Absolute Batman #25 Review

 

Absolute Batman #25 Review

Writer: Scott Snyder

Artist: Nick Dragotta

Colorist: Frank Martin

Letterer: Tom Napolitano

Cover Artists: Nick Dragotta & Frank Martin

Variant Cover Artists: J Scott Campbell & Tanya Lehoux; Greg Capullo & Dave Stewart; Bryan Hitch & Brad Anderson; Jonboy Meyers; Gabriele Dell’Otto; Lewis Larosa & Rico Renzi; Clay Mann & Nick Dragotta

Editors: Sabrina Futch, Katie Kubert & Chris Conroy

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $5.99/$6.99 Card Stock

Release Date: October 28, 2026

 

After the Joker threw his friends in Ark M and experimented on them, Bruce Wayne told himself he didn't need anyone. When his mother returned to Gotham, Bruce pushed her away, just like his friends. The Scarecrow even asserts that his father didn't die. But Bruce refuses to let the Joker, Scarecrow, or anyone else control him. So, after silencing the Scarecrow, Bruce sets his sights on the Joker.

 

Alfred Pennyworth realizes that Bruce has awakened something in him. When he looks around Gotham, he sees that same fearlessness reflected in other people's eyes. He senses their hope that perhaps they can join the fight for a better world. Even if he doesn’t want their help, how many people will arise and help Bruce as he prepares for the biggest fight of his life? And can Batman take down the man who controls the world? Let’s leap into Absolute Batman #25 and see!

 

Story

When Bruce Wayne hoodwinked Carmine Falcone, he helped Waylon Jones realize his dream. Still, Bruce had to repay Carmine or risk the crime boss attacking his friends. After paying his debt, Bruce opted to continue working for him. Yet when Carmine made him wield a bat, Bruce remembered the people and events that shaped him.

 

After remembering how Bruce rejoined his friends, Absolute Batman #25 showcases Bruce's anger with Jack Grimm. Crashing into the Grimm Manor, he demands the man show himself. Instead, Bruce makes an unwelcome discovery.

 

In Scott Snyder's story, Bruce's life has come full circle. His mother has resumed her life in Gotham, and Alfred Pennyworth is leaving Bruce to find his own way again. Bruce even has his friends back. And while they weren’t with him when he confronted the Scarecrow, a memory of something they shared kept Bruce going.

 

Bruce never intended to embroil Eddie Nygma, Ozzie Cobblepot, Harvey Dent, and Waylon Jones in his life as Batman. And when they tried to function as a team, Jack Grimm hurt them. After enduring so much suffering, his friends wanted to hurt Bruce because he had recovered, while they remained forever changed. Yet just like when Bruce stopped working for Carmine Falcone, his friends want to return to the lives they once had with Bruce Wayne in Absolute Batman #25.

 

Art

His friends sit around the table, surrounded by the gym that Bruce's duplicity helped secure. Instead of studying their surroundings or looking for tells, they stare at their cards or their chips. When Bruce enters, his right arm in a sling, the bill of his cap shields his features. Ozzie doesn't look up or face Bruce. Yet he turns enough to peer at him while keeping his face oriented toward the floor.

 

After a two-page close-up amid shards of glass, Bruce rises from the debris beneath a skylight. A portrait on the wall further unbalances Bruce. Yet an exterior shot of Grimm Manor suggests the fearful symmetry of Jack Grimm's life. As Bruce demands that his enemy appear, his open mouth evokes the Joker’s wide jaws.

 

As Nick Dragotta fills Absolute Batman #25 with drama and action, Waylon's green shirt links him with memories from Croc's Gym. Harvey Dent and Ozzie Cobblepot wear black and white, while Bruce wears black and gray. Eddie wears an indigo coat as he remembers a meeting in his dome of violet screens. Amid the friends' conversation, Frank Martin colors the night orange. Yet Batman's greatest battle becomes a clash between red and green.

