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Absolute Batman (2024) (Single Issues)
Absolute Batman (2024-) #17
Dr. Pamela Isley has been unleashed from the Ark-M facility with an unending hate and burning fire for revenge on Gotham City, and those who put her in the belly of the beast. When Batman hunts her down, he must survive a labyrinth of leveled horrors, one more gruesome after the next, as he tries to save the city from a monster it created.
Kindle Edition
Published February 18, 2026
About the author
Scott Snyder
1,755 books5,316 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 90 reviews
April 22, 2026
Poison Ivy.
Absolutely not the sexy Pamela Isley from days gone by.
Her backstory is pretty moving - a nature-loving child with a terminally ill mother who tries to find a cure outside of regular medicine. It makes where she ends up even more tragic, though you can see how she's too far gone to save.
You see Bruce and Barbara starting to take the first little baby steps toward working together in the future. Maybe?
This Batman is so much darker than the one in our universe. His choices feel like they're right out of TDKR playbook sometimes.
Still having fun with this!
Recommended.
Absolutely not the sexy Pamela Isley from days gone by.
Her backstory is pretty moving - a nature-loving child with a terminally ill mother who tries to find a cure outside of regular medicine. It makes where she ends up even more tragic, though you can see how she's too far gone to save.
You see Bruce and Barbara starting to take the first little baby steps toward working together in the future. Maybe?
This Batman is so much darker than the one in our universe. His choices feel like they're right out of TDKR playbook sometimes.
Still having fun with this!
Recommended.
April 25, 2026
In the past, Pamela Isley was a nature-loving child with a terminally ill mother who grew up to become some kind of prodigious biochemist who worked on fusing plant and animal cells in an attempt to find a cure for her dying mother.
She starts doing well and getting sponsors for her research, so she develops a means to fuse the cells and DNA of plants, animals, and micro/unicellular organisms. That’s when she’s locked in her burning lab with all of her research/tests and(you guessed it) severely mutated by her work.
Bruce has been dealing with a lot of shit since defeating bane. Like the aftermath of what Bane did to his friends, who now seem to blame him for their current conditions. He keeps visiting his dad’s killer in jail, saw his mom making out with Jim Gordon, and realized that Batman’s newfound popularity post Bane’s public defeat had begun to slowly change the city for better or worse.
We see those changes in The Joker, aka Ben Grimm's return to Gotham, the Red Hood gang open to working with Batman, and a brief first look at Dick Grayson getting fired up. Also, Pamela, now Poison Ivy, takes a skyscraper hostage and fills it with spores that mutate the people within into mutant plant/animal hybrids. Bats breaks in, wielding two massive chainsaws, and hacks and slashes his way up the building to Ivy, where we see her horrific new mutated form.
Why the hell does Bruce’s mom have ties with the freaking Court of Owls? This series just keeps getting better and better: The writing is so engaging and unpredictable, as it continues to make these drastically altered characters still feel familiar and relatable. Also helps that the art and character designs so far have been top-tier. Let’s keep the good stuff coming.
She starts doing well and getting sponsors for her research, so she develops a means to fuse the cells and DNA of plants, animals, and micro/unicellular organisms. That’s when she’s locked in her burning lab with all of her research/tests and(you guessed it) severely mutated by her work.
Bruce has been dealing with a lot of shit since defeating bane. Like the aftermath of what Bane did to his friends, who now seem to blame him for their current conditions. He keeps visiting his dad’s killer in jail, saw his mom making out with Jim Gordon, and realized that Batman’s newfound popularity post Bane’s public defeat had begun to slowly change the city for better or worse.
We see those changes in The Joker, aka Ben Grimm's return to Gotham, the Red Hood gang open to working with Batman, and a brief first look at Dick Grayson getting fired up. Also, Pamela, now Poison Ivy, takes a skyscraper hostage and fills it with spores that mutate the people within into mutant plant/animal hybrids. Bats breaks in, wielding two massive chainsaws, and hacks and slashes his way up the building to Ivy, where we see her horrific new mutated form.
Why the hell does Bruce’s mom have ties with the freaking Court of Owls? This series just keeps getting better and better: The writing is so engaging and unpredictable, as it continues to make these drastically altered characters still feel familiar and relatable. Also helps that the art and character designs so far have been top-tier. Let’s keep the good stuff coming.
February 19, 2026
Batman meets Annihilation.
Scotty flips these characters in the most interesting way and the shock factor is so well intertwined in the story telling that it never comes off as gimmicky.
God bless Canete and the way he illustrates Bruce being the size of a house in the cowl and much more incognito when he’s walking the streets.
Scotty flips these characters in the most interesting way and the shock factor is so well intertwined in the story telling that it never comes off as gimmicky.
God bless Canete and the way he illustrates Bruce being the size of a house in the cowl and much more incognito when he’s walking the streets.
February 20, 2026
Really liked this issue. The focus on Ivy worked for me — strong character beats, solid emotional weight, and the horror elements added a nice edge without overwhelming the story.
It felt purposeful and moved well, and I stayed engaged the whole time.
And that epilogue? Great hook. Definitely has me curious about where this is heading next.
Solid 4 stars.
It felt purposeful and moved well, and I stayed engaged the whole time.
And that epilogue? Great hook. Definitely has me curious about where this is heading next.
Solid 4 stars.
February 19, 2026
“Don’t be afraid, Batman. I know how frightening change can be. But it’s time to let go.”
