“The Straw Man” Part Five
Artists: Nick Dragotta
Color Artist: Frank Martin
Letterer: Tom Napolitano
Review by Eric Lee
Absolute Batman #23 gets things back on track with another issue packed to the brim with plot threads and advancements.
I want to take a moment to really bask in the glory of how dense this comic book is. Modern comics tend to be highly decompressed where very little plot occurs at a relatively slow pace. However, writer Scott Snyder goes the opposite way where he jams as much into a comic as possible. However, he still does a fantastic job balancing the action with the character beats with the crazy concepts. For Snyder, the difference is more about modulating the different elements based on the issues’ needs based on where the story is.
Last issue, Snyder had a little minimal action, some cool story advancements, and a ton of character moments with Harley. This issue, we see a ton of action, a ton of plot moving forward, and with a smaller but still important character arcs. The sheer amount of characters we check-in with and still get a reasonable sense of their personality and dynamics is astounding. We have the Robins, Batman, Alfred and Julia Pennyworth, Barbara Gordon, the rogues, Harley, and the villains’ plots. Yet they are all intertwined to perfection where even if it is small, they do not feel rushed or short-changed.
Character Moments that Breath
Snyder found a way to let his characters breathe and react to the craziness around them. Here, we get a sense of Bruce really struggling to be Batman. It started last issue, but now it has really ramped up more. It is all a part of the Scarecrow’s master plan and manipulation. Despite the Scarecrow appears only a little bit, his menace and sense of dread resonates in other characters. While some readers can be frustrated with the lack of answers of who or what the Scarecrow exactly is, no one can deny that he is scary in how he instruments his horrible plan.
Seeing regular series artist Nick Dragotta returns is always a treat. Dragotta does a great job with giving the series a cartoony, but creepy edge. Nothing is hyper-realistic. Everything in the art is exaggerated. And that art style fits the series perfectly.
Conclusion
Absolute Batman #23 is another amazing issue that pushes a thousand plots at breakneck speed, but without sacrificing the character beats that are necessary to make the emotional core of the series. Some readers may feel short-changed by how opaque the Scarecrow and Joker’s plans are, but it does not take much away from another epic chapter of the series.
Images are provided by DC Entertainment.