 

While Tom Napolitano fills white balloons with black uppercase conversations, colored boxes reveal offscreen dialogue. Bold words suggest phrasal stress. Lowered voices shrink words, while bold and enlarged letters herald raised voices. Sound effects accompany threats and battles, while giant colored dialogue rewards taunting with laughter. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Everyone has a choice in life. We can accept what we have, or work to change our options. Bruce Wayne and his friends grew up in a world rigged against them. They risked everything to correct society's wrongs. Now, Bruce's friends contemplate a more measured approach to making things right in Absolute Batman #25.

 

Rating 10/10

 

To look inside see Absolute Batman #25 Preview. 

 

For how Martha Wayne reacts to Bruce pushing her away, see Absolute Batman #24 Preview. 

For Alfred's reunion with his daughter, see Absolute Batman #23 Preview. 

For the truth and lies surrounding Harley Quinn's childhood, see Absolute Batman #22 Review.

For the confrontations at Jim Gordon's funeral, see my review of Absolute Batman #21. 

For Bruce's meeting with his father's killer, see my review of Absolute Batman #20.

For two farmers' worst nightmare come true, see my review of Absolute Batman #19.

 

For how this series started, see Reinventing Batman with Scott Snyder & Nick Dragotta. 

 

Absolute Batman #25 Preview

 

After the Joker threw his friends in Ark M and experimented on them, Bruce Wayne told himself he didn’t need anyone. When his mother returned from the grave, Bruce pushed her away, just like his friends. The Scarecrow even wants him to believe that his dad’s still alive. But Bruce refuses to let the Joker, Scarecrow, or anyone else control him. After silencing the Scarecrow, he’s set his sights on the Joker.

 

Alfred Pennyworth realizes that Bruce has awakened something in him. When he looks around, he sees that same fearlessness reflected in other people's eyes. He senses their hope that perhaps they too can fight for a better world. Even if he doesn’t want their help, how many people will rise up and help Bruce as he prepares for the biggest fight of his life? And can Batman take down the man who controls the world?

 

Here's all the info from DC Connect: 

 

 

Absolute Batman #25 Preview

Writer: Scott Snyder

Artist: Nick Dragotta

Cover Artist: Nick Dragotta

Variant Cover Artists: J. Scott Campbell & Greg Capullo

Glow-In-The-Dark Variant Cover Artist: Jonboy Meyers

Connecting Variant Cover Artists: Bryan Hitch

Showcase Variant Cover Cover Artist: Gabriele Dell’otto

1:25 Variant Cover Artist: Lewis Larosa

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 40 Pages

Price: $5.99 US | Variant $6.99 US (Card Stock)

Release Date: October 28, 2026 

 

 

Absolute Batman Celebrates 25 Issues!

 

 

All the villains. All the heroes. All the stakes. What’s left…of Absolute Batman?

 

 

 

 

 Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

For how Martha Wayne reacts to Bruce pushing her away, see Absolute Batman #24 Preview. 

For Alfred's reunion with his daughter, see Absolute Batman #23 Preview. 

For the truth and lies surrounding Harley Quinn's childhood, see Absolute Batman #22 Review.

For the confrontations at Jim Gordon's funeral, see my review of Absolute Batman #21. 

For Bruce's meeting with his father's killer, see my review of Absolute Batman #20.

For two farmers' worst nightmare come true, see my review of Absolute Batman #19.

 

For how this series started, see Reinventing Batman with Scott Snyder & Nick Dragotta. 

 

Absolute Batman #24 Preview

 

Harley Quinn warned him not to look. Still, Bruce had to know the truth. After discovering his father’s empty grave, Bruce Wayne can't stop searching. Everyone in his life believes that Bruce is chasing phantoms. But Bruce knows that the Joker and the Scarecrow play the long game. They’ve shaped the narrative of his life in ways he never suspected. Still, he is onto them. Bruce intends to discover all their secrets. But the more he investigates, the more murders they lay at his door.

