Batwoman 1 :: Leaching

Written by: J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman

Art by: J. H. Williams III


Cover Art by J.H. Williams III

After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, Batwoman finally debuts in her solo series with "Hydrology", and it did not disappoint. From the very beginning we get to see the horror theme of the book, just like its creators had promised, and they did a fantastic job putting it all together.

There is lots of Batwoman in it, lots of Kate Kane and her personal relationships with Det. Sawyer, her father Col. Kane, and her cousin Bette.  Speaking of Bette, I am glad she got a lot of attention in this first issue, but I felt Kate was being a little too harsh on her, which did not seem fair to me, seeing how Flamebird has proven herself a hero; nonetheless it was great knowing she has not been forgotten.

The Weeping Woman is Batwoman's first villain in this series, and her premise is one I am familiar with, since in my country we have also heard the story of La Llorona. Williams' pencils are a perfect match for the horror theme of this book, yet, in the Kate and the non-Batwoman sequences, it is as if a completely different artist was in art duty, which just goes to prove how talented he is.

Lots of double spreads, which I usually don't like; they make me feel robbed; however, I think I will give the creators a break here as their pages are full of dialog, flashbacks, and small panels, so it's not a waste of space as I have seen in other books.

The inaugural issue of Batwoman is a definitive must, for those who appreciate fine art, suspense stories, character development, and redheads. It is all sold out in my LCS, so maybe a second printing is possible. Pick up a copy if you haven't read it yet, and let me know how much you liked it as well.