March 2, 2026
5⭐. Poison Ivy redesign is money
February 18, 2026
Trippy, weird, fun. Gonzo visuals. Can’t wait for the next piece of this arc.
April 22, 2026
THE SEVENTH KINGDOM PT.1
Feb26
"Maybe there is a version of me somewhere that stops at plants...but not this one..not here"
A two part story introducing PoisonIvy to the Absolute World.
Not quite as engrossing..as im enjoying the Pamela in the main DCU too much.
Feb26
"Maybe there is a version of me somewhere that stops at plants...but not this one..not here"
A two part story introducing PoisonIvy to the Absolute World.
Not quite as engrossing..as im enjoying the Pamela in the main DCU too much.
February 19, 2026
ivy is just a girl who wanted to save her mom and for that she can do no wrong
February 21, 2026
-1 star bcs i don't know if im scared of ivy, wanna be ivy or wanna be cracked by ivy
April 20, 2026
Pensamientos con groserías.
Pensamientos con groserías muy fuertes.
Por un lado tenemos a Bruce, afrentando una de las muchas consecuencias de este camino: perder gente. Harvey se esfumó del hospital, Eddie se niega a recibirlo, Ozzie lo amenaza con golpearlo si se vuelve a acercar, Waylon sólo dejó su cambio de piel sin decir una palabra... ¿Qué tanto es obra de Batman y qué tanto es Bruce Wayne? ¿En dónde termina la persona y comienza el héroe? El mismo protagonista comienza a dudar sobre la relevancia y significado del símbolo, que ahora después de su mediática pelea con Bane, parece ser devoción del dominio público.
En la otra esquina nos encontramos a un personaje tan increíblemente diseñado como los anteriores. Un estilo tan especial que verdaderamente es desquiciado. Tenemos la historia de Poison Ivy, cómo intenta unir plantas con humanos para descubrir la mínima pista que le ayude con la enfermedad de su madre. ¿Qué es lo que se encuentra Batman? Zombies, ángeles bíblicamente correctos, clones de plantas y una villana sacada de sus peores pesadillas (y de mis mejores sueños).
AHORA, no sólo eso, sino que claramente Bruce no puede tener cinco minutos libres, por lo que cuando decide ir a casa de su madre, descubre que ésta y Gordon tienen una ¿relación? Martha se ve que ha aprovechado el tiempo libre que la vida le ha dado, porque el epílogo nos dice que pertenecía nada más y nada menos que a THE COURT OF OWLS. Bueeeeeno, como dirían ellos %$
Ah DICK MENTIONED!!!??? Además de el regreso de Jack Grimm a Gotham y Harley proponiendo una unión Red Hood-Batman ¿Podemos notar todo el simbolismo de esto? Mi duda es por qué Dick lleva un estetoscopio...
PD: ¿ESE PEDAZO DE PORTADA, DIOS MÍO? GRACIAS DRAGOTTA Y MARTIN, ME PONGO A SUS PIES. TAMBIÉN EL ESTILO DE CANETE ES EXQUISITOOOOOO. DIBUJA A BRUCE TAN BONITO, LO AMOOOO. AMO A BRUCE EN SU ESTILO Y LOS COLORES Y IVY AAAAAHHHHHHHH
Pensamientos con groserías muy fuertes.
Por un lado tenemos a Bruce, afrentando una de las muchas consecuencias de este camino: perder gente. Harvey se esfumó del hospital, Eddie se niega a recibirlo, Ozzie lo amenaza con golpearlo si se vuelve a acercar, Waylon sólo dejó su cambio de piel sin decir una palabra... ¿Qué tanto es obra de Batman y qué tanto es Bruce Wayne? ¿En dónde termina la persona y comienza el héroe? El mismo protagonista comienza a dudar sobre la relevancia y significado del símbolo, que ahora después de su mediática pelea con Bane, parece ser devoción del dominio público.
En la otra esquina nos encontramos a un personaje tan increíblemente diseñado como los anteriores. Un estilo tan especial que verdaderamente es desquiciado. Tenemos la historia de Poison Ivy, cómo intenta unir plantas con humanos para descubrir la mínima pista que le ayude con la enfermedad de su madre. ¿Qué es lo que se encuentra Batman? Zombies, ángeles bíblicamente correctos, clones de plantas y una villana sacada de sus peores pesadillas (y de mis mejores sueños).
AHORA, no sólo eso, sino que claramente Bruce no puede tener cinco minutos libres, por lo que cuando decide ir a casa de su madre, descubre que ésta y Gordon tienen una ¿relación? Martha se ve que ha aprovechado el tiempo libre que la vida le ha dado, porque el epílogo nos dice que pertenecía nada más y nada menos que a THE COURT OF OWLS. Bueeeeeno, como dirían ellos %$
Ah DICK MENTIONED!!!??? Además de el regreso de Jack Grimm a Gotham y Harley proponiendo una unión Red Hood-Batman ¿Podemos notar todo el simbolismo de esto? Mi duda es por qué Dick lleva un estetoscopio...
