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Absolute Batman: Ark M (2026-) #1 (Absolute Batman
The origins of the enigmatic Ark M are explored! What terrible secrets lie within its walls, and just who is assigned to protect it from discovery?!
Kindle Edition
Published January 7, 2026
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30 people want to read
About the author
Scott Snyder
1,783 books5,177 followersScott Snyder is the Eisner and Harvey Award winning writer on DC Comics Batman, Swamp Thing, and his original series for Vertigo, American Vampire. He is also the author of the short story collection, Voodoo Heart, published by the Dial Press in 2006. The paperback version was published in the summer of 2007.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
January 26, 2026
"The one laughing in the dark"
Another powerful origin story for Joker. The unique art work took me a second, I ended up really liking it!
Another powerful origin story for Joker. The unique art work took me a second, I ended up really liking it!
January 13, 2026
This was a moody, atmospheric deep dive that really leans into the horror side of the Absolute Batman universe. Instead of big superhero spectacle, it focuses on dread, history, and the twisted origins of Ark M, and that choice absolutely works. The story feels like peeling back layers of something rotten, letting the unease build page by page.
The art does a ton of heavy lifting here — dark, textured, and unsettling in a way that sells the tone perfectly. It’s more about mood and world-building than action, but that makes it feel richer and more deliberate. If you’re into Batman stories that flirt with gothic horror and psychological menace, this is a great companion piece to the main series.
The art does a ton of heavy lifting here — dark, textured, and unsettling in a way that sells the tone perfectly. It’s more about mood and world-building than action, but that makes it feel richer and more deliberate. If you’re into Batman stories that flirt with gothic horror and psychological menace, this is a great companion piece to the main series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 15, 2026
I loved everything about this comic, its atmosphere, its plot twist along with all the macabre context associated with the figure of the absolute joker and the grotesque nature of his link with Amadeus Arkham. Truth be told, apart from the construction of the Absolute Universe in general ( and Jack Grim in particular ), this story can be greatly appreciated as a horror story in its own right.
I just can't help but look forward to the next # of this craziness.
I just can't help but look forward to the next # of this craziness.
January 11, 2026
In the 1800s, Dr Amadeus Arkham was a child whose father had been away at war for a long time, leaving him, his siblings, and his mother very weary. A soldier shows up at the house bearing news of his father’s death, and his mother loses her shit, kills the soldier, his two siblings, and then herself.
He grows up wanting to help people like his mother, people with mental health issues, so he builds Arkham Asylum in Gotham and starts taking patients and doing well. He gets a particularly vile patient who had murdered multiple men, women, and children, and becomes devoted to helping him.
One day, a young boy appears at his doorstep covered in blood. He decides to raise the boy, who claimed to know nothing of how he came to be that way. The boy took an interest in Amadeus’ work, which made Amadeus see the boy ash his son. One night, the vile inmate breaks out, frees a bunch of other terrible inmates, kills a bunch of people, including Dr Amadeus’ young boy, and escapes.
After that incident, the Asylum stops doing well, and Dr Amadeus decides to sell it to a very interested, mysterious buyer various years later. When finalizing the sale, Amadeus tells the buyer the full story of the asylum, and the buyer reveals himself to be Amadeus’s young boy from before. Amadeus realizes that the boy was the one who freed the inmates and had killed the inmate who we thought did it, whom the boy was manipulating all along.
The boy had done all this as a mockery of everything Dr Amadeus believed in, and had now returned to buy the asylum from him. In case you haven’t realized by now, the boy is the Joker, and we see him in the present as he and Deathstroke discuss how to kill Batman. Wow! As if the Joker wasn’t bad enough already. We also see the names of Poison Ivy, Man-Bat, and others in the Joker's files. Great issue, very fun.
He grows up wanting to help people like his mother, people with mental health issues, so he builds Arkham Asylum in Gotham and starts taking patients and doing well. He gets a particularly vile patient who had murdered multiple men, women, and children, and becomes devoted to helping him.
