ABSOLUTE BATMAN #19: Scarecrow

Gotham City has embraced the Batman, and it has now grown far beyond anything Bruce has ever thought it could have become. As he becomes a symbol for the city, an evil emerges from the cornfields ready to create havoc. More than that, things begin to spiral out of control for Bruce as he gears up for his toughest challenge yet.

Creative Team: Written by Scott Snyder with art by Nick Dragotta and colors by Frank Martin. Letters by Tom Napolitano and cover by Nick Dragotta and Frank Martin.

SPOILERS AHEAD

The Story:

This has been a heavily hyped up and teased coming for Scarecrow, and it lives up to the hype. From the very first pages, a lot is happening as he emerges in the cornfield and immediately pits the two farmers against one another. This is just a simple taste of what we can expect from him in the future. What happens further in this issue was beyond anything I could have seen coming. We see Bruce and Waylon reunite, with Waylon looking healthier thanks to the cure Bruce gave him.

As we dive further into the pages, Scott continues to throw curveballs at us, and remember that anything can and will happen. Gordon has files that he needs to give Bruce, and ultimately falls to his death. This is perhaps the most shocking thing out of any of the 19 issues we have had to this moment. Scott and the crew are not afraid to shake up the status quo and remind us that this is a new take on Batman and Gotham. We are left reeling from this moment as Deathstroke unveils a team of Robins set to be unleashed upon the city to help police it.

The Art and Letters:

Dragotta and Martin absolutely nail this terrifying look of Scarecrow. Drawing him as a straw man with no shoes and a sinister look is such an amazing look for a character I have always been a fan of. There are subtle details in the ways we think he will operate, such as when he blows smoke from his cigarette, leaving us thinking that is how his toxin will work. More than that, I love the design of Slade Wilson as he is not the Slade we know and has suffered trauma and lost limbs. There are so many fantastic details hidden in the background, and the important scenes hit their marks. The way Tom lettered Scarecrow as well made his voice appear calm and smooth with underlying tones, something sinister there all the same, which set the tone for the comic straight off the bat.

Final Thoughts:

Absolute Batman #19 is as advertised. The team reminds us that while we know the names of these characters, we have no idea how things are set to play out at all. They aren’t afraid to shake things up and take chances, making this issue hit hard.

Overall Grade: 10/10

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