Absolute Batman Vol. 2: Abomination (Absolute Batman

Absolute Batman (2024)

by Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta (Artist), Marcos Martín (Artist)

As Bruce Wayne investigates the mysterious black site known as Ark M, he reluctantly draws his friends into Batman’s dangerous work—and comes face-to-face with powerful new enemies. What is happening at this dark facility? What is Alfred’s history with Bane, the villain who has arrived in Gotham City to protect Ark M’s secrets? And what does it all have to do with the mysterious Joker? Collects Absolute Batman #7-14.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Batman, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels Comics, Comic Book, Superheroes

Kindle Edition

First published February 3, 2026

About the author

Scott 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.

Reviews

[Daniel Hoare · Rating 5 out of 5]

boldly asking the question: What If There Was An Even Bigger Guy

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolute Batman vs Absolute Insanity.



A lot happens in this one, and I kind of had to talk myself down off a ledge as the characters and lore leaned more and more into the supernatural.
But.
I've had a come-to-Jesus meeting with my dislike of some of the plotlines, and just decided that if you're going to have that OTT version of Joker or the crazy deep conspiracy through time kind of villains, then an Elseworlds like Absolute is the place for it.



There are some very cool moments in this volume, from the appearances of Catwoman, Bane, & the chilling Absolute Mr. Freeze, to the twists the story takes when it comes to seeing how Riddler, Two-Face, Penguin, and Killer Croc's origin stories all play out.
Snyder really decided to pull out all the stops. And, overall, I enjoyed it.



I read this one in single issues on DC Infinite, and already reviewed each of those individually, so I'm not going to go into anything deep here. I'll leave links at the bottom if you're interested in those. If not, I think it's enough to say that if you're looking for something that doesn't hold its wacky side back, this just might work for you.

Recommended.

Absolute Batman #7
Absolute Batman #8
Absolute Batman #9
Absolute Batman #10
Absolute Batman #11
Absolute Batman #12
Absolute Batman #13
Absolute Batman #14

[Jim Ef · Rating 4 out of 5]

7.9/10
The second vol. of Absolute Batman is wilder, crazier and even more brutal than the first. Snyder seemed to think that bigger is indeed better. While this has the most impressive moments, i found the writing on the first volume to be a bit better and more cohesive with a smoother pace. The highs on this one however make up for that. So overall i would say i enjoyed them equally.

[nitra · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Bane is the scariest guy i know" is unironically the best way to describe this

[Oscar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the absolute universe!

[Scott Rhee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn, this is some dark shit even for Batman. So, of course, I'm loving it. Scott Snyder's Absolute Batman, Volume 2: "Abomination" is an alternate universe version of Batman and the rest of the gang---Bane, Killer Croc, Mr. Freeze, Penguin, Riddler, Two-Face, and even the Joker, all with very different origin stories.

Bruce Wayne stumbles upon a black site set up underneath the city of Gotham where unspeakable human experiments are being conducted. It's called Ark M, and it's funded by a mysterious corporation called JK Industries. One of the monstrous creations is a homicidal creature called Bane, who has it in for the Batman. Bruce is totally out of his league here---outmanned, outgunned---but he can still surprise the shit out of everyone.

I still detest Batman, but I love this series and Snyder's wickedly inventive take on one my least favorite heroes. I'll definitely be reading more.

[Lukasz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, damn. That was gruesome. And I enjoyed it a lot.

[Tyson]

the concept of absolute batcat

[Khurram · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great second chapter to series. On a personal and formatting note I really appreciate DC for covering the whole arc in a single volume. If anyone thought the first volume was brutal the theme continues. The artwork matches the story.

Playtime is over!! After the Absolute Batman brutalising the criminal operations in Gotham the Absolute Bane appears. His job to break the Batman. Nobody is safe. Bruce and his friends' good intentions will put them all in harms way. Will Bruce/Batman realise that he is in over his head in the big time now? However Batman might be able to call in some favours of his own.

As good and as brutal as this book is, I have a feeling volume 3 is going to be off the rails especially who is next. The book finishes with a variant cover gallery.

[Pandro · Rating 5 out of 5]

!!!I NEEEED IT ANIMATED!!!!
They pull out so many batman characters in a distinct yet satisfying way. The story exemplifies the clash between Batman and Bane as two tactical genius that ends in an epic conclusion that is hard to forget. A page turner from beginning to end and I can't wait to see what happens next.

[Sem · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scott Snyder once again proves I underestimated the fuck out of him, writing a deranged, glorious story that mainline DC would never see. The art here is just as stunning, of course, but that's to be expected from the greats.

