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Absolute Batman (2024) (Single Issues)
Absolute Batman (2024-) #20
Kindle Edition
Published May 13, 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 62 reviews
May 14, 2026
Snyder keeps peeling back layers on Bruce’s history and this issue is one of the best yet. The Black Gate scene is the centerpiece and it’s suffocating in the best way — Scarecrow doesn’t spread fear, he spreads dread, and that distinction makes him one of the most compelling villains in this whole Absolute lineup. He can’t be touched, he just looms there behind bars and dismantles everything Bruce thought he knew. And learning how deep Crane goes in Bruce’s past?? The conspiracy around this version of the origin just keeps getting richer. Snyder also does some really touching work checking in on Waylon, Eddie, Harvey and Oswald — these are people whose lives got wrecked and you feel it. Then the Robins arrive at the end and the setup for next issue is absolutely wild. Dragotta is operating on another level throughout, his work here is closer to East of West and it’s stunning. Cannot wait for #21.
May 14, 2026
¡¡¡¡¡ME ENCANTAAAAAAA!!!! No quepo de la emoción que me dio este número. Se convirtió en mi historia favorita y la podría releer cien veces en lo que espero la entrega siguiente.
Scarecrow es un maldito psicópata que le está haciendo la vida cuadritos a Bruce. No sólo se encargó de asesinar a Jim Gordon en el número pasado, utilizando a Batman como el chivo expiatorio, sino que ahora (con Bruce cargando el gran pesar de la muerte y siendo culpable a nivel público) Scarecrow convence a Chill (asesino de Thomas Wayne) de suicidarse. Batman no sólo no puede hacer nada para evitarlo, sino que el villano le revela que sabe su nombre, que su identidad es sólo una broma entre Grimm y Crane, que su madre pertenece a The Court of Owls, y que él mismo se va a encargar de hacerle la vida imposible.
Del otro lado tenemos a Way con Eddie, hablando de su rencor para con Bruce/Batman y cómo han intentado adaptarse a las secuelas ocasionadas por el ataque de Bane. Eddie sintiéndose cada vez más perdido, literalmente en un acertijo. Harvey perdiendo sus casos y credibilidad al haberse descubierto que trabajaba con Batman y quienes había metido a la cárcel han sido liberados. Ozzie con unos dientes tan afilados y armas listas para atacar, Waylon con los ojos de reptil... Aun así propone unirse, lo que me tiene en el filo de la silla.
Sin embargo, LA FOKIN CEREZA DEL PASTEL, MI SUEÑO HECHO REALIDAD, MI MOTIVO DE VIDA, MI MAYOR FELICIDAD: 𝙈𝙊𝙏𝙃𝙀𝙍𝙁𝙊𝙆𝙄𝙉 𝙍𝙊𝘽𝙄𝙉 𝙋𝙍𝙊𝙂𝙍𝘼𝙈. Estoy sacando espuma por la boca mientras doy marometas de pura felicidad. Y es que no sólo es la aparición de mis hijos (Jason, te amo), sino que precisamente logran derribar a Batman de los aires y lo tienen acorralado, ambos bandos listos para una pelea que muero de ansias por leer.
PD: ¿Podemos tomarnos un minuto -o más- para apreciar ese spread del Joker riéndose maniáticamente de las desgracias en Gotham y sobre todo de Batman mientras está conectado a neonatos que le transfieren sangre y la quijada está a casi 180°? Gracias.
Scarecrow es un maldito psicópata que le está haciendo la vida cuadritos a Bruce. No sólo se encargó de asesinar a Jim Gordon en el número pasado, utilizando a Batman como el chivo expiatorio, sino que ahora (con Bruce cargando el gran pesar de la muerte y siendo culpable a nivel público) Scarecrow convence a Chill (asesino de Thomas Wayne) de suicidarse. Batman no sólo no puede hacer nada para evitarlo, sino que el villano le revela que sabe su nombre, que su identidad es sólo una broma entre Grimm y Crane, que su madre pertenece a The Court of Owls, y que él mismo se va a encargar de hacerle la vida imposible.
