SPOILERS AHEAD!
Initial Thoughts
Damn. Every issue of Scott Snyder’s Absolute Batman is an ABSOLUTE experience, and this chapter was no different. Absolute Batman #25 delivers a ton of story, and the urgency across this universe has surged. It really does feel like the entire world, aside from a few allies, is against Batman, and now (SPOILER), with a little one on the way, taking down the Joker might be the second most important thing Bruce has to deal with. Bruce is growing his family in more ways than one.
Scott Snyder is writing his magnum opus in this series, and it's been a sprint from issue to issue, cramming in as much story as possible. Even with some of the better runs, writers will tend to use an issue here or there for exposition and to let us catch our breath. Not Snyder. He bombards you with story and plot twists, and your eyebrows are completely cinched up before you put down an issue of Absolute Batman —and I love it. You never truly know what is coming next, which is what makes it so great to read. We THINK we know Batman, but on this new blank canvas, Snyder is changing everything we might think we know about Bruce Wayne.
Take Your Pick
There is always so much to decipher when reading an issue of this series. There is never just one takeaway, as the story's multiple layers are laid out and seem to be the pillars of what Absolute Batman will be moving forward. The four plot cornerstones that came out of this issue for me were: 1) The Joker is stronger than we thought; 2) Barbara Gordon is now officially in the mix, and she knows who is behind the death of her father; 3) Bruce’s friends have officially drawn the line and are now against Batman; and 4) Bruce is a dad. The last of which is clearly a twist.
Take your pick, and you'll be right about which one will be the biggest story moving forward. I will talk about two of them in the other session, so I'll cover the other two here. Bruce desperately needed a new ally, not only because Grimm was about to tear him to pieces, but because his old friend was completely gaslit into believing Grimm had nothing to do with this. The Joker's immediate appearance after Bruce’s old friends drew the line in the sand is almost funny. It must feel so helpless to know something no one else believes. That might be Batman's greatest mental strength.
Barbara, who now knows exactly who killed her father, will be blinded by revenge and as motivated as Bruce to take down Grimm. The only question is whether this will help or hurt Batman. If too consumed with revenge, Barbara could become a liability. This will be a great thread to watch as the rest of the series moves on.
New Elements, as Old as Time
I think two major takeaways from this issue will shape how Snyder tells the rest of his story: the Joker is older and more supernatural than we initially thought, and Selena is pregnant with what we assume is Bruce’s child. I think these points are connected, because Batman finding out there is more to the Joker than we initially thought may tie into the possibility that Selena is carrying Bruce’s child. I don't think we will need to bring Maury out for a paternity test, since I think this will play a major role in the ending. Harley said that Grimm let Bruce get away because he is looking for something more—the baby…
TOTAL SPECULATION: I can see a world where the Joker kills Bruce, and Selena’s child is the one who takes him down. If reports are true and there is no end to the series in the foreseeable future, then we might be in for the long haul, almost like Gohan and Goku vs. Cell. Or, the Joker could eat the damn baby. With Snyder, we don't actually know what's going on in his head, which makes this Absolute Batman experiment so damn fun. Either way, Bruce and Selena’s child will connect with Grimm, and that will ultimately tell the story at the very end.
Physical and Mental Scars through the Art
Just like the Joker himself, his character design has evolved psychologically and metaphorically, adding to his lore and power set. Bruce told Harley and Barbara that Grimm grew wings and believed the Joker had evolved into something bigger. Nick Dragotta's design was immaculate, a perfect interpretation of how much the Joker has grown and evolved, not only since the last time we saw him, but apparently for the first time in hundreds of years. Dragotta’s design makes him look like the devil himself, and there is no way to say that isn't the case here.
This was also the best view we have seen of Batman’s old friends so far from artist Dragotta. It was the closest and most personal look we've seen at many of their faces, and the details tell a major story. I don't know why, but Cobbletbot's goatee stuck with me. The penguin had a clean-cut face before he was mangled, and now the goatee tries to cover it up. Almost like the rest of his body isn't mangled, but for him, the goatee covers up his scars. I think that is incredibly telling about the psyche within these “new villains.” The art and character design can tell you a lot about what they are going through, and Dragotta knows how to tell a story with his designs.
Final Verdict
Stop me if you've heard this one before: Absolute Batman #25 is essential and one of the best issues of the series so far. This chapter marks one of the most important transitions from one arc to another in Scott Snyder’s run, and it was a classic anniversary issue. There are (at least) four new story plots that will be fundamental to how Snyder and artist Nick Dragotta will tell the story moving forward. When it is all said and done, while some might not say this is the best issue, it certainly will be one of the most important.