In this review of Absolute Batman #4, readers get a background into Bruce’s trek to become the Absolute Batman.
Absolute Batman #4 main cover by Nick Dragotta
Absolute Batman #4
Story Plot: Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta
Writer: Scott Synder
Artist: Gabriel Hernandez Walta
Colorist: Frank Martin
Main Cover: Nick Dragotta
Variant Covers: Yasmine Putri, James Harren, Jorge Fornés, Francesco Francavilla
Page Count: 32 pages
Release Date: January 8, 2025
A gang is trying to shake down some people for money. In exchange for the money they offer people “protection”. The people refuse so they push a woman off the roof. She is saved by “Batman”. This Batman has teeth and claws like he’s Wolverine and makes quick work of the thugs and has a gun pulled to one of them and ready to blow the leader away.
Cut to a flashback of Bruce with his father before that fateful day at the zoo and Bruce tells he is focusing his projects on bats. Cut to the “Batman” and we find out that this is Bruce in one of his early outings as the Absolute Batman. Bruce throws out the make up and teeth and refuses to use the gun.
Bruce is working on building Batman to be bigger while tracking the Ten Thieves gang. THe gang is backed by the Maroni and Falcone families. Batman tracks one of the shipments and flips the 18 wheeler with a little hyper powered RC remote control Batmobile. Batman makes quick work of the thugs and seems satisfied without how “Batman” is working now. Much better than before.
In a flashback, Thomas tells young Bruce that he wanted to be a doctor after his father died of a heart attack. As he was applying to med school, he and Martha discovered that they were pregnant so he became a teacher. Thomas comments that perhaps he is a teacher in another life (wink).
Another flashback involves Bruce speaking at the trial of Joe Chill after Thomas’s murder. Bruce says that his father was so proud of him and that he could never be happier as he is at that moment. Intercut with this moment is Bruce and his dad working on the project and Bruce training to be Batman. In the courthouse, Bruce tells Chill that he hates him and doesn’t care what happens to him.
The issue ends with Bruce finally realizing his vision of what he wants Batman to be and him meeting Joe Chill at the prison phones because Chill wants to talk to Bruce.
Analysis: Absolute Batman #4 involves flashbacks so it is not clear if Chill meeting Bruce is in the present or in those early days of Bruce as Batman. We will find out next issue.
This issue is definitely “Absolute Batman: Year One” and the art invokes that. Hernandez Walta’s art seems to be David Mazzucchelli inspired and I am sure that is a conscious choice on the part of Snyder. It is very jarring because when it comes to Absolute Batman I think of Nick Dragotta’s art and his giant Bruce. This Bruce does not seem as big as what we are used to.
Not much action in the story. Dragotta is much more dynamic with fight scenes but the core of the issue is Bruce and his dad and I don’t think Dragotta would have done those moments as well as Hernandez Walta. Snyder has made it a point so far in this series that we spend more time with Thomas Wayne and I appreciate that.
Final Thoughts
Absolute Batman #4 is a fun “Year One” type issue with some good father/son bonding time with Thomas and Bruce.
