11/13 Comic Reviews: Absolute AF

Absolute Batman #1 written by Scott Snyder with art by Nick Dragotta

“All he is… is one long advance forward. Batman AF.”

              After an amazing first showing, the second issue of Absolute Batman has arrived. Alfred continues to keep the masked vigilante under surveillance as he wages war against the Party Animals. He has been instructed to offer no support and let things run their course. Alfred rationalizes letting things escalate as a pathway to gaining data and getting out of Gotham faster, but it’s clear that he’s unsatisfied with the way events are playing out. As he watches Batman, he reflects on his time in the military and the tactical discernment to know when to advance and when to fall back. So far Batman has been perpetually advancing, but Alfred is sure it’s not going to be sustainable. Surely, he’s eventually going to hit a wall, right? He's obviously never seen Batman’s like before.

Much like the current Ultimate Spider-Man, I really appreciate how it doesn’t feel like things are different for the sake of being different. We see Bruce sit down with his old friends for a game of poker later and longtime fans will quickly recognize everyone present as members of Batman’s rogues gallery. On one hand, we’re given a fun look at variations of classic characters reimagined in the context of this new universe, but at the same time, there’s so much depth and subtext to the conversation they have as they play. Bruce is clearly probing them for information, but he’s also sharing some info with them too. It’s unclear if they’re people he genuinely likes but has grown distant with, or if he’s only continuing their relationship for the sake of supporting his war on crime. None of the group is unlikable, and it’s going to be interesting exploring how much they’re good people trying to make their way in a bad system, or villains actively fueling the crime and corruption in the city. We also learn a lot about Bruce through these interactions. Because of his upbringing, OG Bruce was always removed from the crime of the city to some degree. His privilege gave him a degree of innocence from the greyness of the world, and it could be argued that the contrast is what enables him to cast such stark judgment upon the criminals of his city. This Absolute Bruce has never had that luxury. He’s as much a product of Gotham’s streets as any of his friends. He doesn’t have the privilege of taking such a hard moral stance when he knows firsthand how difficult life is and what it takes to survive. We’ve seen that manifest itself in his willingness to use more severe violence against his foes. The first issue showed him cutting a gunman’s hand off and this one follows up with another instance of violence way more brutal than anything we’re used to seeing. As Alfred observed previously, he’s only using the level of force necessary, and it should be taken as an indicator of the state of the world if this is what’s necessary. 

             One of the things I’ve always loved about Scott Snyder’s Batman work are the moments of sheer insanity that will usually punctuate a climactic scene, and, holy cow, can Nick Dragotta draw a big moment. The book looks great from start to finish, but there are three incredible “gonna be my new phone wallpaper” moments that are worth the price of admission alone. Each of them feels like a complete distillation of this new Batman, showcasing his resourcefulness, his unwavering determination, and his audacity. He is an unstoppable force, and every panel captures the forward momentum oozing out of him. It’s not just the bombastic moments though. Dragotta has an amazing sense of detail which adds layers upon layers of subtlety and subtext to every character interaction in the book. The poker game, in particular, required a lot of heavy lifting from the art to show the shifts in mood of each character as they gamble with their words as much as their cards. How much they share willingly and how much is forced out of them is never verbalized, but their expressions speak volumes about the shifts in dynamics throughout the game. 

             This book is not only telling us a Batman story unlike any other, but also slowly introducing us to a new world with very different versions of characters than the ones we know. The creative team’s ability to follow so many narrative threads at once without hurting the pacing of the book is nothing short of miraculous. Not only is the book full of superhero action, it’s full of character drama. All of what we know about these characters, aside from our preconceptions, is given to us by the way they talk with each other. The book is about Gotham and its people as much as it’s about Batman and they’re an equally compelling part of the narrative. 

             So far, the Absolute Universe has been nothing but a string of perfect issues. There’s a feeling of care and deliberateness in the storytelling that clearly shows the commitment of everyone involved to creating this new universe and telling stories unlike anything we’ve seen. These are stories about the heroes of today and reading them is giving me hope for tomorrow. 

Batman and Robin #15 written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson with art by Javi Fernandez
 
             Holy burning buildings, Batman! The father and son dynamic duo found themselves in a precarious position last month as the event they were attending found itself simultaneously under attack by armed gunmen and a mysterious figure dressed in Victorian-era clothing. Bruce Batmans his way out of a burning room while Damian tries to keep everyone safe in the main hall. Unfortunately, there’s a limit to how much one person can do and innocents can get hurt. It’s heartbreaking to see Damian nearly breaking down at the person he failed to save. Luckily, the doctor who he’d been rude to in the previous issue is there to help the girl and to help guide Damian through it as well. The boy has been a perfectionist since he’s been introduced, raised to be the best at everything he does. He knows he has the skills to do anything, but in this moment he acknowledges that he lacks the sense of purpose that has defined Ra’s, Talia, and Bruce. He knows how to fight, but he isn’t sure why he does anymore. In the previous issue, Damian had made some disparaging remarks about Thomas Wayne that had clearly angered his father, but he realizes in this moment that, rather than scold Damian, he could use his father’s journals to guide Damian through his personal crisis, but also to help him understand that his legacy is more than just assassins. Thomas Wayne was a doctor and a builder who worked tirelessly to make life better for the people of his city. Bruce has always held his parents on a pedestal, but Damian gives us the chance to examine the Wayne legacy from the perspective of an heir without any connection to his family before it became defined by Batman. It’ll be interesting to see what he’ll choose to take away from Thomas’ journals and what new light he’ll shine on his family history. 
             This issue also gives us a bit more information about Memento, the strange serial killer Bruce encountered. Like any good mystery, what we learn only serves to create more questions as we’re taken back to a time in Bruce’s youth when he’d just begun to travel the world, developing his skills. Even at that time, Memento was already history, having terrorized London over a century before. Bruce is hesitant to talk about the case and continually makes a point to say that this new villain must be a copycat. His fervent denial brings to mind his attitude when he first encountered the Court of Owls, a case which also dragged him through the wringer. Bruce and Damian still have a lot to work on, but they also have the potential to heal each other and prevent the same mistakes from occurring again. We see them taken an important step forward in this issue, but time will tell if they'll be able to continue moving forward.
             Once again, Javi Fernandez absolutely kills it on art this week. Memento's design stands out in particular. So far, he's mostly been a ghastly ripperesque silhouette, but there's a palpable aura of menace around him. The way he draws expressions really enforces the emotional impact of key scenes as well. Seeing Damian's cocky demeanor slide away as he wrestles with fear and guilt over a little girl he wasn't able to protect can't help but tug on the reader's heartstrings. It reminds us that for all Damian's arrogance, he's a boy who has grown up in a violent environment but has held on to his soul thanks to his father and brothers. The trade off is that it opens him up to being hurt in a way he isn't equipped to deal with yet. Our two heroes are both accustomed to masks, both in costume and out, but Fernandez's art reveals the struggles and strain they're both feeling underneath as they wrestle with their obligations to their mantles as well as to their family. 
            This new run on Batman and Robin is quickly proving to be the go-to place for character-driven storytelling as father and son reckon with demons new and old while trying to bridge the emotional gap between them. There've been some great stories featuring Damian and his journey to be more than his heritage and it's been interesting to see how that's shifted the duo's dynamic. There's a trust there that wasn't present before, but it's clear that whatever's coming is going to test that trust to its limits. I'd highly recommend this book, especially if historical mysteries and family drama are your jam.