Comics read this month:
Batman (2025) #1-6
DC Pride: Tim Drake Special
Absolute Flash #1-4
Spoilers for those issues ahead!
Batman (2025) #1-6
Outside of the Absolute universe, this is my first Batman run! I started reading comics in December of 2025, so it’s been great getting to dive deeper into DC’s characters outside of the animated movies and shows. I have not seen anything with Tim Drake yet, outside of his small appearance in the Young Justice TV show, so this is a great intro to his character for me. I was sad to see him step away from the Robin role so early on in the series.
It’s interesting to see from the reader's perspective Damian being compared to Tim's portrayal of a more confident and successful Robin. We see Damian’s appearance as Robin lead with him making a massive mistake in outing his identity. I wonder what the fallout of this will be. Bruce's anger at Damian is reminiscent of past Robins having a fallout with Bruce. We can potentially have both our Robins leave the role since Damien has the acceptance letter for higher education. Will Tim come back due to issues with Damian or will Damian rise up and meet expectations set by Bruce.
The first few issues did an amazing job of showcasing Tim’s abilities. He’s taking care of Bruce and holding his own in a major fight. Tim and Bernard's relationship is also so cute to see. Bernard being so protective of him when he suspects Bruce of having something to do with Tim’s continuous injuries is a great look into Bernard’s character. Tim’s decision to leave in part by having to be so secretive of his heroism as it affects his relationship is a very interesting plot point. I’m excited to see this play out, if his relationship will last or break up from the issues. The brotherly bond between Tim and Damian is intriguing to see as Tim leaves and Damian is very upset.
As for Bruce, we start out with heavy cynicism from him. As I'm vaguely familiar with, he is more of a brooding character in general, but I was surprised to see this portrayal of him. It’s a great contrast to how warm and caring Bruce is outside of being Batman. His parental relationships with Tim and Damian, though as stated above, is a bit strained on Damian's side, is really heartwarming. His flirtation with Dr. Anika Zeller was unexpected for me. With him having much more pre-established love interests that are fan favorites like Catwoman. Though the flirtation could just be Bruce putting on his alter ego he’s known to use to charm people. He wants to know more about Dr. Zeller’s technology and how it’s truly being utilized. Speaking of technology, the tech heavy additions to his gear is really interesting. It’s all so creative and innovative. I wonder how this theme will play out in the series.
This series tackling the issues of police brutality and mental health treatment is fantastic to read about. Matt Fraction’s take on humanity and sympathy for villains is very interesting; I can’t wait to see more of that. We already see those themes challenging the cynicism of Batman as previously established. The use of a combination of therapy and the new technological device for the mental health treatment of the villains is such a compelling plot point. We get hints that it may work and are seeing surprising results, but I feel this is a false assumption. The Riddler and Killer Croc seemed to still be suffering from their issues, could it be the treatment is actually not working? I think the story will lead in that direction.
I don’t fully trust Dr. Anika Zeller both as a doctor and as a new potential love interest for Bruce. It’s definitely concerning that she’s so close to the Joker at the end of issue six. Some of the other side characters we’ve seen so far do a great job of making the city feel alive, that things are going on even without the hero’s direct involvement. I wonder if we are seeing Huston Gray being set up to be a new Robin or at least working with the Bat Family in some capacity in the future. A new villain rising up is intriguing. The Minotaur taking on the top crime lords of Gotham is a great showcase of this being the big threat, along with Vandal Savage as police commissioner.
Matt Fraction stated in an interview on DC.com’s blog that the issues for this run will be mostly standalone stories and self-contained. I like the pacing of that as a new reader. It helps to not feel too overwhelmed heading into a potentially long series. Yet the story also has great set ups for future storylines. Fraction’s story has good pacing and his writing is quick and clever yet emotional. I’m excited to read more by him in the future!
Of course, we have to talk about Jorge Jimenez fantastic art and Tomeo Morey’s amazing use of color. I like the more retro feel of the color scheme for Batman’s suit, especially compared to live action movies and other media we have seen in recent decades, which are darker and trying to convey an edgy seriousness. Jimenez’s character acting and dynamic choreography is such a joy to see. I find myself going back and studying the panels after reading the page to really take in all his details.
