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Nov 11, 2011

Seth rated it:

On Monday, I read two comics. One was pretty great and the other was Batwoman: Elegy. This is not to say that Elegy was bad. Unfortunately, it never actually gets better than pretty good.

The Rucka-penned adventure comic certainly has some worthwhile moments and Williams' art is varied enough to impress, but the book has several problems that prevent it from being better than it could be. But let's put the problems on hold for a moment to focus on what the book gets right.
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0 comments like (5 people liked it)

Feb 07, 2012

Miss rated it:

Okay but why can't comic books number their volumes? T_T There's clearly at least a volume's worth of plot I missed before this. I was able to stumble my way through based on the introduction and characters referencing prior events but reading the first book would have really helped.

Let's break this down! The art in this is great, I love the distinctive red, white, and black colour palette Williams uses for Batwoman. He's aiming to establish her as an iconic character and it works, she More...

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Dec 15, 2011

Bryan rated it:

I'm not a fan of traditional superhero comics, but if they could all be this good, I'd read a whole lot more.

For those of you who don't know, Greg Rucka is an excellent writer, and excels at writing strong, believable women. Look no further than Whiteout, another graphic novel I'd highly recommend. JH Williams III pencils are sumptuous and translate seamlessly throughout the book from current day to past events, showcasing three different looks, depending on what time period we're r More...

3 comments like (1 person liked it)

Nov 26, 2011

Jim rated it:

Sometimes a series happens that you hear a lot of good press about but, for one reason or another, never read until later. This is such a series.

Greg Rucka is at the top of his game with this book. He is one of the best at writing street level characters. As Rucka reveals Kate's background, it is believable. Her training in the military and the support of her father helps to give us a rich, fully realized character. And the anatagonist of the series, Alice, is a perfect foil for More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Nov 03, 2011

Sesana rated it:

I have some mixed feelings about this one. I'll start with the good.

This Batwoman was an entirely new character to me. Apparently she'd shown up in 52, but I avoided that and so went in knowing nothing. And Kate Kane is a really likeable character. The big news when she was introduced was the fact that she's a lesbian. I was honestly relieved to discover that it's not a major plot point or source of drama: she simply is a lesbian. It only becomes an issue in her backstory, when she f More...

3 comments like (4 people liked it)

Sep 20, 2011

Martin rated it:

Greg Rucka likes (and is good at) writing strong female characters. Starting with "Whiteout" and then with "Queen & Country", he gave us complex, layered characters that never felt *clichéd* or stereotypical, with emotional, action-packed storylines. He continues this in "Batwoman: Elegy".

In this book, he establishes the modern Batwoman as a compelling character by giving her a dark, heart-breaking origin story and by giving her her own nemesis: Alice. More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Aug 20, 2011

Sam rated it:

I was a bit confused with this book’ storyline, this being my first exposure to the world of Kate Kane aka Batwoman. There were references to death cults who previously stabbed her in the heart and this being her second run at an age old prophecy; then there was the inclusion of animal people (who are they? Where did they come from?) I was a bit lost at sea despite being familiar with the superhero world of DC.

I liked that DC made her a gay superhero but didn’t make it a big deal or c More...

4 comments like

Jul 24, 2011

Victoria rated it:

I should start by saying that this is the first series I had read that featured Batwoman or Karen Kane. That said, I feel very ambivalent about this graphic novel, and grow more ambivalent the longer it is since I have read it. I'll just quickly outline a few of the pros and cons.

Pros:
- The art style is completely gorgeous. It is why I still debate over what to ultimately rate the book, because I spent a lot of time just starting at panels, they were so gorgeous.
- I found More...

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May 22, 2011

Kathleen rated it:

I know that everyon has been talking about this book for a while, and perhaps everything that needed to be said has been said, but do lets keep talking. We should talk about the art, which is beautiful and perfect--especially those splash panels and the bat-shaped frames. Because this Batwoman is everything that Batgirl always should have been: strong, separate, and capable. She stands on her own, inspired by Batman but never his in any material way. We should talk about Batman's cameos and More...

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Feb 24, 2011

Erik rated it:

When Gotham’s newest crime-fighter was introduced a few short years ago, I was at first excited. Not just because she sported a sartorial look reminiscent to Terry McGuiness’s Batman suit in the futuristic Batman Beyond TV series, but more because she was written as an out-of-the-closet lesbian from day one; truly one of the first of its kind in comics. (Earlier lesbians in mainstream comics being cleverly closeted to varying degrees.) But I found her character, when she showed up in the curious More...

