Absolute Batman #25 brings the "Straw Man" story arc to a dramatic conclusion, featuring a pivotal confrontation between Batman and the Joker and a final page that drastically alters the course of Bruce Wayne's life. Following this pivotal issue, the series will enter a brief hiatus for the remainder of 2026.
The Confrontation at Grimm Manor
After overcoming Scarecrow's manipulations, Batman ventures to Grimm Manor to face the Joker. Instead of his adversary, he finds his friends Waylan Jones, Eddie Nygma, Oswald Cobblepot, and Harvey Dent staging an intervention. They reveal that Jack Grimm had provided them with evidence of his legitimacy and intent to help Bruce, warning that Grimm would expose Batman's identity if he didn't seek psychological treatment. Recognizing his friends had been deceived, Batman flees into the woods, pursued by the GCPD, and falls into Grimm's version of the Batcave.
Grimm, emerging from a cocoon, reveals his advanced age and his collection of costumes from past vanquished warriors. The ensuing battle sees Batman wounded by the Joker's ax and daggers, but the villain, who appears to be significantly older than previously suggested and potentially dates back to the Roman Empire, shrugs off the injuries. The Joker views the idea of a single man challenging the systems of power as the ultimate joke.
Just as the Joker prepares to end the fight, The Bat, revealed to be Barbara Gordon, intervenes with a shotgun blast. Both heroes escape into a river within the Joker Cave.
A Glimmer of Hope and a Shocking Revelation
Back at Harley Quinn's hideout, Batman is treated, and he makes peace with his former partner. Despite surviving the encounter, Batman realizes he is outmatched by the Joker, who now possesses the potential to reveal his identity. However, this threat is overshadowed by the issue's closing revelation: Selina Kyle appears and reveals she is pregnant, indicating that Bruce Wayne is set to become a father.
This development significantly raises the stakes for Absolute Batman, introducing a child to protect alongside his existing responsibilities. While the concept of Batman and Catwoman having a child has been explored in other DC continuities, this twist is poised to profoundly impact the ongoing narrative of Absolute Batman. Writer Scott Snyder has indicated that this revelation will "set the stage for the entire series going forward," emphasizing the immense personal stakes Bruce Wayne now faces against Jack Grimm and his creations.