Can Batman still discern friend from foe? And when her friends in the police force won’t help her, how will Barbara Gordon discover the truth about her father’s death?

Here's all the info from DC Connect: 

Absolute Batman #24 Preview

Writer: Scott Snyder

Artist & Cover Artist: Nick Dragotta

Variant Cover Artists: Clay Mann, Kaare Andrews & TBD

1:25 Variant Cover Artist: Filipe Andrade

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 32 Pages

Price: $4.99 US/Variant $5.99 US (Card Stock)

Release Date: September 9, 2026

 

Without The Badge...

Without Her Father...

Absolute Bat enters the scene.

 

In the battle of self, of Batman versus Batman, there can be only one. Everyone Bruce has ever known, ever cared about, or ever loved will face their ultimate inner demons.

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

For Alfred's reunion with his daughter, see Absolute Batman #23 Preview. 

For the truth and lies surrounding Harley Quinn's childhood, see Absolute Batman #22 Review.

For the confrontations at Jim Gordon's funeral, see my review of Absolute Batman #21. 

For Bruce's meeting with his father's killer, see my review of Absolute Batman #20.

For two farmers' worst nightmare come true, see my review of Absolute Batman #19.

 

For how this series started, see Reinventing Batman with Scott Snyder & Nick Dragotta. 

 

Absolute Batman #23 Preview

 

Harley Quinn and Bruce Wayne have been on a journey together. Both have seen Jack Grimm shape their realities in unexpected ways. Yet when Harley tried to prevent Bruce from unearthing the truth about his past, he broke something precious to her.

Now, Bruce is on his own again. That's the way he likes it. He doesn't want Jack Grimm to hurt anyone because they helped him. What foes will Bruce face next? And what will refusing to listen to the final part of Harley's story cost him? 

Here's all the info from DC Connect:

 

Absolute Batman #23 Preview

Writer: Scott Snyder

Art & Cover Artist: Nick Dragotta

Variant Cover Artists: Kaare Andrews, Juan Ferreyra, And Jeff Spokes

1:25 Ratio Variant Cover Artist: Damion Scott

Dark Knight Returns 40th Anniversary Variant Cover Artist: Gabriele Dell’otto

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 32 Pages

Price: $4.99 US/Variant $5.99 US (Card Stock)

Release Date: August 12, 2026

 

 

 

Batman Vs Batman!

 

 

 

In a climactic showdown, Batman is forced to battle an unyielding enemy in not just the Robins but in himself. More than one dead character signals a call for help…and a symbol of hopelessness as more friends become enemies.

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

For what happened last time see my Absolute Batman #22 Review.

For what happened last time, see my review of Absolute Batman #21. 

For what happened before that, see my review of Absolute Batman #20.

For what happened even earlier, see my review of Absolute Batman #19.

 

For how this series started, see Reinventing Batman with Scott Snyder & Nick Dragotta. 

 

 

Absolute Batman #22 Review

 

Absolute Batman #22 Review

Writers: Scott Snyder

Artist: Werther Dell’Edera

Colorist: Frank Martin

Letterer: Tom Napolitano

Cover Artists: Nick Dragotta & Frank Martin

1:25 Variant Cover Artist: Werther Dell’Edera

Variant Cover Artists: Dan Quintana, Brett Bean & Derrick Chew

Editors: Sabrina Futch, Katie Kubert & Chris Conroy

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99/$5.99 Card Stock

Release Date: July 8, 2026

 

His father's death shook Bruce Wayne to the core. Then, once he forged a new path to prevent other children from losing their parents, Eddie, Harvey, Waylon, and Ozzie's closeness to Bruce ruined their lives. His mother may be dead. Jim Gordon, who looked after him following that terrible day at the zoo, is dead. Bruce has even lost Joe Chill, the last person who linked him with the events that changed him forever.

