Batwoman 17 :: World's Finest VI

Writers: J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman

Artist: J.H. Williams III

She swore she would bring them home... that she would soldier on, and the time has come at last for Batwoman to honor that promise in the final chapter of "World's Finest." The past year and a half worth of stories, sorrows, and losses, comes down to a colossal conclusion where there is nothing but the good guys -girls actually- finally reaping the much deserved reward of their sacrifice and brave acts of heroism.

Batwoman and Wonder Woman cementing their camaraderie, Bette rising above her fears, Chase getting schooled on heroics, and the history-making development for Maggie Sawyer, make of this issue the best one in the series to date. J.H. Williams III and Dave Stewart kill it with their art; every single panel teems with details and color. Staying in the fringes of the bat-verse has paid off for this title, because it's been able to grow and evolve without depending at every turn on whatever is happening to Batman and company. Then there is that last couple of pages... holy mother of crap!

Hawkfire and Wonder Woman by J.H. Williams III and Dave Stewart

Ame-Comi Girls #24

Writers: Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray

Artist: Steven Cummings

Queen Mera of Atlantis makes her first appearance in Ame-Comi continuity. The issue successfully builds another corner of this alternate universe by establishing the current state of affairs between the surface world and the underwater kingdom, as well as defining the role Mera plays as a daughter of both. Little details like turning Seattle into "Little Atlantis" make of the story a fun discovery ride, just like the fight that later ensues between the Queen and the mysterious Black Manta.

Palmiotti and Gray write an exciting confrontation that is not only entertaining, but also revealing, as dark secrets of the Royal family of Atlantis come out in the open. Despite the limitations of this series' format, this self-contained adventure is rich and eventful. Steven Cummings and Randy Mayor capture the beauty of the Mera PVC figure that inspired this tale. Enough ends are let loose to revisit these characters in future issues of this digital title.

Mera vs. Black Manta by Steven Cummings and Randy Mayor

Batgirl 17 :: Endure the Flame

Writer: Ray Fawkes

Artist: Daniel Sampere

Given the hard task of dealing with the aftermath of Joker's attack, and moving forward James Gordon Junior's rampage on his own family, writer Ray Fawkes takes the helm for a couple of issues during Gail Simone's forced non-vacation from the title. The most significant change in this temporary hand-off is observed in the narrative, which instead of coming from Batgirl's inner monologue, originates from a third party; an almost jolting transition.

Part of the clean up process after the business with Joker, is capturing his gang members, and for Batgirl, this is not just a matter of catching them, she wants the GCPD to be seen by the public doing it, not only because it's important for the citizens to believe in the authorities, but also because it's cathartic to the cops who lost so many of their peers. This is a nice element of the story, and so is the intriguing choice of villain. Obscure bat-rogue Firebug (not Firefly) debuts in The New 52. Back in the day he was a soldier gone nuts; here, he might be a GCPD cop seeking revenge, but that remains to be seen. Not a bad issue, but Simone needs to return.

Batgirl by Daniel Sampere, Vicente Cifuentes, and Blond

Batwoman 16 :: Serpent's Homeland

Writers: J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman

Artist: J.H. Williams III

Batwoman and Wonder Woman descend on Gotham like guardian angels to stop the chaos unleashed by Medusa and her forces. "Serpent's Homeland" is an all-battle story, full of all the good stuff everyone loves to see in a superhero book. Everyone gets a moment to shine amidst the war and destruction taking place. Batwoman's blinding rage, Diana's fight with the Hydra, Cameron Chase's ominous promise, and even the unexpected roles Director Bones and La Llorona play in the drama, are all continuous beats that build on each other to up the ante.

A favorite moment, however, is the timely return of a familiar face that -as cliché as it sounds- rises from the ashes for a last-minute rescue; what is even more exciting about it, is that it is still up in the air whether this is a triumphant comeback or the meanest defeat ever. Medusa's rant about the mother of all monsters is the only part of the story that was probably unnecessary, but is by no means detrimental to the plot; if anything, is informative. Fantastic issue!

Art by J.H. Williams III and Dave Stewart

Batgirl 16 :: Ceremony

Writer: Gail Simone

Artists: Ed Benes and Daniel Sampere

For the first time since the New 52 started, we get a glimpse of Barbara's life during the three years she was paralyzed  and while it is understandable that she went to a dark place soon after her injury, the real kicker of the story is that she actually never left it, even after her recovery. The way Simone teases readers with that typical moment when the hero's values kick in at the last second -but surprises everyone by actually not making it happen- is proof of her talent.

This move does not turn Barbara into an evil woman, or makes her seem out of character; it actually shows how human she is, flaws and all. Ed Benes and Daniel Sampere do a nice job with consistent artwork that Ulises Arreola makes even more seamless with his colors. The only objection with the story has more to do with the crossover itself than anything else; having Joker everywhere, attacking Batman and his allies all at the same time makes "Death of the Family" look like a poor remake of "Night of the Owls."