Del otro lado tenemos a Way con Eddie, hablando de su rencor para con Bruce/Batman y cómo han intentado adaptarse a las secuelas ocasionadas por el ataque de Bane. Eddie sintiéndose cada vez más perdido, literalmente en un acertijo. Harvey perdiendo sus casos y credibilidad al haberse descubierto que trabajaba con Batman y quienes había metido a la cárcel han sido liberados. Ozzie con unos dientes tan afilados y armas listas para atacar, Waylon con los ojos de reptil... Aun así propone unirse, lo que me tiene en el filo de la silla.
Sin embargo, LA FOKIN CEREZA DEL PASTEL, MI SUEÑO HECHO REALIDAD, MI MOTIVO DE VIDA, MI MAYOR FELICIDAD: 𝙈𝙊𝙏𝙃𝙀𝙍𝙁𝙊𝙆𝙄𝙉 𝙍𝙊𝘽𝙄𝙉 𝙋𝙍𝙊𝙂𝙍𝘼𝙈. Estoy sacando espuma por la boca mientras doy marometas de pura felicidad. Y es que no sólo es la aparición de mis hijos (Jason, te amo), sino que precisamente logran derribar a Batman de los aires y lo tienen acorralado, ambos bandos listos para una pelea que muero de ansias por leer.
PD: ¿Podemos tomarnos un minuto -o más- para apreciar ese spread del Joker riéndose maniáticamente de las desgracias en Gotham y sobre todo de Batman mientras está conectado a neonatos que le transfieren sangre y la quijada está a casi 180°? Gracias.
May 24, 2026
I can’t wait to see battle between The Robins and Batman.
May 13, 2026
"(...) he isn't a project. He's a joke".
That phrase is going to live with me forever.
That phrase is going to live with me forever.
May 30, 2026
We see Jack Grimm chilling on his homunculus throne of baby fetuses in his Joker Cave, Bruce shutting himself in for days, poring over the files he just got from the now-dead Jim Gordon, and Waylon reaching out to Eddie, who reveals what nefarious things Ozzzy and Harvey have been up to.
Bruce, as Batman, pays his dad’s killer a visit in jail, asking him about the files and his dad’s death having been a setup. That’s when Scarecrow shows up and tells Bruce that he and Jack Grimm orchestrated everything that happened to Bruce to turn him into the Batman to be used as some kind of weapon against the Court of Owls, which Bruce’s mom was a part of
Scarecrow then kills the Prisoner, leaves, and sounds the prison alarms, forcing Bruce to rush out of the prison. On his way, he’s attacked by all five robins as they prepare for an epic showdown. The good just keeps getting better, God damn! And just when I thought it couldn’t get any darker. The absolute Joker doesn't fuck around at all. I said it before, and I’ll say it again: the dude is the devil.
Bruce, as Batman, pays his dad’s killer a visit in jail, asking him about the files and his dad’s death having been a setup. That’s when Scarecrow shows up and tells Bruce that he and Jack Grimm orchestrated everything that happened to Bruce to turn him into the Batman to be used as some kind of weapon against the Court of Owls, which Bruce’s mom was a part of
Scarecrow then kills the Prisoner, leaves, and sounds the prison alarms, forcing Bruce to rush out of the prison. On his way, he’s attacked by all five robins as they prepare for an epic showdown. The good just keeps getting better, God damn! And just when I thought it couldn’t get any darker. The absolute Joker doesn't fuck around at all. I said it before, and I’ll say it again: the dude is the devil.
May 15, 2026
2026 - 365 Days of Whatever Is On My Comic Book TBR
Day 135
Damn! I don’t want to wait another month to see a flock of Robins get their @$$es handed to them! Great issue. Bring on The Court of Owls.
Day 135
Damn! I don’t want to wait another month to see a flock of Robins get their @$$es handed to them! Great issue. Bring on The Court of Owls.
May 15, 2026
The pace becomes even more hectic in part 2 of the story. Snyder does a good job of making it ambiguous as to whether everything we are seeing is actually happening or if parts are Batman hallucinating from scarecrow's fear gas. I suspect the latter regarding the murder that occurs and potentially regarding the conspiracy surrounding Thomas Wayne.
The Robins are really different and suit the absolute mantle well although they are devoid of character beyond one being reckless.
