false]},"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"#RiseCelestialStudios","author_link":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/author\/ralph-c\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"HORROR GLOBAL NEWS<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"Screenshot Absolute Batman #22 hit comic shops yesterday, and, as usual, Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta somehow found another gear. This issue shifts the spotlight to Harley Quinn, completely reinventing her origin in a way that\u2019s far darker, more disturbing, and far more horrifying than longtime Batman fans are probably expecting. The major reveal had…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34615","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34615"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34615\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34617,"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34615\/revisions\/34617"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34616"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34615"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34615"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34615"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}