PD: ¿ESE PEDAZO DE PORTADA, DIOS MÍO? GRACIAS DRAGOTTA Y MARTIN, ME PONGO A SUS PIES. TAMBIÉN EL ESTILO DE CANETE ES EXQUISITOOOOOO. DIBUJA A BRUCE TAN BONITO, LO AMOOOO. AMO A BRUCE EN SU ESTILO Y LOS COLORES Y IVY AAAAAHHHHHHHH
February 18, 2026
It’s just insane how good this run is
Fresh start for the next arc and MAN am I pumped. A lot of shit happens in this issue such as the debut of Poison Ivy, which o my fuck Jesus, the teasing of who Robin could be in one panel alone, and COURT OF OWLS?!!?!? I also love the showcase of seeing Batman straight up losing it because of the turmoil in his personal life. His friends probably hate him, he’s distant with his mom, and he’s basically alone in this fucked world besides Alfred, which is depressing as hell. Poison Ivy is captivating with her origin story and I can’t wait to see more of her. I can’t wait for what’s in store with the next few issues because I can tell shit is gonna go crazy.
Fresh start for the next arc and MAN am I pumped. A lot of shit happens in this issue such as the debut of Poison Ivy, which o my fuck Jesus, the teasing of who Robin could be in one panel alone, and COURT OF OWLS?!!?!? I also love the showcase of seeing Batman straight up losing it because of the turmoil in his personal life. His friends probably hate him, he’s distant with his mom, and he’s basically alone in this fucked world besides Alfred, which is depressing as hell. Poison Ivy is captivating with her origin story and I can’t wait to see more of her. I can’t wait for what’s in store with the next few issues because I can tell shit is gonna go crazy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2026
3.5 ★
pretty fun issue;
the epilogue introduction in the end felt cheesy. they did not need to spell out who they were;
I actually really liked the preview for 'End of Life' at the end of this issue, will give that a read when it comes out
pretty fun issue;
the epilogue introduction in the end felt cheesy. they did not need to spell out who they were;
I actually really liked the preview for 'End of Life' at the end of this issue, will give that a read when it comes out
February 21, 2026
I gotta wait a month for the next one?????
February 25, 2026
The new absolute Batman act has started and a new poison ivy but Batman's suffering continues unfortunately
February 19, 2026
So much happening in this issue. Poison Ivy, of course. And she’s deranged. I love her. Bruce is also grappling with the icon Batman has become and the consequences of Batman’s actions, and he’s clearly not taking it well. There’s also a lot happening with Martha, and Jim Gordon. And Barbara Gordon! Who is as headstrong as she should be! And it’s always nice to have Leslie Thompkins around. This issue obviously sets the stage for many to come, and there’s certainly a lot to unpack. It’s as exciting as ever.
March 23, 2026
Gorgeous art by Eric Canete. His style emphasised eldritch nature of this Poison Ivy well. She’s horrifying to look at. The more this series goes on, the more I feel I must say it’s some of the best body horror I’ve seen.
Writing good as usual. Snyder’s pacing with having lots of shit going on can be a bit off dialogue wise. Sometimes the pacing is off too. The ending of this issue was random.
But again, this series keeps on chugging forward wonderfully. Looking fwd to #18!
Writing good as usual. Snyder’s pacing with having lots of shit going on can be a bit off dialogue wise. Sometimes the pacing is off too. The ending of this issue was random.
But again, this series keeps on chugging forward wonderfully. Looking fwd to #18!
February 19, 2026
I KNEW IVY LOOKING LIKE THAT WAS A FAKE OUT! There’s the absolute Ivy I was waiting for!! This issue rocks, it jumps between giving us Ivy’s history packed with a driving force to push her even farther than the Ivy we already know, gives us a glimpse into Bruce’s life and mind as he is loosing his friends while the batman becomes publicly popular and his grappling with that, and it gives us batman and Ivy’s first true horrific interaction. I love it! But first I want to focus on the Bruce side of things as it takes place a week prior to the main events of this issue. Bruce hasn’t seen Waylon in weeks, and suddenly down in the sewer all he found was a large shed of his reptilian skin. That is a bad sign as usually that means he is getting bigger and the arrowhead he got fighting alongside Diana may not be working. But Waylon isn’t the only friend he has lost touch with. Ozzie has sequestered himself inside the iceberg lounge, using his goons to keep Bruce’s constant attempts to see him away. Eddie won’t even open the door when Bruce attempts to throw some riddles his way. And even though Harvey needed more time in the hospital to heal the two halves of his brain split apart, Doctor Thompkins arrived one day to find he was just…gone. The city feels different, ever since bane the people of the city love him and the streets line with vendors selling novelty merch. Bruce barely understands what the symbol even means anymore. He tries to keep his normal schedule, he attempts to visit Joe Chill, the man who killed his father, as he normally would the first Saturday of the month…but Joe refused to see him. Things at home aren’t much better, as not only has his mom unsuccessfully hid a relationship she has formed with Jim Gordon from Bruce but she also has a huge secret that gets revealed at the end of this issue. And I can’t wait any longer to say it, but Martha has a connection to the COURT OF OWLS!! WOAH!! Honestly so happy that Scott, the creator of the court, will be tackling them all over again in a universe he helped build from the ground up. So cool! The world changes around Bruce as we get glimpses of Jack Grimm’s (Joker) return to Gotham, being referred to as Gotham’s prodigal son as if he is in a position Bruce usually fills. On the bright side Harley’s gang is following her lead to start working with more people like batman. But in the less bright side none other than Dick Grayson, confiding in Leslie, still seems to hate batman, lol. Sufficient to say, he is having a hard time holding it together.
