As part of the DC All In initiative, this new parallel universe couldn’t start stronger than with Absolute Batman #1. Having previously rebooted Batman in the New 52, Scott Snyder will now team up with Nick Dragotta to take on the Dark Knight again. If you think Snyder has run out of things to say about the bat, pick up this issue to test your theory. Because this Batman is a whole different beast. In terms of appearance alone, his aggressive design has caused quite a stir online, perhaps as much as losing his trunks back in the day.
Stripped of his wealth, his large bat symbol is just one of the things that sets him apart from previous iterations. It’s a Batman without his complicated history or regrets, Batman as his fundamental essence, and a fresh interpretation that makes more sense than ever before. After years of making his mark, this series is a chance to create something never seen before, something still familiar under its throbbing wings. Snyder does a great job of letting the reader know the nature of this world in a short amount of time, subverting the familiar, and setting things up for future surprises. After all, this isn’t your grandfather Bruce Wayne or Alfred. This is the Batman of our time, a modern adaptation of the decades-old mythology.
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It’s not 1939 anymore. Our modern-day fear is not about being mugged in a back alley, but what this version of young Bruce experienced. It’s these otherworldly changes that make this issue so compelling. Bruce is not a billionaire, so we can see how he becomes Batman without privilege. He is fully functional and builds a crusade with nothing but ingenuity. Without the safety net of wealth, especially without Alfred as his caretaker, he is forced to be bolder than usual. In this version, Alfred is a point of view character, someone who never knew Bruce Wayne. Through Snyder’s intricate caption boxes, we explore the thoughts of this man who has returned to a strange city, and the reader’s experience of feeling that while he may have been familiar with the old Gotham, it has now changed. Share. As Alfred learns more about Batman, so does the reader.
Nick Dragotta’s art is perfect for this type of story. He never overdoes it, crams a lot into a single page, and gives the action plenty of detail with a dynamic perspective reminiscent of Frank Miller’s small panel layouts. His Gotham is brought to life and is more than just decoration. We see its streets and its suburbs, its homeless and blue-collar people, and its incredibly populated places. And his Batman is already iconic, with his ever-stern, shadowy face, gigantic body, and animated Spawn-like cape. Frank Martin perfectly complements Dragotta with color. The orange and blue skies of sunset, the red of blood, and flashbacks desaturated for dramatic purposes.
Other things to note are new villains and gadgets. The antagonists are a group of people wearing black skull masks instead of white owl masks. The gang was happy to engage in gunfights in broad daylight, which led to the arrival of Alfred, the appearance of Batman, and the introduction of Jim Gordon. Snyder makes it look easy to put every piece into place. Last but not least, Batman’s gadgets are very creative, and we can already imagine Batman borrowing some from his larger-than-life counterparts in the main continuity.
In Absolute Batman #1, Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta pulled out all the stops to create an issue that was absolutely worth it. Working class by day, suit-wearing by night, Batman is an underdog fighting an impossible system, with the odds stacked against him. That’s the story everyone needs right now. It’s okay if it’s your first time reading manga.
“Absolute Batman” #1 radically reinvents the Dark Knight
Absolute Batman #1
In Absolute Batman #1, Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta pulled out all the stops to create an issue that was absolutely worth it. Working class by day, suit-wearing by night, Batman is an underdog fighting an impossible system, with the odds stacked against him. That’s the story everyone needs right now. It’s okay if it’s your first time reading manga.
A novel way to teach an old bat new tricks
Beautiful art brought to life by Nick Dragotta and Frank Martin
A dense issue that not only subverts the familiar, but also builds a lot of cool worlds courtesy of Scott Snyder