One day, a young boy appears at his doorstep covered in blood. He decides to raise the boy, who claimed to know nothing of how he came to be that way. The boy took an interest in Amadeus’ work, which made Amadeus see the boy ash his son. One night, the vile inmate breaks out, frees a bunch of other terrible inmates, kills a bunch of people, including Dr Amadeus’ young boy, and escapes.
After that incident, the Asylum stops doing well, and Dr Amadeus decides to sell it to a very interested, mysterious buyer various years later. When finalizing the sale, Amadeus tells the buyer the full story of the asylum, and the buyer reveals himself to be Amadeus’s young boy from before. Amadeus realizes that the boy was the one who freed the inmates and had killed the inmate who we thought did it, whom the boy was manipulating all along.
The boy had done all this as a mockery of everything Dr Amadeus believed in, and had now returned to buy the asylum from him. In case you haven’t realized by now, the boy is the Joker, and we see him in the present as he and Deathstroke discuss how to kill Batman. Wow! As if the Joker wasn’t bad enough already. We also see the names of Poison Ivy, Man-Bat, and others in the Joker's files. Great issue, very fun.
January 8, 2026
This was basically a gothic horror and I loved it.
January 6, 2026
Absolute Jeffery Epstein is here
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2026
I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again for Absolute Satan laughing over there, Evil! Evil! Evil!
Absolute Arkham just attract pure evil. But it was fascinating to get the history of it from the Absolute Universe. Like any Gotham, this place is a breeding ground for the worst of the worst and it's no surprise Joker will involve in its creation.
Honestly, Batman is a better man than me, for real. The fact that he still actively tries to save this place and it's patients in every universe just proves what an incredible hero he is.
Absolute Arkham just attract pure evil. But it was fascinating to get the history of it from the Absolute Universe. Like any Gotham, this place is a breeding ground for the worst of the worst and it's no surprise Joker will involve in its creation.
Honestly, Batman is a better man than me, for real. The fact that he still actively tries to save this place and it's patients in every universe just proves what an incredible hero he is.
January 10, 2026
I really love the concept of this one shot. I’ve always been fascinated by Arkham Asylum and the chance to explore it more deeply, especially through the experiences of its patients and the origins behind how it came to be. There truly isn’t a better creator for a story like this than Scott Snyder, and I’m excited to see Arkham explored this deeply within the Absolute universe.
From the very first page, the theme of this issue is crystal clear. Fear, horror, tragedy, and pain drive everything forward. I really enjoyed how the story is told through Amadeus Arkham’s journal, and I loved learning more about his backstory. His desire to create hope out of a life filled with trauma and suffering felt powerful and sincere. Watching that hope slowly twist into something truly wicked, and seeing his own realization of what he had created, was incredibly effective.
This was a genuinely great first issue. The opening chapter is told with so much care, and it perfectly sets the stage for what’s to come. I LOVED this issue.
From the very first page, the theme of this issue is crystal clear. Fear, horror, tragedy, and pain drive everything forward. I really enjoyed how the story is told through Amadeus Arkham’s journal, and I loved learning more about his backstory. His desire to create hope out of a life filled with trauma and suffering felt powerful and sincere. Watching that hope slowly twist into something truly wicked, and seeing his own realization of what he had created, was incredibly effective.
This was a genuinely great first issue. The opening chapter is told with so much care, and it perfectly sets the stage for what’s to come. I LOVED this issue.
January 9, 2026
A history of Arkham.
A history of Ark M.
A history of Amrk.
January 9, 2026
All ima say is this:
Once the absolute Batman series is finished and they turn it into a well polished animated series/movie, give it the love it deserves, this will be one of the top Batman work of arts ever produced
Absolute Batman just gets better and better after each new issue
Once the absolute Batman series is finished and they turn it into a well polished animated series/movie, give it the love it deserves, this will be one of the top Batman work of arts ever produced
Absolute Batman just gets better and better after each new issue
January 16, 2026
Scott Snyder and Frank Tieri channel the ever loving fuck out of their inner Edgar Alan Poe for this wonderfully dark and twisted bit of Absolute Gotham history.