 

As Mayor Hill's high-powered mechs tear the city apart while hunting down Batman, someone else arises to help him protect Gotham. Her abilities surprise Alfred Pennyworth as she aids Bruce Wayne. But is Harley Quinn another of Jack Grimm's creations? And how far can Bruce Wayne trust her? Let’s leap into Absolute Batman #22 and see!

 

Story

As a child, Harley Quinn wrote letters to a father she didn't know. While the dark frightened her, the bedroom light seemed too bright. And then there was the closet. Something about it frightened her. So her mother gave Harley a hammer to whack the ghost hiding in the closet. While the girl wished for a father, she didn’t believe in ghosts. And even if she did, Harley didn’t believe a toy hammer could hurt one. But her mother suggested that if Harley believed both were real, then she could use the hammer to banish the ghost.

 

In Absolute Batman #22, Batman trudges resolutely toward a goal. Police patrolling the streets in riot gear try to stop him. And while others also hunt for the Batman, Harley urges him to turn back. As Scott Snyder weaves the Robins search for Batman into Bruce's search for the truth, Harley plays her final card. Desperate not to lose Bruce, one of the brightest lights in Gotham, Harley Quinn tells him her story. Yet Bruce doesn't want to listen.

 

As the two trek through the darkness, Jack Grimm's shadow hangs over them. Bruce can't forget the Scarecrow's revelation about his youth. Nor can Bruce forget how he contemplated his life while standing on a beam that extended beyond the building he engineered. Then Jack Grimm appeared and refused to let Bruce walk the plank.

 

Bruce has built his life around the truth. He believed that his actions as the Batman imposed order over the chaos at the zoo. Instead, Jack Grimm's decisions impose order on the world, and Bruce's actions create chaos. If this is true, not only has nothing he has ever done mattered, but Bruce has ruined his friends' lives for no reason. So, as Bruce Wayne undertakes a journey to determine his future, Harley tries to protect him by revealing her childhood in Absolute Batman #22.

 

Art

After Harley Quinn draws a picture of her family and the danger lurking in her crooked house, inset panels stretch across a two-page spread. These small windows reveal the events inside the house while the grasses sway in the surrounding plain. Then the art moves to the present. As Batman knocks aside assault rifles, Harley leaps over the armored police, wielding her Electrochemical Thunder Mallet. Then, Batman knocks her against a wall, covering her mouth with his hand, and shielding her with his body, as a mech haunts the night.

 

Frank Martin lavishes two separate palettes on Werther Dell’Edera’s portrayal of events in Harley Quinn's and her present. While green electrifies the present, it provides a comforting environment in Harley's youth. Her red jacket and shoes evoke her toy hammer and her mother's hair. But they also link with Jason's mech and the view through his visor. Amid the bluish-gray combat officers and mechs, Harley's blue hair links her with her surroundings. Yet splashes of yellow threaten to derail Batman's future in Absolute Batman #22. 

 

Black uppercase conversations fill white balloons, while off-screen dialogue in colored boxes narrates events 13 years ago. Intonation swells letters, lowered voices shrink them, and raised voices enlarge them. Creaking, slamming, and cracking haunt Harley’s past, while roaring and crashing follow Batman’s search for the truth. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

In our childhood, we set goals for our lives. Later, in our teens and adult lives, we determine what matters to us. Like Jason Todd, Batman thought he knew who the enemy was. And like Dick Grayson, he sought to heal Gotham. Yet as the Scarecrow's promise about the discoveries awaiting him rings in his ears, Bruce Wayne fears that the best he can hope for is to throw a wrench in the works like Harley Quinn in Absolute Batman #22.

 

Rating 9.7/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Absolute Batman #22.

For what happened last time, see my review of Absolute Batman #21. 

For what happened before that, see my review of Absolute Batman #20.

For what happened even earlier, see my review of Absolute Batman #19.

Absolute Batman #22 Preview

 

His father's death shook Bruce Wayne to the core. Then, once he remade himself as the Batman, his closeness to his friends destroyed Eddie, Harvey, Waylon, and Ozzie's lives. Jim Gordon has transitioned to the great beyond. A shadow hangs over his mother's fate. Bruce has even lost Joe Chill, the last person who linked him with the events that changed him forever. 

