Vol. #1 and Vol. #2
Going back into Batman/DC after so long with Absolute Batman Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 was honestly a bit of a shock, but in the best possible way. I used to be a very casual Catwoman reader going back about 10 years and I’ve loved DCs recent cinematic contributions, but I haven’t felt properly immersed in this world for ages; so much awaited return to comic books felt like being dropped straight back into Gotham with no warm-up or gentle reintroduction… These were a recommendation from my Certified Batman Fan™ boyfriend (in fairness I can’t say I know anyone else who’s worked at a Batman themed restaurant) and I wasn’t expecting to get pulled in so quickly, but I genuinely couldn’t put Volume 1 down at all once I started reading, which says a lot given how rusty I felt going in.
The biggest thing that hits straight away is the tone. It’s still Batman, still Gotham, and definitely still familiar on the surface — but everything feels slightly shifted; sharper, stranger, and perhaps even scarier in a way that makes you constantly aware you’re not in the version of the world you think you know. As an alternate universe it works really well because you’re never fully comfortable in it, which keeps you reading without over-explaining itself or slowing down to catch you up. You land in Absolute Gotham straight away, and are trusted to keep up in a pretty unforgiving way.
Volume 1 is probably the more immediately gripping of the two. The Party Animals as a villain group are memorable enough — chaotic but still personable in a way that still feels very “Gotham”, just pushed a bit further than usual. Black Mask works really well as the centre of that, and the whole thing escalates quickly in a way that makes it very easy to lose track of time while reading. It has that momentum where you think “I’ll just read one more bit” and suddenly you’re halfway through the book…?!
Volume 2 was actually a bit harder to get into at first, which surprised me after how strong the first volume was. I was really interested by the early introduction of Mr Freeze — it felt like things were being set up in a really strong direction and I was immediately curious — but after that initial encounter, the story did feel like it stalled a little for a while. It wasn’t bad exactly, just noticeably slower and less gripping than either the end of Vol. 1 or the opening stretch of Vol. 2… which made it harder to stay fully locked in.
That said, once it picks up again in the second half, it really does pay off. From that point onwards it’s pretty impeccable, and the last third in particular I genuinely couldn’t put down. It has that same addictive momentum that made Vol. 1 so strong, where you suddenly realise you’ve read far more than you meant to without stopping, and everything starts clicking back into place in a really satisfying way.
The artwork across both volumes is still probably my favourite part overall. It’s genuinely brilliant in a way that feels very deliberate rather than just stylistic. The character redesigns are bold but really effective, and Killer Croc is my standout — as a crocodilian appreciator he was always going to be, but this version is just so well realised. He feels properly monstrous without losing personality, which is a really difficult balance to get right… and it just works.
I also really like how quickly this series commits to Gotham itself. You’re not eased in or given much breathing room — you’re just there, immediately, in the grime, noise, and pressure of it all. It makes everything feel more intense because as usual the city isn’t just a backdrop, it’s actively shaping how the story feels as you move through it, which gives the whole thing a really strong sense of atmosphere.
Bruce and Alfred’s dynamic is another thing I’m curious about. It feels a bit more strained and unusual than I expected, like there’s more tension sitting just under the surface that hasn’t fully been addressed yet… and I’m really interested to see how that develops as the series goes on, whether it becomes more central or stays slightly in the background.
Overall, I really enjoyed both volumes, just in slightly different ways. Volume 1 was consistently gripping from start to finish, while Volume 2 had a slower middle that threw me slightly, but an absolutely incredible final stretch that brought it right back up and stuck the landing in a really satisfying way. I’m really looking forward to Volume 3 — especially the Joker, who’s introduction has already been weaved into elements of the story — and seeing how this version of Gotham continues to unfold. It’s already out in the US but not here yet, so for now I’m very impatiently waiting for it to drop in the UK…