It’s a big week starring the biggest character in comics, now quite literally. So, let’s look at my buys, recommendations, and curiosities from the week of comics, with this slate being led by a new version of a classic character.

Comic of the Week: Absolute Batman #1

There’s been a lot of hype for this comic, and for good reason. It’s the first foray into DC’s new Absolute Universe and it has an elite creative team in Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta. That hype has come with a lot of superlatives attached to it. Normally this is where I would temper your expectations. That will not happen this time. Absolute Batman #1 is an awesome comic book, one that feels like a completely new thing while still being a Batman comic at its heart. If you check your expectations at the door and give into the big boy at the heart of the story, you’ll have an absolute blast. This is a heck of a number one, and the type of thing that could — and should — reinvigorate any superhero readers who might be looking for something new, fresh, and, most of all, excellent.

Trade/Graphic Novel of the Week: Tegan and Sara Vol. 2: Crush

This pick comes down to a simple acronym: ABTW.

Always Buy Tillie Walden.

The cartoonist teams up once again with the twin musicians Tegan & Sara to tell their tale, and if you’re looking for great cartooning, you need go no further than right here. Walden’s tremendous, and nails everything she should nail and then some, no matter the project.