January 8, 2026
holy fucking shit this issue is amazing I can’t believe it
Grabbed my attention immediately and it never slowed down. The origin of Ark M and it’s so great like it’s insane the levels of fear I have towards Joker. A literal demon that haunts everything in history to benefit himself and “order”. It sets up the next arc for Batman where he just straight up fights Ark M inmates, who happen to be iconic villains from his history. I love love LOVE!
Grabbed my attention immediately and it never slowed down. The origin of Ark M and it’s so great like it’s insane the levels of fear I have towards Joker. A literal demon that haunts everything in history to benefit himself and “order”. It sets up the next arc for Batman where he just straight up fights Ark M inmates, who happen to be iconic villains from his history. I love love LOVE!
January 20, 2026
A very interesting story about Arkham asylum and it's history in the Absolute universe.
January 23, 2026
I love when Batman leans into the horror
January 9, 2026
I had mixed feelings going into this issue. While I did enjoy it overall, it felt somewhat out of place within the larger Absolute Batman mythos. This stood out even more because the previous issue also focused heavily on a Joker origin, making the back-to-back approach feel a bit redundant.
I understand what Scott Snyder appears to be aiming for here. In the mainline continuity, the Joker has multiple possible origins, with even he himself unsure of which one is true. It seems like the Absolute Joker is being positioned similarly, with several competing origin stories that mirror that idea. Conceptually, I like this direction. My main issue is the timing. All of this feels like it is happening far too quickly. I would have preferred a slower rollout, with the Joker and his lore being introduced gradually over time. As it stands, this feels more like an information and lore dump meant to clear the board rather than something that unfolds naturally.
That said, I could very well be missing a larger narrative purpose here. If this groundwork pays off later, I would be happy to be proven wrong. As of now, though, I am not fully sold on how this information is being presented.
Putting those concerns aside, this individual issue was still interesting and enjoyable. It follows a storytelling structure similar to issue #15, where a character recounts a story that ultimately centers on the Joker. In this case, Arkham himself is the narrator. Learning about the origins of Arkham Asylum was engaging, and I liked the twist that the person initially presented as the Joker was actually just a mentally ill patient, while the child Arkham was raising turns out to be the real Joker.
The tone and creepiness of the story worked well, and while the art was generally fine, the burning scene in particular stood out as genuinely unsettling in a good way. The final page, which lists several rogues, also felt like another lore drop, though I will admit I am very excited about Absolute Deathstroke and am eager to see how he factors into the story moving forward.
Overall, I would recommend the issue, but it lands more in the “just okay” category for me.
Grade: C
I understand what Scott Snyder appears to be aiming for here. In the mainline continuity, the Joker has multiple possible origins, with even he himself unsure of which one is true. It seems like the Absolute Joker is being positioned similarly, with several competing origin stories that mirror that idea. Conceptually, I like this direction. My main issue is the timing. All of this feels like it is happening far too quickly. I would have preferred a slower rollout, with the Joker and his lore being introduced gradually over time. As it stands, this feels more like an information and lore dump meant to clear the board rather than something that unfolds naturally.
That said, I could very well be missing a larger narrative purpose here. If this groundwork pays off later, I would be happy to be proven wrong. As of now, though, I am not fully sold on how this information is being presented.
Putting those concerns aside, this individual issue was still interesting and enjoyable. It follows a storytelling structure similar to issue #15, where a character recounts a story that ultimately centers on the Joker. In this case, Arkham himself is the narrator. Learning about the origins of Arkham Asylum was engaging, and I liked the twist that the person initially presented as the Joker was actually just a mentally ill patient, while the child Arkham was raising turns out to be the real Joker.
The tone and creepiness of the story worked well, and while the art was generally fine, the burning scene in particular stood out as genuinely unsettling in a good way. The final page, which lists several rogues, also felt like another lore drop, though I will admit I am very excited about Absolute Deathstroke and am eager to see how he factors into the story moving forward.
