Absolute Batman #2 - DC Comics

ABSOLUTE BATMAN No. 2, February 2025

Described by “DC Comics” as being something of a ‘rampage’ in its solicitation synopsis, Issue Two of “Absolute Batman” certainly appears to start off well enough with the titular character tackling a truck-load of skull mask-wearing maniacs inside Gotham City’s Aquarium. But once the Dark Knight cleverly outmanoeuvres the numerous Party Animals by dispensing Hydrochloric Acid into the waist-deep water surrounding them, this twenty-four page periodical’s plot debatably gets badly bogged down in a ton of dialogue-driven discussions and childhood flashbacks.

In fact, apart from establishing that Scott Snyder’s “brand-new take” on Bruce Wayne is disconcertingly best buddies with the likes of the Penguin, the Riddler and Two-Face – courtesy of an extraordinary poker game – a fair few Bat-fans will probably find large portions of this publication to be extremely hard-going, especially when it comes to a sedentary stay beside Mayor Jim Gordon’s Hospital room; “What is this world we’ve given them, Mar? When we were their age, we were crazy, sure, thinking we could change it all. But it still felt possible then you know?”

Happily however, this comic does contain some semblance of sense-shattering action towards its end, when Batman teams up with a certain “vigilant MI6 agent” called Alfred Pennyworth, and attempts to evade an ambush by the Black Mask Gang. Surrounded by the whole Gotham City Police Department, this escape bid quickly becomes as exhilarating as its well-penned atmosphere is intense, and only a few bibliophiles will be able to stop themselves gasping in sheer awe when the gigantic Bat-dozer makes a shock appearance.

Similarly as hit or miss as the narrative are debatably Nick Dragotta’s layouts. At times the illustrator and co-creator of “East Of West” is genuinely able to imbue a palpable, pulse-pounding pace into the storytelling by sketching a series of small, punchy panels. However, this technique doesn’t always seem to work, such as during the aforementioned game of cards, and instead can make a scene look incredibly cumbersome and intimidatingly busy – even when it's just covering Bullock unconvincingly suggesting that the Caped Crusader is actually a criminal working in league with the Party Animals.

The regular cover art of "ABSOLUTE BATMAN" #2 by Nick Dragotta & Frank Martin