The art is consistent as always and scarecrow is genuinely scary here. The issue lacks a jaw dropping moment which is either due to the story or that Dragotta has raised the bar so high. I guess the final page is almost a big moment if not for the similarity to the cover.
I know there's some debate over whether the Joker is manufacturing a Batman and how it seems counterintuitive. Snyder has always written Joker as someone who needs a Batman so I think he'd do it even if self-destructive. Then again, my pet theory is as this universe is Darkseid, I think it's deliberately trying to create an evil Batman and I wouldn't be surprised if we find Batman is the ultimate corrupted hero that Wonder Woman and Superman have to take down. Given the strength of the Absolute line I hope that's a long way off as it will be fascinating to see the world chip away at this version of Batman.
The fact I'm even speculating on future directions shows this series/imprint has it's hooks in me.
Overall impression = 4/5
Writing = 4/5
Art = 4/5
Will I read the next issue? Yes, I'm looking forward to the showdown set up at the end of the issue.
Wait for the trade collection? No, there's plenty going on and it would be almost impossible to avoid spoilers.
Did I need to read previous issues/series? the previous issue to understand the arc but this issue plays on story beats from #1 if you want to enjoy all the intricacies.
Will I read previous issues I'm almost finished vol. 1 of trades and then onto vol. 2 to close all the gaps.
The Robins are really different and suit the absolute mantle well although they are devoid of character beyond one being reckless.
The art is consistent as always and scarecrow is genuinely scary here. The issue lacks a jaw dropping moment which is either due to the story or that Dragotta has raised the bar so high. I guess the final page is almost a big moment if not for the similarity to the cover.
I know there's some debate over whether the Joker is manufacturing a Batman and how it seems counterintuitive. Snyder has always written Joker as someone who needs a Batman so I think he'd do it even if self-destructive. Then again, my pet theory is as this universe is Darkseid, I think it's deliberately trying to create an evil Batman and I wouldn't be surprised if we find Batman is the ultimate corrupted hero that Wonder Woman and Superman have to take down. Given the strength of the Absolute line I hope that's a long way off as it will be fascinating to see the world chip away at this version of Batman.
The fact I'm even speculating on future directions shows this series/imprint has it's hooks in me.
Overall impression = 4/5
Writing = 4/5
Art = 4/5
Will I read the next issue? Yes, I'm looking forward to the showdown set up at the end of the issue.
Wait for the trade collection? No, there's plenty going on and it would be almost impossible to avoid spoilers.
Did I need to read previous issues/series? the previous issue to understand the arc but this issue plays on story beats from #1 if you want to enjoy all the intricacies.
Will I read previous issues I'm almost finished vol. 1 of trades and then onto vol. 2 to close all the gaps.
May 13, 2026
Scarecrow is such an ominous threat. Although he’s barely done any PHYSICAL damage to Bruce, he has instilled so much mental pain and fear over the last two issues, and his presence is so eerie and creepy. I love what they established in this issue, and the next issue should have a pretty cool fight!!
May 13, 2026
AGH I WANT MORE NOW
Scarecrow continues to be fucking sick holy balls he is scary as hell and I love it. Batman is just going through it with all his friends just doing their own things, which is setting up the next arc possibly omg, and trying to figure out if his life is just some sick joke. The end of this issue is just blue balling at his finest where the Robins are ready to fight against Bruce and oh man I’m scared for the crew cause Batman is gonna go berserk mode.
Scarecrow continues to be fucking sick holy balls he is scary as hell and I love it. Batman is just going through it with all his friends just doing their own things, which is setting up the next arc possibly omg, and trying to figure out if his life is just some sick joke. The end of this issue is just blue balling at his finest where the Robins are ready to fight against Bruce and oh man I’m scared for the crew cause Batman is gonna go berserk mode.
May 17, 2026
Things are getting more cryptic and since I am so picky with which comics I read, I am not liking this much. I do recognise most of the characters and the world building is absolutely insane but also, it feels like this backstory is just getting deeper and deeper without a way of laying it all out. At some point they're going to start referring to earlier issues and I might get lost.
Still very impressive work.
Still very impressive work.
May 14, 2026
4.7 holy peak
May 14, 2026
tiraron readcomicsonline :(
May 15, 2026
Nice cave.
