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Absolute Batman Vol. 3
Not yet published
Expected 8 Sep 26208 pages, Paperback
Expected publication September 8, 2026
43 people want to read
About the author
Scott Snyder
1,753 books5,281 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 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 6, 2026
This continues to be one of my favorite Batman series I have ever read, so unique and original.
The villains so far have been super interesting.
Especially the Joker issue was insanely good, that dude came straight up from my worst nightmares bruh
Also the final 2 poison Ivy issues were probably my favorite depiction of the poison ivy character in any Batman media, her design alone was super cool and looked like a damn dark souls boss 😭
The villains so far have been super interesting.
Especially the Joker issue was insanely good, that dude came straight up from my worst nightmares bruh
Also the final 2 poison Ivy issues were probably my favorite depiction of the poison ivy character in any Batman media, her design alone was super cool and looked like a damn dark souls boss 😭
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
Thus far, this is the weakest entry in Scott Snyder’s Absolute Batman run—though even at its weakest, it remains a compelling read.
The writing is still sharp where it matters most: the central story holds together well, the pacing remains energetic, and Snyder continues to find inventive ways to reinterpret Batman’s rogues gallery. The new takes on Poison Ivy and the Joker are particularly strong—radically different from their traditional incarnations, yet still wholly true to the core of each character. They feel fresh, strange, and entirely at home in this reimagined Gotham.
The volume’s one clear misstep is its Wonder Woman crossover, which feels more editorially mandated than organically earned. While not without a few entertaining beats, the detour ultimately comes across as unnecessary to Batman’s larger arc, and its rushed pacing undercuts any real sense of tension or consequence. It is the only portion of the book that feels structurally compromised, leaning more on spectacle than substance.
Where the volume succeeds, however, it does so with confidence. Issue #15 and the Ark M storyline are the clear standouts—easily the most shocking, narratively confident, and entertaining chapters in the collection. Snyder is at his best when he lets Gotham become strange, violent, and psychologically unpredictable. Even the book’s more absurd imagery—Batman outfitted with chainsaw arms, tearing through Poison Ivy’s creations with gleeful brutality—lands with surprising force. It is outrageous, yes, but memorable in exactly the way comic-book excess should be.
There is also more emotional weight here than one might expect. Snyder finds a few genuinely affecting moments, particularly in the quieter character work between Gordon and Ivy, which lend the volume a welcome sense of heart beneath its operatic violence.
Overall, this is a satisfying installment, even if it falls short of the heights set by earlier volumes. It is less successful as a self-contained story, but more clearly functions as a bridge toward something larger. And judging by the preview of Volume 4—with the Robin initiative, Deathstroke, Scarecrow, Gotham’s allies evolving into their villainous counterparts, the looming Joker-Batman confrontation above the city, and Mad Hatter waiting in the wings—that larger story looks increasingly ambitious.
If this volume is primarily table-setting, it is at least setting the table for something worth staying seated for.
The writing is still sharp where it matters most: the central story holds together well, the pacing remains energetic, and Snyder continues to find inventive ways to reinterpret Batman’s rogues gallery. The new takes on Poison Ivy and the Joker are particularly strong—radically different from their traditional incarnations, yet still wholly true to the core of each character. They feel fresh, strange, and entirely at home in this reimagined Gotham.
The volume’s one clear misstep is its Wonder Woman crossover, which feels more editorially mandated than organically earned. While not without a few entertaining beats, the detour ultimately comes across as unnecessary to Batman’s larger arc, and its rushed pacing undercuts any real sense of tension or consequence. It is the only portion of the book that feels structurally compromised, leaning more on spectacle than substance.
Where the volume succeeds, however, it does so with confidence. Issue #15 and the Ark M storyline are the clear standouts—easily the most shocking, narratively confident, and entertaining chapters in the collection. Snyder is at his best when he lets Gotham become strange, violent, and psychologically unpredictable. Even the book’s more absurd imagery—Batman outfitted with chainsaw arms, tearing through Poison Ivy’s creations with gleeful brutality—lands with surprising force. It is outrageous, yes, but memorable in exactly the way comic-book excess should be.
There is also more emotional weight here than one might expect. Snyder finds a few genuinely affecting moments, particularly in the quieter character work between Gordon and Ivy, which lend the volume a welcome sense of heart beneath its operatic violence.
Overall, this is a satisfying installment, even if it falls short of the heights set by earlier volumes. It is less successful as a self-contained story, but more clearly functions as a bridge toward something larger. And judging by the preview of Volume 4—with the Robin initiative, Deathstroke, Scarecrow, Gotham’s allies evolving into their villainous counterparts, the looming Joker-Batman confrontation above the city, and Mad Hatter waiting in the wings—that larger story looks increasingly ambitious.
If this volume is primarily table-setting, it is at least setting the table for something worth staying seated for.
Review of advance copy received from Autre
Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta are firing on all cylinders here, delivering some of the most intense, emotionally raw, and visually spectacular Batman stories in years.
This volume masterfully balances massive action and horror-tinged villain moments with deep character work — especially Bruce’s guilt and isolation, his fractured friendships, and the growing mysteries around Ark M and the man pulling the strings. The guest artists fit seamlessly, and the Annual + Ark M material adds fantastic depth.
Every issue feels epic yet intimate. The body horror, the brutal fights, the quiet character beats — it’s all top-tier. This is peak Absolute Universe storytelling.
If you’ve been enjoying the series, Vol. 3 might just be its strongest yet. Essential reading.
This volume masterfully balances massive action and horror-tinged villain moments with deep character work — especially Bruce’s guilt and isolation, his fractured friendships, and the growing mysteries around Ark M and the man pulling the strings. The guest artists fit seamlessly, and the Annual + Ark M material adds fantastic depth.
Every issue feels epic yet intimate. The body horror, the brutal fights, the quiet character beats — it’s all top-tier. This is peak Absolute Universe storytelling.
If you’ve been enjoying the series, Vol. 3 might just be its strongest yet. Essential reading.
Review of advance copy
The Wonder Woman crossover and the Daniel Warren Johnson annual is particularly good. This arc has its highs but I feel this book has lost it a little, and I'm hoping we continue with what made this strong in the first place.
April 3, 2026
Can we stop babying Bruce Wayne. He’s going evil mode for the second time 😒
Review of advance copy
Annual #1, ☆☆☆☆☆
15, ☆☆☆☆☆
16, ☆☆☆☆
Ark M, ☆☆☆☆
17-18, ☆☆☆☆
15, ☆☆☆☆☆
16, ☆☆☆☆
Ark M, ☆☆☆☆
17-18, ☆☆☆☆
Review of advance copy received from Author
Scott snyder can sure write Batman!
Only Ark M special was meh, the rest was absolute!
4.49 stars overall
Only Ark M special was meh, the rest was absolute!
4.49 stars overall
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews