Absolute Batman #3: Deal Or No Deal

In most action stories, especially in the crime and superhero genres, a dynamic antagonist is an essential element of any good final product. Not only can they offer compelling tension for the story’s engine, but the antagonist also highlights the protagonist’s deficits and virtues. When a villain is lacking in these stories, it adds a weight that has to be overcome by other mechanics or elements, otherwise, it drags the story down. That balance lingers in the back of the mind while reading Absolute Batman, as it begins to dig deeper into its central antagonist for the freshman arc. 

Absolute Batman #3 – written by Scott Snyder with art by Nick Dragotta, coloring by Frank Martin, and lettering by Clayton Cowles – jumps straight into the action with a car chase started in the last issue. Featuring the Absolute Batmobile (aka a giant, bat-themed monster dump truck) and a bickering Alfred, the chase leads to Batman escaping the Party Animals and GCPD to fight another day. Throughout the sequence, Alfred reveals more about the anarchist group and their supposed leader Black Mask. The British superspy connects the paramilitary leader to Roman Sionis, a billionaire in Gotham. 

Later on, Sinos meets Commissioner Harvey Bullock to support the GCPD and their attempts to stop the Party Animals, instigating a quid pro quo; resources in return for an endorsement of Jim Gordon’s mayoral race rival. Bullock gives in, appearing at a rally for Hill while Gordon’s support rallies in the form of Martha Wayne. Meanwhile, the other half of the issue centers around Bruce debating to take Alfred’s advice and give in to Black Mask’s offer of riches for no resistance. Mixed into those moments include another conversation with Ed Nygma about the Party Animals’ masks and flashbacks to a childhood adventure with Selina Kyle. 

Snyder’s writing for this issue continues its balance of building history for the Absolute Gotham by digging deeper into the central dynamic of Bruce and Alfred. He crafts an exposition sequence directly inside of an extreme pursuit centered around the new batmobile. Not only does this spice up the reveal of Black Mask as the money behind the Party Animals but it also gives a bit of weight to a scene that would otherwise be a fun yet empty spectacle. It’s the mark of an experienced genre writer, taking the hallmarks for the form and leveraging it into the most compelling scene work possible. 

Throughout the issue, Snyder gives time to not only the barrelling action of the present day and its batmobile, but also digs further into Bruce’s past. One of the most compelling tweaks to this version of the Batmythos is the new dynamic with classic rogues. Having Riddler, Two-Face, Catwoman, Killer Croc, and Penguin as childhood friends of Bruce is a genuine twist that continues to pay off. Here, Nygma can offer Bruce tech support but with a dash of tension as the genius refuses to reveal all the secrets of the Party Animal hardware. That moment is a clear indication that nothing is clear cut in these relationships, seeding for the inevitability of betrayal in potential villain turns. 

The only real place the issue falters, which is a recurring thread at this point, is in the presentation and development of Black Mask. Nothing in this issue improves on the previous Black Mask depiction, making the villain feel like a second thought to the rest of the story. Any rich, industry-driven villain could be subbed into the role, but Black Mask does not offer a unique perspective or challenge. In a story willing to remix and revamp core elements of other Batman characters, Black Mask feels like the most main continuity presenting. With a few more issues to go in this arc, it’s entirely possible that Snyder will turn the Black Mask concept on its head but as of now, it continues to be the biggest albatross of the arc. 

Dragotta even struggles to make Black Mask interesting in this issue as he offers a dynamic version of the villain that is nothing more than a speedo and the titular mask. The 8-ball-esque headpiece is bizarre in the context of the issue, making for an interesting visual that amounts to little. It’s a little too ridiculous to be truly menacing yet a bit too slick to be played as comedic. The design choice sits in this awkward middle ground that doesn’t quite fit into a desired effect, resulting in that plain sense to the character. 

Outside of that small stumble, Dragotta’s art continues to be an excellent showcase of rhythm and expressive spectacle. The use of, at times, overwhelming panels gives every beat a sense of urgency that speeds up the overall reading experience. A moment where Bruce observes a construction sight through a surveyor’s viewfinder feels just as kinetic as an action sequence thanks to the quick cuts implied by the mix of large and small panels. Dragotta is playing in double time for the entirety of the issue, resulting in a fun, propulsive experience that helps to patch over the critiques of the issue. 

Those scenes are bolstered by Martin’s coloring, which does an excellent job of echoing and linking scenes through similar shades. Martin repeats a specific shade of bluish-green that establishes a visual continuity between the batmobile chase, the surveying scene, and the flashback to Selina’s adventure. These moments flow one into another thanks to the hues, resulting in that immersion in the world. Martin can break up a sense of too-steadfast coloring with the use of deep reds during the Black Mask scene, adding a sharp break as the villain inflicts pain onto another person.