In this review of Absolute Batman #13, Selina Kyle makes her return to Gotham to find a Bruce Wayne unlike the one she knew before.
Absolute Batman #13 main cover by Nick Dragotta (DC Comics)
ABSOLUTE BATMAN #13
Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Art and Main Cover: NICK DRAGOTTA
Variant Covers: STANLEY “ARTGERM” LAU, JENNY FRISON, ADAM HUGHES, BRIAN BOLLAND, DAVID NAKAYAMA, NICK DRAGOTTA
Page Count: 32 pages
Release Date: 10/8/25
This review contains spoilers
Absolute Batman #13 opens with Bruce and Selina debriefing after meeting with Falcone about Waylon’s fight and how it is the only way Waylon can win.
Cut back to the present and Batman is asking Catwoman why she has returned and she says that his mother called her because he was missing for four months. Alfred mentions that she has heard of her and that Batman shouldn’t trust her. Batman says to not worry because she is leaving right now.
Cut to Bruce and Selina doing the Battusi in the sheets if you catch my drift. Bruce asks Selina if she wants to go out on a date and we see a great splash page of Batman and Catwoman leaping through Gotham.
They go to meet the Red Hood gang to speak with their leader but they attack. As they attack, Catwoman pulls out a gun and mows them down. Batman is outraged but Catwoman just shot them full of tranquilizers. In a ferris wheel, someone is about to fire a rocket at them but Batman still has the venom in his veins and Hulks out and knocks the whole ferris wheel over. You read that right. He knocks down a whole ferris wheel.
Catwoman calms him down but Batman says how he needs help because he is going to destroy Bane and Ark M because they made him into a monster. The leader of the Red Hoods says how they weren’t sure of Batman but after hearing they want to take down Ark M, they’re sold. The leader is revealed to be….. Harley Quinn.
Bruce and Selina reunites (Alfred is there too)… (DC Comics)
Batman puts a message out on tv to Bane. One final battle, winner take all. If Bane wins, he’ll go back to Ark M but Batman guarantees victory.
Flashback to Bruce telling Waylon about the deal with Falcone and Waylon is furious and fires Bruce and is sad that his best friend doesn’t believe in him.
Selina is telling Bruce not to use the venom because it can really damage him. Bruce tells Selina he has to use it because he can control it and it’s the only way he can win. Selina begs but Bruce says that she should leave and she does. As Absolute Batman #13 ends, Alfred tells Bruce that he is right and to do whatever it takes.
Analysis
We finally meet Absolute Catwoman in Absolute Batman #13 and while she leaves I think we all know that she will show up in the Batman/Bane fight ala the Tom King run and provide some much needed help to Batman to turn the tide.
It seems that this venom can almost take over Bruce’s mind and create a Hulk/Bruce Banner situation. Will we get Catwoman playing Black Widow to Batman’s Hulk? The sun’s getting real low….
Dragotta’s Batman seems a lot simpler and cleaner and I really like it a lot. The splash of Batman and Catwoman is Dragotta’s best work so far and I hope he keeps it up for the Batman vs Bane fight.
Quick glimpse of Absolute Harley and of course she’s a good guy. Or anti hero. I knew the leader of the gang was going to be a familiar character but I didn’t suspect Harley but I should have.
We know Joker is coming. Is he part of Ark M? Harley mentioned that she doesn’t like Ark M. Did they do something to her boyfriend?
Final Thoughts
My bold prediction for the Batman/Bane fight. This time Batman lifts Bane up and breaks his back on his knee in a venom fueled rage.
