Kate Kane may have hit rock bottom in
BATWOMAN #3 emotionally.
BATWOMAN #4 shows that even though things are starting to look up for Kate personally and she’s starting to make progress on the Weeping Woman mystery, that Kate doesn’t have a clue of what’s in store for her.
Without Greg Rucka at the helm, there were some doubts about the writing on BATWOMAN. There shouldn’t be any more. J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman display a level of craft to their work that experienced writers rarely achieve. Take for instance the opening of the issue which runs parallel instances of Flamebird fighting criminals in Gotham while Kate and Maggie have sex. DC has been criticized extensively for some of the gratuitous sex and female characterization in the New 52, but the sex scene here is a model of how to do it right. Particularly because it doesn’t so much focus on the graphic detail of what’s going on, but on Kate Kane’s emotions in the scene. For many people that would be enough, be the Flamebird fight is also terrific, with J.H. Williams III using flames as panel borders, and climaxes in a brutal and unfortunate fashion.
At which point, Cameron Chase enters the picture. Chase is a creation of J.H. Williams III from a short lived series, but he certainly makes the case that there’s lots of untapped potential for the character. Probably the best part is that Williams is not afraid to present the character in an unflattering light. Chase is both effective and somewhat despicable this issue, which makes her a worthy antagonist for Batwoman. Especially since Batwoman has no reason to see the threat that Chase poses coming.
At this point, what’s there to say about the phenomenal art in BATWOMAN? It’s the best looking comic book out on a monthly basis. The page layouts are terrific. And, it doesn’t sacrifice storytelling for showiness. This is going to be an example that people point to for years and is going to be a hardcover worth putting on any shelf.
Mr. Bones puts it very well on the last page. There’s no way I’m missing what comes next. BATWOMAN is a terrific book at this point, right up with the best of what DC is putting out. And, if anything, it’s a better book now than the first issue suggests as the story is gathering steam and the threats appear overwhelming. If BATWOMAN isn’t on your pull list, it should be.
SYNOPSIS: Blood drenches the back alleys of Gotham City in Part four of "Hydrology" – and Batwoman's life begins to burn!
