“Absolute Zero” Part Two
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artists: Marcos Martín
Color Artist: Muntsa Vicente
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Review by Bryant Lucas
Hell freezes over in Absolute Batman: All In #8, as Bruce Wayne battles hypothermia and horror buried in Gotham’s icy underworld.
Absolute Zero finds Batman trapped in a nightmarish cryo-laboratory, held hostage by a chillingly philosophical villain who believes pain is the only true constant. With his core temperature plummeting and ghosts of the past swirling in his mind, Bruce must fight for survival—both physically and emotionally. As Batman confronts the limits of his own endurance, the story weaves between present-tense combat and flashbacks that cut to the heart of his deepest fears and failures. When the ice finally cracks, it unleashes a fury that only Batman can channel. But even as he escapes, a new threat begins to stir—one that could turn Gotham’s monsters into something far worse.
The Cold Never Bothered Him Anyway… Until Now
Scott Snyder returns to the psychodramatic tone that made his Black Mirror and Endgame runs so gripping. This script is less about a conventional superhero story and more a meditation on pain—its permanence, its inheritance, and the choice to transcend it. Snyder crafts an antagonist who isn’t just a physical threat but a thematic mirror, forcing Bruce to reckon with whether he’s truly driven by justice or something darker. The dual narrative—alternating between brutal present and formative past—is handled with grace, and Snyder’s dialogue cuts like ice. Lines like “Do you want to die?” recur like a haunting refrain, and the payoff is both cathartic and earned.
Color Me Traumatized
Marcos Martín’s linework is a masterclass in mood. He oscillates between stark silhouettes in the snow and visceral body horror in the lab with surgical precision. The action is fluid, the paneling inventive, and the visual storytelling utterly engrossing. But it’s Muntsa Vicente’s colors that elevate this issue to something transcendent. Her use of harsh reds and eerie blues makes every scene feel either frozen or feverish—mirroring Bruce’s mental state with alarming accuracy. And when Batman finally bursts through the ice, the explosion of yellows and greens feels like a psychological rebirth. It’s stunning work that reinforces the emotional journey without a single wasted stroke.
Conclusion
Absolute Batman: All In #8 is more than just a fight comic—it’s an exploration of survival, memory, and choosing to live even when everything inside you screams to give up. With razor-sharp writing and visually striking art, it earns its place as a standout in this run. Snyder and Martín bring both spectacle and soul, crafting an issue that freezes you in place, then punches through the ice.
Final Verdict: Frozen fists, fiery memories, and one hell of a psychological gut-punch.
Images Courtesy of DC Entertainment