May 17, 2026
I am loving this verison of Scarecrow! Things are feeling so depressing and bleak right now and that is what makes this so good. The final page just builds even more hype for what is to come.
May 13, 2026
Was it all planned? Was Bruce’s life guided from the beginning? Is the Scarecrow going to destroy all Bruce has built, or will his friends have his back?
May 18, 2026
mooooore. MOOOOOOORE.
May 15, 2026
I’m feeling a bit of dread myself after that fantastic issue full of these huge impossible to believe and carefully orchestrated…jokes…it’s all just one big joke. But you know what’s the most terrifying thing of all? It’s what we learn right at the start of this issue…what makes the joker truly laugh. We find him sitting in the underground cave beneath his manor, surrounded by his t-Rex bones, giant penny, and court of owls mask as he sits back in his chair made of dead babies, directly feeding into his half demonic body, as he watches the screen full of anything and everything concerning batman, especially the death of Gordon in the last issue and the hell scarecrow is putting him through, all while joker laughs with his entire body. But batman is not laughing, he has closed himself off further from everyone as he pours over the files Gordon died trying to give him and he finds that they are all about him, and a plot going all the way back to the zoo where everything started as it directly mentions manipulating a young Bruce Wayne. All the while the news stations pour on the propaganda for the new robins protecting the city as the mayor goes on about how everyone loves them because they are the opposite of batman. Each Robin suffered a great personal tragedy and now use it as motivation to make the world better vs whatever dark forces created the batman anyway. Bruce has especially cut off Barbara Gordon as he refuses to answer he pleas and calls going to the radio in his helmet as he continues to look on at Gordon’s coat…the only thing he was able to save. But the time Harley grabs her giant taped together electro mallet to smash the door open…Bruce is gone, leaving all the food behind for his allies to find and further worry about him.
But then this comic jumps to a pleasantly surprising place where I was really hoping it would go as we start to follow Waylon Jones, now fully back to his human self, as he goes to Edward Nygma to try and help recruit the others back to help Bruce. But Eddie is majorly distracted and like the rest he is occupied…his version of occupied means having his head plugged into a giant computer, with a room full of screens, alongside the question mark jump suit. Eddie is also able to show Waylon the locations of the others from these screens. Due to Harvey’s partnership with batman, 39 killers were allowed to go free…he is now occupied with taking them out and flipping a coin to decide their fate. Meanwhile Ozzie is occupied with his failing lounge, and when another club starts to get the beggar of them he starts to get occupied in blowing them up. But Waylon doesn’t accept any of this, so Eddie lays it out simple and deeply impactful for him…when Bane took on each of them he destroyed them and they all fell apart…now they are all desperately trying to put themselves back together again to find a modicum of control. As Waylon sits down and mentions that he was destroyed as well, Eddie actually unplugs and sits down next to him to accept that is true…but Waylon is fixed now while the rest of them are still trying. Eddie, for instance, can feel the parts of his brain that aren’t as fast or accurate as they were before…”it’s like this…riddle I can’t solve. Like this core piece of me is missing and I don’t know it’s ever going to come back.” But Waylon knows a bit about loosing parts of himself that he won’t get back as well, tilling down his glasses to reveal his eyes are still crocodile yellow with red pupils. Waylon’s point here is that the way they seize back control is by doing it TOGETHER, Bruce helped him and if any of them see going to gain control back they need to be together…Eddie is really listening now.
