REVIEW: ‘Absolute Batman’ Issue 17

Absolute Batman Issue 17 is published by DC Comics and written by Scott Snyder, art by Eric Canete, colors by Frank Martin, and letters by Clayton Cowles.

Batman enters a fortress made of flora as a new enemy makes a home in Gotham.

A new saga begins in Absolute Batman Issue 17, with many avenues opened up by Snyder. The primary focus is on Poison Ivy. The structure shifts between the past and the present, revealing Pamela’s youth and the monstrous thing she has become. It’s only the beginning, so plenty of questions go unanswered. 

The flashbacks are quiet and haunting, introducing a young Pamela to nature. But today, a lot has changed, and the tone has shifted significantly. The hardcore intensity of the Absolute Universe resumes from the moment Batman breaches the forest that has suddenly emerged on the top of a skyscraper.

Within the forest is a murky horror story, one that’s terrifying from the start and only gets more sinister as it goes on. The comic transforms Poison Ivy’s eco-terrorism into pure horror. The first foray into her territory is a zombie story that blends The Last of Us with Alien. However, as Batman steps further into a twisted wonderland, the monstrous part becomes increasingly unexpected and breathtaking. 

The origin of Absolute Poison Ivy shares some similarities with that of other villains in this series. It all starts with good intentions. She begins by alternating between helping and saving, but it goes off course somewhere along the way. In Absolute Batman Issue 17, Ivy never yells or raises her voice. She’s welcoming, calm, and gentle, which makes her even more frightening as she lures Batman and others further into her clutches.

As for Batman, so much of his dynamic with the world has changed since the fight with Bane. All of his friends, who made for such a vibrant cluster of forces, have gone silent. They’ve slinked away, hiding in their new lairs and refusing to see Bruce. They’re becoming members of his rogue’s gallery, whilst he is genuinely trying to help and stay connected with his childhood pals. 

This loss and sudden isolation have made Batman angrier and more vicious. His approach to Ivy lacks form or grace. Instead, he’s malicious, fiery, and furious. In his ear is Pennyworth, and there’s much more anger in the conversations between the secret agent and Batman. It’s not the familial, fatherly relationship that the main universe cultivated, but instead a working one that’s still being figured out.

The art is spectacular, with Eric Canete making a guest appearance. Nature is actually a pretty new feature in this series, with so much of the story taking place in the urban jungle of Gotham. Now there’s a proper jungle. When people enter, they transform. The first glances create a zombie feel in Absolute Batman Issue 17. But then it gets more extreme, twisting and contorting into nightmarish beings. There are both creatures that look like dinosaurs and Lovecraftian beasts with multiple eyes and tendrils.

There’s a fantastic visual journey for Ivy even in her introductory issue. When we first see her, she’s a regular woman, with a mother who’s the spitting image of what Poison Ivy would look like when she’s older. But then in the present day, Ivy isn’t really human anymore. When she first reveals herself to Batman, she’s stunning, resembling a faerie or a forest nymph.

But when Ivy’s face is gorgeously etched into the very earth itself, there are signs that something is amiss. And the true reveal of what she is is both skin-crawling and captivating. How Batman chooses to tackle the plants is very much in keeping with the heavy metal nature of the universe. He enters with flamethrowers and huge chainsaws on each arm, flooding us with high-octane visual adrenaline. 

The colors demonstrate the major contrast between the two main characters in Absolute Batman Issue 17. Batman’s grey and black suit is invading the almost fluorescent green of Poison Ivy’s sanctuary. Ivy’s orange hair, vibrant and beautiful, flows behind her like a cape. There’s more variety in the colors on Ivy every time she appears, making her even more fascinating. The lettering features a custom word balloon for Ivy, adding a nice touch, with little roots adorning the edges. 

Absolute Batman Issue 17 reinvents an icon. The roots of the classic Poison Ivy remain, but have been energized and expanded into something completely new. This version of the character is mesmerizing, both in terms of visuals and in how she’s written. There’s both a delicacy and extreme terror to the figure as the complete unpredictability of her designs begins to emerge. She can look like anything, be anything, turning the comic into a kaleidoscope of chaos.

Absolute Batman Issue 17 is available where comics are sold.