Now enter Isley. We open this issue to her youth when her mother took her on a surprise trip to Gotham city from the grotto they live in deep in the Kane County Woods. She isn’t even used to wearing shoes for most of the day. Her mother brought her to the Heart Building, as it’s in the heart of the city and all of the winds channel through here…making it the perfect spot to name a wish on a dandelion and having the highest chance of that wish taking place. At this point in time Ivy, her mother’s nickname for her, had no idea her mom was sick. The years passed as Isley became obsessed with making her wish come true and saving her mom. She grew up and became a lab rat scientist, staying inside her lab all day and night while working on ways to inject human cells with plant DNA to promote healing. She gets adequate funding but it never seems to be enough, all while the tumor in her mother’s head continues to grow. She looks to the city and can’t help but wonder if her mother’s condition is part of a bigger problem. Every one is so disconnected, what if they had a way to reconnect and rejoin with each other. So she isn’t going to stop with just plant DNA, just is going to pull from the six kingdoms of life to combine DNA and climb higher than anyone thinks possible. The years passed and she makes massive breakthroughs in combining human cells with completely new DNA across plantae, to Animalia, to fungi, to eubacteria, to protista, and archaebacteria. All of this to say she is connecting human cells to nature, all to the and cure her mother. But all her sponsors care about are diving up the discovery to benefit them the most, she hates them and believes she can take her research elsewhere. Pack up shop tonight and never look back. Except when she attempted to leave her lab…the doors bolted in place. And then it was suddenly everywhere…the fire. Engulfing her and turning her terror into anger as she thought it was the end…but it wasn’t…he was just the beginning.
And now we get to the third portion of our story, the creation of the seventh kingdom of nature Ivy is attempting to usher in as we open the issue with a large growth of plant life appearing in the middle of Gotham city. A security guard seems to be the first one to come across it as it began to grow. It was as if he stumbled into an alien movie as he found small hatchlings of plant life everywhere with small strange babies inside. Before he could grasp what he was looking at, Ivy came from behind and got into his system…properly welcoming him into her wish. The cops sectioned off the area immediately, but what kind of psycho would want to get inside the bio-hazardous thick forest that popped up in the middle of Gotham…batman, that’s who would want to do that. Armed with a filtration system and two construction standard wrist mounted chainsaws, batman cut his way into the structure as Alfred served as overwatch. Before him, a GCPD team armed with an MUC (which is an ultrasonic canon), made their way into the structure only to be lost. Batman immediately made eyes on the officers, but that shouldn’t be possible as Alfred is watching the police scans…and there is no sign of human life on his floor. Whatever they are now, the cops are no longer human and before Bruce’s eyes they shift and stretch as plant hybrid monsters running after him. if they aren’t human then that means there is free reign to chop and slash into them. Unfortunately they were fast enough to rip his mask off, the last thing he wanted to happen there, but that doesn’t stop batman. After he finishes electrocuting and slashing through the plant creatures, he wraps his cape around his mouth. The dense fibers should act as a barrier as he continues his climb. This place has reminded him of something he saw in Ark M, and he got Alfred to look up “Isley.” As batman goes higher, Alfred calls in as he detected something human on the same floor. Batman is a little busy as he is slashing through Olaf dogs and a giant plant biblically accurate angel creature with 7 eyes, 4 wings, and very sharp talons. Ivy really has outdone herself and Alfred found the file on her…but he also found her death certificate. Batman was able to deal with the giant angel looking creature by using an incendiary grenade. The moment he was finished he went over to an area of plant growth where he pulled out Barbara Gordon! She was sent with the strike tea and had the MUC and survived because her filtration system stayed in tact. Batman immediately pulled the MUC off her, but as she was instructing him about how this is her operation and he will listen to her…she didn’t even notice when he put one of his capes on her and then shoved her off the side of the platform. She only fell for a moment before the parachute engage. He is clearly trying to get her out of the way, but the fact she landed on a bunch of vines just means she is going to be hanging around for a while, lol. As batman proceeds up the structure he starts to see faces form in the plant growth. He eventually reaches the top to meet the form of Ivy, standing tall and proud as a tall creature with baby arms and feet on its Gordon stands behind her. It’s quite a horrific sight and just another creature I have to compliment the art team on making. Alfred is barer able to reach Bruce at this point, but his point gets in clear…nothing else up there except for Bruce is human…use the MUC and take it all down. But before Bruce can use it, Ivy holds him back with her vines and takes the weapon away. Good thing for Bruce he didn’t need if, as he suddenly lurches forward to reveal flamethrowers hidden in his wrist mounted chainsaws! He begins to send the flame everything, burning Ivy right down with it. But just like the fire that seemingly killed her years prior, it did nothing but mark the start of it all. Suddenly forms of Ivy in different outfits began to spring up everywhere, bonded then are real, and finally the true form of Ivy comes down to greet him. It’s beautiful in its own way, as it seems like she has formed with all the animal kingdoms. But that form is quickly ripped away as her body opens up from the center to reveal rows and rows of sharp teeth and claws coming from her arms ready to rip him apart and bring him into her wish. HELL. YEAH.
