Absolute Batman (2024-) #4

Absolute Batman (2024) (Single Issues)

by Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta (artist), Gabriel Hernández Walta (Artist)

Absolute Batman has established himself as an extremely large force to be reck-oned with. But how did he get to this point? How did he push himself? And how did the tragic events of his childhood, and the advice of his father, shape the man who he became…literally? Guest artist Gabriel Walta joins for this essential origin issue of Absolute Batman to explore Bruce Wayne’s past, and his inevitable future to go BIGGER. Don't miss this pivotal issue!

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Batman, Comic Book, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Comics, Graphic Novels

Kindle Edition

Published January 8, 2025

About the author

Scott Snyder is the Eisner and Harvey Award winning writer on DC Comics Batman, Swamp Thing, and his original series for Vertigo, American Vampire. He is also the author of the short story collection, Voodoo Heart, published by the Dial Press in 2006. The paperback version was published in the summer of 2007.

Reviews

[hater ★ · Rating 4 out of 5]

so yeah, basically this issue is his backstory. nothing revolutionary, but still enjoyed it and felt this one was necessary to understand this version of him.

[seana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely redeemed itself, after the last two issues which were lackluster compared to the first one.

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm glad we got narration from Bruce, but to me, this was the weakest issue so far.

[Stacy (Gotham City Librarian) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Batman still maintains the essential characteristics, but embodies a new and excellent mythology. Snyder has constructed a brilliant and effective backstory that informs everything Bruce stands for in a way we haven’t really seen before, which is no small feat. Little moments throughout this issue really illustrate how much Snyder has always understood Batman.

[Anna Quilter · Rating 3 out of 5]

still trying to reignite my interest in this after the first two great issues.
The artist change did NOT help at all.

[James DeSantis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this series isn't do big things for me like everyone else. Another decent issue, I enjoyed the stuff with Bruce and his dad a lot but the stuff with Batman was just okay. It just lacks the punch and interest I had since issue 1. A 3 out of 5.

[Colin Post · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was worried that this would be a rushed origin story - and parts of Bruce becoming Batman do go by pretty quickly - but this works super well because Snyder and Dragotta weave Bruce’s backstory into themes and plot points already well established from the first couple issues. It feels like a natural extension of the story, though I’m eager to get Dragotta back on art and Alfred back as narrator.

This issue also doubles as Snyder’s mini thesis on the absolute universe - what is something at its core?

[Murphy C · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm loving the world-building and plotting in this story of a very young, very different, and, in several ways, a less tragic alternate Bruce Wayne/Batman. The pacing is well-balanced. The art is perfectly decent. The writing, however, leaves me with much to be desired. In this issue, there are three or 4 individual narrators, divided between two or 3 distinct time periods, developing and knitting together intertwining plotlines, and at least one of the narrators is never even identified. There are typos, grammatical errors, awkward, clumsy, and sometimes totally non sequitur dialogue.

I admit that some of my complaints are about no more than idiosyncratic characteristics of Scott Snyder's style, and that's fine, but I can't help but notice that some of his previous work (such as his long, memorable run on the New 52 Batman title) is more polished and narratively cohesive.

...

Not his Rebirth-era run on Justice League, though. The less said about that visually nauseating, often incomprehensible, train wreck of sequential storytelling, the better. 😬

[Zoey · Rating 5 out of 5]

In so much of Batman media, we see Bruce fearing bats. He chose a bat as his symbol because he was afraid, and he wanted to bring that fear to those that would threaten Gotham. However, in this universe, Bruce chooses the bat because he is fascinated by them. They are versatile and adaptable— qualities he wants for himself. When he tells his father that a bat is the only mammal that can fly, the reader knows this is foreshadowing. He becomes the bat to make wings for himself. It is transcendence more than it is about intimidation, and I think there’s something really beautiful about the way the author spun the meaning on its head.

[Shreyas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Snyder redeems himself in this book after the earlier issue, which turned out to be quite lacklustre overall. We dive deep into Bruce's childhood in this book, with a special focus on the day of his father's death, how he takes it all in, and his earlier days as Batman. All in all, it is a solid issue that reimagines the Batman origins like never before.

[Corban Maynard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good. Having back story in issue 4 worked well

[Vyshakh Aravindan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolute Batman #4 is where the series starts feeling like it is no longer “building toward Batman” but instead locking Batman into inevitability as a functioning force inside Gotham.

By this point, the structure established in the first three issues has matured: Bruce is no longer experimenting with identity in a loose sense—his behavior has become more consistent, more methodical, and more difficult to separate from the emerging Batman concept. Issue 4 doesn’t present this as a sudden transformation; instead, it shows the consequences of accumulated choices finally stabilizing into a recognizable pattern.

Bruce’s presence in Gotham now carries weight beyond isolated incidents. What was earlier framed as experimentation in intervention has started to resemble a systematic approach to correcting imbalance. He is still not the fully mythologized Batman with complete discipline and symbolic clarity, but his actions are increasingly aligned with that end state. The uncertainty from earlier issues has reduced, replaced by a colder kind of focus: less “what am I doing?” and more “what works?”

