The Absolute Batman universe is growing exponentially of late, and Absolute Batman #19 is no different. Enter: Scarecrow, new developments with the Court of Owls, and a cliffhanger that got spoiled earlier this week. Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta have been firing on all cylinders for months now, and you can add issue #19 to the mix.
Absolute Batman #19 is a tour de force, continuing the trend of packing each issue with so much story and reveals that it’s as if the creative team isn’t holding back a smidge. Gone is the decompression, in its place pages with so many panels it feels like you’re getting double the story. This issue juggles the introduction of Absolute Scarecrow, Deathstroke’s first move since seeing him in Absolute Evil, a major death, and a new Batman vehicle to add a spike of extra fun to the mix. All in all, the issue is a lot, and it’s glorious.
The issue opens 1,500 miles from Gotham in a cornfield. Two workers are harvesting corn when a strange man in a brown suit, no shoes, and button eyes appears from the field. He knows things about these men, toys with them, and forces them to fight by simple suggestion. It seems this version of Scarecrow prefers to manipulate people into doing terrible things rather than being crippled by fear. It’s an interesting twist that ends in a deadly finish, and those powers play into the story later. Thanks to that, it gives this issue its own conflict, resolution, and another conflict, making for a satisfying loop.
From there, we turn to Gotham, where Batman is driving some kind of Bat-Buggy. It has huge wheels and can practically hop over traffic. With Alfred in his ear and Harley acting as a kind of pit crew, we get a little more development in how Batman operates these days.
Disturbing stuff.
Credit: DC Comics
From there, major developments with Killer Croc take place, but before long, Jim Gordon comes calling. In a tense scene, Batman and Gordon confer, which leads to a subtle change in personality and a shocking twist. It seems in the Absolute Universe, not only do characters get bigger and scarier, but the only positive bonds need to be inverted and changed as well.
Closing out the issue is a nice setup with Deathstroke and a team of Robins. Snyder smartly connects this group to a political element, as Deathstroke takes the podium to speak about the character’s use. Joker is behind all this, and he’s making it clear to the public that Batman is an enemy.
Visually, this issue continues to impress in many ways, be it a striking full-page splash of Batman’s cape attempting to save someone, or the integration of TV news elements in scenes, reminiscent of The Dark Knight Returns. There’s deep emotion when characters connect, and all-out fun when the Bat-Buggy is rushing through the city. In the latter sequence, tight tiny panels give the reader so much information, like how the buggy can turn vertically down tight streets. Add in the straight-up horror movie opening with Scarecrow, and there are too many good things in this issue visually to list.
Absolute Batman #19 keeps the pedal down with relentless pacing and big swings that continue to redefine this universe. Scott Snyder packs the issue with major developments, from Scarecrow’s disturbing debut to shifting alliances and escalating stakes across Gotham. Nick Dragotta matches that energy with inventive layouts and striking imagery that carry both tension and spectacle. It is a bold, crowded issue, but one that rarely loses its grip thanks to confident execution and a clear sense of direction.
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