Without the mansion… Without the money… Without the butler… What’s left is the Absolute Dark Knight! Your Major Spoilers review of Absolute Batman #1 from DC Comics awaits!
ABSOLUTE BATMAN #1
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artist: Nick Dragotta
Colorist: Frank Martin
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Editor: Katie Kubert
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $5.99
Release Date: October 9, 2024
Previously in Absolute Batman: Returning to Gotham City after many years away, Alfred Pennyworth finds a few new players on the city’s crime scene. A gang called the Party Animals is wreaking havoc, but there’s another, skulking in the shadows, watching as corruption and crime destroy the heart of Gotham.
And he’s done waiting…
A CITY UNDER SIEGE
Absolute Batman #1 begins with a bait and switch as a man on a powerful, exotic motorcycle travels the streets of Gotham City, remarking how much it has changed since he was last here. The heart of the city he knew is gone, and he doesn’t like the new developments. Then again, he thinks, Gotham likely isn’t going to like him either, or his name isn’t… Alfred Pennyworth! That first surprise sets the scene for what’s to come, as we learn that the city has recently begun experiencing brutal attacks by a gang called The Party Animals, who seem less interested in profit than they are in chaos, bloodshed, and fear. Agent Pennyworth has been dispatched by his mysterious handlers to “do some bad things,” not all of which are clear yet. They may be focused on the mysterious leader of the Party Animals, a man named Roman, wearing a distinctive black mask and targeting members of Gotham’s various organized crime syndicates. They may be focused on beleaguered Mayor Jim Gordon, who is being targeted by those same criminals. Or they may be focused on a man in the shadows, wearing a cloak and carrying an axe, a man that Agent Pennyworth knows is actually 24-year-old Bruce Wayne!
WHO IS THIS BATMAN?
That opening isn’t the only surprise in these pages, as Snyder and Dragotta skillfully subvert our expectations multiple times. A moment that seems to reveal something in a gym turns into something entirely different, introducing Waylon Jones. The recollection of the tragedy in Bruce’s past reveals some very important differences in this Batman’s life, while Alfred’s investigations give us even more. Absolute Batman has done a lot more than study punching under Liam Neeson, and Pennyworth’s connections and expertise are the perfect vehicle to explain the hows and whys of it all. When young Bruce goes home to find his mother, Martha, waiting for him, we get the biggest twist of all, but the one thing that is clear here is that this story serves as the clean break that the New 52 initiative was looking for nearly 15 years ago.
As someone who finds the solicited “Chonky Bat” cover to be unattractive, I’m happy to say that the interiors are just plain gorgeous. Batman’s first outing against the Party Animals features not only the requisite “badass” moments, but it shows impressive creativity layouts. The use of blacks throughout the issue expertly depicts not only the shadowy nightlife of Gotham but emphasizes the action, especially when Batman takes on a Party Animal who boasts that his hand has killed more men than Batman can count. It’s a boast that he quickly learns to regret.
If I had to point out one problem in this issue, it’s that the brutality and depravity of Gotham City is beyond my personal tastes, but even that is handled with an air of subtlety, as the most vicious of the gang’s actions are described rather than shown. Snyder knows how to let our imaginations do the heavy lifting, while Dragotta’s Batman is imposing in all the right ways, which means that Absolute Batman #1 hits all the right notes for me, earning 5 out of 5 stars overall. The moment that put this issue over the top for me was the reveal that Alfred’s high-tech motorcycle wasn’t stolen by street punks, but was actually taken by Batman himself, before we or Alfred even realized he existed, showing them to be equals in espionage.
Dear Spoilerite,
At Major Spoilers, we strive to create original content that you find interesting and entertaining. Producing, writing, recording, editing, and researching requires significant resources. We pay writers, podcast hosts, and other staff members who work tirelessly to provide you with insights into the comic book, gaming, and pop culture industries. Help us keep MajorSpoilers.com strong. Become a Patron (and our superhero) today.ABSOLUTE BATMAN #1
After all the gushing reviews, I was worried that it would be a comic solely for hardcore Bat-fans, or another example of a book everyone loves but me.
But this is absolutely remarkable.
-
Writing10
-
Art10
-
Coloring10
1 Comment
I’m going to give this comic a few issues, but I am not hype about this. I would give it 3 out of 5 stars and mostly for the art and aesthetics, the costume being more practical and weaponized. Still, it feels like a more brutal Elseworld’s tale instead of a definitive DC version of Marvel’s Ultimate line. Story is entertaining, just not something we haven’t seen before, besides the sigil/axe/ Hope I’m proven wrong.