Having viewed some of the initial marketing behind DC’s release of "Absolute Batman,” it came across like a thrilling new chapter in Gotham’s ongoing saga. When my friend and agency's creative director, a fully self-proclaiming Batman / DC Mega Fan told me to jump on this book, I was intrigued. Since getting out to the LCS was going to be a challenge, I decided to grab some copies on DC’s digital ownership partnership with CANDY Digital. And I sure am happy I did!
HOLY CABLE TVS, BATMAN!
I’ve spent A LOT of years watching Batman, first enjoying Adam West onscreen back in my 1970’s youth, through to 2022’s THE BATMAN and would definitely say I’m a fan of the on-screen heroics. However, my comic collecting was always geared toward Marvel (I only had so many bucks to spare as a kid, which ended up allocated to Daredevil & X-Men for the most part).
When DC decided to start offering their classic comics as digital collectibles though, I took interest. Suddenly, the opportunity to own comic keys and big time grail classics like Superman #1, Detective Comics #140 and Batman #1 was incredibly compelling. After all, their purchase ownership is verified by blockchain ledger where you can further read them using DC’s unique digital comic e-reader, without ever compromising the quality or integrity of the asset.
Finished reading and don’t want to keep it? No problem - just list it in their online marketplace to recover dollars or even make a profit if you’re lucky enough, with the ability to sell online to anyone on the planet, free of shipping or insurance concerns.
But with this new series, DC has added a unique twist: same-day digital delivery through the Candy Digital Marketplace (https://www.candy.io/dc/marketplace).
YOU'VE...GOT SOME...READING TO DO, ROBIN
Now, I’ve only just finished reading the first edition of The "Absolute Batman" series, but so far, it promises everything we love about Bruce Wayne’s relentless battle against Gotham crime - it’s a dark, brooding storyline, with related artwork, and layers of emotional depth. It explores Gotham’s seedy underbelly while digging into Bruce’s psyche in ways that even longtime fans will find compelling.
Four editions are now available on the Candy Digital app (5th on its way), with a variety of incredible covers (all VERY scarce, which again by the way, are digitally verifiable so there is NO issue trusting or guessing how many actually exist), where I will be picking them up to continue reading in short order!
I’ll admit, I’ve always been partial to the feel of a physical comic book - the weight in your hands, the smell of the pages, the joy of seeing them lined up on a shelf or when that "9.8" arrives!! Yet even as a long-time physical buyer, I see the appeal of adding digital editions to my collection.
With Candy Digital, each issue of Absolute Batman (or any of their titles) is minted on the blockchain, giving you verifiable ownership of a unique digital asset. It’s not just a digital file; it’s something you truly own, and for reasons mentioned above becomes compelling in their ability to drive incredible utility to the world of comic collecting and enjoyment.
Candy’s exclusive e-reader adds another layer of enjoyment. It's easy to zoom in on tiny artistic details, or having a guided panel view that lets you appreciate the flow of the story in a whole new way. They’ve even included extras like creator commentary, which makes the digital experience feel less like a replacement and more like a complement to your physical collection. (VeVe’s offering further allows you to place your digital collectible comics in full Augmented Reality, or A/R, to swipe pages of a book digitally placed on your coffee table, expand pages and more…all right from the file found on your mobile phone!)
ABSOLUTE COMMUNITY INPUT!
Since easy access to community (on X) is a big part of the BIG FAN EXPERIENCE, I reached out to big time Batman comic collector @prezweb3 about the new book, who had some FAN-Tastic extra tidbits to offer:
"Chris - thank you so much for including me in your article!!! I’m known as “Prez” over at the DC Digital community front.
I started my digital collecting journey through Counter-Strike skins. I've been playing since I was 9 or so and once scoffed at skins that were £.50 in 2012, which are now worth over $50,000. I bought and sold some skins plus Ethereum, which then led me to look more into what other ‘digital’ assets were out there.
The start of my DC digital journey really was the Todd McFarlane Batman Statue on VeVe, which was DC’s first ever blockchain-minted digital collectible. I remember reading the article when it just sold out in the store, and I thought, well this makes sense!
I also really liked the Bat Cowls concept; the art, the exclusive access, the traits. It brought me into comics again - back when I was a kid, I never had the money to buy them, but now, I’m even buying original art (as pictured with me below).
The one shown next to my photo below is the original art of the first DCNFT comic on chain our community co-created, Batman: The Legacy Cowl. We are even getting the first DC printed comic book in a few months with its community on it on the Deluxe edition!!