We then take a moment to jump back to Bruce’s time paying off his debt to Falcone as we find out exactly what he was setup to do…go to prison. That’s right, Falcone had Bruce sent to Blackgate prison for six months to find out everything single method their business is run in and out of the place. This moment was placed here to perfectly setup Batman’s next action in the present day…as he flies over and breaks into blackgate using a secret passage built into the wall to go and talk to Joe Chill. The files claim everything was setup from the start, so he has the perfect source to go to and talk about it. Chill is immediately startled to see batman outside his cell, but no guards are coming to help him. Batman pulls him in close with his cape as he tells Chill all about the files he was given which claim Joe’s shooting at the zoo were all a setup and that Joe was there specifically targeting Thomas Wayne as part of a plot. But that doesn’t make any sense, the son of Thomas comes in here every month to talk with Joe and to try and figure out why he did it…poring over takes trying to decipher the forces that made Joe Chill shoot up that zoo so it wouldn’t happen to someone else. And now all of that is supposed to be thrown away with the understanding it was part of some master plan?! Batman does buy into it, he also finds it interesting that Joe recently stopped talking to Bruce and was moved to a new wing. At this point Joe starts to freak out for anyone to help him as batman is yelling at him to admit the files are all a lie. But then a lighter comes alive on the bottom bunk as scarecrow lights a smoke. Batman isn’t happy to see the man who killed Jim Gordon, but of course scarecrow heard batman did that. Scarecrow then blows a puff of smoke into Joe’s face, seemingly putting him in a trance and persuading him to go make his bed to give Bruce and him a chance to talk alone. Scarecrow admits that none of this batman project makes sense to him, nor should it…as he is missing the reason for all of this. Batman doesn’t want to listen to a word from one of the joker’s operatives, but the scarecrow continues to deflect as he offers more information…mentioning that the reason this all happened is Bruce’s mother, because Martha is a loyal member of the court of owls…she’s a terrorist. Bruce lashes out and tries to grab scarecrow through the bars, but scarecrow quickly jumps back and pulls out a butterfly knife which he stabs into Batman’s arm. Batman aches in pain as he calls Scarecrow a liar, but where does he think his mother ran off too? At this point I also can’t help but notice the sketching of crows on the cell wall as scarecrow brings Bruce back to that day to remember any signs…like cawing from high above…a nice detail as crows really do appears in the early issues of this series at the zoo. But scarecrow admits all of these revelations are hard to digest, accepting that your life is some project. But he has good news…it’s not some big project as in actuality it’s a joke! After all, what’s the natural prey of an owl? A bat of course!
“Batman isn’t a project. He’s a joke.”
Joe has finished making his bed, stringing the sheets together to form a noose to hang himself from the exposed pipes above. The crows on the wall have disappeared as a real crow now perches on Joe’s shoulder. I’m still heavily questioning how much of this is real as batman desperately tried to send his cape out to stop Joe from snapping his neck as scarecrow continues to monologue on about the age of fear they are living in as he disagrees with the sentiment they are in an age of fear. He uses the analogous if a simple farmer, where a hundred years ago they would worry about things that could hurt their crops, things they could project against. But these days that same farmer worries about things too big to comprehend or do anything about (plague, societal collapse, global conspiracies, etc), all while he crops rot. So it’s not an age of fear, he’s something newly grown and special…that’s what we call dread, and scarecrow thinks that is wonderful. He then takes his blade and slices Batman’s cape, sending Joe to his death. The room is filled with crows now as batman is still a wall of bars away from grabbing the scarecrow. Crane pushes batman to keep digging as there is still much more to discover, as he takes his leave by walking into the shadows of the cell and seemingly disappearing as the crows follow him. Finally the alarms of the prison sound as guards close in and batman leaves by leaping out the secret opening he came in.
Batman immediately activates a glider built into his suit as we flash back to his time with Falcone after leaving Blackgate and then being upgraded to the role of enforcer…being granted an enforcer BAT in the process. There is a line here from Falcone that seems to stick out to Bruce as Falcone jokes Bruce won’t even have to use the bar with his size, and after all the bat is just a tool. In the present day batman glides off and immediately calls Alfred after the exactly same thing happened with the scarecrow with Joe being killed right in front of him. Bruce doesn’t have long to explain before a large figure rises from the clouds in front of him as Dick’s Robin Mech seeks to arrest batman. Bruce of course runs, as the other robins are engaged to try and stop him. Jason opens fire with his massive gun, nearly hitting Dick in the process, as batman drops to the ground where the other three robins are waiting with their bikes which shift into mech suits (I am such a sucker for how cool all of this is). Tim, Duke, and Stephen proceed to surround batman as Alfred is yelling in his ear to run and get out of there…but after everything batman has dealt with lately it’s evident he needs to blow off some steam and he isn’t going anywhere without fighting the robins first. AHAHAHAHA!
