ABSOLUTE BATMAN #20 continues this run’s hot streak, and I’ll be honest — I liked this one a lot. The standout here is Batman’s ongoing psychological chess match with The Scarecrow, which is as unnerving as anything we’ve seen in this series so far.
Could Scott Snyder have made the character of Jonathan Crane/The Scarecrow better?
The issue keeps you off balance: I still don’t know how much of what we’re seeing — including the supposed death of Jim Gordon — is actually happening or if it’s all part of Crane’s fear‑toxin mind games. That ambiguity is the hook, and it works.
The art team leans into the nightmare logic of Scarecrow’s influence, giving the whole issue a warped, dreamlike tension that fits perfectly with the story’s tone. When this book gets weird, it gets good.
As for the Robo‑Robins…I’m not sure what to make of them yet. Robin fans should be happy because the gang is all here. Granted, I’m not a big fan of Batman and kid/teen sidekicks, so there’s probably some built-in bias here. They’re interesting…? But I’m still waiting to see how (or if) they truly fit into the larger arc and if they become more than a “Let’s Get Batman!” mercenary squad. And, do they ultimately end up being on the side of the dude they are currently after? Could go either way, I suppose.
Bottom line: ABSOLUTE BATMAN #20 is another strong entry — atmospheric, unsettling, and full of the kind of psychological Batman storytelling I love. The Scarecrow material alone makes it worth the price of admission…or buying the comic. – Bill “Jett” Ramey