In Absolute Batman #2, Alfred Pennyworth investigates Batman while Black Mask and his Party Animals raise the stakes.
Absolute Batman #2 main cover by Nick Dragotta & Frank Martin. Image: DC Comics
Title: Absolute Batman #2
Writer: Scott Synder
Artist: Nick Dragotta
Colorist: Frank Martin
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Cover: Nick Dragotta & Frank Martin
Variant Covers: Daniel Warren Johnson, Jae Lee, Jeffrey Alan Love, Sanford Greene, Rafael Albuquerque & Dan Panosian
Release Date: November 13, 2024
This comic book review contains spoilers.
Absolute Batman #2 opens with Bruce Wayne begging his dad to open the door, but sadly, Thomas was killed (see Absolute Batman #1). As young Bruce is begging, a herd of bats fly and envelope him.
Cut to an inner monologue from Alfred Pennyworth about how Black Mask and his Party Animals have upped their attacks on Gotham. Not only have they upped their attacks, but Batman has upped his attacks on them. They battle it out in an aquarium, and Alfred thinks about how relentless Batman is. Alfred is mystified that Batman plans everything, such as opening up a tank on the Animals and then using a special acid to burn and force them to run right into police custody. Alfred has plotted Batman’s movements to track his hideouts, his “caves”, and of course they make a shape of a bat across Gotham. Alfred notes that Bruce is very routine-oriented and that the only thing out of the ordinary is that Bruce visits Joe Chill, his father’s killer.
The Party Animals find one of Batman’s high-rise hideouts and set to raid it, but Batman is a step ahead and blows up his hideout in the shape of a cowl.
Mayor Jim Gordon is laid up in the hospital as Barbara Gordon and Harvey Bullock check on him. Bullock thinks Batman is working with the Party Animals, but Babs disagrees. They get called away as Martha Wayne comes to visit Gordon. They talk about Bruce, and we find out that Gordon found Bruce covered by the bats in the zoo on that fateful day.
Bruce goes to the poker game with his friends Harvey, Ozzie, Edward, and Waylon. They are shocked that he is there but happy to all be reunited. However, they are missing Selina. He asks Harvey if the Party Animals attacks are political, but Harvey tells him these attacks are motivated by money. Bruce wins the hand with three aces, four if they were playing with jokers.
Former Mayor Hill is running for reelection, and Batman investigates the office and finds a file labeled “ArkM.” Batman clicks on it and is interrupted by a video chat with Black Mask who says the office is surrounded with cops and Party Animals.
Batman is on the run and finds Alfred. Alfred says they can help each other and says he has a car out back. Just then, Batman hits the gas and says that Alfred is standing in his car’s way. We get a glimpse of a Bat tank on steroids.
The issue ends with young Selina Kyle coming into young Bruce’s room and saying to follow her.
Absolute Batman #2 variant cover by Daniel Warren Johnson. Image: DC Comics
This is another good issue. I am loving the world building and the bread crumbs that Scott Snyder is leaving. “ArkM”. There is a Red Hood reference at one point. Another Joker reference.
I think my favorite part of the issue is the poker scene. The banter back and forth between the old friends seems very real. It reminded me of me and my friends. There is a real sense of history with these characters that I am looking forward to exploring. It looks like the next issue will be a Selina-focused issue.
The art is strong. Batman is huge, so of course his car has to be huge. How Batman and Alfred get in the car makes no sense, but it is quite a vehicle that Absolute Batman has. Think of it as if two The Dark Knight Returns Batmobiles had a baby and that baby was on venom.
I am still really into this series. So far, so good.