But then this comic jumps to a pleasantly surprising place where I was really hoping it would go as we start to follow Waylon Jones, now fully back to his human self, as he goes to Edward Nygma to try and help recruit the others back to help Bruce. But Eddie is majorly distracted and like the rest he is occupied…his version of occupied means having his head plugged into a giant computer, with a room full of screens, alongside the question mark jump suit. Eddie is also able to show Waylon the locations of the others from these screens. Due to Harvey’s partnership with batman, 39 killers were allowed to go free…he is now occupied with taking them out and flipping a coin to decide their fate. Meanwhile Ozzie is occupied with his failing lounge, and when another club starts to get the beggar of them he starts to get occupied in blowing them up. But Waylon doesn’t accept any of this, so Eddie lays it out simple and deeply impactful for him…when Bane took on each of them he destroyed them and they all fell apart…now they are all desperately trying to put themselves back together again to find a modicum of control. As Waylon sits down and mentions that he was destroyed as well, Eddie actually unplugs and sits down next to him to accept that is true…but Waylon is fixed now while the rest of them are still trying. Eddie, for instance, can feel the parts of his brain that aren’t as fast or accurate as they were before…”it’s like this…riddle I can’t solve. Like this core piece of me is missing and I don’t know it’s ever going to come back.” But Waylon knows a bit about loosing parts of himself that he won’t get back as well, tilling down his glasses to reveal his eyes are still crocodile yellow with red pupils. Waylon’s point here is that the way they seize back control is by doing it TOGETHER, Bruce helped him and if any of them see going to gain control back they need to be together…Eddie is really listening now.
We then take a moment to jump back to Bruce’s time paying off his debt to Falcone as we find out exactly what he was setup to do…go to prison. That’s right, Falcone had Bruce sent to Blackgate prison for six months to find out everything single method their business is run in and out of the place. This moment was placed here to perfectly setup Batman’s next action in the present day…as he flies over and breaks into blackgate using a secret passage built into the wall to go and talk to Joe Chill. The files claim everything was setup from the start, so he has the perfect source to go to and talk about it. Chill is immediately startled to see batman outside his cell, but no guards are coming to help him. Batman pulls him in close with his cape as he tells Chill all about the files he was given which claim Joe’s shooting at the zoo were all a setup and that Joe was there specifically targeting Thomas Wayne as part of a plot. But that doesn’t make any sense, the son of Thomas comes in here every month to talk with Joe and to try and figure out why he did it…poring over takes trying to decipher the forces that made Joe Chill shoot up that zoo so it wouldn’t happen to someone else. And now all of that is supposed to be thrown away with the understanding it was part of some master plan?! Batman does buy into it, he also finds it interesting that Joe recently stopped talking to Bruce and was moved to a new wing. At this point Joe starts to freak out for anyone to help him as batman is yelling at him to admit the files are all a lie. But then a lighter comes alive on the bottom bunk as scarecrow lights a smoke. Batman isn’t happy to see the man who killed Jim Gordon, but of course scarecrow heard batman did that. Scarecrow then blows a puff of smoke into Joe’s face, seemingly putting him in a trance and persuading him to go make his bed to give Bruce and him a chance to talk alone. Scarecrow admits that none of this batman project makes sense to him, nor should it…as he is missing the reason for all of this. Batman doesn’t want to listen to a word from one of the joker’s operatives, but the scarecrow continues to deflect as he offers more information…mentioning that the reason this all happened is Bruce’s mother, because Martha is a loyal member of the court of owls…she’s a terrorist. Bruce lashes out and tries to grab scarecrow through the bars, but scarecrow quickly jumps back and pulls out a butterfly knife which he stabs into Batman’s arm. Batman aches in pain as he calls Scarecrow a liar, but where does he think his mother ran off too? At this point I also can’t help but notice the sketching of crows on the cell wall as scarecrow brings Bruce back to that day to remember any signs…like cawing from high above…a nice detail as crows really do appears in the early issues of this series at the zoo. But scarecrow admits all of these revelations are hard to digest, accepting that your life is some project. But he has good news…it’s not some big project as in actuality it’s a joke! After all, what’s the natural prey of an owl? A bat of course!
“Batman isn’t a project. He’s a joke.”
