In this review of Absolute Batman #3, Batman receives a most generous offer from an unexpected source. Will he take it?
Absolute Batman #3 main cover by Nick Dragotta
Absolute Batman #3
Writer: Scott Synder
Artist and Main Cover: Nick Dragotta
Colorist: Frank Martin
Variant Covers: Becky Cloonan, Gabriele Dell’Otto, Riley Rossmo, Stevan Subic
Release Date: December 18, 2024
This review contains spoilers
Absolute Batman #3 opens where we ended last issue. With a young Selina being chased by young Bruce. Selina catches Bruce before he falls and tells him to have “cat eyes” meaning he should not look past things and enjoy the moment. They then walk off holding hands.
Absolute Batman #3 then moves to the present, as Alfred and Batman are being chased by the Party Animals in the giant dump truck Batmobile. Alfred says that he and his organization think that Roman Sinios is the Black Mask and leader of the Party Animals. Batman changes the Batmobile into something more that we recognize while Alfred says that Batman should stand down his attacks on the Animals and let his organization take care of Black Mask but Batman sees that as quitting. The GCPD have them cornered by the docks and Batman ejects Alfred and drives the car under the water through a tunnel. This car can do it all.
In the flashback, we learn that Selina is a foster kid on her fourth home now but she goes out every night on the rooftops with the cats. She then takes Bruces to a movie theater to see Zorro.
Bruce meets with Eddie who is building some new technology that is super advanced and intelligent who Eddie calls Al but is thinking Riddle Man will be better. Bruce asks the robot about the Party Animal masks and the robot says there are so many Party Animals across the globe that taking them all down will be difficult.
Commissioner Harvy Bullock meets with Roman Sinios who is wrestling Bibbio Bibbowski who is a former wrestler. As Sinios, who is wearing a mask, kicks Bibbio’s ass and chokes him out tells Bullock he can provide him the necessary vehicles and equipment to take out the Party Animals and Batman. Sinios clearly just wants a war in Gotham.
Alfred and Harvey Dent give Bruce some clues about “Ark M”. Alfred’s inner monologue reveals that “Arks” are black sites that are prisons controlled by governments throughout the world. Ark A was in Santa Prisca and now Ark M is being planned in Gotham and will be the biggest yet.
In the past, Bruce tries to leave the movie but the other friends make him stay and watch the movie. In the present Bruce sees his mother who breaks the news to him that she will now be Jim Gordon’s deputy mayor. Bruce is worried because the Party Animals target political figures.
Bullock endorses Hamilton Hill for mayor instead of Gordon. Absolute Batman #3 ends with Batman taking a deal from Black Mask. Two hundred million dollars for Batman to stand down and Black Mask takes it easier on Gotham. It’s what Alfred was telling Bruce to do at the start of the issue. Surely, Bruce’s mom taking on the deputy mayor role has changed Bruce’s mind.
Analysis
Absolute Batman #3 does not have as much Batman action as the first two issues and that is ok. I think I was expecting more of a flashback issue with Bruce and Selina but Snyder gave a good amount but left room for more. Absolute Selina seems to be a similar character to her mainstream counterpart. I still really like anytime Bruce and friends get together. Snyder really seems to have a good hold on those characters and how he wants to interact.
I think any reader can see how this deal between Batman and Black Mask is going to play out. Bruce takes the deal and Black Mask lays low until something happens to Bruce’s mom which causes Batman to break the deal. I hope I am wrong and that Snyder has something else planned.
Absolute Batman #3 was the weakest of the three for me. Don’t get me wrong, I still really like the series but the issue hit familiar tropes that I really was not expecting. The first two issues had different takes on familiar characters but this issue did not. I’m sure Snyder is setting up something big with Selina and Black Mask.