Batgirl by Ed Benes & Ulises Arreola

Batwoman 13 :: Stygian Descent

Writers: J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman

Artist: J.H. Williams III

Alright, pay attention and take copious notes, because class is in session, and J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman are going to tell you how it's done. "Stygian Descent" is a sensorial experience unlike any other you have lived before while reading a comic book. Batwoman and Wonder Woman search for Medusa in a tartarean prison, but instead they find themselves in the tendrils of the goddess Nyx.

The interpretation of darkness in this issue is dantesque: the lack of sight is compensated with an overwhelming description of sounds, smells, and textures that are worth a thousand light bulbs; it is indeed terrifying. Batwoman's reaction to Diana is almost funny; like a roadie who is in front of the rock star for the first time, and the amazon herself has never felt so divine before. Meanwhile, contrasting the tone of the story, a Phoenix slowly rises from the ashes, and little by little her brightness intensifies. This, dear reader, is how comic books are made.

Art by J.H. Williams III and Dave Stewart

Batgirl 13 :: A Blade of Memory

Writer: Gail Simone

Artist: Ed Benes

A bloody mess. That's how Batgirl is left after being stabbed in the abdomen by her new nemesis, Knightfall. Charise's role in the death of the Carnes family is revealed, but regardless of her involvement in that crime, her actions after that are what show how damaged she truly is. Meanwhile, Batgirl, running on fumes, proves she is a hero through and through; she is there to help the defenseless, despite their past sins; this belief system of hers will soon be put to the test.

Even though the clash with Knightfall is cut short, Gail Simone provides a pretty scary view of the many dangers Batgirl has surrounded herself with; the past year has been all about building a world for her to play in, but now that game is about to get deadly. Even if she makes it out unscathed from the Joker's attack on the bat-family, there are terrible menaces waiting for her on the other side. Beautiful art by Ed Benes, and a pretty cool die-cut cover; this issue's got it all.

Batgirl by Ed Benes and Ulises Arreola

Birds of Prey 0 :: First Flight

Art by Romano Molenaar

Inks by Vicente Cifuentes

Colors by Chris Sotomayor

Despite the pretty art by Romano Molenaar, this is not a good issue. According to Batgirl #0, Barbara became Batgirl four years ago and her stint lasted for one year before she quit. Three years ago she got shot by The Joker, and apparently less than one year ago she regained the ability to walk. She JUST became Batgirl again, then how the heck did this first encounter with Black Canary and Sterling take place one year ago?

Furthermore, Birds of Prey #1, also written by Swierczynki, establishes that Barbara and Dinah had been friends BEFORE Barbara was paralyzed:

"Good to see you Barbara. Living, breathing and walking"

"Its good to see you and Batgirl back in action"

I can see continuity getting confusing and tangled after 10 years, but not a mere 12 months into the relaunch. This is very disappointing and frustrating. Canary and Batgirl should have met during Babs first year as a heroine (four years ago).

Batwoman 0 :: Interlude

Writers: J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman

Artist: J.H. Williams III

Batwoman receives her first zero issue back in 2010, and even though it happens before DC's relaunch, it is intended to be connected to the New 52 continuity. Now Batwoman gets a second zero issue, and this "Interlude" fills some gaps of the story originally told in "Elegy." From the years following the death of her mother and sister, to the months after being forced to leave West Point, to the days when she hit rock bottom and her fateful encounter with Batman, new aspects of Kate's story are explored as told from her own point of view.

None of the zero issues published thus far has been this personal, this deep; it welcomes new readers with Batwoman's origin, and pleases old followers with a walk down memory lane when presented with that life-changing scene in the airplane with Alice, plus the additional benefit of further details of Kate's years prior to donning the cape. An impeccably written and illustrated issue that makes it worth having to wait one more month until the current "World's Finest" arc resumes.

Batwoman's new and old #0 issues

Batgirl 0 :: A Fire in the Heavens

Writer: Gail Simone

Artist: Ed Benes

Behind are the days when librarian Barbara Gordon attended a masquerade party disguised as a Batgirl and ended up saving millionaire Bruce Wayne from Killer Moth. Gail Simone imagines a totally new origin for the dominoed daredoll in A Fire in the Heavens; one that is somewhat darker and definitely less festive than The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl. What doesn't change in this new origin story is the spark, the sense of justice, and the asskickery qualities that have always identified Barbara.

Artist Ed Benes joins the title with beautiful renditions of Batgirl when she first appeared in Gotham four years ago, and a brand new design for the character during those early days. Simone takes advantage of the situation to put some skeletons in young Batgirl's closet as plot devices for future storylines, and reconciles the new with the old bringing Barbara's first stint as Gotham's heroine to a close with the sick events of The Killing Joke. From beginning to end, the issue is an amazing read!

Batgirl by Ed Benes

Aquaman 12 :: The Others VI

Writer: Geoff Johns

Artist: Ivan Reis

The penultimate chapter of The Others begins with a redemption of sorts. Anyone who may have felt unfulfilled with the Mera solo story in issue #6, will find Johns and Reis splurging on the redhead in the first stunning pages almost arbitrarily; but this is not a complaint, it is a welcome use of page space that showcases some of her abilities and beauty.