Joe has finished making his bed, stringing the sheets together to form a noose to hang himself from the exposed pipes above. The crows on the wall have disappeared as a real crow now perches on Joe’s shoulder. I’m still heavily questioning how much of this is real as batman desperately tried to send his cape out to stop Joe from snapping his neck as scarecrow continues to monologue on about the age of fear they are living in as he disagrees with the sentiment they are in an age of fear. He uses the analogous if a simple farmer, where a hundred years ago they would worry about things that could hurt their crops, things they could project against. But these days that same farmer worries about things too big to comprehend or do anything about (plague, societal collapse, global conspiracies, etc), all while he crops rot. So it’s not an age of fear, he’s something newly grown and special…that’s what we call dread, and scarecrow thinks that is wonderful. He then takes his blade and slices Batman’s cape, sending Joe to his death. The room is filled with crows now as batman is still a wall of bars away from grabbing the scarecrow. Crane pushes batman to keep digging as there is still much more to discover, as he takes his leave by walking into the shadows of the cell and seemingly disappearing as the crows follow him. Finally the alarms of the prison sound as guards close in and batman leaves by leaping out the secret opening he came in.
Batman immediately activates a glider built into his suit as we flash back to his time with Falcone after leaving Blackgate and then being upgraded to the role of enforcer…being granted an enforcer BAT in the process. There is a line here from Falcone that seems to stick out to Bruce as Falcone jokes Bruce won’t even have to use the bar with his size, and after all the bat is just a tool. In the present day batman glides off and immediately calls Alfred after the exactly same thing happened with the scarecrow with Joe being killed right in front of him. Bruce doesn’t have long to explain before a large figure rises from the clouds in front of him as Dick’s Robin Mech seeks to arrest batman. Bruce of course runs, as the other robins are engaged to try and stop him. Jason opens fire with his massive gun, nearly hitting Dick in the process, as batman drops to the ground where the other three robins are waiting with their bikes which shift into mech suits (I am such a sucker for how cool all of this is). Tim, Duke, and Stephen proceed to surround batman as Alfred is yelling in his ear to run and get out of there…but after everything batman has dealt with lately it’s evident he needs to blow off some steam and he isn’t going anywhere without fighting the robins first. AHAHAHAHA!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2026
Shit is about to get really intense some new revelations and also this very often scarecrow is fantastic so far really looked this issue
June 3, 2026
i felt so cheated with that ending wth
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2026
Another fantastic issue of Absolute Batman! I flew through this issue twice because of how quickly it read and how much fun I was having. There are really two distinct storylines at play here. One follows Waylon and Eddie as they struggle with who they are becoming and try to piece themselves back together, all while keeping an eye on Harvey and Oswald. The other focuses on Bruce finally coming face to face with Scarecrow and witnessing the horrifying aftermath of his actions involving Joe Chill.
The world being built in this series continues to be incredibly rich, unsettling, and fascinating. Every issue adds another layer to this version of Gotham and somehow makes it feel more dangerous and twisted than before. I’m loving every second of it. That said, the Robin storyline slowed the pacing a bit for me. It is not bad by any means and there is interesting material there, but compared to the eerie atmosphere and momentum surrounding Scarecrow, it felt slightly disconnected tonally. It almost feels like a plot thread that could stand on its own in a separate story.
Dragota’s artwork continues to be phenomenal. The visuals are gripping, detailed, and do a fantastic job reinforcing both the tension and horror elements of the issue. Every page feels purposeful and pulls you deeper into the world. I cannot recommend this issue, or this series as a whole, enough.
Grade: B+
The world being built in this series continues to be incredibly rich, unsettling, and fascinating. Every issue adds another layer to this version of Gotham and somehow makes it feel more dangerous and twisted than before. I’m loving every second of it. That said, the Robin storyline slowed the pacing a bit for me. It is not bad by any means and there is interesting material there, but compared to the eerie atmosphere and momentum surrounding Scarecrow, it felt slightly disconnected tonally. It almost feels like a plot thread that could stand on its own in a separate story.
Dragota’s artwork continues to be phenomenal. The visuals are gripping, detailed, and do a fantastic job reinforcing both the tension and horror elements of the issue. Every page feels purposeful and pulls you deeper into the world. I cannot recommend this issue, or this series as a whole, enough.
