Batman Just Reversed His Most Infamous Failure, Delivering the Redemption Arc Fans Never Expected

Batman Just Reversed His Most Infamous Failure, Delivering the Redemption Arc Fans Never Expected Batman Bane cover art By  TJ Mills Published 26 minutes ago TJ Mills is an editor on ScreenRant's Comic team, where she combines her lifelong passion for DC with her analytical background as a former Intelligence Analyst. Since joining ScreenRant in 2023, she has specialized in covering major DC storylines, character evolutions, and industry developments.  Sign in to your ScreenRant account Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

Despite being the G.O.A.T., Batman has failed countless times in his 86 years in comics, with one of the darkest marks on his legacy being the time he became addicted to the infamous steroid-like drug, Venom. However, DC has just given the Dark Knight a do-over.

WARNING: Contains Spoilers for Absolute Batman #14 (2025)!

Venom has become a staple of DC lore thanks to the supervillain Bane, who is infamous for using the drug. However, Venom actually debuted before Bane, with Batman being the first to fall victim to its addictive clutches.

This black mark on the Dark Knight’s nearly pristine record occurred in Dennis O'Neil’s “Venom” story arc in Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight and remains one of Bruce’s greatest failures, as he let a substance conquer him. Now, Scott Snyder’s Absolute Batman #14 gives Bruce the Venom redemption arc he always deserved by essentially giving him a do-over.

Batman Outwits Bane Without Relying on Venom

Comic Page Comes From Scott Snyder’s Absolute Batman #14 (2025) - Art by Nick Dragotta

As a quick refresher, Bruce was brutally beaten and captured by Bane before being imprisoned at Ark M, a blacksite prison. While a prisoner, Ark M’s doctors experimented on Bruce, some of which involved injecting Venom into his bloodstream. Eventually, Bruce managed to escape Ark M, but he still had several doses of Venom lingering in his system.

Knowing Bane wouldn’t stop hunting him, Batman challenges the villain to a fight. Readers are led to believe Bruce will activate his last dose of Venom during the battle, using it to gain the edge needed to conquer Bane. However, it is later revealed that this was never part of Bruce’s plan, subverting expectations.

In a flashback, it is revealed that Bruce had Edward Nygma, his brilliant friend, remove all the Venom from his body. Bruce tells Eddie and Selina Kyle that he wants to defeat Bane “his way,” refusing to rely on Venom. Instead, during the fight, he cleverly uses the extracted Venom to overload Bane’s system, ultimately causing him to explode.

Batman Redeems Himself by Saying No to Drugs

Comic Page Comes From Scott Snyder’s Absolute Batman #14 (2025) - Art by Nick Dragotta

Although this storyline takes place in a different universe than Legends of the Dark Knight, it undeniably serves as a moment of redemption for fans familiar with the divisive Venom arc. Its redemptive nature lies in Bruce explicitly saying no to drugs, allowing Absolute Batman to accomplish what Batman failed to do in the Legends of the Dark Knight storyline.

It would have been easy for Bruce to use Venom in his fight against Bane, given that it remained in his system. Yet he goes out of his way to avoid personal use, employing it creatively to defeat Bane without harming himself. DC giving fans a storyline where Batman outright rejects Venom compensates for Bruce’s moment of weakness in Legends of the Dark Knight.

Absolute Batman #14 is available now from DC Comics!

Batman Created By Bob Kane, Bill Finger First Appearance Detective Comics

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