Posted September 15, 2011 by Norby Ela in Comics

COMIC BOOK REVIEW: Batwoman #1

In my past reviews, I’ve mentioned many times in my DC-52 reviews that I’m not really a DC reader. Many of my friends have mentioned to me about an awesome artist that DC has. So awesome that one day one of my friends let me read a copy of an issue of Detective Comics, written by Greg Rucka and drawn by J.H. Williams III. When I first flipped through a couple of pages, I was entirely in an awe. The artwork was gorgeous. Complimenting the through a well-known noirish story by Greg Rucka was this deviant art. I told myself, I’ll wait for the hardcover. When the collected version got released, it was so hard to find one. Because everybody were getting all copies. In the end, I ended up none in my hands.

I first heard of rumors of an ongoing Batwoman series. But DC Comics delayed it with unknown reasons. The New 52 campaign has launched and after reading Batwoman #1. Let me tell you, it is worth the wait.

Batwoman is also another dark cowled hero in Gotham City. With all the change of the new DC universe, other than some minimal minor character changes, Batwoman seems to be the same. In this first issue, we get to introduce to a new ghoulish villain, the Weeping Woman, that just makes s^&t your pants. Both played it with their strengths. Art-wise that is.They drove the narration through dynamic storytelling and victorious execution. They played around with Kate Kane’s past: her former relationship with Renee Montoya, her new romantic partner and her going-to-the-crapper relationship with her dad. Sounds bad for her, but awesome for us. The cliffhanger was good, it raised my eyebrows and made me grin.

Have I mentioned that their colorist is Dave Stewart? Just richly magnificent.

I read the issue three times. First run was to just look and read throught the art. Second run is to read the story. And last, I did it just to salivate and slober through the splendid art.

Overall, J.H. Williams III (with a little help of W. Haden Blackman) did an excellent job in making good first issue. Definitely, I’ll double-dip this series.

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