Grade: B+
May 25, 2026
Increíble que un solo número pueda tener compilado TANTO. Porque de un nuevo vistazo hiper grotesco del Absolute Joker se pasa a ver cómo Bruce está encarando la devastadora pérdida de Gordon que se ha empleado para alimentar la campaña anti Batman para posicionar a un "Robin Squad" al más puro estilo "Power Rangers". Y, ojo, la presencia de Absolute Scarecrow se hace aún más real y absolutamente terrorífica al descubrir gran parte de esa insidiosa idea de que la figura de Batman era algo planteado fuera de la mente del propio Bruce. Lo más terrible es descubrir quiénes lo habían "diseñado" y con qué razón... Scott Snyder sigue dinamitando de excelente forma todo lo prestablecido en la mitología de Batman. Dándole vueltas increíbles para que lo usualmente positivo y colaborativo en la cruzada del murciálgo se vuelva en su contra. Para que incluso sus seres queridos revelen una predisposición a la super villanía que quizás sea lo que acabe salvándole el pellejo.
Nick Dragotta se mantiene también como el gran artista absoluto, pudiendo encarar la acción más descabellada y el suspense más absoluto.
Nick Dragotta se mantiene también como el gran artista absoluto, pudiendo encarar la acción más descabellada y el suspense más absoluto.
May 16, 2026
Absolute Batman 20: Me está encantando el giro de convertir a los Robin en los enemigos de Batman. Y el giro siniestro de que Batman ya no sea el héroe del pueblo sino que lo vean como el villano-monstruo al que quieren combatir. Vaya pesadilla vive Bruce. Y me parece una barrabasada el arte. Qué forma de contar la historia, y qué forma de sorprender al lector con giros imposibles
May 16, 2026
Well...characters keep dying...others are getting brutally mutilated...but the comic series continues to capture my interest. The art style is morbid, grotesque, but still engaging. I wish the series would slow down a little bit with character reveals and just focus on this new Batman for a little bit. I love the pacing of the first story arc.
June 1, 2026
Peak. I really enjoy the style of talking Crane has going on. It’s really simple but also intelligible. It’s layered in a very unique way. Like almost deadpan and surreal but totally serious. I am also absolutely loving the ongoing characterization of Waylon and Nigma. Honestly, the overlap stories are all disconnected but feel like they are actually matter in the moment and the characters do.
June 8, 2026
Bruce has never been this helpless, even while he was experimented with at Ark-M, he was a still fighting and resisting. However, seeing Gordon, and now Joe Chill fall under the spell of the Absolute Scarecrow, he could only watch.
Of course, as the cover in the thumbnail shows, Bruce is going to have the opportunity to vent his frustrations on the Robins. "Cowled prince of prime", indeed.
Of course, as the cover in the thumbnail shows, Bruce is going to have the opportunity to vent his frustrations on the Robins. "Cowled prince of prime", indeed.
May 13, 2026
Now this issue got me really hooked after last issue. Focusing on scarecrow and conspiracy over all the other things happening made this issue more simple yet works very well. The robins may be on the cover but this issue is really about Batman and dealing with the truth behind who he is.
May 14, 2026
"Now. Forgive me, but I have to say -- it's so nice to FINALLY talk to you face-to-face after all these years... BRUCE."
Man... I genuinely hate this Scarecrow. But more out of fear and worry and terror than hate this characterization. This dude is fucking next level.
Man... I genuinely hate this Scarecrow. But more out of fear and worry and terror than hate this characterization. This dude is fucking next level.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2026
Should come as a surprise to no one that I think Absolute Scarecrow is absolutely terrifying.
On another note, I love what little we’ve seen of how the Robins’ personalities/skills have been adapted so far. More Steph and Duke next time, though.
On another note, I love what little we’ve seen of how the Robins’ personalities/skills have been adapted so far. More Steph and Duke next time, though.
May 18, 2026
Absolute Whoop-ass in paper form, DC's Absolute Batman once again putting Marvel in a strangle hold. Love this version of Scarecrow we are getting he's scary, one step ahead and harder to catch than smoke. The Robin initiative swings in on a hype train to the next issue.
May 19, 2026
This series continues to be fantastic, art and story alike. I'm not sure how I feel about the possibility that *all* of Bruce's life has been orchestrated, but I know it also might be some sort of ploy. Perhaps there is a middle ground where some of it is true and some of it isn't.
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