I think what happened the other week was absolutely HUGE for DC. If you think about it, same day digital comic releases are new to DC, kick-started by Marvel over at VeVe Comics. However, the difference here is the exclusive Physical panels missed out by Scott Snyder were able to be added to the digital, and not the print runs, which had to be scheduled in advance.
This is technology helping comic book readers connect closer to the action and reading experience. This is the first time this has ever happened.
Scott even posted about it! In a world where NFTs are still not yet accepted by many, and even ousted by some in the comic community, the hottest writer of DC and its hottest comic book run…they did this. In his Absolute Batman arc the black masks are very reminiscent to the technology the bat cowl NFT collection even uses.
I’m so excited for our future, those who decided to keep an open mind and collect both physical and digital. I think history will look back fondly at this moment..”
WAIT…WHAT?
There are special panels in the digital collectible comic not printed in the physical version, with same-day as physical delivery? These are huge advancements for DC (and digital comics), indeed!
HOLY SUBTLE ERRORS BATMAN!!!
Yes fans, I checked into this and it turns out there CAN BE errors or enhancements with digital asset versions, but when that error is in print it can be quickly corrected or updated with the digital counterpart. Or maybe...those are just nifty bits of adding ownership utility to our digital assets in combination with our physicals!
Absolute Batman’s Writer, Scott Snyder Confirms his 'Subtle Error!'
“There is one beat that didn't make it into the print version of ABSOLUTE BATMAN 4 in time (my fault!), but is in the digital and will be in the trade. It happens in narration and gives Bruce one small extra middle finger moment :) Here is the beat: MINOR SPOILER
I also asked Big Batman Fan GaryO (a fellow DC & VeVe Community member) for his thoughts, as Gary holds DC Digital Bat Cowls and an impressive array of physical & digital assets from DC:
“I’ve always enjoyed comic collecting, and the new ability of ‘digital ownership,’ a term still new to many, made my hobby even more awesome. It’s just so easy to participate, while I now hold titles unimaginable in physical form based on their scarcity or price.
These are not facsimiles or reprints, and goes far beyond just paying for a monthly membership. The blockchain verifies you as the owner of a FIRST EVER - first on chain, first in digital asset format and in some cases like Absolute Batman, FIRST in a comic run.
When I found out there were comic panels in the digital version of ABM #4 not included in the actual print / physical version, well I was THRILLED to know I own some of them!
I’m also a Bat Cowls holder, which in itself provides incredible utility such as early access to new comic drops (releases), or incredibly, the ability to participate in the actual writing of a new DC comic - a first for any major franchise IP, DC Bat Cowl holders helped create a new Batman comic series, on everything from title to cover art, characters, story paths and even last words. It was SO FUN!!! Here’s the article link on MEDIUM for more info!
HOLY NUTKICKERS, BATMAN THIS IS GREAT!
And here’s the kicker—once you’ve read the issue, you’re not stuck with it if you maybe didn't like it enough to keep. You can sell or trade it on the marketplace. Think about that for a second. How many times have you bought a physical issue, only to realize later that it’s not a keeper? With these digital editions, you’ve got flexibility that physical comics just can’t offer.
Plus, let’s talk practicality. Same-day delivery means no waiting for shipments or worrying about whether your local shop will run out of stock (provided you grab the limited edition digitals before they sell out!). It’s also an environmentally friendly option, reducing paper use and shipping emissions - a small but meaningful way to make a difference. I’m definitely hooked…”
Last, I wanted to add this little doozy from DC Collector @MeetAngell who recently added in a X discussion:
“History is made by small pieces! This is one on the history of DC Comics, regardless of what happens. I can prove to anyone that I was part of it, because of the blockchain. Many people will fade away, but the data remains until the end of time.
I helped create the first deluxe edition of a physical comic engraved on the blockchain, which is absolutely insane! The intrinsic value of this is almost the same as a physical Batman #1, but may don’t see it - we only need time to do what it does best, elevate the real grails to their right place!”
For collectors who love the tactile joy of a physical comic, seeing "Absolute Batman" on Candy Digital isn’t about replacing what we love, it’s about enhancing it. It’s a chance to experience Batman’s world in a fresh, interactive way while still holding onto what makes collecting so special. And what a great way for our new comic readers or collectors to try out a new hobby I'm sure they'll love!
If you’re a fan of the Dark Knight, this series and this new format, is absolutely worth exploring - and the popularity data is there to prove it too (shout-out to BLEEDING COOL NEWS):
As Always, Thanks for Reading!
