One of the absolute Batman’s biggest surprises is its art consistency. In less-thoroughly tuned series, guest artists may appear in the same arc on two or three issues, but here they are always responsible for special flashbacks and side stories. The result is a cohesive and theme-heavy reading experience. That’s why I loved these issues the most. They feel like one shot with a character-focused core and self-contained emotional payoffs. This time, Clay Mann will be at the helm and explore the story of the absolute origins of Bane and how he turned out.
DC
Surrounded by Alfred’s horrifying thoughts, we travel from the moment of his birth through Bane’s life on the occupied island of Santa Prisca. There are similarities to his typical origins, growing up in Penaduro Prison and eating mice in harsh conditions. Except for a big difference.
Scott Snyder keeps Bane out of the way to make it a more symbolic one. His mask, previously due to the simple Lukador design, is now the flag of revolution. To juxtapose Absolute Batman, this version of Bane is also a weaker, who is also a rebel from other countries. He is the dark mirror of the blues, and the path diverges somewhere along the path after facing a choice. A depiction of a hero from a villain.
Previously excelling in variant cover duties, Clayman shines in his first interior artwork since Batman/Catwoman. And the evolution of style is clear. Here is an exhilarating dynamism that did not exist in Man’s past manga. As always in Snyderpen’s script, there are plenty of panels, and Mann makes good use of them to create a tragic montage of Bain’s biographies.
Ivan Plascencia adjusts his colour to suit Mann’s current sensibilities. That’s a far cry from the more highly rendered work of Mann’s time with Tom King. Here you will find high contrast red and sparkling green, which will help multiple panels pop. It also supports Nick Dragotta’s Bane-designed Man’s move to semi-real art style.
Though not as experimental and visually impressive as Mann’s cover, the colour works to tell the intended story, especially on the splash page. Artistic is the most effective. Also, on smaller, less noticeable panels, they appear to be less careful about equally, and may be too rough or flattered. Thankfully, these are very few.
In terms of plot, Scott Snyder manages to do something about Bain’s single problem, comparable to the revenge of Bain’s reputation. Beyond the story of origin, what this comic exerts on the character’s first appearance is an incredibly brutal action sequence. It’s assuming that it will break Batman’s back, but it’s another 10 steps.
The only thing that can be considered negative is the plot beat that was backpedaled at the end. It’s a choice that anyone might not land. All things considered, Snyder hasn’t missed it yet. I hope Mann does more interior art between the covers. His longtime Batman: Night Fire excites me.
Absolute Batman #11 brings back the curtains to the way Bane is born. Both Scott Snyder and Clay Mann go out and holds are not prohibited. It’s brutal. It’s exciting. And finally, I guarantee you will take two things away: It’s mood that Batman feels bad and wants more comics from Clay Man.
“Absolute Batman” #11 travels down Bane’s memory lane
Absolute Batman #11
Absolute Batman #11 brings back the curtains to the way Bane is born. Both Scott Snyder and Clay Mann go out and holds are not prohibited. It’s brutal. It’s exciting. And finally, I guarantee you will take two things away: It’s mood that Batman feels bad and wants more comics from Clay Man.
An impressive show of talent in all panels and prose
It has it all: tales of origin, brutal battle scenes, and important plot development
Clay Mann does justice for Nick Dragotta’s crazy design
