Books: Batwoman: Elegy

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Batwoman: Elegy
Written by Greg Rucka
Art by J. H. Williams III
2010




Available now from Islington Libraries
You can reserve this item for free here:
http://www.library.islington.gov.uk/TalisPrism/


If only all superhero books were this cool.

With artwork by the delectable J. H. Williams III who ups the ante of any book he happens to work on (seriously - just check out this random selection of his stuff and tell me that you're not curious/excited to check him out) if every comic was well managed and constructed as this - then everybody would be reading them (woo! Panels shaped like bats! and red bolts! I love it!). Written under the watchful eye of Greg Rucka (who's got previous form with the Gotham underground with his fantastic Gotham Central series and knows his hard-boiled heroines inside and out - as exemplified in his fantastic Queen & Country spy thriller series).

Was shocked to find out (obviously not as knowledgeable with my comics as I thought I was): that far from being a fresh-minted character created by Rucka and Williams III - Katherine "Kathy" Webb Kane first appeared way way back in 1956 (!!!) as a (BAT-FACT) love interest for The Dark Knight to disprove "allegations of homosexuality" - which just makes this book all the more even better.

It's been a while since I've read any Bat book that's managed to feel this fresh, vibrant and stimulating - I don't think there's anyone that I wouldn't recommend checking this book out. It's very very good.

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Links: Savage Critic Article: A Review of Batwoman in Detective Comics Focusing Mostly on the Art, Savage Critic Article: A Review of Batwoman in Detective Comics Focusing Mostly on the Writing, Wired Review, PopMatters Review, Schizopolitan Review, The M0vie Blog Review.

Further reading: Batman: The Black Glove, Gotham Central, Desolation Jones, Promethea, Queen & Country.

Profiles: J. H. Williams III.

All comments welcome.