As Mayor Hill's high-powered mechs tear Gotham apart in their hunt for the Batman, a new helper arises to support the "murderous terrorist". Alfred Pennyworth may call her a demon child. But the "little anarchist" helps "the kid" in ways that surprise the veteran. Is Harley Quinn another of Jack Grimm's creations? And how far can Bruce Wayne trust her?

Here's all the info from DC Connect:

 

Absolute Batman #22 Preview

Writer: Scott Snyder

Artist: Werther Dell’Edera

Cover Artist: Nick Dragotta

Variant Cover Artists: Dan Quintana, Brett Bean & Derrick Chew

1:25 Variant Cover Artist: Werther Del’Edera

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 32 Pages

Age Rating: 15+

Price: $4.99 US/Variant $5.99 US (card stock)

Release Date: July 8, 2026

 

 

The Origin of Harley Quinn!

 

 

As the Robins nest in Gotham’s backyard, and Batman faces ultimate defeat, Harley Quinn’s origin is revealed. How does Harley connect with Ark M, and how did the Robins fledge from hatchlings to birds of prey? The call of more than one predator will be answered in this issue.

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

For what happened last time, see my review of Absolute Batman #21. 

For what happened before that, see my review of Absolute Batman #20.

For what happened even earlier, see my review of Absolute Batman #19.

 

Absolute Batman #21 Review

 

Absolute Batman #21 Review

Writers: Scott Snyder

Artist: Nick Dragotta

Colorist: Frank Martin

Letterer: Tom Napolitano

Cover Artists: Nick Dragotta & Frank Martin

Variant Cover Artists: Nick Dragotta & Frank Martin; David Nakayama; Doug Mahnke

1:25 Variant Cover Artists: Chris Brunner & Rico Renzi

Editors: Sabrina Futch, Katie Kubert & Chris Conroy

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99/$5.99 Card Stock

Release Date: June 17, 2026

 

When Waylon Jones was struggling, he begged his friend to kill him. Instead, Bruce Wayne ventured into a strange realm, somewhere between Heaven and Hell, to help Waylon live. As he heals, Waylon tries to repay his friend. Instead, Bruce pushes him away. So, Waylon turns to Eddie for ideas on how to reform the gang. Sadly, his riddle-loving friend points out that Ozzie and Harvey have seen their lives shattered. And while Eddie would like to help, he feels just as broken.

 

While Waylon and Eddie ponder how to support their friend, dark forces swirl around Bruce. And the Scarecrow promises things will get worse than he can imagine. Can Bruce repel the combined might of Mayor Hill's new Robins? And will his Crime Alley friends support Bruce Wayne when everything else that has sustained him falls away? Let’s leap into Absolute Batman #21 and see!

 

Story

After visiting Joe Chill in Blackgate Prison, Batman is reeling. So, when the Robins swoop in and force him to the ground, Batman is itching for a fight. The Scarecrow reaffirmed everything Jim Gordon discovered when he dug into the Gotham City Police Department files. No one cared about Bruce's childhood engineering marvel. Instead, Bruce and his friends visited the Gotham Zoo because the Joker wanted his father to die there.

 

As Bruce battles the Robins, Alfred and Harley Quinn monitor the battle in Absolute Batman #21. Both want to help. Harley may call him Jeeves. But while Alfred struggles to find a solution, Harley demonstrates her ingenuity. Still, the odds are against Batman. When he battled Bane in the old arena, he only fought one giant monster. Now, he faces five Robins in their giant mech suits. And as Batman fights, Alfred wonders if the kid has his head in the game.

