‘Absolute Batman #14’ Review: “It’s the Fight of Your Life, Kid”

Batman faces off against Bane in the most explosive issue of Absolute Batman to date!

The Absolute Batman run has been going steady since its launch on October 9, 2024. The flagship project of DC’s Absolute Universe reboot, Absolute Batman reimagines the character’s mythos, offering up a much grittier take on the hero’s origin. He has not inherited wealth, and Alfred Pennyworth is not a butler, but a hardened operative. Wayne himself isn’t a rich socialite –in his mid-twenties, he works as a civil engineer. This run is a radical new direction for Batman, but one that’s proven to be a big success among readers. We’ve written about it extensively. And now, Snyder and Dragotta have debuted their most epic issue yet.

Issue #14 bigger, crazier, and downright chaotic. The conflict between Batman and Bane reaches an explosive boiling point, culminating in a showdown for the ages.

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In Absolute Batman #14, both Batman and Catwoman face-off against Bane in the ultimate final boss battle. It offers just about everything the Absolutes have become known for, multiplied by eleven. But it’s not just pure fighting; there’s plenty of heart. I particularly loved the callbacks to Waylon Jones (Killer Croc) and his seminal fight before he became Killer Croc. The combination of the stories, which both echo and repel each other, was a glorious addition to the story. It dives into Wayne’s psyche, which again, is both different and similar to traditional Batman, while keeping the character’c core values front and centre.

Of course, the requisite battle is the main talking point here. From the tight writing, to the breathtaking visuals of Dragotta, everything lands perfectly. This is without doubt Dragotta’s magnum opus comic book work so far, at least in my opinion. And Snyder  continues to masterfully craft memorable, emotional, and action-packed scripts. The battle is gloriously big in scope, shocking, and brutal.

From Catwoman, to Bane, to Alfred Pennyworth, and even Harley Quinn, every character gets their due. I love the monologues from Pennyworth throughout. Adding his perspective on events was a really clever addition.

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If there is any complaint, it’s that the ending feels abrupt. While there’s numerous news casts for the build up to the showdown, reactions in the fallout aren’t featured. Perhaps we’ll see some reactions in issue #15, but it would’ve been interesting to see how the fight was viewed to the people of Gotham. Naturally, with the epic conclusion of the Bane arc, the issue quickly teases the arrival of the Joker into the series… and if the myriad teasers are anything to go by, we’re in for a real treat! This Joker looks very different indeed.

Pick up your copy of Absolute Batman #14 here.