Ever wonder what if Batman were built like an anime tough guy with umbrellas for hands? And what if Alfred was The Punisher? No money, no gadgets, no Robin - no problem. It’s time to get alternative universe-y with Absolute Batman!
Absolute Batman #1 was absolutely… ok, surprisingly. Because that cover makes the series look like you’re in for the goofiest ride. The whole design Nick Dragotta’s gone for is bonkers - but eye-catching, and has people talking, and DC definitely needs that. Scott Snyder’s story doesn’t seem that incredible so far, but it’s intriguing and unique enough to have me wanting to see the series out, even if it’s not canon, etc.
From what I can glean, besides setting things in an alternate universe, the “Absolute” label just means more adult/intense content and this issue delivers on that. Black Mask and his gang are more amped up than usual (here called The Party Animals) and so is Batman, literally chopping off a limb and shooting someone in the face with a gun (the concession to Batman’s one rule was to modify the gun to be non-lethal)!
Besides the fun of seeing familiar characters in unfamiliar roles (this issue’s stinger is great), the story is standard Batman fare: crime is running rampant in Gotham and Batman’s here to put a stop to it. Snyder heavily sprinkles references to Batman’s history throughout as well, if easter eggs are your thing.
The angle I like the most is pitting Batman and The Pennyworth Punisher against one another (if you can remember the short-lived Beware the Batman show, Alfred’s basically the character he was in that but with hair). Alfred’s a top-level gun-for-hire working for some shadowy organisation monitoring Batman’s newly-emerged vigilantism.
And this issue does explain the main questions everyone will have about that cover: what is going on with that look!? I won’t spoil anything here but it isn’t just whacky visuals - they are functional pieces of kit.
I’m not sold on the “Absolute” label. It used to mean that you were getting the definitive version of a series - Absolute Watchmen/Sandman, etc. - but now it’s repurposed to mean “Just Another Comics Line We’re Trying Out And Hoping It’ll Be A Hit”. Feels like a misstep by DC and they should’ve called the line something new and different instead.
Nick Dragotta’s art isn’t bad. I’m not his biggest fan but the guy delivered on producing some - let’s go with interesting - character designs, and not just with Batman but most of the recognisable characters. He also draws action really well and those fight sequences look especially great - the more static scenes where characters are talking lack the striking visual energy of the more kinetic ones.
My hope for this series is that Snyder doesn’t lean too heavily on the generic stuff - Batman beating up supervillain goons again and again - and instead focuses on the fresher stuff like the Alfred subplot, to give us something different, as befits an alternate take on the character. And don’t start pulling punches towards the end either - you’re presenting us with this ultra-violent version of Batman? Then keep it up all the way through, don’t start making weak decisions towards the finale.
Zero Year - Dark City was the last great Scott Snyder/Batman comic - a full decade ago! Will Absolute Batman be his return to form on the character? It might be if this first issue is an indication of this 5-issue miniseries, but, even if it’s not, I’m absolutely on board for the full experience to find out.
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