Now enter Isley. We open this issue to her youth when her mother took her on a surprise trip to Gotham city from the grotto they live in deep in the Kane County Woods. She isn’t even used to wearing shoes for most of the day. Her mother brought her to the Heart Building, as it’s in the heart of the city and all of the winds channel through here…making it the perfect spot to name a wish on a dandelion and having the highest chance of that wish taking place. At this point in time Ivy, her mother’s nickname for her, had no idea her mom was sick. The years passed as Isley became obsessed with making her wish come true and saving her mom. She grew up and became a lab rat scientist, staying inside her lab all day and night while working on ways to inject human cells with plant DNA to promote healing. She gets adequate funding but it never seems to be enough, all while the tumor in her mother’s head continues to grow. She looks to the city and can’t help but wonder if her mother’s condition is part of a bigger problem. Every one is so disconnected, what if they had a way to reconnect and rejoin with each other. So she isn’t going to stop with just plant DNA, just is going to pull from the six kingdoms of life to combine DNA and climb higher than anyone thinks possible. The years passed and she makes massive breakthroughs in combining human cells with completely new DNA across plantae, to Animalia, to fungi, to eubacteria, to protista, and archaebacteria. All of this to say she is connecting human cells to nature, all to the and cure her mother. But all her sponsors care about are diving up the discovery to benefit them the most, she hates them and believes she can take her research elsewhere. Pack up shop tonight and never look back. Except when she attempted to leave her lab…the doors bolted in place. And then it was suddenly everywhere…the fire. Engulfing her and turning her terror into anger as she thought it was the end…but it wasn’t…he was just the beginning.
And now we get to the third portion of our story, the creation of the seventh kingdom of nature Ivy is attempting to usher in as we open the issue with a large growth of plant life appearing in the middle of Gotham city. A security guard seems to be the first one to come across it as it began to grow. It was as if he stumbled into an alien movie as he found small hatchlings of plant life everywhere with small strange babies inside. Before he could grasp what he was looking at, Ivy came from behind and got into his system…properly welcoming him into her wish. The cops sectioned off the area immediately, but what kind of psycho would want to get inside the bio-hazardous thick forest that popped up in the middle of Gotham…batman, that’s who would want to do that. Armed with a filtration system and two construction standard wrist mounted chainsaws, batman cut his way into the structure as Alfred served as overwatch. Before him, a GCPD team armed with an MUC (which is an ultrasonic canon), made their way into the structure only to be lost. Batman immediately made eyes on the officers, but that shouldn’t be possible as Alfred is watching the police scans…and there is no sign of human life on his floor. Whatever they are now, the cops are no longer human and before Bruce’s eyes they shift and stretch as plant hybrid monsters running after him. if they aren’t human then that means there is free reign to chop and slash into them. Unfortunately they were fast enough to rip his mask off, the last thing he wanted to happen there, but that doesn’t stop batman. After he finishes electrocuting and slashing through the plant creatures, he wraps his cape around his mouth. The dense fibers should act as a barrier as he continues his climb. This place has reminded him of something he saw in Ark M, and he got Alfred to look up “Isley.” As batman goes higher, Alfred calls in as he detected something human on the same floor. Batman is a little busy as he is slashing through Olaf dogs and a giant plant biblically accurate angel creature with 7 eyes, 4 wings, and very sharp talons. Ivy really has outdone herself and Alfred found the file on her…but he also found her death certificate. Batman was able to deal with the giant angel looking creature by using an incendiary grenade. The moment he was finished he went over to an area of plant growth where he pulled out Barbara Gordon! She was sent with the strike tea and had the MUC and survived because her filtration system stayed in tact. Batman immediately pulled the MUC off her, but as she was instructing him about how this is her operation and he will listen to her…she didn’t even notice when he put one of his capes on her and then shoved her off the side of the platform. She only fell for a moment before the parachute engage. He is clearly trying to get her out of the way, but the fact she landed on a bunch of vines just means she is going to be hanging around for a while, lol. As batman proceeds up the structure he starts to see faces form in the plant growth. He eventually reaches the top to meet the form of Ivy, standing tall and proud as a tall creature with baby arms and feet on its Gordon stands behind her. It’s quite a horrific sight and just another creature I have to compliment the art team on making. Alfred is barer able to reach Bruce at this point, but his point gets in clear…nothing else up there except for Bruce is human…use the MUC and take it all down. But before Bruce can use it, Ivy holds him back with her vines and takes the weapon away. Good thing for Bruce he didn’t need if, as he suddenly lurches forward to reveal flamethrowers hidden in his wrist mounted chainsaws! He begins to send the flame everything, burning Ivy right down with it. But just like the fire that seemingly killed her years prior, it did nothing but mark the start of it all. Suddenly forms of Ivy in different outfits began to spring up everywhere, bonded then are real, and finally the true form of Ivy comes down to greet him. It’s beautiful in its own way, as it seems like she has formed with all the animal kingdoms. But that form is quickly ripped away as her body opens up from the center to reveal rows and rows of sharp teeth and claws coming from her arms ready to rip him apart and bring him into her wish. HELL. YEAH.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2026
Absolute Batman was a standout in January as I embarked on reading comics again on a weekly basis in 2026 and quickly made it onto my pull list.
I think this issue may fall prey to its own hype in terms of prevyquality but also the assumption classic villains will have dramatic changes in appearance, especially after the tease in the Ark-M special last month. The online and social media buzz has also been OTT for this one and this is more my fault than the comic creators - I should try entering future issues blind. There was so much discussion on what poison Ivy would look like and for the comic itself there isn't that much yet regarding her physical form which seems intentionally fluid and I suspect are at best "flowers" from the main macro organism.
