ABSOLUTE BATMAN #24: Reinforcements

Bruce has been torn down to nothing, and Scarecrow has turned his entire life upside down. It’s time for reinforcements and for Batman to make a choice: does he lie down and quit, or will he rise from the ashes, born anew?

Creative Team: Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta, Frank Martin, and Tom Napolitano.

The Story:

This may be the best-written issue of the run yet, in my opinion, as there is so much buildup throughout this issue that pays off. There are two stories headed toward a converging path, both done so well. Bruce is at his lowest and has a choice to make about whether he quits and lets them win or stands up and fights. Meanwhile, we get Barbara on her own path, stepping into the shoes she was meant to fill. I love how Scott and the team bring Batgirl to life in this issue; it’s done so well, and it isn’t an easy task for her at that. Alfred has his own path to choose during this issue as well, and it feels as though the Bat team is finally slowly but surely coming together. We even get a satisfying face-off between Batman and Scarecrow in this issue, which is going to cement itself as one of the best pages of Batman in history.

The Art:

I loved Tom’s use of lettering in this issue, as every voice is given its own flair and expression, with there being so much happening within these pages. The team of Dragotta and Martin utilizes the art to pay off the big moments in this issue, leveraging the sheer size of Batman at times. In other moments, when Bruce is wounded, he is depicted not as the giant we’ve come to know. I loved how they brought to life the vibrancy of color and depicted the fight between Batman and The Straw Man between the stalks of corn, as well as breaking up moments and using it to build suspense. Overall, this issue leverages the art and colors to build up the mythos and craft the big moments, hammering home the magnitude of what’s on the page.

Final Thoughts:

Personally, Absolute Batman #24 is my favorite issue of the series to date. It builds slowly throughout the issue and gives life to the new mythos of Batman being built. Something tells me we’re just getting started with that.

Overall Grade: 10/10

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