Absolute Batman Vol. 1 The Zoo by Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta & Gabriel Walta

Blurb:

A gang of masked killers terrorizes the streets of Gotham. A vigilante fightsfor his city—but he’s not the Batman you know.The Absolute Universe, born out of the Justice League’s apocalyptic battlewith Darkseid, ushers in a set of brand-new realities that reimagine yourfavorite heroes as you’ve never seen them before. In Absolute Batman, meeta young Bruce Wayne with no Wayne Manor, no Alfred by his side, and adifferent axe to grind as the Dark Knight.From the minds of writer Scott Snyder and artist Nick Dragotta, andfeaturing special guest artist Gabriel Walta, comes an origin story you won’twant to miss! Collects Absolute Batman #1-6

Review:

Batman used to be my favorite superhero until very recently, when many began pointing out his inability to solve Gotham’s problems despite his massive fortune. Absolute Batman changes that one aspect so beautifully, it makes Batman feel a lot more relatable, reflecting on the many frustrations and anger that communities around the world feel towards the tyranny of those in power. 

SPOILERS AHEAD!

What I liked:

What in the actual !@#$ did I read? I knew this was supposed to be brutal, but I did not expect this level of grit and ferocity. Absolute Batman is not your restrained billionaire who’s fighting with extremely luxurious tech. This is a blue-collar working man who isn’t afraid of getting his hands dirty. The villains are sinister and unforgiving, so Batman matches that level of savagery with his fighting style. 

The changes don’t just start and stop with Batman/Bruce Wayne, though. Almost every major iconic character from Batman’s roster has had a retcon, which I won’t spoil for you. However, I will say this: I absolutely loved how each character has changed. Not only did it create a whole new brand of conflicts and interpersonal tensions between them, but these conflicts are going to continue to grow more and more interesting with the coming threats. I especially loved how, instead of Batman, it’s the main villain who’s the billionaire this time around.  

The plot itself was pretty straightforward. The symbolism of the Party Animals and how they reflect the poor and powerless becoming literal animals to the whims and fancies of their overlords was not something I was expecting to see, but something I really appreciated. From the reward systems to the feral nature of conflicts being fueled by the rich and the elite all in the name of profits (monetary and otherwise), to the absolute baseness with which Batman uses his ingenuity to tackle these threats and stand as a beacon of hope and human resilience makes Absolute Batman a beautifully brutal version of the iconic superhero that’s as relevant as it is awe-inspiring. 

I’ll admit, it might not have been the most mind-blowing plot, but the treatment that Batman gets in this universe is certainly something to keep a lookout for. This isn’t your ordinary comic book universe. It’s darker, more cynical, and reflective of real-world problems and events. The illustrations have this refined savagery attached to them that flows in a manner that’s almost cinematic. If any animation studio decides to adapt this comic, I really hope they retain the art style, because it’s one of the many things that made Absolute Batman absolutely epic. 

What I didn’t like:

I don’t think there’s anything in particular that I didn’t like about Absolute Batman. It is just the first part of an ongoing series, so we need to look at this series accordingly. As far as The Zoo is concerned, I really enjoyed it. There were a bunch of things that didn’t make sense, like how Batman is able to hide his gigantic Batmobile in public, actually manage his time while being a full-time employee on construction sites, etc. However, this is a superhero comic, so such nitpicking sort of takes away from the epic effect of the superhuman feats of this character. 

Conclusion:

Brutally epic, the Absolute Universe has brilliantly changed Batman to reflect the sentiments of our times, making him angrier, fiercer, and a lot more awesome.

TL;DR:

WHAT I LIKED: Batman’s retconned background, illustrations, relevant themes, plot

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE: Nothing in particular