ABSOLUTE BATMAN #18 (DC COMICS)
A new player in Gotham City looks to make Batman green with jealousy.
Absolute Poison Ivy has revealed herself with Bruce Wayne in her grasps. Her vision of transforming the Dark Knight into her enforcer is within grasps. If he should survive, there’s a larger problem looming when he returns home….
Martha Wayne is a member of the Court Of Owls?! What does this all mean for the future of the Caper Crusader?
ABSOLUTE BATMAN #18 by Scott Snyder, Eric Canete, Frank Martin, & Clayton Cowles (DC COMICS) concludes its two part “Seventh Kingdom” storyline.
Let’s not wait any longer and dive into the chaos!
ABSOLUTE BATMAN #18 by Scott Snyder, Eric Canete, Frank Martin, & Clayton Cowles (DC COMICS)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
Snyder leads off with the biggest bombshell of last issue. Martha Wayne’s involvement with the Court is shown with great secrecy. It leaves readers wanting more before gears turn towards the main plot. Batman’s attack on Ivy is fleeting at best. The writing shows him walking on a tight rope before panic sets in. Seeing this over-powered version of Isley is amplified by her horrific backstory. This is Snyder’s specialty which thrives in this scenario. Even as readers see small glimpses of life in Gotham, it does little to impact Ivy’s stranglehold of the situation.
Once events shift back to the Court, Martha’s secrets start creeping into focus. All roads come back to one figure in this puzzle. The mere mention of “Jack Grimm” sets multiple directions in motion. The writing teases this is all about “Batman” when it really comes down to The Joker. Nothing makes this more clear than Ivy’s plea to Batman to give into her offer. Hearing the desperation in her voice drives home the fear Grimm has instilled.
Snyder sprinkles in a quick moment with Jim Gordon talking with Bruce Wayne about valued information. The dialogue echoes the resounding reason Batman fights. This pushes events into a more brutal close than expected. It mirrors the current state of this Absolute world. Seeing this evolve leads into more teases before the final page hits. Once here, IF one action really happened, the final page becomes all more bittersweet to say goodbye with. A very strong issue never the less.
READ LAST ISSUE’S REVIEW HERE!
Canete concludes art duties with some fantastic panels. The tease of Martha Wayne’s troubles is set up with a simple 9 panel grid. It eases readers into the moment before getting thrown into the fire of Ivy’s fight. The full page image of Batman combating her forces makes a loud statement. There is nothing held back in this sequence. Anyone looking to slow the pace down finds comfort in the flashback panels. It’s brief but effective in pausing the action. This moment doesn’t last long as Ivy takes things up a few notches.
In between the great action, the art highlight the intense drama swirling around. Martha’s stand-off with the court carries an intense feel. The same can be said involving Alfred and Harley Quinn. Canete gives a certain chill in the air with the sole Grimm appearance. This all circles back to Ivy’s long play. Readers watch as he becomes more unhinged as Batman fights back. The realization of her pleas falling short moves events into a thrilling finish. Images lean into extreme measures but provide a great finish. This concludes with a perfect full page shot of Batman and a possible tragic moment sinking in for the readers.
FINAL GRADE: 9.5
Ivy’s ideas for Gotham come to an incredible finish with more dangers lurking for Batman in waiting. Snyder’s horror presentation checks all the boxes for the writing. Canete’s art delivers on the heavy consequences involved with this mission. There is never a doubt of the high level of storytelling involved with this series!
Let me know your thoughts on Absolute Batman #18 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