 

As Scott Snyder weaves Bruce's past into the present, all the actors battle beneath Jim Gordon's shadow. Waylon and his friends must reconcile their identities with their new circumstances. The Robins also grapple with their mission and how they fulfill it. Yet as Bruce Wayne struggles for perspective, Barbara Gordon faces her father's death. She may never forgive Batman for refusing to let her battle Poison Ivy. Yet as Bruce remembers how Jim Gordon watched over him, Barbara Gordon determines how she will let the world shape her in Absolute Batman #21.

  

Art

Monitoring the encounter in the control room, Harley smiles, and her eyes sparkle while Alfred looks on in shock. From a distance, the Robin mechs dwarf Batman. But when the camera closes in, a ground-level shot fills a two-page spread with a giant Batman. As the Robins battle Bruce across panel-packed pages, Jason’s actions provoke concern, while close-ups reveal what drives Slade Wilson.

 

While Frank Martin paints Nick Dragotta's action-packed art, red paint on the Robin mechs links with tracer fire, explosions, and Slade Wilson's face. Bruce remembers how Jim Gordon influenced him amid green backgrounds in Absolute Batman #21. Yet, the former Commissioner's white hair, mustache, and vehicle reaffirm his worldview as a crowd fills the radiant cathedral. Still, the red aisle and the red stripes of the American flag link with Ozzie and Harvey's thoughts, and Mayor Hill's hair.

 

Black uppercase conversations fill white balloons, while off-screen dialogue inhabits colored boxes. As Alfred watches the battle, lowercase words fill gray paper scraps, evoking Bruce's earlier entries in his Bat-journal. Intonation swells letters, while lowered voices shrink them. Sound effects may emphasize the blows, weapon fire, and explosions filling the air. Yet, giant red dialogue and large black laughter induce the Scarecrow's beloved dread. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

How we view ourselves and the world around us shapes the people we become. But the Joker dreams bigger dreams. As he invests in the world around him, servants like the Scarecrow make people submit to his desires. But while Barbara Gordon vows to uphold her father’s standard, Bruce Wayne wonders what his parents stood for in Absolute Batman #21.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside, see my preview of Absolute Batman #21.

 

For what happened last time, see my review of Absolute Batman #20.

For what happened before that, see my review of Absolute Batman #19.

 

For when Bruce encountered Poison Ivy, see my review of Absolute Batman #17. 

 

For Bruce's battle with Bane in the arena, see my preview of Absolute Batman #14. 

 

For insight into the creation of the series, see my post Scott Snyder on Writing Absolute Batman. 

 

Absolute Batman #21 Preview

 

When Waylon Jones was struggling, he begged his friend to kill him. Instead, Bruce Wayne ventured into a strange realm, somewhere between Heaven and Hell, to help Waylon. As he heals, Waylon tries to repay his friend. Instead, Bruce pushes him away. So, Waylon turns to Eddie for ideas on how to get the band back together. Sadly, his friend who loves riddles points out that Ozzie and Harvey have seen their lives shattered. And while Eddie would like to help, he also feels broken. 

While Waylon and Eddie ponder how to support their friend, dark forces swirl around Bruce. And the Scarecrow promises things will get worse than he can possibly imagine. Can Bruce repel the combined might of Mayor Hill's new Robins? And will the Crime Alley gang support Bruce Wayne when everything else that has sustained him falls away?

Here's all the info from DC Connect:

 

Absolute Batman #21 Preview

Writer: Scott Snyder

Artist & Cover Artist: Nick Dragotta

Variant Cover Artists: David Nakayama, Nick Dragotta & Doug Mahnke

1:25 Variant Cover Artist: Chris Brunner

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 32 Pages

Price: $4.99 US/Variant $5.99 US (card stock)

Release Date: June 17, 2026

 

 

Scarecrow’s Reign of Terror Continues!

 

 

Friends become enemies.

 

Enemies become friends. Final forms are revealed, and Scarecrow’s reign of terror threatens to upend everything.

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

For what happened last time, see my review of Absolute Batman #20.

For what happened before that, see my review of Absolute Batman #19.

 

For insight into the creation of the series, see my post Scott Snyder on Writing Absolute Batman.