You Gotta Read Absolute Batman

Warning: this article contains minor spoilers for ‘Absolute Batman’ Issues 1-16. If you’re interested in this run, consider picking it up from your nearest comic book store. Support your local merchants!

Batman is one of the most versatile characters in any comic book. You can do pretty much anything with him, and chances are it will work. So long as you don’t give him a gun. Aztec Batman, ninja Batman, future teenage Batman, medieval Batman, H.P. Lovecraft Batman, the list goes on and on.

I’m a fairly simple Bat-fan. I like scary Batman as much as I love silly Batman. Give me a Bruce Wayne or a Terry McGinnis, and I’m a happy man. While I think some of the alternate takes are fun, I generally stick to the more standard iterations of the Gotham cast.

Until the Absolute series came along. A more grim and brutal take on the DC universe, this run has taken the online comic space by storm. This particular corner of the universe is written by Scott Snyder, drawn and inked by Nick Dragotta, as well as Gabriel Hernández Walta, Marcos Martin, and Clay Mann, with Kati Kubert as editor. And boy howdy, this crew has been cooking.

For a long time, I observed the Absolute run from a distance. I’d occasionally catch out-of-context panels, all of which looked amazing. But I only recently took the plunge and actually started reading. Of course, I had to start in Gotham, so I began with ‘Absolute Batman’.

Sorry, Superman. I’ll talk about your run soon. You’re still my favorite, I promise.

Everyone knows the drill. After a young Bruce Wayne loses his father to gun violence, he grows up to become Gotham’s hero in the night: Batman! In his war on the underworld, the Caped Crusader will face the mafia, corrupt cops, and the criminally insane. But can even the Batman stand against the monsters brewing in the dark?

This comic takes all the familiar Batman tropes and flips them on their heads. Rather than being the classic Boy Billionaire, this Bruce is a blue-collar worker raised in the ghetto – Crime Alley. Instead of running a corporate giant, he is a civil engineer who builds Gotham up with his bare hands. Instead of losing both parents, he only loses his father; Martha Wayne is still alive, and she’s one of the best characters!

All of these changes make for a very different Bruce Wayne. He’s got the terrifying vampire act down. But more often, he’s got the attitude of a street punk. He might not be the World’s Greatest Detective (yet), but he more than makes up for it in spirit and style.

This is one of the most hardcore takes on the Dark Knight to date. Every inch of his enormous body is a weapon of vengeance. Instead of a grappling hook, he’s got extendable bat-claws. His chest logo is a god damn axe! The Batmobile is a heavy-armored bulldozer! This dude doesn’t follow the rule-of-cool; he embodies it! Did I mention that he’s fucking huge?!

These changes aren’t done sorely to be cool. ‘Absolute Batman‘ is a grim and brutal story. This Gotham is a grim, terrifying place to live. Bad things happen to good people. Extremely bad things. This is a city completely devoid of hope. But that only makes Batman’s triumphs so much more satisfying. Beautiful, even. Here is a city determined to break its people, and Batman always finds a way to make it better.

My one critique is how far he pushes the no-kill rule. The text says this Batman doesn’t kill people. But the art tells a very different story.

Of course, every Bruce needs an Alfred. Instead of a faithful butler, this version of Pennyworth is a badass super spy. It’s pretty cool. Personally, I’m not a huge fan. Still, it works well for this take on the universe. Besides, their dynamic is a lot of fun.

You know what I love? Bruce’s friends. Having grown up in Crime Alley, our lonely bat has some pals to keep him company. Waylon Jones, Edward Nigma, Harvey Dent, Oswald Cobblepot, and his on-again off-again girlfriend: Selina Kyle. Their group dynamic is incredible; they bicker, argue, and support each other like only real friends could.

Which adds an extra bit of dread to the narrative; if you know literally anything about Batman, you already know how this is gonna go. Sure, it’s predictable. But it’s still so much darker and more heartbreaking than I was ready for.

On that note, let’s talk about the most important pillar of a good Batman story: the villains. Only we’re not dealing with the criminally insane anymore. Now, the Dark Knight is going up against monsters out of your worst nightmares.

I love these new character designs. Batman looks amazing, as mentioned before. But its the villains that really shine. These guys are genuinely disturbing! If I were Batman, I’d have hung up the cape and axe and moved to Metropolis.

Granted, that city doesn’t seem much better. But I’m not talking about that! Yet.

Absolute Bane is by far my favorite version of the character. This dude is genuinely terrifying! No matter how thorough Batman’s plans, Bane is always one step ahead. He’s more devil than man, as sadistic as he is overwhelmingly powerful. The final battle is one of the most intense and badass fights I’ve ever seen in a comic book!

He works especially well in this universe’s version of Arkham. The DC universe’s worst mental care facility has been re-worked into a nightmare factory. A prison over which Bane is the warden. Imagine if Mister X from ‘Resident Evil 2’ were also a Dark Souls boss, and you’ll get the idea.

Of course, you can’t have a Batman story without the Joker. As of writing this article, the Clown Prince of Crime hasn’t had much time in the spotlight. We’ve had one issue covering his backstory. But even with such limited time, he’s already made one hell of a splash. This is a completely different take on the villain; hopefully he’ll be worth the wait.

Black Mask was also there. That certainly was a version of the character. He served as a starter threat for Batman well enough. But he gets immediately overshadowed by Mister Freeze, Bane, and the Joker.

I cannot wait to see what the other villains look like. Issue #17 is going to introduce Poison Ivy, which is very exciting. Personally, I’d love to see an Absolute Clayface. That has the potential to be some serious nightmare fuel, and I am all about it!

We also just got the first Absolute cross-over, starring Batman and Wonder Woman. I’ll talk about ‘Absolute Wonder Woman‘ in detail another time. For now, I’ll just say I adore the dynamic between Bruce and Diana. Their chemistry is so strong it could easily be romantic, but it goes for a strong platonic friendship instead. Personally, I’m all for it.

God, I cannot wait for the Batman and Superman team-up. That’s going to go so hard.

‘Absolute Batman’ is the complete package. The story is the perfect blend of grim darkness, horror, brutal action, and hopeful optimism. The artwork is amazing in every single issue. This is one of the best versions of the Batman mythos we’ve gotten in a long time. I truly cannot recommend it enough.