A two word descriptor in the midst of Alfred Pennyworth’s narrative captions describes Absolute Batman #2, and they are “Batman AF”. In the context of the story, it doesn’t mean the slang profanity, but the special forces term “advance forward”. However, all the same, the double meaning works in one of several bombastic moments from Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta, and Frank Martin. There’s no sophomore slump in this issue with Batman trying to figure out of what the deal is with Roman Sionis and the Party Gang while being surveilled by the eagle-eyed soldier Alfred Pennyworth. In between more kick-ass setpieces, there are glimpses at Jim Gordon’s struggling mayoral campaign, a glimpse at possible friends/allies for Bruce Wayne that are familiar to anyone who has consumed a piece of Batman media, and of course, a look at the tortured psyche of the young man behind the gadgets, vehicles, and costumes.

Dragotta’s action sequences stand out in Absolute Batman #2 because of the idiosyncrasy of his layouts, and his ability to tag team with Martin who uses striking background colors against Nick Dragotta’s silhouette figures. This tandem operation gets to work in the second scene of the comic with Batman fighting the Party Gang in an aquarium against a constant marine blue background. The steady color palette draws attention to Batman’s individual moves while panels shaped like diagonal kicks and bolstered with speed lines open up the page. However, as the fight progresses, the blue turns to green and finally red signaling the end of the engagement with Batman using smarts and a knowledge of chemistry to get himself out of this particular scuffle. In his role as observer, Alfred offers commentary on Batman’s technique as a crime fighter, and how he possibly can’t keep up with this attack, attack, attack strategy, especially when he has no backup. (There is a hushed mention of a “Red Hood” figure in one of the captions.)

Snyder, Dragotta, and Frank Martin’s gift for choreography punctuated by jaw dropping splash pages comes in handy in another pivotal scene in Absolute Batman #2. However, this sequence isn’t a fist fight, but a poker game with Bruce and his friends Waylon Jones, Oswald Cobblepot, Edward Nygma, and Harvey Dent. Except for maybe Cobblepot, who messes around with some shady practices, none of these men are close to being supervillains and come across as eccentric, rough around the edges actual friends of Bruce. Of course, a guy who dresses up like a bat is going to hang out with a gym owner that is starting an exotic pet side hustle, or a quirky little guy who makes a pot in a poker game a math equation. I’m not a big poker player, but the game is easy to follow and establishes the character traits of Bruce’s friends while also moving the Party Gang plot forward. Also, in the big picture scheme of things, it shows that Scott Snyder isn’t just going to throw out the big members of Batman’s rogues gallery out in the open in the first couple of issues, but is going to build up their characters and have him fight other threats in the early going. Absolute Batman feels like a marathon, not a sprint.

With iconic action sequences and emotional, nigh-operatic red and black flashbacks, Absolute Batman #2 continues to flesh out the nightmare world that has spawned a more brutal Batman while scattering some flecks of hope and companionship, especially in the relationship between Jim Gordon and Martha Wayne as well as the budding partnership between Batman and Alfred.

Story: Scott Snyder Art: Nick Dragotta
Colors: Frank Martin Letters: Clayton Cowles
Story: 8.6 Art: 9.0 Overall: 8.8 Recommendation: Buy

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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Purchase: TFAW – Zeus Comics – Kindle