It has come to this: Absolute Batman versus the Absolute Robin gang. Okay, maybe not a gang, but certainly a group armed to the teeth who can stop Batman, or so they think. The big cliffhanger of Absolute Batman #20 kicks off this issue, but expect far more from multiple villains in this plot-opening issue.
Absolute Batman #21 pretty much has it all, although it’s chunked out a bit and not as free-flowing as previous issues. The first nine pages focus on the Robins versus Batman; then the narrative opens up a bit with a funeral, reveals Batman’s buds and how they’re leaning more into villain territory, and ends with a rather shocking confrontation you won’t see coming.
Kicking things off is a no-holds-barred fight with Alfred and Harley in Batman’s ear as he takes on the Robins. In their ear is Deathstroke, establishing a kind of mirroring of the two sides. One can also see writer Scott Snyder and artist Nick Dragotta opening up Batman a bit here, shifting from his solo-loner approach to a man with people in the chair helping him. At least they try to. As the battle goes on, he’s mostly thinking on his feet and ignoring Alfred’s pleas to run.
Dragotta keeps showing he’s one of the best in the business in this fight, from the choreography to the way each impact is felt in your bones. Dynamic, exciting, and interesting, especially with the constant checking in on characters via close-up.
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Credit: DC Comics
Through the battle, Snyder gives us a taste of most of these Robins, helping carve out their personalities. It’s fairly basic, but it’s still early on, and one can see Jason and Dick floating to the top and being more important as the story goes on.
From there, the issue sets its sights on Jim Gordon, who died in the last issue. You’ll feel the loss in Gotham through the many people in attendance and how upset they all are. Meanwhile, Snyder uses the funeral to give us a little more from the Robins and their teenage-looking crew.
After the funeral, a two-page scene gives us so much about Two-Face, the Penguin, the Riddler, and Killer Croc. It’s a testament to Dragotta how much gets packed into these pages.
Closing out the issue is the showstopper of it all, and it’ll have folks talking. In just five pages, the creative team seemingly raises the stakes while establishing one of the key Batman relationships in any universe. The way Bruce is defeated, while a new monster brews for next time, shows us he has much to learn and much more to battle in the coming issues.
Absolute Batman #21 fires on all cylinders, delivering a fantastic opening fight, meaningful fallout from Jim Gordon’s death, and strong character work across Gotham’s growing cast. Nick Dragotta’s art remains among the best in comics, while Scott Snyder continues to expand this universe in compelling ways. The structure may feel a bit segmented, but every scene serves a purpose and builds toward a jaw-dropping final act.
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