In this review of Absolute Batman #24, Batman hunts down Scarecrow in a burning cornfield for some brutal payback, a new hero emerges with a personal mission of her own.
Absolute Batman #24 main cover by Nick Dragotta (DC Comics)
Absolute Batman #24
Written by: Scott Snyder
Art and Main Cover: Nick Dragotta
Variant Covers: Kaare Andrews, Clay Mann, Sozomaika, Filipe Andrade
Page Count: 32 pages
Release Date: September 23, 2026
This review contains spoilers
It’s safe to say that Scott Snyder and I have a contentious writer/reader relationship. To be fair, he probably doesn’t know this nor cares. Since the Absolute Universe kicked off, I have been following the journey of this world’s Batman in earnest, and of them all, Absolute Batman #24 takes the cake and functions heavily as a bridge issue that brilliantly ties up current conflicts while setting the stage for what comes next. From the very first page, the tension is palpable as media broadcasts declare Tim Drake dead at 16, while simultaneously painting our hero as the “Enemy of Gotham”. It is a remarkably dark time for the city, and Scott Snyder does a masterful job of leaning into that psychological weight right out of the gate.
One narrative beat in Absolute Batman #24 that I thoroughly enjoyed happens early on when Bruce meets his mother at the old Gotham Zoo in the Bat enclosure Thomas Wayne hid Bruce and the other students years ago. It is here that we learn the Court of Owls also encountered Scarecrow in the past as he turned the city against them. He also manipulated them into turning against one another. Seeing Martha hand Bruce a map detailing Scarecrow’s main routes while at the same time giving him an untraceable new identity truly highlights the desperate desire she had for him to just live a normal life. But true to form, Bruce rejects the easy way out. He refuses to hide, choosing instead to face the terror head-on to ensure Scarecrow faces dire consequences for his actions. And it won’t end there…
Little does she know… (DC Comics)
Meanwhile, Alfred’s storyline in London provides a top notch parallel to Bruce’s internal struggle. After meeting with Julia in the last issue, Alfred finds himself in front of his bosses. His superiors deny his request for a leave of absence to return to Gotham, officially deeming the vigilante a violent liability. However, Pennyworth’s subsequent monologue defending Batman is exquisite. He highlights how Bruce, despite suffering the most terrifying trauma a child can, has channeled that pain into fearlessness rather than succumbing to it. It’s a powerful assessment of what makes this version of the character so enduring.
Of course, the climax of Absolute Batman #24 happens when Batman finally confronts Scarecrow in a cornfield rigged with fear toxin. Knowing he is walking into a trap, Batman sets the field ablaze, turning the villain’s game against him. Scarecrow manages to stab Batman several times with a multitude of knives, bragging about how he bled Bruce’s father in this exact same field. But Batman quickly overpowers him. From there, Batman puts a beatdown on Scarecrow, in my grandmother’s words, like he stole something, before pinning Scarecrow to a stake, leaving him in the field like his namesake. Yet, the truly hilarious part is not the image of Scarecrow hanging in the cornfield. It was slightly before as Batman used Scarecrow’s own string to seal his mouth shut. That final image of Scarecrow propped up was a perfect ending.
Before Absolute Batman #24 closes, we’re given a brief but tantalizing reveal of Barbara Gordon in full gear at The Bat. While there’s not much of her in this issue as she makes her to the tunnel junction she thought she was meeting Bruce at, seeing her masked up in a trench coat and cowl is a massive moment. While it’s only that single-page spread (and the cover), Snyder and Dragotta place it perfectly near the end to set the stage for her taking on a larger role moving forward as the first member of the Bat-Family. Frankly, I might be in love.
Scott Snyder truly hit it out of the park with this script, but the artwork from Nick Dragotta continues to shine. Dragotta’s art delivers a beautiful depiction of the Batman, especially during that chaotic hallucination sequence where Scarecrow is completely overwhelmed by a multi-eyed bat-creature. Furthermore, Frank Martin’s colors elevate the entire sequence. His ability to balance the bright, violent oranges of the blazing cornfield against the heavy, oppressive shadows creates a cool contrast that is exquisitely done. Those two pages, first with the Hulk-physique Batman walking away from the Scarecrow followed by Barbara in full The Bat gear were perfectly done.
Typically, I might say something about the covers. However, considering that there are well over 15 of them across the open-order, incentive, and retailer-exclusive spectrum. I think I should leave that alone, especially considering I order three of them…
Final Thoughts
Absolute Batman #24 is the first Scott Snyder-written comic I have ever given five stars to. And it is well-deserved. It is an intense, psychological ride that perfectly illustrates why Batman is a bonafide badass. It wraps up the Scarecrow confrontation with stunning visual flair and sets up massive anticipation as Bruce turns his sights toward the Joker. But as much as I am excited for that showdown, I am ready to see The Bat kick ass as well.