Besides this I think we have a solid if not spectacular start to the story arc. There's a lot of jumping back and forward but we have the beginnings of a decent backstory for "Ivy" and some interesting developments regarding Martha Wayne.
The art is hard to judge here. It's by no means bad - I thought the "chainsaw man" homage was very effective and they do a great job with the monsters. Where it doesn't work is in the depiction of civilian characters. I genuinely thought Bruce was a young Dick Grayson or Tim Drake, he looks so young and slender. This is completely at odds with absolute Bruce Wayne who is like the animated series on Venom. I could overlook it as a stylistic choice if not for the fact it makes things really confusing. Another example is that Martha Wayne looks so young I thought it was Jim Gordon's daughter which made the scene/page very weird until she was name checked.Another was a page that I think was a tease for upcoming stories but again acharacter looked like a dark haired teenager so could have been Bruce or someone else.I think this should have been picked up by editorial early on that characters needed to be more in line with Dragotta's age/size.
It will probably pass as I get more used to this art style and different takes on established character appearance.
I'm still on board for the next issue as I'm curious where the poison Ivy story goes but maybe moreso the connection of a supporting character to a well known Batman antagonist and how that works in the absolute verse Maybe it's the trade union of owls?
I also intend to avoid click-bait articles overhyping elements of this book too from now on.
Overall = 3/5
Writing = 3/5
Art = 3/5
Will I read the next issue?yes
Did I need to read previous issues/series? Only for the side stories of which there are several but main plot is fully accessible
Will I read previous issues? Still working on trade collections
I think this issue may fall prey to its own hype in terms of prevyquality but also the assumption classic villains will have dramatic changes in appearance, especially after the tease in the Ark-M special last month. The online and social media buzz has also been OTT for this one and this is more my fault than the comic creators - I should try entering future issues blind. There was so much discussion on what poison Ivy would look like and for the comic itself there isn't that much yet regarding her physical form which seems intentionally fluid and I suspect are at best "flowers" from the main macro organism.
Besides this I think we have a solid if not spectacular start to the story arc. There's a lot of jumping back and forward but we have the beginnings of a decent backstory for "Ivy" and some interesting developments regarding Martha Wayne.
The art is hard to judge here. It's by no means bad - I thought the "chainsaw man" homage was very effective and they do a great job with the monsters. Where it doesn't work is in the depiction of civilian characters. I genuinely thought Bruce was a young Dick Grayson or Tim Drake, he looks so young and slender. This is completely at odds with absolute Bruce Wayne who is like the animated series on Venom. I could overlook it as a stylistic choice if not for the fact it makes things really confusing. Another example is that Martha Wayne looks so young I thought it was Jim Gordon's daughter which made the scene/page very weird until she was name checked.Another was a page that I think was a tease for upcoming stories but again acharacter looked like a dark haired teenager so could have been Bruce or someone else.I think this should have been picked up by editorial early on that characters needed to be more in line with Dragotta's age/size.
It will probably pass as I get more used to this art style and different takes on established character appearance.
I'm still on board for the next issue as I'm curious where the poison Ivy story goes but maybe moreso the connection of a supporting character to a well known Batman antagonist and how that works in the absolute verse Maybe it's the trade union of owls?
I also intend to avoid click-bait articles overhyping elements of this book too from now on.
Overall = 3/5
Writing = 3/5
Art = 3/5
Will I read the next issue?yes
Did I need to read previous issues/series? Only for the side stories of which there are several but main plot is fully accessible
Will I read previous issues? Still working on trade collections
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2026
“Welcome, Batman… to your wish.”
If I had one wish after reading Absolute Batman #17, it would be that Scott Snyder never leaves this series.
Issue #17 brings Poison Ivy into the Absolute Universe—and somehow she’s even more unhinged and imaginative than I expected. The story opens with a massive plant-based biological attack in the heart of Gotham City, and Batman basically has to go full Chainsaw Man just to cut his way through the chaos. It’s visceral, fast-paced, and immediately raises the stakes.
We’re introduced to a young Pamela Isley, and Snyder gives us just enough of her backstory to understand the obsession and drive that push her toward becoming Ivy. That said, I wanted more—and that’s a compliment. This version of Ivy isn’t just connected to plant life. She feels like a walking ecosystem: plants, animals, fungi—everything tangled together into something grotesque and awe-inspiring. When we see her fully unleashed, it’s wild in the best way. Snyder continues to reinvent Batman’s rogues by turning each of them up to eleven, and somehow it keeps working.
The artwork by Eric Canete fits seamlessly with the tone of the series. The way he renders Ivy’s powers is especially striking—organic, chaotic, and almost cosmic in scale. And Batman? He looks absolutely brutal here. Every panel carries weight and motion, making the action feel relentless.
Then there’s that ending. The Court is in session! The return of a certain member of the Court opens up some fascinating possibilities for where this story is headed. At the same time, Bruce is left questioning whether Batman is truly making Gotham better. After how he handled Bane, the city is fully aware of him—some even celebrate him. But that visibility comes at a cost. Bruce is still struggling to reconnect with his friends and continues to fall short. Meanwhile, a certain EMT begins to wonder if Batman’s presence is escalating the madness rather than curing it.
My only real complaint? I wish the issue were longer. With Ivy now in play—and teases of Scarecrow and Robin on the horizon—I can’t wait to see where this Absolute Batman series goes next.
