Face Down In The Mainstream: Batwoman Pt. 2

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Eyecandy.

I like it. But it’s tough to have nothing but eyecandy. There needs to be a structure, a frame, a skeleton for the flesh to hang upon.

Unfortunately, the skeleton of this week’s Batwoman is sort of wimpy and dull. Which is too bad, because the art continues to be very very nummy.

In this episode (#855, Sept 09), Batwoman fights the loli-goth villainess, Alice. It should be tons of fun, but Alice is just regular old crazy instead of being interestingly batshit insane. The two tussle and Batwoman disarms her and then Alice slashes Batwoman with a razor hidden in her mouth. It’s laced with poison, which is also sort of boring, really, as villainous feints go, but it does give the artist a chance to do this, which makes is worthwhile:

Isn’t that pretty? I love the scrollwork and the design elements and the way everything becomes lush and strange.

So Batwoman has sad but very pretty insane imaginings and then we get to see Alice go back to her minions. Again, there’s some interesting play with the layout:


Then there’s another little tussle. It’s kind of stock and there’s a cliffhanger where what seems to be werewolves and octopus creatures show up. I had hoped that maybe they’d do something with the Alice theme, because I’m bored with stock weird monsters. It would be so much more fun if the werewolves were wearing top hats and vests with pockets and if the octopuses had to wear red and white livery. But oh well. Maybe things will be brought to an exciting climax in the last issue, but I’m not holding my breath.

In short: Beautiful art but boring story.

0 thoughts on “Face Down In The Mainstream: Batwoman Pt. 2”

  1. I missed this issue but got the next one and it doesn't really get better on the story side. Art work is still great, and I think you'll enjoy the dance scene in part 3. I'll get around to the final part of the arc some time soon.

  2. Too bad about the story.

    A dance scene sounds great! I hope they get a better writer. The art is so much fun, but the story is just meh.

  3. Greg Rucka is fairly highly thought of; it's unlikely they'll dump him.

    Even if they do, though, it's really not clear who they'd get who would be better.

  4. Oh, that's too bad, really. It's just that this story needs more id. The Alice idea is cool, but it doesn't go far enough. There could be Red Queens and Mad Hatters and all sorts of things instead of just boring random villainy.

    Ah, well.

  5. Part of the problem is there already is a Mad Hatter in Gotham. And a Tweedledum and Tweedledee. Gotham isn't lacking in "Alice in Wonderland" based villainy.