[Jordi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Violència i body horror

[Ronald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Holly Toxic Masculinity Batman!
When men would rather beat each other into littleral puddles of goo than go to therapy.
At first I thought this Bane was interesting, but then we got the backstory and there is little if any difference between Absolute Bane and normal Bane. Like uninterestingly so.

Hopefully we get a Catwoman story about how she got all those cool new toys and it is not as pedestrian as much of these stories in the Absolute Batverse.

[cash · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolute boner

[Chris Neumann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best Batman series ever? I don't know. Maybe.

[Abel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is batshit crazy. I love it. More please

[Eli Seibert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Holy crap. The brutality of this book is unreal. The sheer cruelty as well as the disgusting body horror. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the likes in a superhero comic before. This volume really proves to me that the absolute universe was molded in Darkseid’s image.
If this had come out in the 90s, the hyper violence comic fans would have lost their minds.

[Viktor Logi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still Incredible! This is pure theme park reading. Not the deepest story you're ever going to read (though not devoid of emotion) but just endlessly fun!

Bane is absolutely brutal and I love that, this being an alternate universe it's allowed to take chances with it's characters and it feels way more unpredictable than other comics.

So much fun! Really helped me get out of a reading slump.

5☆

[Lucas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gorgeous art, both from Marcos Martin and Nick Dragotta, but Scott Snyder just can't make me care for his Batman anymore. Dude's been at this for 15 years, I'd say he can let go now.. I don't care for any of these reimaginings, I don't care for Alfred's narration, I don't care for smug emo bruce. Will I keep reading anyways ? Absolutely yes.

I'll say this, Absolute Bane is kind of baller and the stadium fight was pretty cool. Other than that, big ol bleh from me

[Dani Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something so therapeutic about seeing an entirely unsexualized version of Harley Quinn <3

[Bertazzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's fantastic how Snyder and Dragotta were able to revamp Knightfall in a more emotional and deeper way. The "break" here is more personal. It's the break of family, the break friendship.

[Cameron Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liked the first volume, but felt like it was missing something. This does a great job of expanding the tone. Nothing but sheer horror and madness in this one. Revamped Bane is so much fun to read, but he is not even close to the most deranged thing we see in the story. Feel like this version of alfred is really finding its footing now too, which was nice to see. Can't wait to see what happens next

[Lucille · Rating 4 out of 5]

C’était d’une Violence🤯🤯🤯 mais très bon tome franchement j’adore la façon dont l’univers de Batman est modifié et manipulé!!!!

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best Batman stories to hit stands in a loooong time. The Abomination arc is especially gripping. Great Elseworlds appeal and just some awesome dialogue and plotting. Absolutely loving Absolute Batman.

5/5

[Kurt Lorenz · Rating 4 out of 5]

7-8, Absolute Zero, ☆☆☆
9-14, Abomination, ☆☆☆☆

[Axel · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow
I loved the Freeze arc!!! It was so chilling (haha) and unsettling but also very moving. I loved how it introduces the human experimentation thing and how important Bruce's friends are in it.
Because, really, Bruces relationships with his friends and family and allies are the core of this Batman, that's why he fights. And having the rogues be that it's just so so interesting.
His relationship/bestfriendism with Waylon is super beautiful and moving too :)

Really can't wait to see where it keeps going!

[Joey Ware · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe my favorite part of the Absolute Batman series is the new takes and designs on classic villains. Bane is my favorite Batman villain and while he starts out as pretty similar to his usual design, he becomes the very thing the title alludes to, an abomination. Absolute Mr. Freeze was also horrifying. I think my only negative takeaway is Harley Quinn. Not a fan of her design or being a leader of a gang of “punks”. But thought it was a nice touch being the red hood.

[Frédéric · Rating 2 out of 5]

This volume – this series – is very frustrating for me. Here, Snyder develops a nightmarish setting that makes your mouth water, but then systematically ruins every good idea by going too far. Everything, absolutely everything, is over the top, and when the result isn't simply ridiculous, it's grotesque. I feel like I'm reading the story of a 10-year-old kid who's just been given a set of action figures and starts telling himself a story: "And then it looked like Batman was fighting Bane, but Bane had a superpower and he was 5 metres tall and he inflated like a balloon with crazy muscles. Wham! Bam! Crash!"
And it's exhausting.
I think that the exact same story, but under the control of an adult, would be absolutely brilliant. Pure horror, unbridled action, a little character development... It’d be an instant classic.
And it's not Dragotta, clearly the second child in the room who likes to take his crayons to draw big guys beating each other up, who is going to temper little Scott S.'s delusions.

[Jack Dombroski · Rating 5 out of 5]

So freaking good

[Alyss T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

BIG BANE