“The Straw Man” Part Two
Writer: Scott Snyder,
Artists: Nick Dragotta
Color Artist: Frank Martin
Letterer: Tom Napolitano
Review by Eric Lee
Absolute Batman #20 issue ramps up the stakes even more and sets-up a banger of a confrontation next issue.
The Scarecrow in the Absolute version comes off much more disturbing that the mainstream one does. Part of it is because he seems to operate on a completely different power level than the traditional version does. He also has this mystique of him where you don’t know what his capabilities are. It is not clear how he manipulates people or gets them do his commands. Or how he happens to appear and disappear in ways that defies human limits. But it is effective in making him menacing beyond just gore and shock value- although they have plenty of that too.
The Unpredictable Nature of ‘Absolute Batman #20’
Props to writer Scott Snyder for reinventing Scarecrow here. It also helps that the plot is also very intriguing too. There is something that Bruce found out that might shake him to his very core and question his origins. What is true? What is not true? Thanks to it being set in a different version of Batman, nothing is off-limits. That means that the revelations about Bruce here can very well be true. That makes the storytelling dangerous and unpredictable.
Speaking of unpredictable, we also see more of Bruce’s friends and the various ways they are dealing with the fallout of their encounter with Bane in the previous arc. Most readers predict that they are all instantly turning into their traditional rogues gallery selves. And part of that is true. But there are some other characters where their villainous fate seems to be left more ambiguous. That uncertainty about if some of the friends will remain good or turn evil adds to the complexity to the overarching story Snyder is trying to tell.
Artist Nick Dragotta also makes the visuals captivating. It goes beyond his amazing linework. His visual storytelling is top-notch. There is a scene in a prison that is particularly effective. Dragotta’s panel placement really adds to the layer of claustrophobia that the scene exudes.
Also the way he sets up certain reveals is simply perfect. An example is how we get a build-up to another appearance of the Joker in the first few pages of the comic. The first page gives so much extraneous information about what happened in the previous issues, as well the Joker’s lifestyle and trappings. So when we finally see the man himself, it is scary and intimidating.
Conclusion
Absolute Batman #20 is another in a long line of hard-hitting, yet strangely emotional comics. Snyder and Dragotta continue to be a a roll with this series.
All images maybe subject to copyright.