Batwoman #17
Story by J. H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman
Art by J. H. Williams III
Review by Mara Whiteside
But reality doesn’t tear at the seems like cloth. Reality gets disemboweled and has its intestines pulled out.
If Williams and Blackman’s text didn’t convey the gruesome monster attacking Gotham, the artwork leaves no room for questions. Medusa unleashed Ceto on Batwoman’s city, and our two heroines must figure out a way to take down this larger-than-life monster.
Bette is face-to-face with her worst nightmare. The hooked creature who gutted her in previous issues has her in his death grip. Bette has a few tricks up her sleeve, giving her the power she needs to take down the source of her emotional pain.
With a little ingenuity and quick thinking, Wonder Woman and Batwoman are able to take down Medusa. The battle isn’t without its casualties, though. The destruction of Medusa brings Ceto to a different form, a form a little easier to reason with.
With the resolution of the Greek monster crisis in Gotham, Wonder Woman returns to her home. Batwoman is left behind with a lot of unanswered questions, but those can all wait. She has some pretty serious personal issues to take care of, starting with Maggie Sawyer.
Time and time again, Williams and Blackman deliver a superhero book that breaks the mold. It’s not completely unfamiliar from the traditional superhero comic, but Batwoman has a certain je ne sais quoi, an element that makes it unordinary. Readers will connect with Bette as she struggles to conquer her fear, with Batwoman as she mourns the death of an alley, and with Wonder Woman as she shows mercy to a dangerous monster. Batwoman strives to show readers that there’s more to a superhero comic book than just action and thrills; there’s human emotion.
THE VERDICT
Batwoman #17 is the end of the current arc. For new readers, it’s not the greatest place to jump in. However, issue #18 will take the story in a new direction. As usual, Batwoman’s integration of text and art create a vivid story, one that can be read multiple times to find new meaning.
