REVIEW: ‘Absolute Batman’ Issue 6

Absolute Batman Issue 6 is published by DC Comics. Written by Scott Snyder, art by Nick Dragotta, colors by Frank Martin and letters by Clayton Cowles.

As the Party Animals tear Gotham City apart, Batman takes the fight to Black Mask.

Absolute Batman Issue 6 takes Batman from the city at the worst possible time. He utilizes the help of his friends, actually doing something that is a huge surprise considering the character’s secrecy. It’s so brazen and out in the open that it’s shocking, especially early in the chapter. But it makes the comic more intense and fractious even as the main mission is prepared. The first time the reader knows this battle will occur on a boat is when Batman is hurtling towards it.

The new location changes the way Batman fights. Snyder shows a dark, twisted humor in the violence. Sometimes, the comedy comes with a feeling that you shouldn’t laugh, making the laughs louder. It’s an energetic chapter celebrating this world’s chaotic and extreme violence.

In Gotham, there are those left behind after Black Mask offered rewards to any citizen who joined his Party Animals, increasing his army by an unimaginable amount. This puts everyone and anyone at risk so long as there is a reward. This side of Absolute Batman Issue 6 generates nervousness. Batman isn’t there, so his mother and every other citizen are vulnerable, and no one is there to protect them.

The characters within this series have begun to flourish. Snyder explores many personalities within this issue, connecting them through generations. Bruce being friends with figures who are his villains in another universe is fascinating. Oswald Cobbleport, Edward Nygma, Selina Kyle, and Waylon Jones are all part of Bruce’s supporting cast as his close friends.

This issue shows just how long they have been buddies. Seeing the group as children is always adorable and lively, much less frightening and visceral than the present day. And even though we are still in the early days of the Absolute Batman world, the characters having the same names as those iconic villains cause a horrific feeling of dread over what is to come.

The second confrontation between Batman and Black Mask is much more intimate. They aren’t being filmed, and no deal is being made. It’s raw hatred and survival, with only one person coming out on top. As Martha Wayne, still alive in this world, faces a threat to her life, we find out about her, too. Her resilience and defiance create a familial connection, as both traits can also be found in her son.

The art is simply sensational. The designs for every character are brilliant, toying with proportions and body shapes. Each figure is recognizable, discernible by a silhouette. Batman is huge and imposing, but many of the villains are small. The Party Animals are regular people with gigantic masks on their heads. There’s less usage of Batman’s weapons in Absolute Batman Issue 6, which allows his pure physicality to step in.

Some aspects of this chapter feel like classic Batman, including one very deliberate homage. However, it takes a particular distinction that only this iteration of the Dark Knight possesses to get the upper hand. In the flashback, the younger versions of the characters are so cute. The idea of proportions and physical features are perhaps more critical in these flashbacks, as they help inform the characters’ personalities without even reading their dialogue.

The colors are subtle and effective. The shades are muted, with little variety within individual panels unless Martin decides to. When red enters the page, it draws attention to what’s happening. Either there is some extreme danger, or someone is bleeding badly. The lettering is easy to read, and the sound effects are terrific. The SFX becomes part of the background, often moving with characters through panels and giving a powerful sense of sound within the issue.

Absolute Batman Issue 6 is a story that only this world can tell. Now that the readers are well-versed in the characters and the city, Snyder and Dragotta can flex their muscles and explore. Batman gains help from characters that only love him in this world. Martha Wayne can only stand up for herself in this world. Batman’s tech moves and mold only in this world. The unique aspects of the Absolute Universe have become the series’ strength. The comic is more than just a hardcore, violent brawl. There’s emotional resonance, cartoonish comedy, and some childhood warmth. Every page is a different kind of thrill.

Absolute Batman Issue 6 is available where comics are sold.