The most important thematic shift in issue 4 is that Batman stops feeling like something Bruce is becoming in private and starts feeling like something Gotham is responding to in public. The perception effect introduced earlier becomes more coherent here. People no longer describe scattered anomalies—they begin describing a consistent presence, even if they disagree on details. That consistency is crucial: Batman as a rumor has now become Batman as a pattern.

Gotham itself becomes more structured in its resistance. Earlier issues treated the city as atmosphere or reactive pressure; here, it starts behaving more like an adaptive system. Crime elements, institutions, and street-level responses feel like they are adjusting to a new variable in the ecosystem. This creates a sense that Bruce is no longer just operating within Gotham—he is actively altering its equilibrium.

Narratively, the pacing also tightens further. Issue 4 feels more decisive in its scene construction. Moments are less about exploration and more about consequence stacking. Actions lead more directly into reactions, and reactions begin shaping the next cycle of behavior. This gives the issue a more forward-driving momentum compared to the earlier, more reflective entries.

Bruce himself is depicted with a quieter intensity here. There is less overt emotional processing on the page; instead, his psychology is embedded in how efficiently he moves, decides, and intervenes. The emotional origin is still present underneath, but it is increasingly filtered through control. This is important because it signals that Batman is no longer just an emotional response—it is becoming a method of operating in the world.

One of the subtle strengths of issue 4 is that it starts to reduce ambiguity. Earlier issues thrived on uncertainty—what Batman is, what Gotham is becoming, how perception forms. In this issue, those questions don’t disappear, but they start resolving into direction. The story is now less about defining possibilities and more about narrowing toward a single outcome.

However, like the earlier installments, it still resists full arrival. Batman is present as structure, but not yet fully declared as symbol. That restraint is intentional: the series continues to treat Batman not as a reveal moment, but as an emergent system reaching stability.

Overall, issue 4 feels like the point of consolidation. It takes everything built in the first three issues—internal identity formation, external consequences, and emerging perception—and compresses it into something more stable, more coherent, and more inevitable. If earlier issues were about Batman forming, this one is about Batman settling into existence.

[Keith Gehman · Rating 5 out of 5]

just plain unique

The absolute books have been clearly inspired by the new ultimate universe. But what makes it special is what it does differently. Taking away Bruce’s advantages seems like it wouldn’t change much, but what is created instead is a fascinating, angry man. I cannot wait to see more of this Batman and his origin.

[Baston · Rating 4 out of 5]

(beziehe mich auf #4-6)
Die Story ist genauso spannend weitergangen und es hat sich ziemlich gut angefühlt. Dabei sind leider die Hefte kürzer geworden und der Style von #4 sagt mir leider nicht zu. Ist also schlechter als die ersten drei aber trotzdem noch auf einem sehr hohen Level. Die Story beginnt gerade erst 🥹

[Nightwing’s Thiccness · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably the weakest part of the story so far. That doesn’t discount it too much though. I just feel like there’s a break in rhythm. This could also be from the fact I binged the series up until this one. Still stoked for the last issue for the Zoo story.

[Christian M. T · Rating 4 out of 5]

A guest artist for this issue in Gabriel Walta which serves well here as the change lends to the issues focus that is soley on Bruce's very early days as batman and the trial of his father's killer.

An emotional issue that found the right artist to deliver the style that really elevated the scenes.

Strong series so far!

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the only issue in the first part of “The Zoo” that has a different artist. Showing things from Bruce’s perspective almost feels out of focus and the art definitely feels rougher around the edges. Regardless of it being deliberate or not, I like it; it’s a nice touch

[Bryham Fabian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es raro ver a Bruce acorralado financieramente e intentando ser sobornado. Estoy intrigado con esta historia.

[Pranay · Rating 2 out of 5]

OMG this was just a big slow build up book. Did not enjoy it like the previous 3.

[Haden Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25

[Elif · Rating 3 out of 5]

And I knew in that moment, I knew, that this was as happy as it gets. Ever. I wanted to stay in it. To never leave.

[Nikhil Math]

I cannot stop looking at this man's thighs. How do I look like this superhero? I want to become him.

[☆]

je dors trop

[righton · Rating 2 out of 5]

This series better pick up dude this sucks

[Greg Barkham · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.6

[Raymond Paquette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this Batman. He takes it simple. Uses the tools that he can find around him, and is always evolving to be a better fighter. Money won't save him here and that is a good thing. I would have liked to see a continuation from the previous chapter. Now I have to wait one more month.

[The Wintermute System · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still not my favorite but very fun. Well written, good art, so four stars.

[Laëtitia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bat-bridge project / 10
I’m glad we finally get to see how the bat-thumbs work
Soo, he’s big just because bigger is scarier huh
Ouhh cliffhanger

[Keegan Schueler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great origin for Absolute Batman that adds more to things like the development of his costume and more about his family.