5 out of 5 stars.
If I had one wish after reading Absolute Batman #17, it would be that Scott Snyder never leaves this series.
Issue #17 brings Poison Ivy into the Absolute Universe—and somehow she’s even more unhinged and imaginative than I expected. The story opens with a massive plant-based biological attack in the heart of Gotham City, and Batman basically has to go full Chainsaw Man just to cut his way through the chaos. It’s visceral, fast-paced, and immediately raises the stakes.
We’re introduced to a young Pamela Isley, and Snyder gives us just enough of her backstory to understand the obsession and drive that push her toward becoming Ivy. That said, I wanted more—and that’s a compliment. This version of Ivy isn’t just connected to plant life. She feels like a walking ecosystem: plants, animals, fungi—everything tangled together into something grotesque and awe-inspiring. When we see her fully unleashed, it’s wild in the best way. Snyder continues to reinvent Batman’s rogues by turning each of them up to eleven, and somehow it keeps working.
The artwork by Eric Canete fits seamlessly with the tone of the series. The way he renders Ivy’s powers is especially striking—organic, chaotic, and almost cosmic in scale. And Batman? He looks absolutely brutal here. Every panel carries weight and motion, making the action feel relentless.
Then there’s that ending. The Court is in session! The return of a certain member of the Court opens up some fascinating possibilities for where this story is headed. At the same time, Bruce is left questioning whether Batman is truly making Gotham better. After how he handled Bane, the city is fully aware of him—some even celebrate him. But that visibility comes at a cost. Bruce is still struggling to reconnect with his friends and continues to fall short. Meanwhile, a certain EMT begins to wonder if Batman’s presence is escalating the madness rather than curing it.
My only real complaint? I wish the issue were longer. With Ivy now in play—and teases of Scarecrow and Robin on the horizon—I can’t wait to see where this Absolute Batman series goes next.
5 out of 5 stars.
February 19, 2026
Wow, what an issue. It truly feels like the series is steering back toward the central narrative after the last two installments, which, while strong in their own right, felt intentionally detached from the core story. Here, everything reconnects. The issue moves between three primary threads, weaving them together in a way that highlights the emotional parallels between the characters.
We see Bruce grappling with deep isolation, cut off from friends who are either missing or unwilling to stand by him. At the same time, Batman, presented here almost as a distinct entity from Bruce, confronts the chaos unleashed by Poison Ivy’s takeover of the “Heart of Gotham.” Running alongside that is Pamela Isley’s personal mission to cure her mother’s illness, which adds a layer of vulnerability and motivation to the larger conflict. The shifting perspectives feel purposeful, reinforcing the emotional weight each character carries.
Absolute Poison Ivy is the standout. Her monstrous, carnivorous plant-animal hybrid form is wildly imaginative and strikingly different from her mainline counterpart. The design is bold, unsettling, and creative in a way that immediately won me over. I initially assumed we would get a familiar interpretation of the character, but I was happily proven wrong. This version feels dangerous and unpredictable in the best way.
I am especially curious to see how Bruce navigates both this new threat and the fallout from the harm his actions have caused those closest to him. That said, the pacing is not perfect. Bruce’s isolation, while thematically strong, lingers a bit too long, and the extended preview for the new Vertigo title takes up more space than necessary. A shorter tease would have accomplished the same goal without pulling focus from the main story.
Overall, this is a strong issue that realigns the series and introduces a compelling new version of Poison Ivy. I recommend giving it a read.
Grade: B+
We see Bruce grappling with deep isolation, cut off from friends who are either missing or unwilling to stand by him. At the same time, Batman, presented here almost as a distinct entity from Bruce, confronts the chaos unleashed by Poison Ivy’s takeover of the “Heart of Gotham.” Running alongside that is Pamela Isley’s personal mission to cure her mother’s illness, which adds a layer of vulnerability and motivation to the larger conflict. The shifting perspectives feel purposeful, reinforcing the emotional weight each character carries.
Absolute Poison Ivy is the standout. Her monstrous, carnivorous plant-animal hybrid form is wildly imaginative and strikingly different from her mainline counterpart. The design is bold, unsettling, and creative in a way that immediately won me over. I initially assumed we would get a familiar interpretation of the character, but I was happily proven wrong. This version feels dangerous and unpredictable in the best way.
I am especially curious to see how Bruce navigates both this new threat and the fallout from the harm his actions have caused those closest to him. That said, the pacing is not perfect. Bruce’s isolation, while thematically strong, lingers a bit too long, and the extended preview for the new Vertigo title takes up more space than necessary. A shorter tease would have accomplished the same goal without pulling focus from the main story.
Overall, this is a strong issue that realigns the series and introduces a compelling new version of Poison Ivy. I recommend giving it a read.
Grade: B+
April 3, 2026
Batman bro, just freakin nuke Gotham. Bro get out. You’re way WAY outta your league. Just give up on Gotham. Nuke it. You’re just a dude. These are monsters. No, you’re not listening Batman. They’re not humans with enhanced abilities. They’re LEGIT MONSTERS.
Another issue, another BANGER. I mean, recapping it wouldn’t do it justice. You have to read it. Because if you thought Joker was wild, which he is, Ivy is A MONSTER.
Spoilers below:
- So Jack Grimm maybe, tried to Kill Ivy and her experiments? But instead mutated it. WHICH ends up mutating Ivy.
