The road to Hell has led to this moment. When Waylon Jones went missing, Batman started an investigation. What he discovered was pure terror. Ark-M had changed his friend into a crocodile-like creature. That wasn’t the only horror he discovered. A walking abomination known as BANE decimated him their first round. This lead to torture and experimentation. Bruce Wayne was forever changed.
Upon his escape, Wayne returned home to find his friends disfigured and a message behind it. There was no running away from this force. Bane wants him for a special reason. Wayne will not go gently into that quiet night. Someone is not walking away from this fight.
ABSOLUTE BATMAN #14 by Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta, Frank Martin, & Clayton Cowles delivers one of the most brutal fights in comic history.
Put up a ringside seat and let’s ring the bell. It’s fight time!
ABSOLUTE BATMAN #14 by Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta, Frank Martin, & Clayton Cowles (DC Comics)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
Knowing the history of these two in the prime DCU, expectations were high. Snyder went All In on the violence for this brawl. The writing presents it as a tactical battle of wills. It mirrors Jones’ prize fight to the letter. Both underdogs should have no chance to win. In this case, Wayne goes to extremes for victory. There is no expense to physical or environmental cost he’s willing to pay.
This sense of sheer violence may be off putting to some. It’s needed to tell the story here. With each blow, readers can feel the pain inflicted. Bane’s confidence proves to be a weakness in this fight. The writing shows how he will not cave. This leads to a dramatic final strike. It turns everything on its axis as limits are pushed well beyond reason. The result is a brutal climax that crowns Gotham’s champ.
Snyder pens an impactful monologue to cruise into the closing. The final page is a haunting one as another evil emerges. There is no shortage of how this series has only scratched the surface of how dark the world of Batman can truly be. Phenomenal work.
Dragotta and Martin carry each page with a sense of painful pomp and circumstance. The showdown is presented with a heavy weight. It is all too fitting for where this sotry goes. Once the first swing is taken, the gas pedal is hit. There is nothing held back. This is as extreme as a fight you will ever see in a fictional story.
It is a true David vs. Goliath as Batman fights. Bane is presented as larger than life. Each action taken on him is raw brutality. From dangling eyeballs to severing nerves, nothing is off limits. The full image of Croc entering the fight causes a momentum shift. There’s plenty of bloodshed going around in these pages. It comes to a head when Batman makes a risky final move. The result is a grotesque full page. This puts a stamp on the finish before more calm pages to end with. The last page will have readers talking as true evil enters the playing field. Get ready.
FINAL POINT: 9.5
The last man standing bout between Bane and Batman lives up to the marquee. Snyder pens a tale pouring with intensity and emotion. Dragotta and Martin leave nothing for the judges as they craft the definition of brutality in their panels. It’s an intense read but well worth the time. Bring a mouth guard. You’re gonna need it for how hard this hits.
Let me know your thoughts on Absolute Batman #14 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!