Comic book adaptations keep finding fresh life on screen these days.
At New York Comic Con, one of DC’s biggest recent hits took a clear step forward in that process.
Warner Bros. Animation executive vice president Peter Girardi told the Jim Lee & Friends panel that the Absolute Batman series has moved away from an all-3D approach. The show will now use 2D animation with 3D elements. Attendees also saw early visual-development art and a rough test scene. In it, Batman fights Black Mask’s gang, also known as the Party Animals from the comic’s first issue.
The test clip remains unfinished. Girardi and the creators stressed it is early development material only. It serves as a proof of concept rather than a finished trailer or final look. No release date or platform was announced.
Scott Snyder serves as showrunner. Nick Dragotta produces. Both continue developing the series alongside the ongoing comic. Snyder said the goal is to stay faithful to the material. “But you have so much more room to build out characters and relationships,” he told the panel. “It gives you a lot more room to develop the connective fiber between the characters.”
The format shift matters for the show’s visual identity.
Dragotta’s kinetic, manga-influenced style defines the comic. A pure 3D pipeline risked flattening that energy. Mixing 2D with selective 3D elements aims to keep the comic’s bold lines and exaggerated scale while adding depth where it helps. Dragotta described the book as the poem and the series as its novelization. He also showed a size chart underscoring Bruce Wayne’s imposing “BIG BOY” frame.
Absolute Batman launched in 2024 as the cornerstone of DC’s Absolute Universe. Snyder writes it. Dragotta draws it. The story strips Bruce Wayne of the manor, fortune, and many classic advantages. He becomes a working-class hero fighting impossible odds in a harsher Gotham.
The comic has sold millions of copies and ranked among the top sellers. DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation first announced the adult animated adaptation at the Annecy festival earlier this year. Early talk pointed toward full CG.
The recent switch reflects creative choices made after exploring that path.
Character concepts appeared for Bruce, Batman, the Batmobile, and Alfred. Colorist Frank Martin is collaborating with Dragotta on designs. The series will expand Bruce’s circle of friends and supporting cast in ways the monthly book cannot. That room for relationships sits at the heart of the adaptation pitch.
The project sits deep in development yet still very early. Snyder and Dragotta have begun work on a series bible covering structure and episode count. Fans following the Absolute line will recognize the source material’s tone and designs. The rough test footage already captures key action beats from issue one, including the cape’s distinctive movement.
This update arrives amid broader interest in creator-driven comic adaptations that preserve original art styles. The 2D-plus-3D choice signals confidence that Dragotta’s aesthetic can translate without compromise. What comes next remains open. Further development will determine how fully the expanded character work and visual approach land on screen.
Now the creative team has locked in a direction that prioritizes the comic’s spirit while using animation’s strengths.
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