Absolute Batman #1 is facing final order cut-offs next Monday, and DC is turning to a tried and true social media campaign to create buzz. Piles and piles of buzz, lovely buzz.
When movies are screened for critics, there is usually a social media embargo, and at a certain hour you’ll see Twitter flooded with hot takes on whether this is “a total triumph for Marvel yet again!” or not. But usually leaning towards total triumph.
Absolute Batman #1 will kick off the long-awaited “alternative DC universe,” that lands in October, so it’s pretty important for the fate of DC Comics and the entire All In relaunch, or initiative or whatever you want to call it. And so….curiosity is also high.
Thus is it that DC sent out PDF of Absolute Batman #1 by Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta out to reviewers, retailers and an influencer or two.
And the hot takes are flooding in!
Now bear in mind, early movie reactions are usually 75% positive raves, even if the movie itself is questionable, because no one wants to be taken off the screening list and there is a certain excitement of early screenings. There will also be the 25% who pan the movie because they are fearless or just dranky haters. In my own hot takes on Twixxer you’ll often find I’m a bit lukewarm…but sometimes I’m legit blown away, too.
The fellowship of comics being one of positivity and support, all of these AbBat #1 hot takes are very positive! I doubt there is a working comics pro out there who would get a preview of Absolute Batman #1 from Scott Snyder and trash it on Twitter. It Just Isn’t Done. Better to say nothing and save your honest feelings for BarCon.
As it happens, these accolades may be well founded. I have also read Absolute Batman #1 and it is A Very Good Comic Book, so it’s not hard to find something praiseworthy about it. That’s all I’ll say for now. But let’s see what other folks are saying!
Dan Mora: I just read Absolute Batman #1, really freaking cool reimagining of the mitos, so cool that I had to do a character sketch of this new version.
final Order Cut-Off is this coming Monday Sept. 16. Don’t miss it!
Gail Simone: Hopefully you all know the deal, I don’t promote anything unless I genuinely like it.
So I got to read a preview copy of ABSOLUTE BATMAN #1 by @Ssnyder1835 and Nick Dragotta.
Here is the key element of my unbiased and carefully-considered review:
HOLY SHIT WHAT A COMIC.
Comic Book Couples Counseling: Just finished reading an advanced copy of ABSOLUTE BATMAN #1 from @Ssnyder1835 & Nick Dragotta. As anticipated, this comic rips. Dragotta’s designs are ridiculously exciting & only topped by his acting & action. This Batman is a BEAST. Recognizable, but NEW. Loved, loved, loved.
Valeria Favoccia: I had the pleasure to read ABSOLUTE BATMAN#1 thanks to @Ssnyder1835 and it looks incredibile!
Thought “that was unexpecting” since the first panels
and I loved the vibes,the tone,the visuals,kudos to the whole team! 
Don’t miss it,order from your local shop before THIS monday!
Jackson Lanzing: Just read ABSOLUTE BATMAN #1. @Ssnyder1835 and Dragotta simply do not miss on a single panel. Vital, pulse-pounding, imaginative comics that somehow turn Batman into a fully-realized working-class punk icon. I’m just floored. Pre-order this book so there are a million more.
Chris Condon: Just read an advanced copy of ABSOLUTE BATMAN by @Ssnyder1835, Nick Dragotta, Frank Martin & Clayton Cowles. A smart, cool, thrilling, and fun spin on the Bat-mythos as we haven’t seen it before. It’s new and different yet it’s perfectly Batman. Shades of TDKR. LOVED it.
Tom Taylor: Had a chance to read an advance copy of #AbsoluteBatman #1. @Ssnyder1835, Nick Dragotta and Frank Martin have created something ridiculously cool here. Don’t miss out.
Kyle Starks: I got a chance to read @DCOfficial @Ssnyder1835 ABSOLUTE BATMAN #1 (bc I am very special and important) and am reminding you all FOC is next Monday. A very interesting, surprising take with really wonderful art.
Christian Ward: This is perhaps @Ssnyder1835 best batman first issue which as a huge Court of Owls fan that’s saying a lot but reading #1 of Absolute made me giddy with bone crunching joy. It’s everything you want it to be and more.
Jamal Igle: Ladies and Gentlemen, I have read #AbsoluteBatman #1 and it is absolutely (pun intended) fantastic! @DCOfficial, @Ssnyder1835 and Nick Dragotta have managed to reimagine Batman in ways both original and sophisticated. Gotham breathes in a different way and this book is stellar!
Cliff Chiang: With this team I knew it would be good, but this delivers on every level. A bold and adventurous reinvention that also stays true to the character’s core. Batman AF indeed.
Jock: Been watching this issue gestate and the final thing is a joy… Scott’s put everything he’s got into this, and Nick’s art has never looked better. Kudos to the whole team! ABSOLUTE BATMAN, soon 
Dan Panosian: Thanks to @Ssnyder1835 – I was sent a Preview Copy of @DCOfficial ‘s Absolute Batman #1…When I was finished reading it I was already craving the next issue! There’s something very different about this book.
There you go! Fellow comics pros are standing up and cheering for ABSOLUTE BATMAN #1!
Since I can no longer embed tweets, you can’t see all the art that was included in these tweets but I think…..you might be able to read the entire issue by now? One thing everyone will say….Nick Dragotta is KILLING it on this book, along with art collaborators Frank Martin and Clayton Cowles.
Another thing I think the preview art shows very clearly: Dragotta has been looking at manga. I suspect there will be a lot of talk about that when everyone gets their hands on this book.
And of courses the variant covers have been rolling in! Here’s the one by Jock.
And you may have forgotten that there are OTHER titles in the Absolute line, including Absolute Wonder Woman by Kelly Thompson, Hayden Sherman and Jordie Bellaire. I’m really looking forward to this one! And here’s a variant cover by Dan Panosian.
So looking good Absolute! But looking forward to those longer reviews for sure,
Between the utter imbecility of the concept and the awfulness of the art (one assumes that Dragotta has vaguely heard of human anatomy without actually being exposed to it), this is a hard, hard pass for me.
But, it doesn’t really not matter. It’ll be as dead as the New 52 within three years.
I don’t understand people hating the expressionist art — I think it’s great.