Absolute Batman #13 Review

Absolute Batman #13

DC Comics

Written by Scott Snyder

Art by Nick Dragotta

Colors by Frank Martin

Letters by Clayton Cowles

The Rundown: Bruce gets a visit from an old friend and prepares to take on Bane.

Bruce thinks about his past with Selena as she stands before him in her new persona as the Catwoman. As their tension continues to mount, Alfred finds himself in the middle of a reunion he has no connection to and leaves before the pair fall back into their old dynamic. A dynamic that leads to Selena confronting Bruce about what Bane did to him.

The pair decide to head out into the city and seek out the Red Hoods. After confronting them on their turf and Selena seeing what the venom in Bruce is doing to him, she becomes worried. After confronting their leader, Harley Quinn, Batman takes over the city’s broadcast channels to challenge Bane to a final confrontation one on one.

The Story: Snyder brings the reader right into the calm before the storm as he showcases what is happening to Bruce and how it is affecting one of the final connections he has to his old life. The story is filled with great emotion, tension and passion and I appreciate seeing how Bruce is dealing with having venom running through his veins and what that means for both his mission and his future. The story ends on a great cliffhanger that makes me excited to see what happens next.

The Art: Dragotta delivers some powerful, beautiful and visually stunning art throughout the issue. I love the visual style and the character designs more and more with each issue.