This ain’t your dad’s Batman. If there’s one thing that Absolute Batman makes abundantly clear from the very beginning, it’s all the ways in which it’s different from the mainline character. This shouldn’t come as any surprise, given the lengths to which DC has gone over the past few months emphasizing their Absolute Universe’s darker and grittier tone. It’s something that Scott Snyder has become somewhat known for, what with the various “Metal” and “Death Metal” Universes he’s created. While it can sometimes be easy to mock such an over-the-top, indulgent style, Absolute Batman has such an earnestness to its brutality that you can’t help but want to set aside your cynicism and immerse yourself in this new, darker Gotham.
Snyder takes an almost glee in subverting reader expectations, including multiple bait-and-switches based on established tropes of Batman comics. Right away in the story’s opening we’re presented with a grizzled man on a motorcycle returning to Gotham, complete with noir-esque narration about how far his city has fallen. It mirrors the famous opening of Batman: Year One in many ways, priming the reader to see Bruce take off the helmet and get to work as this badass special forces operative. But it’s not Bruce, it’s Alfred. Far from the loyal, sophisticated manservant audiences have come to know, this contract mercenary is even initially put in an antagonistic role with Batman.
Bruce is full of his own twists on established formula, including another introduction meant to trick the reader. The scene opens with a man built like how most people would expect Bruce Wayne to look, training in a sequence strikingly similar to another scene from Batman: Year One where Bruce kicks down a tree. However, this man isn’t Bruce Wayne either. The real Bruce Wayne is a mountain of muscle that could make Bane blush. Not only that, but he seems to be personal acquaintances, if not friends, with about half of the people in his rogues gallery (though many of their roles in this world will certainly be different).
His new, working class background puts him closer to the city itself, including the more direct ways he plays a part in building it. Rather than simply owning the foundation funding revitalization projects, he’s the one laying the mortar. It’s a unique take on the character that promises a genuinely fresh interpretation fitting the world around him.
Enough about the heroes, what about the villains? Black Mask (or simply “Roman” as he’s called here) and his Party Animal gang are played straighter than the rest of the story’s twists on the expected. However, what he might lack in novelty he more than makes up for in brutality. He’s incredibly intimidating, mysterious, and terrifying. The questions surrounding his motives and resources only make his actions that much more of a threat. As any good villain should, he works as an effective foil to the protagonist. When his gangs wantonly murder dozens, it justifies the ferocity we see from Batman in response.
That Ferocity is equal parts violent and absurd in a way that shouldn’t work but does. Batman using his bat ears as weapons or pulling a battle axe off his chest sound like jokes, but somehow manage to present as both sincere and exciting. A big part of that is thanks to Nick Dragotta’s artwork. He’s able to handle both extremes of the comic’s tone, creating a dark and foreboding atmosphere when the tensions run high, but can also expertly fill the page to the brim with excitement when it comes time for action. The fight sequences here are full of kinetic energy that put a serious force behind every punch from Batman’s tree trunk arms.
Recommended If
- You want a Gotham that’s more brutal and violent than the normal Batman comics
- Scott Snyder’s work on the character is something you’re a fan of
- You’re looking for a fresh take on established characters
Overall
Absolute Batman #1 goes out of its way to differentiate itself from its “normal” counterpart by subverting reader expectations with twists on classic Batman tropes, emphasizing the universe’s distinctive tone. The story’s over-the-top approach to its violent world manages to avoid coming across as self-parody thanks to the sincerity of Scott Snyder’s writing and impressive artwork by Nick Dragotta.
Score: 8.5/10
English (US) · 