Megaplot

Batman Incorporated #4
Written by Grant Morrison
Art by Chris Burnham

 

This was just fucking fantastic awesome greatness of a comic! Best issue yet! We get the history of Kathy Kane – the original Batwoman and Morrison singlehandedly explains how she fits in continuity and how it all relates to his huge megaplot. Who is Dr. Dedalus? Was he really Kathy’s father? What is this war everyone is talking about? I didn’t see all this coming but Morrison hits it out of the park too and Burnham’s art is fantastic I love how he switches his style with the time periods.

Maybe Even Better Than Rucka

Batwoman #0
Written by J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman
Art by Williams III and Amy Reeder

 

If I had any doubt that Batwoman couldn’t fly without Rucka, I do not after reading this! Holy shit was this awesome. Williams and Reeder both blow you away with their art on every page and at the same time a great story is being told without Batwoman ever speaking a word! Batman narrarates as he follows her. They write an awesome detective Batman too! I can’t wait till february!

What Will Happen Next?

Detective Comics #863
Written by Greg Rucka
Art by Jock and Scott Kolins
Co-Feature by Rucka
Art by Cully Hamner

 

The main story has Batwoman defeat the Cutter and it is perfectly juxtaposed against the flashback with Batman. The art team did a great job of making sure that it was no confusing with the red versus blue colors. In the end, Bette reveals her Flamebird costume to Kate. I wonder what will come of this? I can’t wait to see but we may have to wait a bit considering Batwoman is taking a break from the title and Rucka is leaving DC. Darn. The Question back-up was good as Huntress and Renee find themselves facing Veronica Cale who leads them to Vandal Savage.

Commissioner Gordon’s Daughter? Really?!

Detective Comics #862
Written by Greg Rucka
Art by Jock
Co-Feature by Rucka
Art by Cully Hamner

Yay! We finally get some mention of Bette Kane being Flamebird and even get to see the costume which she is pondering putting back on. I wonder why Bette ran away from Batwoman? Either she feels bad about her friend or she doesn’t want Batwoman to ask questions about how she knows how to fight? I don’t know but I liked this issue. The Question back-up was actually pretty damn awesome. I think it is the first time I actually really enjoyed the back-up as a lot of stuff happened and Oracle guest starred. I love how Renee can’t get over how Commisioner Gordon’s daughter is helping them. I wonder if she will suspect that she is Oracle.

Batwoman Vs. The Cutter

Detective Comics #861
Written by Greg Rucka
Art by Jock
Co-Feature by Rucka
Art by Cully Hamner

Jock isn’t a terrible artist, but I miss Williams already. His style really brought a flare to this book. This issue would’ve been rather boring if not for learning more about the relationship between Batwoman and Bette Kane. The Cutter serial killer has been done-to-death in oh everything. Nip/Tuck had a whole season focused on the exact same premise. When did Bette move to Gotham and why is she still in college? Shouldn’t she be older then that now? She went to Hudson University with Dick Grayson did she not? Maybe she took some time off. I was confused why Batman was wearing the yellow symbol in this. It is great to have it back but at first I thought it was a flashback. Especially the beginning when Gordon is referred to as Captain? Perhaps just those first few pages were a flashback. The Question back-up was rather good this time. I still wish it had a less cartoony artist though.

Batwoman’s Alfred

Detective Comics #857
Written by Greg Rucka
Art by J.H. Williams II
Co-Feature by Rucka
Art by Cully Hamner

Damn is this a beautiful book. I mean people are not joking when they talk about how great Williams’s art is. It’s breathtaking and stylish. And story-wise things got interesting this time around as we discover that Alice is Kate’s sister? Interesting and I am interesting in learning how that happened. One thing that I have been thinking about is the idea that Batwoman is helped by her father – I almost wish that she was self-made like Bruce was – but now that I think about it I guess Bruce always had Alfred – so the father thing works. The Question back-up was rather forgettable I must say.

Breathtaking

Detective Comics #856
Written by Greg Rucka
Art by J.H. Williams III
Co-Feature by Rucka
Art by Cully Hamner

After last issue was only decent, this issue picked it up a lot and I really enjoyed it. The religion of Crime really interests me now. I like the idea that Abbot has a different interpretation of their religion then Alice. It was great to see Bette Kane and Maggie Swayer. The entire sequence where Kate is dancing with Maggie really hit home for me as a gay man and knowing how your family always thinks you are flaunting it when you are really just being yourself. It is also nice to know that Gordon has an anti-discrimination policy! We still don’t know if Kate’s Stepmom was once the original Batwoman (who per Morrison’s issues of Batman is still in continuity I think) but it doesn’t seem like it here. Is Bette still active as Flamebird? Does Kate know that she was or is Flamebird? Williams’s art is beautiful. Seriously the guy should win an award for this. Every page is breathtaking to look at. The Question back-up is pretty short but not bad.