Absolute Batman has redefined the Gotham City mythos with stunning confidence since its debut, and issue #7 might be the most unsettling and thrilling entry yet. While the series has already made waves by recasting iconic villains like Riddler, Penguin, and Killer Croc as Bruce Wayne’s uneasy childhood allies, Absolute Batman #7 flips the script again — this time reimagining Matches Malone and delivering a body-horror take on Mister Freeze that fans won’t soon forget.
Written by Scott Snyder with hauntingly sharp art from Marcos Martín, colors by Muntsa Vicente, and lettering by Clayton Cowles, this issue dials up the tension following the explosive fallout of the “Black Mask incident.” Gotham’s construction has come to a standstill, and with it, Bruce Wayne’s cover as a city planner. But even sidelined, Bruce’s obsession with Ark-M — a sinister facility lurking at the heart of Gotham’s rot — drives him to search for answers.
That search leads to the introduction (and shocking exit) of Matches Malone, not Bruce’s usual undercover alias, but an actual childhood friend. In the Absolute Universe, Matches was tight with Bruce and his reimagined crew of Gotham rogues — Eddie, Ozzie, Waylon, and Harvey. Now, they’re all confused and suspicious, trying to connect the dots between Bruce, Batman, and Matches’ sudden disappearance.
Snyder’s script masterfully reveals that Matches is dead, killed gruesomely by a biological weapon while undercover inside Ark-M. And for longtime Batman fans, the cause of death will ring eerily familiar: the Clench. Last seen in the ‘90s Contagion arc, the Clench was a terrifying, Ebola-inspired virus — and its return here as a bioweapon suggests something deeply twisted is brewing within Ark-M’s walls.
Matches leaves behind a breadcrumb trail for Bruce — a phone with a list of scientists tied to the facility. Among them are familiar names with a new twist: Isley, Strange, Langstrom, and Victor Fries. What Bruce discovers in Fries’ lab is the kind of nightmare fuel that takes Absolute Batman to new heights of psychological and visual horror.
Instead of the familiar ice gun-wielding villain, Fries is reimagined as Victor Fries, Jr., a genetic oddity shaped by years of cryogenic exposure and experimentation. His “parents,” Victor and Nora, are frozen in tubes in his office, adding a morbid layer to his character. This isn’t just about grief or obsession — this is legacy horror. And what makes it even more chilling is that Fries Jr. seems to have absorbed something from his time in stasis: a mutation that transforms him into a grotesque, alien-like creature before Bruce’s eyes.
Martín’s artwork captures this transformation with eerie precision. There’s a slickness to the pages, a polished horror aesthetic that builds slowly, then pays off in a monstrous reveal. The shift from a clinical lab to full-on body horror feels seamless, with Vicente’s colors adding contrast — cool, sterile tones clash violently with the deep reds and sickly hues of transformation.
Snyder’s script benefits from restraint, letting the visuals do the heaviest lifting when it comes to scares. The mystery of Ark-M simmers in the background, but the personal stakes keep the narrative grounded. Bruce’s guilt over sending Matches into danger adds emotional weight, and the final pages suggest that Bruce — and Gotham — are nowhere near done suffering.
What Absolute Batman #7 does best is remind readers why this alternate universe exists: not just to remix the Bat-mythos, but to push it into truly uncharted territory. It’s not just about who becomes a villain or hero, but how Gotham itself evolves when its monsters are made stranger, sadder, and more horrifying.
As this issue ends on a tense cliffhanger, with Fries Jr. mid-mutation and Bruce barely processing the horror unfolding in front of him, it’s clear the creative team is only getting started. Absolute Batmancontinues to reinvent not just characters, but expectations — proving that even the darkest corners of Gotham still have room to grow colder, weirder, and far more dangerous.