- IVY !? What are youuu!? You can make replicas of yourself, and the OG form is diabolical.
- Uhhhhhh COURT OF OWLS + Martha Wayne = ????!?
Do yourself a favor and pick this up.
My hypothesis : There’s no way absolute Batman escapes this series alive. He’s going to die.
Another issue, another BANGER. I mean, recapping it wouldn’t do it justice. You have to read it. Because if you thought Joker was wild, which he is, Ivy is A MONSTER.
Spoilers below:
- So Jack Grimm maybe, tried to Kill Ivy and her experiments? But instead mutated it. WHICH ends up mutating Ivy.
- IVY !? What are youuu!? You can make replicas of yourself, and the OG form is diabolical.
- Uhhhhhh COURT OF OWLS + Martha Wayne = ????!?
Do yourself a favor and pick this up.
My hypothesis : There’s no way absolute Batman escapes this series alive. He’s going to die.
April 25, 2026
EL BODY HORROR NO DESCANSA EN LA GOTHAM ABSOLUTE!!!!!
Tras ser teseada (junto a otros personajes) en la investigación particular de Bruce sobre ARK-M, la Absolute Hiedra Venenosa se presenta con todo el poderío de lo que una avatar de la venganza vegetal debe personificar. La nueva vegetación que ha surjido entre la jungla de asfalto y cemento tiene un potencial de peligro biológico que puede incluso aterrar a un Batman que irrumpe a plena motosierra de mano.
El artista invitado Eric Canete acaba supliendo ciertamente bien la ausencia de Dragotta aunque sospechaba al inicio con las páginas de la narración propia de Pamela Isley que su estilo más "amigable" era reclamado porque apenas tendríamos una escena de puro terror. Pero da bien la talla con la revelación de la verdadera forma de Hiedra.
Tras ser teseada (junto a otros personajes) en la investigación particular de Bruce sobre ARK-M, la Absolute Hiedra Venenosa se presenta con todo el poderío de lo que una avatar de la venganza vegetal debe personificar. La nueva vegetación que ha surjido entre la jungla de asfalto y cemento tiene un potencial de peligro biológico que puede incluso aterrar a un Batman que irrumpe a plena motosierra de mano.
El artista invitado Eric Canete acaba supliendo ciertamente bien la ausencia de Dragotta aunque sospechaba al inicio con las páginas de la narración propia de Pamela Isley que su estilo más "amigable" era reclamado porque apenas tendríamos una escena de puro terror. Pero da bien la talla con la revelación de la verdadera forma de Hiedra.
February 26, 2026
In this issue, Pamela Isley takes the spotlight or rather, Poison Ivy, in her freakier, scarier, nightmarish form. Bruce’s loneliness, guilt, and grief remain palpable as he faces the monstrosity Ivy has unleashed. The Wish pulses at the heart of the city, while his friends’ conditions continue to deteriorate and their fractured relationships only deepen. And now, his mother has returned to the Court of Owls, like I didn't see that coming?? Things are about to get even more intense and real. I feel you, Bruce. Stay strong, Batman.
February 22, 2026
I like how Absolue Ivy is a monstrous amalgam of the Green and Red, morphing grotesquely across all organic kingdoms. Canete’s art emulates Dragotta’s kinetic, manga-inspired style nicely, though with his own stamp. The Gotham tower taken over by plant life feels almost out of Joel Schumacher era Batman films, and I’m down for that. The other hints - Dick Grayson sighting and Court of Owls tease - are super intriguing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2026
Eric Canete is doing a great job as guest artist on Absolute Batman for a two-issue spell, moving the overall story along and matching the established aesthetics of the book. His kinetic style is overwhelmingly suited for this Absolute version of Poison Ivy. Writer Scott Snyder has been fortunate in finding artists to help build what he and artist Nick Dragotta are building in Absolute Batman.
May 8, 2026
4.25 Stars. I've never been a particularly big fan of any incarnation of Poison Ivy however this time around my interest is quite piqued. Also who doesn't love Batman with chainsaw gauntlets. From deterioration to collapse Batman's former friends seem to finally be making their moves into villainy and I can't wait to see where it all leads. A solid issue with quite the artistic reinterpretation of a classic villain.
February 18, 2026
Another fantastic start to the next arc and an awesome central focus on Poison Ivy in this universe. I like a lot of the scenes with Bruce in this issues in particular and seeing what’s happening around his life. The rise of the next villains is intriguing and looking forward to that group tease on final page.
February 20, 2026
I swear this series gets better and BETTER after each drop man😭😭😭
The reveal of the court of owls in the end!!??? Yoooooooooooo 👀👀👀👀nah I’m so fucking ready
How does this all tie up with joker, with everything?
I have a strong feeling absolute green arrow is somehow involved in this..
Another absolute issue- so glad this exists
The reveal of the court of owls in the end!!??? Yoooooooooooo 👀👀👀👀nah I’m so fucking ready
How does this all tie up with joker, with everything?
I have a strong feeling absolute green arrow is somehow involved in this..
Another absolute issue- so glad this exists
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2026
amazing art work, wasn't as action packed as precious issues but still good, anyway Bruce really can't catch a fucking catch can he, his literally fighting another Elden Ring boss, his friends either hate or are distancing themselves from him and his mom, well looks like things are gonna get far worse for Batman, which at this point shouldn't be impossible, omo darkside is one petty motherfucker.
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