ABSOLUTE BATMAN #16: Bat Out of Hell

Batman once again calls upon Diana to help him find the cure for his friends who have suffered mutations at the hands of Bane. But is Bruce prepared to face the anger from his friends, and is he prepared to battle forces he has never faced before to help those he cares about?

Creative Team: Scott Snyder (WRITER), Nick Dragotta (ART, COVER, and WRITER), Frank Martin (COLORS and COVER), Clayton Cowles (LETTERS), and Frank Cho and Sabine Rich (VARIANT COVER).

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

The Story:

For fans who may not be caught up on Absolute Wonder Woman, this continuation makes it so you do not have to have read the previous crossover; however, it helps. In issue 15 of Wonder Woman, Diana gave Bruce a medallion that would only work three times to call her, and she would appear. Bruce opts to use it for the second time in this issue because he attempts to visit Oz and Harvey, who harbor a lot of resentment towards him for the state that they are in. Scott and Nick show a vulnerability to Bruce in this issue. In the sense that he cares for his friends and the mission that he has set out brings collateral damage with it.

As Bruce and Diana attempt to find the cure, the bond they formed in Thompson’s issue crosses into this issue, and I am loving how well these two come together. Diana worries and cares for him, and Bruce again is showing hints of vulnerability as well as his tenacious behavior. This crossover has really nailed everything I was hoping to get out of it in terms of relationship building.

The Art and Letters:

Starting with the cover, I never fully realized or thought about how tall Diana was in this universe. We know Bruce is 6’9” in this world, and to see her standing above him really puts her character into perspective. The duo creates beautiful sequences and panels, such as the panel of Bruce as a child wearing the cape and cowl. It leads us into a scene with his father that hits hard emotionally, led by Clayton’s lettering. The centaur is depicted familiarly but with a demonic vibe to him, and the fluidity of the action transcends the panels and pages.

Final Thoughts:

Absolute Batman #16 brings Diana and Bruce together once more and humanizes Bruce in ways we haven’t seen from other iterations. I am not done with the adventures of these two, and I would read an entire run of them together.

Overall Grade: 10/10

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