This issue was another treasure acquired at the DC booth for no lucre. To be honest, I hungrily snatched it up and stuffed it in my bag for the simple reason that it was free. Batwoman normally wouldn't interest me in the slightest. But this issue came out of left field and blindsided me with its unique paneling, its vibrant colors, and its promise of violence. As I finished the last page, I was shocked that I wanted more. "How did this happen to me?" Well, let me try to explain....
First of all, the art is crisp and grabbing. Whenever Batwoman takes to the night in uniform, flying along alleyways perched upon her motorcycle, the color pallet is restricted to black, gray, red, and white only. This simple technique brought a uniqueness and class to the comic that I never thought possible. Second, the story was vague enough to keep me turning pages. It spoke of "covens" of crime, and a "dark mistress" that rules over them all. Batman makes an appearance, and offers advice like he's a bada**. The tale recounts capture, torture, and a near fatal stab through Batwoman's heart. And near the end, the dark mistress appears almost as a porcelain doll and introduces herself as Alice. This comic is well paced, well drawn, and perfectly crafted to leave you wanting more. This is what a comic book should be.
On the other side, not all is perfect with this tale. Batwoman is a lesbian, and while in costume she looks enchantingly beautiful and harshly violent, but once the facade is shed she looks a little too butch. I realized that when she was going through her day as her alter ego, I was bored and uninterested. Then, I brought the comic to one of my friends (the most devout Batman follower I know) and I asked him what he thought of it. He told me, "It looks cool, but in a couple issues it starts to suck. They introduce a bunch of 'were-beasts' and it gets really lame. I stopped following it." So, on his advice, I might let this be the anomaly that it is, and not pick up any more issues.
Chad de Lisle is a newly married college student in Utah. He spends much of his day with his wife Hilary and their dog Bobby Dylan. He spends his weekends as a Dungeon Master for his friend's Dungeon's and Dragon's games.
His website:
http://www.resmirch.com/
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