5 Times DC’s Absolute Batman Paid Homage to Iconic Manga Covers

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DC’s Absolute Batman recently grabbed attention due to a variant cover for Issue #20 that visually recreates Monkey D. Luffy’s Gear 2 pose from One Piece. The art was created by Dexter Soy and unveiled in April 2026. Additionally, if you look closely, Luffy’s Enies Lobby pose is almost a perfect copy, as is the steam around Luffy’s legs. What makes this even more exciting is that the reference was officially acknowledged by the artist and publisher (via @arris_quinones on Instagram), confirming it was not accidental.

This is also a continuation of a trend we have seen throughout most of the recent run of Absolute Batman, with numerous examples of manga being referenced (sometimes visually, sometimes tonally). These references may not always be officially labeled as tributes, yet the influence of manga can be seen in the artwork’s overall design.

5. Kagurabachi – A Darker, Heavier Batman

The cover of the 2025 edition of Batman was created to honor Kagurabachi and show the same iconic pose of Chihiro Rokuhira as seen in Vol 1 of his manga (via @brkagurabachi on Twitter/X). Dan Mora created this design, and again, the cover shows Batman very closely reflecting his original pose, hanging out with a lot of his bad guys and bats.

Kagurabachi is an action-fantasy manga series written and illustrated by Takeru Hokazono.

Also, Batman and Chihiro both represent vengeance in a dark kind of narrative, which makes this similarity even more appropriate, rather than a random art.

4. Akira – Urban Motion and Composition

Back in 2024, Absolute Batman delivered one of its earliest and clearest references with a cover inspired by Akira. The art depicts Batman in a way that resembles Kaneda’s famous walking pose, going towards his bike from his manga (and movie).

Akira is a groundbreaking cyberpunk film set in a dystopian Neo-Tokyo.

It was not the first time – Akira has already been used in other pop culture as well. Below you can see the cover image.

Absolute Batman variant by the great @javierfdezart – Akira homage. pic.twitter.com/iLtFGep7Dy

— Scott Snyder (@Ssnyder1835) September 28, 2024

3. Death Note – Controlled and Calculated Presence

Absolute Batman #19‘s variant cover features a design that mirrors Death Note Volume One exactly (via @Clay_Mann_ or Twitter/X). The design replaces Light Yagami and Ryuk with Absolute Scarecrow and Joker.

Ryuk and Light Yagami looking at their plan in Death Note.

Their positioning looks nearly identical – one standing in front showing control, the other looming from behind.

2. Chainsaw Man – Brutal Visual Energy

A very recent example with a striking similarity to Chainsaw Man can be seen on the Absolute Batman #18 cover (via DC Fandom). The book cover reflects the same visual style as Chainsaw Man Volume 1 (i.e., Batman holding chainsaws on his arm).

The cover design of this volume was done by Nick Dragotta and Frank Martin. Meanwhile, this Chainsaw Man comparison extends beyond visuals while presenting Batman as a more force-driven character.

1 One Piece – Gear 2 Stand of Luffy

The most recent tribute comes from Absolute Batman #20, referencing One Piece. The cover recreates Luffy’s Gear 2 stance from the Enies Lobby arc, with Bruce Wayne giving a similar pose with even similar steam effects (via @pewpiece on Twitter/X).

Credit: Toei Animation
Credit: Toei Animation
Credit: Toei Animation

The cover also shows how Absolute Batman has been able to translate high-energy manga images into a more darkly grounded look.

Manga TitleManga Rating (MAL) – as of April 23, 2026

Kagurabachi	8.03
Akira	8.66
Death Note	8.69
Chainsaw Man	8.64
One Piece	9.21

And in the future, we may see more such examples like this!

Is the One Piece reference officially confirmed?

Yes, the Absolute Batman #20 cover was confirmed by the artist and publisher as a direct reference to Luffy’s Gear 2 pose.

Are there any other manga-inspired covers, excluding the above-mentioned ones?

Yes, there are absolutely more such inspiration exists, like Berserk and more. And we have listed the five major ones.

Does this change Batman’s character?

Not directly. It mainly affects how the character is visually presented rather than changing his traits.

So now the big question – which Absolute Batman manga-inspired cover is your personal favorite? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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