Overall, I would recommend the issue, but it lands more in the “just okay” category for me.
Grade: C
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2026
In 2026, I'm trying to read at least 1 new comic a week in an attempt to rediscover the joy of reading synchronously with other comic fans but also in an attempt to see how accessible monthly comics are and whether they are even intended to be read outside of trade collections.
Top of my list this week was this absolute Batman one shot. There is a huge amount of hype around this title with many saying it has rejuvenated interest in DC comics from fans to creators. I've read and enjoyed the first issue of Absolute Batman when it released and while I was impressed by the art, felt like the story would work better in trade form. That and it would be significantly less expensive reading the trade which cannot be ignored when 1-2 single comics is the equivalent of a month's Spotify/Netflix/Amazon prime/marvel DC unlimited.
As this is billed as a one shot, I thought it would be a good place to dip into the world. Credit to the creators/editorial team is due as this was totally accessible. The only element I found slightly confusing was the chronology (it starts in the 1880s) which initially had me thinking the whole absolute universe is set in the late 20th century rather than being contemporary. I think the solution is that one of the classic Batman villains is much longer lived in this continuity. I also have no idea what Ark-M is - possibly an art gallery or company built on top of the original Arkham asylum?
The story itself doesn't really feature Batman and is instead a gothic horror with the style and twists of an Edgar Allen Poe story. I think this is a good angle when dealing with Arkham and the artwork supports this too.
There is a tease of what I presume will feature in the main series and this definitely had me curious about checking out future issues especially for the more monstrous Batman villains hinted at here.
Overall 4/5
Writing 4/5
Art 4/5
Will I read the next issue? NA but more inclined to check the main series if the next issue is a new arc.
Did I need to read previous issues/series? No
Will I read previous issues? Yes, in TPB
Top of my list this week was this absolute Batman one shot. There is a huge amount of hype around this title with many saying it has rejuvenated interest in DC comics from fans to creators. I've read and enjoyed the first issue of Absolute Batman when it released and while I was impressed by the art, felt like the story would work better in trade form. That and it would be significantly less expensive reading the trade which cannot be ignored when 1-2 single comics is the equivalent of a month's Spotify/Netflix/Amazon prime/marvel DC unlimited.
As this is billed as a one shot, I thought it would be a good place to dip into the world. Credit to the creators/editorial team is due as this was totally accessible. The only element I found slightly confusing was the chronology (it starts in the 1880s) which initially had me thinking the whole absolute universe is set in the late 20th century rather than being contemporary. I think the solution is that one of the classic Batman villains is much longer lived in this continuity. I also have no idea what Ark-M is - possibly an art gallery or company built on top of the original Arkham asylum?
The story itself doesn't really feature Batman and is instead a gothic horror with the style and twists of an Edgar Allen Poe story. I think this is a good angle when dealing with Arkham and the artwork supports this too.
There is a tease of what I presume will feature in the main series and this definitely had me curious about checking out future issues especially for the more monstrous Batman villains hinted at here.
Overall 4/5
Writing 4/5
Art 4/5
Will I read the next issue? NA but more inclined to check the main series if the next issue is a new arc.
Did I need to read previous issues/series? No
Will I read previous issues? Yes, in TPB
January 30, 2026
A unique change of pace from the norm. I really appreciate stories that add to the world building via a different channel or medium. the story of a man trying to find himself and see his reflection in the work he has done for others. in the institution and people he keeps around himself to give what he could not have. Then he finds a match, someone who is equally trying to see nothing coherent and not make sense but in order to do see that manifest he must inflict it on the world. he is strengthened in his resolve by sharing and doing his work on the world. It’s the same basic underlying principle as the first, but the boy is destructive and corrosive to the most important facilities humans use.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Snagged an early copy of this and gotta say this is a solid read overall for the Absolute universe. Gives some good context to the facility in Gotham with a more detailed history while also connecting a little bit to Absolute Batman 15 and where the series is also heading. Big fan of the ending of this issue with some awesome teases for what’s to come.
