Written by: Scott Snyder
Art by: Marcos Martín
Colors by: Muntsa Vicente
Letters by: Clayton Cowles
Cover art by: Nick Dragotta (cover A)
Cover price: $4.99
Release date: April 9, 2025
Absolute Batman #7, by DC Comics on 4/9/25, begins a chilling new arc when Bruce Wayne investigates the death of an old friend and the construction of the new Ark-M black site prison.
Is Absolute Batman #7 Good?
Recap
When we last left Bruce Wayne in Absolute Batman #6, the battle for Gotham City concluded when Absolute Batman infiltrated Black Mask's yacht and shut down the social media bounty system. Gotham's citizens ran wild in the streets, earning cash for Grand Theft Auto-styled crimes. When the system shut down, everyone returned to normal, and Black Mask lost his eyes in the battle.
Plot Synopsis
In Absolute Batman #7, Bruce Wayne's childhood friends gather to remember the death of one of their own - Mitchell "Matches" Malone. The issue begins with an informal memorial to remember Matches Malone as a friend who always stuck his neck out on a dare but who sometimes didn't know when to quit.
A few days earlier, Bruce Wayne, still recovering from his fight with Black Mask, asks Matches Malone for help forging identification that will get him onto the work site of the new Ark-M prison. When Bruce receives word later from Matches that the task is complete, they meet in the open to make the exchange. Before turning over the goods, Matches tells Bruce he snuck into Ark-M to see for himself what's happening, and he learns the prison is already accepting prisoners. Most of the names Matches notes in a list - including Isley, Strange, and Langstrom - are specialized scientists from around the world. Suddenly, Matches erupts in exploding blood vessels, and he dies on the spot.
During the memorial, Bruce arrives to tell his friends he won't stop until he finds out why Matches died. His friends are still processing the revelation that Bruce is Batman, so they refuse to help him because they believe his exploits will get him killed.
One of the names in the information Matches compiled belongs to the owner of a Gotham company called V-Core, a leader in cryo-tech. Bruce infiltrates V-Tech as a city engineer arriving for an inspection. Within V-Tech, he meets Victor Fries Jr., who keeps the business running with rare fauna and medically incurable patients encased in ice, including his parents. When Bruce spots bacteria samples that appear connected to Matches's death, Victor Jr. shows the monstrous side effects of being one of V-Tech's earliest success stories.
First Impressions
Barring one or two soft spots, Absolute Batman #7 is the kind of storytelling that significantly elevates the series. Why? Because you get creatively original variations on characters, an intriguing mystery, and entertaining surprises without over-the-top theatrics that take you out of the story.
How’s the Art?
Marcos Martín steps in as guest artist for Nick Dragotta to kick off the arc and begin the next phase of Absolute Batman's development. Martín's sense of anatomy is much less exaggerated than Dragotta's, which is a negative because Dragotta's wild proportions are part of this series' unique charm. Martín's art isn't necessarily bad, but it doesn't fit the vision the first arc established, and it seems odd to have two guest artists on the title when we're only on issue #7.
What’s great about Absolute Batman #7?
Writer Scott Snyder pulls back on the wild theatrics and concentrates on a story with mystery, discovery, and surprises. Bruce Wayne shows off the talents that will eventually make him the world's greatest detective and the horror-centric twist on Mr. Freeze is the stuff of nightmares.
What’s not great about Absolute Batman #7?
Snyder drops several breadcrumbs that eventually lead Bruce Wayne to V-Tech, but one of the crucial breadcrumbs comes across as slightly underbaked. Why would the Fries name be associated with the data from Matches's phone? How and why is V-Tech connected to Ark-M? Once Bruce has the name Fries, the investigation path becomes clear, but there's no rhyme or reason for that name to come up.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
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Final Thoughts
Absolute Batman #7 is one of the strongest issues in the series showcasing Bruce's investigation skills and presenting a horrific twist on a familiar Batman villain. Scott Snyder's script tones down the over-the-top theatrics to present a gritty detective story, and Marcos Martín's art is solid, albeit not complimentary to the series' main artist, Nick Dragotta.
8.5/10
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