The confrontation we’ve been waiting for is finally here in Absolute Batman #25, but does Batman stand a chance against such a powerful Joker? Not only is this confrontation a big deal, but it’s also an extra-sized issue, and the last issue we’ll get for two months. Better make it count.
Calling Absolute Batman #25 a turning point is an understatement. By the end, it’s clear the status quo is different for multiple aspects of Batman’s life. That includes his friends, the traditional rogues of Batman, who play a huge part in this issue. So far, these childhood friends have stood by Batman, but they’ve also seen a darker side to him that they don’t understand. So far, the series has felt largely different from the main universe because of this bond, but how long can that last when Bane has changed them all because of Batman’s actions?
The issue opens on a flashback before this friend group was changed from regular people to superpowered. It’s a genuine moment where Bruce is ready to be rejected by the group, but they refuse. In a way, writer Scott Snyder seems to suggest that this issue’s events are the last straw for the group.
From there, we follow Batman into Grimm Manor, where he smashes a window and screams for Grimm to face him. This leads to the first shocking moment, where Croc, Two-Face, Riddler, and Penguin are all waiting for him, drinking tea. Over six pages, we learn how Joker got to each of them and how they were convinced he wasn’t such a bad guy. It seems they’ve made their decision and won’t listen to Bruce’s plea that they’ve been duped.
Bruce needs to work on his rage problem.
Credit: DC Comics
From there, Batman escapes, only to conveniently fall into a cave. Given Joker has been seen in a bat-cave looking liar, you can guess where Batman ends up. Convenient, true, but at least readers are getting the satisfying clash we’ve been waiting for. The clash, however, feels a little impromptu. Batman hasn’t planned it, and they are face to face by accident. Or maybe Joker somehow planned this all along. Either way, the battle is fairly straightforward: Batman hacks away at him with various weapons, and Joker goes into twelve-foot-tall dragon mode.
There is a neat connection to Batman’s Robin costume display and how Joker treats his own, but this is mostly a fight comic sequence. It’s also safe to say Joker’s greatest power may not even be his dragon form, but his mastery of manipulation.
Dragotta crushes the scene with stark red backgrounds to enhance the violence. Essentially, Batman gives his best, and Joker gladly takes it, with the battle revealing just how indestructible Joker is, blow after blow. Joker looks frightening and lives up to the creature from Hell we’ve been teased up until now. And while the fight is fairly straightforward punch-em-up stuff, one could argue Joker is playing with his food here.
The last few pages serve as an epilogue after a convenient escape. I won’t spoil a thing, but it’s the final major change Snyder and Dragotta seem to be signaling for the next chapter of this series. One can guess what they’ll be emulating, though it’s too early to tell how far the story will advance from here. It is fairly obvious Batgirl will take a big step forward in the book, with news that Cliff Chiang is focusing on her in January and the character taking a prominent role in the issue.
Absolute Batman #25 is a brutal turning point for Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta’s series, delivering the long-awaited confrontation between Batman and Joker while fundamentally changing Bruce Wayne’s world. The most compelling development comes from Batman’s childhood friends, whose growing distrust threatens one of the relationships that has made this version of the Dark Knight so fascinating. Joker’s manipulation proves every bit as dangerous as his monstrous physical form, and Dragotta makes their confrontation a horrifying spectacle with striking visuals and relentless violence. Some convenient plotting gets Batman into and out of danger, and the showdown itself is surprisingly straightforward. Still, the emotional consequences and intriguing final pages make this oversized issue feel appropriately monumental. With the series taking a two-month break, Snyder and Dragotta leave readers with plenty to contemplate.
‘Absolute Batman’ #25 is a Joker confrontation for the ages
Absolute Batman #25
Absolute Batman #25 is a brutal turning point for Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta’s series, delivering the long-awaited confrontation between Batman and Joker while fundamentally changing Bruce Wayne’s world. The most compelling development comes from Batman’s childhood friends, whose growing distrust threatens one of the relationships that has made this version of the Dark Knight so fascinating. Joker’s manipulation proves every bit as dangerous as his monstrous physical form, and Dragotta makes their confrontation a horrifying spectacle with striking visuals and relentless violence. Some convenient plotting gets Batman into and out of danger, and the showdown itself is surprisingly straightforward. Still, the emotional consequences and intriguing final pages make this oversized issue feel appropriately monumental. With the series taking a two-month break, Snyder and Dragotta leave readers with plenty to contemplate.
Reader Rating1 Vote
9.4
Joker’s manipulation of Batman’s childhood friends creates a devastating shift in the series’ central relationships.
Nick Dragotta delivers spectacular, horrifying artwork, particularly during Joker’s monstrous transformation.
The visual connection between Batman’s and Joker’s costume displays is a clever touch.
Batman conveniently stumbling into Joker’s location makes the long-awaited confrontation feel somewhat accidental.
The actual fight is fairly straightforward despite the considerable buildup.
Batman’s escape from the confrontation feels a little too convenient.
8.5
Great
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