Thanks to her hydrokinesis, Mera is much faster than Aquaman

The rest of the chapter takes place in the tomb of the first king of Atlantis, where Manta finds the seventh relic, and the past year worth of stories coalesce. Several emotional moments prove -especially to his allies- that Aquaman is not a heartless man, while the well coordinated action scenes are superbly executed to give each of the characters an opportunity to shine. Despite some inking mishaps in the middle of the book, this is a fantastic issue!

Batwoman 12 :: Bloodtides

Writers: J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman

Artist: J.H. Williams III

Batwoman keeps her promise to soldier on and continues searching for the missing children from the barrio. In Bloodtides, her search takes her to a twisted house of mirrors, where she and werebeast ally Abbot find Bloody Mary, one of the creatures of myth. J.H. Williams III makes his triumphant return as artist to tell Mary's origin, show Kate winning a few and losing a few, and illustrate the initial stages of Flamebird's rise.

At the same time these stories are told, Wonder Woman fights a handful of Medusa's minions; the narrative is completely different in these sequences, using a poetic approach in the writing, and extremely intricate details in the art, her portion of the issue is almost a completely different book, but beautiful nonetheless. This first chapter of World's Finest has set the bar really high!

Batgirl 12 :: Every Time I Fail

Writer: Gail Simone

Artist: Ardian Syaf

The first year of Batgirl ends on a high note when the dominoed daredoll meets Batwoman for the first time ever. This one is huge; two years ago the team-up would have been unthinkable, only a dream; now it is a sweet reality. The inner monologue was perfectly used, and Batgirl's assessment of Batwoman during their fight quickly establishes differences between one and the other, and clarifies to anyone who doubts it: they are not redundant.

Lots of stuff in this issue: The Disgraced gain some depth, the revelation of Knightfall's associate comes as a surprise that was right in front of everyone the whole time; the connection was obvious, and Jim Gordon's anguish is but a sign of the disturbing times coming ahead. Ardian Syaf simply excels, starting with the amazing spread that renders homage to J.H. Williams III's style in Batwoman. A classic issue.

Batgirl and Batwoman by Ardian Syaf

Batwoman 11 :: To Drown the World VI

Writers: J.H. Williams III & W. Haden Blackman

Artists: Trevor McCarthy & Pere Perez

Maro -His plan to Drown the World finally comes to fruition in the last chapter of this saga. Jacob Kane -Provides the most emotional and heartfelt moment of the entire issue. Maggie Sawyer -With her secret finally revealed, the character gains more depth. Cameron Chase -Learns that she was not as much in control as she wanted to believe. Kate Kane -For once, she wins. Batwoman -Continues on a losing streak. 

Trevor McCarthy -More comfortable with the artistic style of the title and developing his own approach to enhance it. Williams III and Haden Blackman -Successfully wove a massive story with a large cast, and a complex and innovative form of narrative. Me -A bit bummed that the arc did not have a happy resolution, but it is not the end of the overall story; also wanting to see more of the creatures of myth, the Mother, and Bette. Next month: Wonder Woman guest stars and Williams III is back in art duty!

Ame-Comi Batgirl Review

Writers: Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray

Artist: Sanford Greene

Inspired by the successful line of action figures, Batgirl is the second mini leading to the ongoing Ame-Comi Girls title. In this alternate reality, Barbara Gordon and her cousin Carrie defend the streets of Gotham as Batgirl and Robin from villainesses like Catwoman, Poison Ivy, Harley Queen, and Duela Dent, the Joker's Daughter. Duela and her associates bridge the Wonder Woman mini to this one, and magnify the scope of the story to a major conspiracy.

Palmiotti and Grey introduce many interesting elements to the plot, like the choice of sidekick for Batgirl; she and Robin remind me of Electrawoman and Dynagirl from The Krofft Supershow fame; that, along with the twists for Jim Gordon and another heroine who joins in, are examples of fun findings one comes across during the read. Sanford Greene's rough pencils are almost a complete opposite of Amanda Conner's smooth finishes, which makes for a somewhat brusque transition.

Also, as opposed to Wonder Woman, Batgirl is not a self-contained adventure, but only the first half of a larger story that continues with Duela Dent's mini; still an entertaining three-issue series.

Batgirl by Sanford Greene

Batgirl 11 :: Heart of Cold Steel

Writer: Gail Simone

Artist: Ardian Syaf

Batgirl comes face to face with Knightfall for the first time. This is the issue that shows how much Babara has evolved since retaking the mantle. During the first months of The New 52 she was insecure, guilt-ridden, and even self-loathing; now she is confident and more comfortable in her own boots; one thing that has not changed is her spark, her compassion, and the fact that she has no problem admitting she makes mistakes, all of which allow for great characterization.

Detective McKenna returns in a big way adding more complexity to Knightfall and her story, while the James Gordon Jr. subplot takes off with what will surely be some creepy and disturbing developments down the road. Ardyan Syaf, as always, delivers top-notch artwork, although some subtle changes in style can be observed. One last player is introduced to the story by the end of the issue, and there are not enough words to express how exciting that is. Enter: Batwoman!