A new version of Batman is here, but is it worth the read?
DC’s Absolute series exists as a retelling of classic DC stories in a grimmer, more serious light. Absolute Batman Volume one, The Zoo, which consists of issues #1-6. Tells a story of a Bruce Wayne without the money, butler or fancy gadgets. Written by Scott Snyder with art by Nick Dragotta and Gabriel Hernández Walta, coloring by Frank Martin and lettering by Clayton Cowles, Absolute Batman presents a version of this iconic character as we’ve never seen before.
The story is very well written and the art style matches very well for the type of story. The art is gritty and takes an emphasis on adding a level of gothic to Batman, his villains and Gotham in general. This is a part of Batman that is often lost in other iterations. Every once in a while, a specific story highlights this part of the Batman mythos exclusively; Absolute Batman does that while also delivering a fresh take on Batman and fellow characters.
Snyder’s writing shines as is usual in his works. Character interactions feel authentic, the story lines flow well and despite being a new iteration that deviates from the original Batman mythos, the essence of what makes these characters is still there. Snyder has previously proven he can write Batman, but Absolute Batman shows he can shift to a different type of Batman very well. While I am less versed in Walta’s previous work, his art style fits well with the story and makes the more gruesome scenes and new character designs stand out.
Even if a person isn’t a huge superhero superfan, the origin story of Batman is well known. A young Bruce Wayne and his very rich parents go to a movie. On their way home, they walk through an ally and get robbed. The robber shoots his parents and bolts, leaving poor Bruce to sit with the bodies of his parents, watching them die. He grows up under the care of the family butler Alfred Pennyworth and becomes Batman to stop criminals, choosing that mantle because he wants to scare evil people, and he’s scared of bats himself.
Absolute Batman flips this story around absolutely (pun intended). For starters, his parents are not rich with his father being a school teacher not a CEO and his mom working for the local government. His dad ends up getting shot during a school field trip after shoving his students, including Bruce, into the bat enclosure to save them. This drastically changes that origin story, altering the reason for the bat persona and adding a character rarely fleshed out in Batman stories, his mom Martha Wayne. This is really interesting because Martha Wayne is a character that haunts the narrative.
She dies, and that event pushes along the story. Because of this, we don’t often see characterization of her. We see her through Bruce’s eyes, occasionally, but we don’t see her as her own person. This is a big move in a Batman comic as there previously has been debates over whether or not Bruce would be Batman if one or both of his parents lived. This comic says yes, just slightly differently.
It is also worth noting that while Martha is alive, the mother-son relationship is strained because of Bruce keeping Batman a secret and Martha’s insistence on putting herself in danger with her job and views. Perhaps throughout the rest of the comic, the relationship will get better, but it is interesting how it reframes the question from “can he be Batman if they’re alive” to “can he be Batman if they have a relationship either way.” It will be nice to be able to get to know her character at a deeper level, but it might just be inevitable that her character will not survive for much longer.
Another interesting change was giving Bruce a relationship with his villains before they become villains by making him, Catwoman, Two-Face, Riddler, and Killer Croc, childhood friends. Obviously, he is close with Catwoman as she is his main love interest. We have seen what it would be like if they were childhood friends in the TV series Gotham that aired in 2014 wherein Catwoman and Bruce meet as kids and become friends after his parents die. However, this is the first time they all have been portrayed as a group. This sets up an interesting dynamic between the characters as when his friends become villains, the conflict won’t just be good guy vs bad guy but friend vs friend, which is bound to be interesting.
The dynamic between Bruce and Alfred is also different in that Alfred didn’t watch Bruce grow up and is still working in the military. Alfred clearly has the urge to take Bruce under his wing but has his reservations due to his relationship with his own daughter,which is another storyline I’m glad was added as Alfred’s daughter is often ignored in other stories. It will be interesting to see how Alfred’s character and relationships develop.
Overall I enjoyed the first volume. I think it’s well written and drawn and the new stories and dynamics are interesting and add a fresh take to the Batman origin without fundamentally changing the character, which can be hard. I am very much looking forward to reading the rest and the introductions of the Robins. I love how this comic gives Snyder the chance to showcase how brilliant Batman is. In every other comic run or movie or show, Bruce Wayne is a multi-billionaire. Being rich is often said to be his only superpower. However, the character in his version is a genius-level detective and can build and create things. Sure the money helps, but stripping him of that or the company he owns that can make gadgets for him gives Bruce a chance to prove his value to the readers as more than money. Absolute Batman is a breath of fresh air for the character and readers. It has been very successful, getting stellar reviews from critics and fans — not just with Batman but with other characters Absolute runs as well. Hopefully, the success with these runs will spur DC to create more in this Absolute universe, which, so far, seems to be the plan.
I will say, however, that this comic isn’t best for brand new readers. I would start off with Batman year one by Frank Miller. This comic is the origin of the original Batman and having that knowledge going into Absolute will make it a much better read. With that being said, Absolute Batman is well worth the read.
