After a haunting detour into the icy terror of Mr. Freeze, Absolute Batman #9 returns to its central story, Batman’s desperate search for Waylon Jones, aka Killer Croc, who’s been abducted and possibly subjected to horrors inside the twisted asylum/laboratory known as Ark M. But just as Bruce Wayne starts to make headway, a new force of destruction emerges: a grotesquely massive, terrifyingly cerebral reimagining of Bane.
“The Monster Inside the Monster” is a thunderous new chapter that flips the whole series on its head. We’re dropped back into Gotham’s warped new world as Bruce wages a one-man war through Ark M, pulverizing thugs and ripping through shadows to find his missing friend. But that’s just the surface. In this issue, Snyder and Dragotta pull the curtain back on Absolute Bane, a monstrous, bone-breaking, philosophizing wrecking ball of a villain who doesn’t just beat Batman physically but dismantles him methodically. The moment he enters the page, the tone shifts. It’s not just Batman versus another muscle-bound psycho. This is war. And it’s personal.
Bane doesn’t announce his arrival with a monologue; he stomps through a reinforced door without touching it and kills a man while quoting ancient Akkadian kings. His design? Imagine if a nightmare hit the gym and studied post-colonial geopolitics. And while Batman’s infiltration into Ark M plays out like a horror-action hybrid, the real fear creeps in when it becomes clear Bruce is punching shadows while a much bigger storm is coming.
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This issue is a jolt to the chest, and I mean that in the best way. Reading Absolute Batman #9 is like riding a rollercoaster built entirely out of muscle and menace. As soon as Bane hits the scene, it’s like the entire book flexes. He’s not just large, he’s absurdly huge, to the point where even Batman, who’s drawn like a walking tank, looks like a street-level vigilante caught in a kaiju movie. But Dragotta doesn’t just draw Bane big; he draws him with weight. The angles, the forced perspectives, the way panels bend around him scream, “You don’t win this fight.”
And yet, Snyder smartly avoids falling into the “meathead villain” trap. This Bane is reflective, surgical, and chillingly composed. He plays with Batman during their brawl, critiques his form, and even seems bored by the scuffle. Which, let’s be honest, makes him more terrifying. He’s the full package: philosopher, war dog, destroyer.
On the Batman side, this isn’t just fists and fury. There’s real tension as Bruce begins to crack physically and emotionally. The guy’s in freefall, clawing for Waylon while holding back the looming dread of failure. Alfred, Barbara, and others are pulling tighter into the circle, offering tactical support and some actual human moments that ground the book amidst the chaos. A flashback to a young Bruce hyping up Waylon before a fight? It’s touching and smartly placed, a reminder of what’s really at stake.
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Pros? Dragotta’s art is off the charts. Bane is horrifying in the best way. Snyder continues weaving social critique into superhero spectacle, corruption, war profiteering, trauma, it’s all there, wrapped in the black cape of a Batman story that’s still uniquely Absolute. The only real “con” here might be that the pace is so relentless, it almost feels like a season finale instead of an issue nine. It’s a lot, which might throw off readers looking for a breather. But if you’re on board for the ride, this is premium-grade storytelling.
Bane isn’t just a new boss battle; he’s a thematic earthquake, shaking the foundation Snyder has been slowly laying down. Absolute Batman #9 is where things stop simmering and start boiling.
‘Absolute Batman’ #9 Review: The Monster, the Myth, the Bane
Batman throws hands, Bane throws philosophy, and whole buildings. If this is the shape of things to come, Absolute Batman might end up being one of the most iconic Batman runs of the decade.
