Absolute Batman #11

Absolute Batman feels like the golden-child of the Absolute Universe so far. It’s had a stellar run from its very first issue, re-imagining the world of Batman is a new and fresh way, perhaps even more so than any of the other Absolute comics reinvent their respective heroes. At first, I was unsure how I felt about this new, edgier Batman. It honestly felt like Batman couldn’t get any more edgy than some of his recent portrayals, but wow, was I wrong!

Today, I’m talking all things Absolute Batman #11, an issue that dares to bestow humanity on one of Absolute Batman‘s most cold-blooded villains yet. A quick warning that spoilers lie ahead! Consider yourself warned! Without further ado, let’s get into the review!

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Absolute Batman #11 Review

Image by DC Comics

Absolute Batman #11 spends much of its time diving into the backstory of Bane, easily the most terrifying antagonist that Batman has faced in this Universe, which is saying something considering the Absolute take on Mr. Freeze. This backstory brings a new side to this monster we’ve come to know at a fairly surface-level, and what mainly took me aback here was how human they made Bane feel. Despite the relationship’s grisly end, we get a real sense of care behind Bane’s dynamic with his father – choosing to end his father’s life with a hug was no coincidence. There’s a disturbing sense of love behind Bane’s violence, which this backstory, and Absolute Batman #11, really accentuated.

Past this point, Absolute Batman #11 is a grisly, gory experience. Bane has become such a viscerally upsetting character during this arc, mainly due to his no-holds-barred approach to combat, and Absolute Batman #11 showcased this cruelty at its peak. However, throughout all of the flying fists, this action-packed issue actually felt considerably shorter, and more bare from a content perspective, than any of the other issues in this series. ‘The Zoo’ arc felt like a political thriller, whilst Batman’s brief encounter with Mr. Freeze felt like a drawn-out, monster-horror mini-series. The ‘Abomination’ arc, starring Bane, has been a wild ride, but in some ways, has sacrificed the methodical pacing that made Absolute Batman stand out from the crowd.

With that being said, Absolute Batman #11 does treat us to some delicious dialogue amidst all the broken bodies, the most notable of which was Bane’s explanation of his philosophy on war. The idea that all of nature is a battleground, a fight for survival, and thus, peace is death, is far from a new philosophy, but every time it shows up in a piece of fiction, it grasps me. There’s an alarming sense of logic behind Bane’s justification for his ultraviolence. As morbid as it makes me feel, Absolute Batman #11 inches the viewer alarmingly close to developing an understanding of Bane, a character that has hitherto been characterised by his abominable nature.

Image by DC Comics

Similar philosophical ideologies arise when we see Bane’s legacy on Santa Prisca. The idea that what Bane did may have been seen as monstrous, but ultimately, it led to a better life for the island’s residents, is incredibly fascinating. I think that of all of the superhero IP’s, Batman has always been the most interesting canvas on which the dynamics of good and evil can be explored. Sure, this Batman feels like he could honestly end up killing someone any day now, but the age-old debate of ‘what if Batman killed?’ finds more ground in this exploration of Santa Prisca than you may initially realise. Bane is a hero for Santa Prisca because of his violence, and willingness to kill. What does that make Batman to the people of Gotham?

To move away from those sorts of debates, and more towards the realm of the downright nerdy, we get a Deathstroke shout-out in Absolute Batman #11, which I really loved. What I particularly enjoyed about this ‘cameo’ is the nature through which Deathstroke was name-dropped. It’s revealed that Deathstroke went through the same procedure that Batman goes through at the end of Absolute Batman #11, implying that the two may be on fairly even-footing if they go toe-to-toe in a future issue, which I’m almost sure they will. Part of what makes Batman and Deathstroke fights so exhilarating is their commonalities – I cannot wait to see how this procedure is used in that inevitable future showdown.

With this whole ending sequence of Absolute Batman #11 though, we seem to settle on the fact that Bane has actually done it – he has broken the Batman. Now, this is not a new idea. I’m a big fan of Batman in general, and I’ve always been struck by how often Bane ends up winning against him. In some ways, Bane is the ultimate Batman villain – sure, The Joker is the most memorable and iconic by a mile, but when you see Batman go up against Bane, it feels like either of them could win. Absolute Batman #11 shows that for all of its differences from the most common creative decisions taken with Batman, Bane remains an unstoppable threat.

Image by DC Comics

Funnily enough, Bane’s dominance is actually the only thing I haven’t really enjoyed about these past few issues of Absolute Batman. Look, call me traditional, but as much as I enjoy giving real stakes to a superhero story, I find it difficult to get any pleasure out of seeing Batman on the back-foot this much. The man feels completely defeated, which I’m sure will lead to such a huge sense of satisfaction when he eventually overcomes this arc, but for right now? Absolute Batman #11 feels like a new step in an absolutely miserable period for our titular hero.

To be completely honest, I’m not sure what to make of the final panel of Absolute Batman #11. It looks incredible, but is it real? Has this actually happened to Batman, or is it a sign of things to come? The entire ending sequence felt quite disorienting which, admittedly, is an excellent way of putting the reader in Batman’s shoes. However, I’m looking forward to the twelfth issue clearing up some of my confusion. What did you think of Absolute Batman #11? Are you loving the series as much as we are? Be sure to let us know in the comments, and thanks for reading!

See also: Absolute Superman #10 Review

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