DC Pride: Tim Drake Special
Clearly, it's Tim Drake month. I actually started this in February, what better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than with Tim and Bernard! I think they are such a cute couple, and I can't wait to see more of them in future comics. I absolutely love the art from Belén Ortega. She's one of my favorite artists at the moment. I really need to search for more of her work and dive into her style more! I did think that her character style looks a little young. I thought the characters were still in their late teens and not into their 20's.
In the first story of the book, I felt it was too brooding. Tim's anxiety about facing his truth about being bisexual along with his unease about his direction in life was at times overbearing. Most of his lines were in this nature so it was really hammered home how he was feeling. I felt bad for him, which was the intent, but it got a bit much by the end. During the dinner scene, I didn't pick up right away that he was nervous because he had a crush on Bernard that he was trying to work out his feelings over. But overall, I love that he had his self-discovery and chose to go see Bernard and pursue a relationship.
The second story had some great moments. I loved it when Kon held Tim's hand, a bit of fan service for the TimKon shippers. I think they'd be a great match, let's have two LGBT+ superboys. His other major relationship in this comic was with Spoiler (Stephanie Brown). I didn't like how the confrontation with her was handled. I haven't read comics yet of their relationship, so this was my only introduction to their dynamic. But it was annoying how Tim completely shut down any conversation she tried to have with him. It seemed cruel how he froze her out and wouldn't have a proper conversation unless it was on his terms. It was nice though that they were able to repair their friendship and that she had a warm reaction to meeting Bernard. Let me know in the comments how y'all felt about their makeup and the repair of their friendship.
I love that DC does these pride specials every year. It’s so important to see the LGBT+ community be showcased and represented. I will definitely be reading more!
Absolute Flash #1-4
The art for this series by Nick Robles and color by Adriano Lucas is phenomenal! The pencils and color go together so well. Each panel is so captivating. The way the artists create the lighting effects is stunning. In the 4th issue where Wally is talking with Linda at the shelter, the color shading effect that creates the stained glass is beautiful. And creates this whimsical dream-like atmosphere for the characters' conversation. Which is a great contrast to the heavy use of warm and bold colors we've seen in the desert scenes and in the design of what the speed force looks like. I can't wait to see what the artists have in store for the rest of the series!
Wally's character design is so cool. This whole book feels both retro and modern, it’s a great mix. The USA southwest desert sci-fi vibes are my favorite. I'm from Arizona so this felt like looking at my home. The sci-fi and alien design themes are very reminiscent of the southwest; there are areas of my state that are considered very metaphysical and you'll hear tales from folks about UFO sightings. In my trips to California, I saw a big Alien fanbase there too. And of course, the military base is very reminiscent of tales of Area 51. The science fiction element helped the story feel very suspenseful and horror-like. The first book is full of foreshadowing that something is off, that sets the stage for what is to come later. It both captivated me and made me feel uneasy with anticipation. The time jumps from present day to past and even future keep you on the edge and inspire you to turn the page to find out what happens next.
The character acting is phenomenal. For a setting that is so steeped in fantasy/sci-fi the characters feel grounded in reality. Wally is an amazing depiction of what it is actually like being a teenager. And while his circumstances are extreme, he is very relatable through the family dynamics and other issues that he faces. We can feel Wally’s internal struggle with the trauma of the new and old deaths he's been affected by. And the fear of his new terrifying powers. Being so young and dealing with issues alone is heart breaking to see. From the first scene with him I was rooting for our young hero.
The death of Barry in the first book was a shock. A big price to pay for the Absolute Universe that robs all its characters of something that matters to them. The expectation was set up for him to be in a mentor role, as the audience is well familiar with, having him ripped away with his body decaying and dragging behind Wally was morbidly fascinating. Seeing these new versions of the Flashes rogues is really interesting. The bond he made with Grodd was surprising and heartwarming.
The introduction of Linda Park was great; I love that she's confident and playful. Having them meet at the youth shelter was a nice way for them to connect on common ground and share similar circumstances in their positions in life. After bonding with Grodd and deciding to come to Iron Heights we see Wally has stopped running and found a place to settle and make connections he's been craving from isolation. He's finding a path forward from all the pain that has been dealt his way.
Iron Heights being once a prison for metahumans is now in this universe a seemingly normal neighborhood. It's a nice reprieve from the chaos of the military base and subsequent chase that followed through the desert. Though as the end of issue four shows there is still trouble to come with whatever is lurking in the sewers!
This series is a 10/10 for me so far. I can’t wait to dive into more issues in the future.
That's the recap for now! Stay tuned to see what I read next!
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