Batwoman- Greg Rucka and J. H. Williams III

I had been putting off reading the Batwoman comics for some time and I don’t know if it was because of being too busy or not wanting to get invested in a new series just yet.  I think I was also a tad bit scared of the style that was displayed on the cover.  So, I was really appreciative of this class for half forcing me to pick at least the Effigy up because I had no idea what I was missing out on.  It only took the first couple of pages to have me completely and utterly hooked on this series to the point of putting all things to the side until I can finish what I can get my hands on.  Everything that I loved about Asterios Polyp is displayed in this super hero comic but to more epic proportions.

First off, the dependence of color use and line to not only carry the narrative but also reinforce the character of the protagonist is mind blowing because this is now something that is happening constantly in graphic novels.  The colors are minimalistic but have a punch to them such as the fire engine red used for the protagonist’s hair as well as her alter-ego displaying how she must always carry that other side of her WITH her at all times with no stop.  This is mirrored in the narrative itself when she can’t rest or let herself heal until she has defeated the major threat to her city.  That is another thing I love about the writing in the novel.  The main character is strong with weaknesses that don’t really hinder her but just create another challenge for her to over come and grow from.  This isn’t seen in many female super heroes even now in days.  Also, her superhero design isn’t nearly as risqué as many of the other female heroes showing that she even deserves more respect from her male audience. 

Next, the layout of the registers and difference in panel structure has a very new and fresh approach without overstepping the boundary into fine arts, much like Arkham Asylum did when displaying the madness of the Joker’s mind.  It is very graphic but it becomes one with the narrative which is new to the professional super-hero comic industry.  Even now in school, many teachers will advise students drawing comics not to do anything more than the box layouts because nothing else sells in the industry.  Therefore, it is nice to see them being proven wrong in what I can easily say is the best new super-hero comic out to date.  If the reader looks closely, the pages actually have foreshadowing BUILT INTO the panels without the audience realizing it, creating a sense of foreboding and that they are missing something crucial. 

All I can say from here is that if this is where the future of the printed comic book industry is going, they will be getting a lot more of my money so that I can collect these brilliant works of art.