Absolute Batman #4 is written by Scott Snyder with plotting from Nick Dragotta and published by DC. Artwork is by Gabriel Hernandez Walta, colours by Frank Martin and letters by Clayton Cowles. Main cover art (left) is by Dragotta and Martin.
Absolute Batman #4 is available now, in print and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your digital copy from Amazon Comixology UK right here.
Synopsis
Absolute Batman has established himself as an extremely large force to be reck-oned with. But how did he get to this point? How did he push himself? And how did the tragic events of his childhood, and the advice of his father, shape the man who he became…literally? Guest artist Gabriel Walta joins for this essential origin issue of Absolute Batman to explore Bruce Wayne’s past, and his inevitable future to go BIGGER. Don’t miss this pivotal issue!
Review
January is proving to be an interesting month for DC’s Absolute books. Taking some inspiration from Absolute Superman’s recent issue, Scott Snyder is taking Absolute Batman back in to the past for a special issue highlighting much of the new Dark Knight’s origin story. This month’s issue also sees guest artist Gabriel Walta stepping in to take over visual duties.
As with previous issues there are still two strings to the plot of Absolute Batman #4. Part of the issue takes place during Joe Chill’s court case for the attack at Gotham Zoo. Whilst other scenes are set during Batman’s very first days on the streets of Gotham. Whilst the focus of this issue is much more on the key moments which drove Bruce to put on the costume. Snyder is acutely aware that the readers are getting used to the brutal action in this book. So the Batman scenes are able to continue satisfying those cravings whilst driving the plot forwards.
Turns out the Absolute version of the Dark Knight happens to have started out even more brutal than we’d been led to believe. Snyder leans in heavily to the anger that young Bruce felt following the death of his father to inform his actions throughout this issue. His first foray out on to the streets as Batman also leans in to more of a vampire-bat portrayal of the character. For a moment I thought I was reading a “Legends of the Dark Knight” style fable being told by goons who had first interacted with him.
It’s super fun seeing Snyder play these moments off against Bruce in the court and also memories between him and his father. In particular this issue hones in on the school project which landed Bruce and his class the trip to the zoo. It factors in to the story on a number of different levels with Snyder utilising it to explore the father-son relationship as well as Bruce’s interest in bats. It’s clear that Bruce and Thomas didn’t always have the most straightforward relationship but through the course of the project both come to learn lessons about the other which reflects beautifully on where we find them on the morning of the shooting.
Snyder has always been an incredibly capable writer when it comes to character work and action. Absolute Batman #4 is a prime example of how effortlessly the sheer volume of character information in this issue sits alongside seeing the hulking Batman taking his first steps towards vigilantism. Some of it even feels clandestine, sneaking on to our radar before we’ve even had chance to realise we’re being schooled in the history of this alternate Bruce.
Coming out of this issue I certainly feel like I’ve learned a lot more about who this version of Bruce is. Whilst we’ve seen his dedication to the mission through the present day storyline. Putting the spotlight on these key moments from Bruce’s past sets up Absolute Batman to move forwards with an even stronger sense of purpose. Circling back to the confrontation teased on the final page, I can only think that Snyder is about to spin the series on its axis yet again.
Walta’s presence on this issue came as a surprise. I will admit I hadn’t read ahead to discover that Nick Dragotta was co-plotting this issue with Snyder and not providing the artwork. I will also admit it took me a second to adjust to anyone other than Dragotta working on the story at this early stage. But Walta brings a wonderful, illustrative style to Absolute Batman. Walta’s style captures the essence of Snyder’s story in a different way to Dragotta. It’s less fluid, instead feeling like still frames capturing key moments for the reader to experience. It sits well with the flashback nature of this entire story and certainly does add to the idea that this issue is to be experienced as a one-shot origin.
Verdict
Absolute Batman #4 stands on its own as brilliant deep dive in to the Absolute Universe’s version of Bruce Wayne. Scott Snyder proves, once again, why he may be THE ultimate Batman writer whilst guest-artist Gabriel Walta brings an interesting new perspective to this new Earth.
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