“The Zoo” Part Six
Writer: Scott Snyder,
Artists: Nick Dragotta
Color Artist: Frank Martin
Letterer: Tom Napolitano
Review by Bryant Lucas
Gotham is a war zone of masks and memories, as Batman takes on the Party Animals in this month’s Absolute Batman #6.
As Roman Sionis escalates his gamified war on Gotham, Batman suits up in brutal, spiked armor and launches a one-man assault on Black Mask’s criminal network. Meanwhile, Martha Wayne and Jim Gordon find themselves targeted by the very system they’re trying to stop, with bounties on their heads climbing into the millions. Flashbacks to a young Bruce and his childhood friends at “The Zoo” serve as emotional counterpoints, showing the innocence lost—and what’s still at stake. The issue climaxes in a savage fight aboard a yacht, where Batman must confront not just the enemy, but his own capacity for hope amid chaos. As the dust settles, a surprise rescue reinforces the story’s emotional core, while a chilling epilogue teases the arrival of a monstrous new threat.
The Price is Fight
Scott Snyder fires on all cylinders here, delivering a script that’s equal parts gut-punch and heartstring tug. His dual timelines—past and present—intertwine beautifully, turning what could have been just another action-packed issue into something genuinely moving. The way Snyder leverages the concept of “The Zoo” as both a literal childhood field trip and metaphorical battleground of ideals is brilliant. He’s always been great at writing Bruce Wayne as the myth and the man, but this script strikes a particularly vulnerable chord by emphasizing his need for connection—and his brutal methods when it’s threatened. The moments with Martha and young Bruce are tender and raw, and Snyder doesn’t shy away from Gotham’s most uncomfortable truths. There’s a little meta-commentary here too, as the app-driven anarchy chillingly mirrors real-world gamification of violence.
Grit, Gristle, and Gut-Punch Panels
Nick Dragotta’s art is a controlled explosion—dynamic, exaggerated, and just the right amount of grotesque. His design for Batman’s armor here looks like The Dark Knight Returns on steroids: jagged edges, monstrous proportions, and yet it never loses emotional readability. The fight scenes are brutal and kinetic, but the real emotional haymakers come in the quiet, well-framed character moments—especially in the scenes between Bruce and Martha. Frank Martin’s colors accentuate these tonal shifts perfectly, switching from harsh, fiery reds during the violence to warm, nostalgic yellows in the flashbacks. The app’s red-tinged AR interface is a haunting design choice that adds a layer of techno-horror to an already intense issue.
Conclusion
Absolute Batman #6: “The Zoo” Part Six is a triumphant blend of pathos and pummeling, contrasting Gotham’s descent into madness with Bruce’s relentless belief in something better. This issue balances heart, horror, and heroism with surgical precision. Snyder and Dragotta stick the emotional landing beautifully—then crank up the tension once more with a last-page gut-punch that teases Bane’s arrival. Just when you think the storm has passed, the thunder rolls in again.
Final Verdict: Just when you think you’ve caught your breath, it reminds you that the worst is yet to come.
Images Courtesy of DC Entertainment