Absolute Batman #6 Review: Fighting Capitalism And Kicking Children

Always punching up, never giving up Absolute Batman #6 closes the end of our first arc, titled “The Zoo”. It’s been a blast to enjoy this version of Gotham and this new version of it’s Caped Crusader.

The city is on fire, and that last time we saw Bruce was when Batman was lit on fire, carved with his own axe and thrown off a building. As Gotham begins to implode and we start the issue with Waylon, Bruce’s childhood friend finding that someone has broken into his gym. As he prepares to defend himself and his property the stranger reveals themselves to be Bruce and then reveals himself to be Batman.

What I appreciated about this interaction is that Scott Snyder could have easily prolonged the reveal. He might have had Bruce’s friends discover the truth one at a time, but true to the spirit of the Absolute Universe, he defies our expectations and has Bruce disclose everything at once, with Ozzy and the others learning the truth in the following pages.

Another aspect that sets this Batman apart is that in moments of extreme danger, when the odds are heavily against him, he turns to his friends. Bruce seeks out the community that shaped him and supported him before he became Batman. So why wouldn't he rely on that support system now?

Young Bruce wakes up screaming and heads downstairs to find solace with his mother, his source of comfort amidst all the chaos. 

This issue frequently shifts between the narratives of Batman battling Black Mask, his childhood memories, and the present-day scenes with Martha and Gordon. In other stories, I might have found this approach disorienting, but I believe Snyder and Dragotta skillfully interweave these elements in a meaningful way, doing so only when necessary.

And let me tell you in context this is just as funny. Snyder here is just showing off at this point, he’s showing that he can add humor in dire circumstances and absolutely trusting Dragotta with incredible visual execution. Once we enter the the final fight with Black Mask I feel like we get a summary of what this new Batman is really about. Black Mask taunts him and tells him how useless all this fighting is. He can’t change the system, its meaningless. And Batman doesn’t care. He doesn’t give up. 

I won’t spoil the whole issue here, but this was my favorite issue since the first one. This is the perfect culmination of what Absolute Batman has been cooking up. Laying the groundwork for what is hopefully years of storytelling to come.

Side note: I absolute loved this panel, huge shoutout to Frank Martin’s colors. They are so chefs kiss

This issue is impressive and makes you eager for what's coming next. 

Featuring an emotional and action-filled climax, Absolute Batman demonstrates that this new Dark Knight is both perfectly relevant and profoundly hopeful for our current times.

I am excited to see where the team takes us next.