Absolute Batman Vol. 1
Plot Summary and Credits
The Absolute Universe introduces us to a very different Batman. Bruce Wayne is a construction worker whose father, a school teacher, was killed when he was a child. His mother is alive, and several villains from the main universe are his childhood friends. His crusade against crime is interrupted when secret agent Alfred Pennyworth arrives in Gotham City to search for Black Mask and his gang of sadistic Party Animals. With political tension rising in the city, Bruce and Alfred are forced to put aside their differences to stop Black Mask’s gang from killing the people keeping the fragile peace, including Bruce’s mother.
Scott Snyder (writer), Nick Dragotta, Gabriel Hernández Walta (artists), Frank Martin (colourist), Clayton Cowles (letterer)
Collects Absolute Batman #1-6
My Copy
I was on my way home from a lecture and stopped by the comic shop to pick up the latest instalment of Ultimate Spider-Man, when I remembered that DC were also running their own reimagined universe. I thought to myself, surely I can spare a bit of cash. Who needs vegetables, right?
Before Reading
I was sceptical about getting into the Absolute Universe. From what I knew about it, it seemed like little more than a darker version of what we’ve already seen, and I didn’t think anything could top Marvel’s run of reimagined titles that I was in the middle of reading. I suppose part of me was against the idea of making drastic changes to such iconic characters, even if it was distinct from the main universe. But the Ultimate Universe showed me just how interesting these kinds of stories can be, so I decided to give DC’s attempt a look.
After Reading
Reading the opening issue of Absolute Batman immediately eliminated all of my concerns. These first six issues serve as an introduction to this new version of Batman, and they serve this purpose well. The comic hits the ground running, dropping the reader right in the middle of the Crusader’s new crusade and sparing no detail when it comes to the action.
I was worried that I wouldn’t have the same connection to Absolute Bruce as I do to the conventional version of the character. The comic solves this by giving us an extended look into his childhood, especially his relationship with his late father. It was nice to see him have a childhood friend group (even though they’ll all likely end up fighting him at some point), since it gives him a tangible connection to his city and its people, even though he lacks the wealth and influence that he’s normally used to help them as Bruce Wayne.
I think Batman’s gadgets are my favourite part of this comic. To list a few examples: the Batmobile is a giant converted dump truck, his chest logo is an axe blade (he keeps the handle on his belt), his glider cape is replaced by four slender ones that can solidify into hooked arms, his shoulder armour contains extendable spikes, and the ears of his cowl contain knives. When he’s fighting Black Mask, these ears rotate ninety degrees so that he can stab him with a headbutt, which actually got a little laugh out of me. Yes, it’s silly, but it’s just the right amount of silly to compliment the grittiness, which in my mind is what makes this comic true to Batman.
Black Mask makes for a decent villain. He’s creepy, smart and a physical match for Batman, making him a good character to start off with for the new run. His subordinates, the Party Animals, didn’t quite measure up to their leader. They feel kind of one-dimensional, just a bunch of crazy psychopaths who like killing people. Also, it’s a little hard to believe that so many people accepted Black Mask’s offer of killing the higher-ups for insane amounts of money. I get that Gotham is a rough place, but I don’t think that every other person has the makings of a serial killer.
Other than this relatively minor gripe, I really enjoyed this comic. So much so, in fact, that only a couple of days later I went to pick up volume one of Absolute Superman. I guess I’ll have to forgo eating vegetables for a while.
Closing Thoughts
Absolute Batman is great so far. It gives a new take on the Caped Crusader without losing the central feeling of what makes the character, treading the line between gritty and silly.
Next week, I’ll be heading back to Marvel for one of their own universe-reshaping events.