January 8, 2026
Oh my gosh... what an issue. I love that we got more of Jack Grimm's backstory. The reveal at the end? Wow. This joker is somehow creepier and much scarier than the Prime Earth Joker. So much worse in my opinion, in that way you want with this over the top Batman in the Absolute Universe. Just loving this series!
January 13, 2026
More of Grim’s dark past is uncovered, and it shows us just how twisted he is. He breaks the prisoners out just to dash the dreams of his surrogate father of making the world a better place.
It ends with Grim watching Batman and plotting against him. I wonder what creature he unleashed from his biomes.
It ends with Grim watching Batman and plotting against him. I wonder what creature he unleashed from his biomes.
January 17, 2026
Absolutely peak, what an amazing comic. The story of how Arkham came to be is so interesting, and it had me wondering who the lil boy was and who Jack Doe was. I thought for sure one of them had to be the Joker and later on when it’s all revealed… shocked I was. Absolute Batman is the definition of peak. 🦇
January 24, 2026
Snyder keeps dropping bomb after bomb with this series. Even with a more simplistic art style, this is the most terrifying issue of Absolute Batman. Tieri’s art fits so well with the horror in this issue. Panel to panel, this is a crazy story. The writing on this is fantastic. Scott just keeps dangling the carrot in front of all of our faces and I will continue to follow.
January 24, 2026
weee
yo siempre fui fan del Arkham Asylum de Morrison, sobre todo del diario de Amadeus Arkham, posteriormente jugando el Batman Arkham me encantaba recolectar las grabaciones del diario... en cuanto empecé a leer me di cuenta que retomaba elementos de esto y lo integra de una manera tan buena al universo Absolute
probablemente mi issue favorito del mes, tampoco es que lea tantos
yo siempre fui fan del Arkham Asylum de Morrison, sobre todo del diario de Amadeus Arkham, posteriormente jugando el Batman Arkham me encantaba recolectar las grabaciones del diario... en cuanto empecé a leer me di cuenta que retomaba elementos de esto y lo integra de una manera tan buena al universo Absolute
probablemente mi issue favorito del mes, tampoco es que lea tantos
January 7, 2026
Incredible follow up to #15. The twist was incredible & Scott Snyder continues firing on all cylinders for Absolute Batman. The little tease at the end too, showing the files of Batman's rogues gallery is super exiciting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2026
Even without adding to the Absolute Batman lore - which this issue does brilliantly - this is a satisfying standalone gothic horror story. Hixson’s art is perfect for this, moody and expressionistic. The fire scene is gnarly.
January 8, 2026
"But... there are other friends I'd like to introduce him to in the meantime."
Man... Batman hasn't even met eight of his Rogues Galley yet... and there some HEAVY hitters there. I cannot wait to see how Snyder reinvents them. Dude is so perfect with Batman EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
Man... Batman hasn't even met eight of his Rogues Galley yet... and there some HEAVY hitters there. I cannot wait to see how Snyder reinvents them. Dude is so perfect with Batman EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2026
A very fun origin of Arkham and more details about Joker make this a great tie in. The art was not my favorite but I got into it the more the story developed. The twist at the end was well delivered and added a punch to the conclusion.
January 13, 2026
I love dark books and this one was most certainly that. The storyline was so deep and the writing was incredible. I love how it was meant to be his journal. The twist at the end I thought I had predicted and then it went in the total opposite direction. Some of those shots.. gruesome.. 10/10
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 14, 2026
I love one shots that set up a greater threat within said universe, like this and Absolute Evil for example.
The story of this was really good and the reveal at the end was also really cool. Looking forward to AB’s next arc.
The story of this was really good and the reveal at the end was also really cool. Looking forward to AB’s next arc.
January 16, 2026
When you see Snyder and Batman on the same cover, you know you are in for a fun read, so good Batman himself does not have to be massively involved. Snyder delves into the history of Ark-M (Arkham) and tells us a rather creepy and unsettling tale with atmosphere.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews