Written by J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman
Illustrated by J.H. Williams III“Hydrology,” the first arc of the critically acclaimed new BATWOMAN series, reaches its powerful conclusion! After the horrors Batwoman has faced, she has a final showdown with The Weeping Woman — a specter with the power to dredge up Kate’s deepest pain. Can she finally forgive herself so she can dispel this evil? And how will she respond when Chase and the DEO tighten their grip, forcing Kate to make an impossible decision?
When I was in college, I worked with a girl – let’s call her Sally. People always talked down to Sally because she was downright gorgeous, and so they assumed that she was dumb. Except she was insanely smart. When people would find this out, they would be almost bummed out – “it’s not fair that she gets to be both beautiful and smart!” Of course, this is ridiculous and stupid, but I don’t think this was an occurrence common only in Pittsburgh in 2002-2003. I think many times, people have a hard time coming to terms with beautiful things that are also smart.
Which is why I am so blown away by the positive response that Batwoman has been getting, both from critics and from fans. The book was #26 in sales in December, which may not sound all that impressive from the get go, but let’s look a little deeper. Only Wonder Woman and Batgirl (16 and 23, respectively) charted higher of the female-lead books released. And, it is the only book in the top 30 that isn’t an established seller or a relaunch of a book that was already being published.
And yet, even in my own mind, I tend to this of this book as an art-first, story-second type of book. I’d be lying if I said that I bought the book for the plotting, but I think I’ve been underselling what a great job JH Williams was doing on both ends of the book, and not just on the art side. But even with all of that praise I just heaped onto the creative team, this is not one of the books that I put at the top of my read pile.
So, as the first arc draws to a close, where is the book going? Why am I lukewarm on a book that, when looked at objectively, is really good? Click the jump for more.
This week, I purchased 8 books on my trip to the wonderful Zapp Comics, and Batwoman was the sixth book I read when I got home. I read it, enjoyed it, and moved on without giving it too much of a second thought until sitting down to read it a few more times so I could write this review. Of the 8 comics i bought, this is clearly the most beautiful one purchased. Williams uses the double-page spread in absolutely stunning ways, and makes the physical reading of the comic as unique of an experience as it can be.
This issue is the final showdown between Kate Kane and The Weeping Woman, and Williams uses his layouts to keep the idea of flowing water present throughout the proceedings. Until, suddenly upon her exit, the layouts get very precise and mechanical. It is this type of tonal shifts in storytelling that make this book so effective, and it is something that may go unnoticed if not focused upon.
In terms of story, this issue places a line in the sand between Batwoman and the other Bat-books, as Kane declines the invitation to join Batman, Inc to instead join the D.E.O. – the Department of Extranormal Operations – headed up by the chain smoking, skull headed Director Bones. The D.E.O. is one of the seemingly endless para-governmental agencies in the DCU, along with S.H.A.D.E., Checkmate, Cadmus, N.O.W.H.E.R.E., T.H.U.N.D.E.R, etc. However, this one is dangerously close to one of the greatest fictional organizations of all time: the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Development. The B.P.R.D. is basically the D.E.O. in the Mignolaverse, and frankly, it does it much better (and did it first). That isn’t to say that there could be some fun to be had from Batwoman being part of the D.E.O., and it diversifies the Bat-line a little bit going forward.
Continued belowSomething this arc didn’t do is wrap up nicely – yes, the Weeping Woman was dispatched with, but the missing kids are still out there, and Kane is determined to find them. I don’t know how I feel about this – in one way, I llike the idea that arcs aren’t self contained stories, but have some bleed on either side, and so a series feels like a journey, and not a series of small trips. On the other hand, wrapping up this thread may have been the wisest thing to do in terms of launching into the next arc, unless the next arc is simply part two of this story. I guess we won’t know that until next month at the earliest.
So, let me restate my earlier question: why don’t I love this book more than I do?
I thoroughly enjoy Batwoman. I am eagerly anticipating Amy Reeder’s work in the next arc. I am thrilled that there is a popular, female centric, gay friendly book in DC’s publishing spate. I think that some of the most beautiful, stylized comics being published are Batwoman comics.
Is that enough? Am I expecting too much from a book that, ultimately, delivers all it promises? Probably, but I can’t escape the idea that one day I will be as enamored with this book as I should be. Let’s hope I’m right but, until then, continue to read.
Final Verdict: 7.7 – Buy
