Graham Nolan is the co-creator of Bane, the Batman villain known for his enormous size, use of a super steroid called Venom, and breaking Batman’s back. Bane has been redesigned for the Absolute Universe, a new initiative by DC Comics that sees characters’ stories retold without key elements of their backstories. Absolute Bane will be introduced to Absolute Batman, a series with over the top, jarring art. Check out Absolute Bane below.
At first, Graham Nolan said he truly hated the design. His comments are below.
In a post on X, he called the design an abomination. His full quote reads, “As the designer /co-creator of Bane…this is a terrible abomination.” Someone on X then asked him if the head is the main thing he doesn’t like about it, to which he replied, “We can start there.” In the same thread, he was asked if anyone else has ever done Bane justice in their interpretations of the character. He replied, “Of course. Many have, and done excellent interpretations. This is not one of them.”
Now, the internet seems to have gotten to him. He made another rather emotional post that said the following.
“After being asked countlessly for my opinion on this version of Bane, I gave an honest answer and broke X! I've been called everything from a "has been", to "bitter", to "old". Okay, the last one may be accurate. Relax! It's just MY opinion! It shouldn't affect how you feel about it. 1.6 MILLION people viewed the post and it seems that many had their own opinion. If every one of you were buying comics instead of reacting to the opinion of one guy, this business would be in better shape. I'm now issuing you all a challenge. Why get mad at me, when you can get even with me? BUY THIS BOOK! Tell your friends and get multiple copies. Prove me wrong with your wallets instead of your keyboards and give this artist a HUGE royalty pay day! Let's get this book to 1.6 million in sales! That'll show me.”
While it’s a very strongly worded post, he does have a point. If people are mad at him for calling someone else’s depiction of a character he co-created an abomination, the best way to get back at Nolan and prove him wrong would indeed be to buy the book. Of course, one does not have to buy a comic book to disagree with him. Just like he’s entitled to his own opinion, everyone else is entitled to their own.
The Absolute Universe is truly either loved or hated. In Absolute Batman, Bruce’s mother is alive, he has no money, and Alfred is an MI6 agent. His rogues gallery including Riddler, Killer Croc, and Catwoman are all his best friends. In Absolute Superman, Kal-El comes to Earth as a young man who witnessed the collapse of Krypton and still remembers his home planet. He isn’t anywhere near as strong as the usual version of Superman, and his cape is made out of some kind of nanotechnology that is also infused with an AI. Lois Lane is a corporate military agent and the Kents are barely around. In Absolute Wonder Woman, Diana is not raised on Themyscira because Themyscira has been completely destroyed. Instead, she is raised on an island full of monsters, and her adoptive mother is actually Circe. She rides a pegasus that has no flesh, but does have a skeleton that also feeds on magic.
There are plenty of comic readers that simply can’t get on board with the changes or are too put off by the art. The Flash and Martian Manhunter are also getting the Absolute treatment, but their series are much newer than Absolute Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman.
What do you think of Graham Nolan’s comments? What do you think of Absolute Bane? Let us know below!