Batwoman #4
Title: Hydrology Part 4: Ecstasy
Co-Writer & Art by J.H. Williams III
Co-Written by W. Haden Blackman
Colors by Dave Stewart
Reviewed by Steve Seigh
Oh Batwoman, I can always count on you to deliver the goods. With a cruel mystery haunting every page Batwoman #4 is something to behold. The art is some of the best I’ve ever seen in a comic book. Gothic, dark, and beautiful, J.H. Williams III proves himself to be someone who can truly capture emotion within art. The colors drip onto the pages like water and ink pooling together to create a gorgeous atmosphere around what is essentially a very sad story. While Kate is away having a merry ol’ time in the sack with Maggie, Flamebird is getting the shit kicked out of her by a behemoth with a hook for a hand. Perhaps Kate should have been paying closer attention to her cousin’s actions as she know stands to learn that her dismissiveness can bear grim consequences.
Batwoman has always been an issue that I look forward to each month without fail. I love that J.H Williams III and W. Haden Blackman have built Kate as a very strong presence within the Gotham universe. She doesn’t need Batman to help clean up her mess, she’s ever the detective which is an aspect of character that the Batman books are often missing, and she looks good doing it. Without spoiles, I just want to mention that there is the one panel inside this issue where Batwoman is making her way into an apartment building when her cape blows with the wind across the length of the room, and it’s just gorgeous. Within each crease and new direction the cape flows in is another panel. What you end up with is this fractured presentation of the events happening within those moments that leaps off the page. This kind of panel placement is a true testament to how creative this series can be with it’s presentation and it’s one of the many reasons I keep coming back for more.
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?
Kate is off taking a little “R and R” with Maggie when things go very wrong for Flamebird.
VERDICT
Buy it – There’s no question about it, pick this one up. Building off the steam of the last 3 issues Williams III takes things to the next level and there will be some pretty harsh realities coming for Batwoman very soon. You won’t want to miss it.