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Jan 31, 2011

William Thomas rated it:

Prior to this gorgeous incarnation, Batwoman has always seemed to me to be a weak character. One that nobody seemed to write well and in turn made the fans care very little. She was little else but a spin-off of the Batman mythos, just another Robin, and nothing so interesting as to warrant an in-depth analysis of her character or her stories. Batwoman and Batgirl both seem to harken back to that time before the Frank Miller 80's revamp of the caped crusader, candy colored clowns that were comic More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Dec 28, 2010

Robert rated it:

An excellent expansion of the Batman mythos -- or perhaps I should say an excellent parallel to the Batman mythos. Tight, briskly paced storytelling from Greg Rucka accompanied by gorgeously stylized art from J. H. Williams III.

I'd only read Rucka's non-superhero comics before (Queen and Country; Whiteout), and his run on DC's Checkmate title. Rucka excels at writing female lead characters and Kate Kane is no exception. The new Batwoman garnered attention by being DC's openly gay supe More...

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Dec 09, 2010

James rated it:

First Impressions!

This hardcover collection by DC Comics of Detective issues 854-860 attracted me for several reasons. Batwoman, Kathy Kane, has been out of circuulation for a few decades. [The Supergirls: Fashion, Feminism, Fantasy, and the History of Comic Book Heroines] She was originally created in response to Dr. Wertham's (Seduction of the Innocent,[Seduction of the Innocent] a treatise on the "evils" of comic books and its supposed influence on juvenile delinquency in More...

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Nov 30, 2010

Jays rated it:

probably the most innovative new character in the batman franchise in a long time. i was skeptical of the character and the story when i first heard about it and put off reading it and am now sorry i did. Greg Rucka has written an intelligent story that goes far deeper than what it superficially suggests.

Kate Kane comes off as a full character in her own right and the more salacious nerd-boy bait aspects (i.e., her sexuality) are treated as they should be - as a component of her life More...

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Nov 23, 2010

Nancy rated it:

During a time when The Dark Knight was absent, Gotham began to recognize a new heroine in black, Batwoman. What Gotham doesn't know is that Batwoman is Kate Kane, a tough woman from a military family with a powerful stubborn streak. When a a new cult leader, The High Madman of the Religion of Crime, comes to town, she knows she needs to get involved. After all, the previous High Madam drove a knife into Kate's heart. But what Kate has no idea of is that there's more to the new cult leader than s More...

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Nov 19, 2010

Ron rated it:

The problem with returning to the DC Universe, having been away since the 60's, is the huge body of back-story, the mythology, that you have to learn quickly. I suspect that I may have seen Kate Kane before and I have no idea of what happened previously to the Batwoman. Reading ELEGY, and most of the novels set in the DC Universe, feels a bit like wandering into a conversation that has been going on for some time. That said, one does pick up the context easily. The main focus of ELEGY is Kat More...

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Sep 08, 2010

Eric rated it:

The art in this was really amazing. It was pseudo realistic and definitely stylistic, too. The panel layouts were interesting, but a little confusing at times and distracting.

The story was written well, although I would be disappointed if there wasn't more. Not sure if this is part of an ongoing story or not. I really liked the pacing of the story and how her origin was revealed. There seems to be one glaring hole in the plot, though. The spoiler is below and would ruin the sto More...

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Aug 23, 2010

Aaron rated it:

The recent arrival of Batwoman to the world of DC Comics came with much excitement. She is the first major superhero from either of the two big houses (Marvel or DC) to be gay or lesbian. This was my first chance to actually read some of her title, and this book is actually made up of a series of issues from the comic.

Kate Kane is not what most people would think of when they think of superheroes. She is a bit of a goth-girl with tattoos, short hair, and a gruff exterior. But when da More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Aug 05, 2010

Sophie rated it:

When I first read about Batwoman, my initial reaction was: "Cool! A gay, bat-related superheroine!" Then I thought, pretty much immediately right after: "Let's hope that gay isn't all she is." And then I waited.

Then came the previews. I still remember that I was taken aback by the red and black, and I wasn't sure I could like this. But then I actually read the preview and knew that I *had* to have this.

When the first issue was finally, finally release More...

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Jul 26, 2010

TJ rated it:

Greg Rucka hit a home run here. Controversy from having the highest profile openly gay ensured people would be talking about this book and series. Since Batman's death, Batwoman assumed the lead role in the Detective Comics series.

From Rachel Maddow's gracious and heartfelt introduction to the brilliantly crafted artwork page after page to Rucka's compelling storyline, this book is a must read. While the Bat-world already has one Lewis Carroll inspired villian, my initial reaction t More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jul 05, 2010

Sebina (Classicmaiden) rated it:

I first read Greg Rucka's stint on Batwoman in the Detective Comics #854-860, and I was truly excited to get it collected in this graphic novel. Because, like everyone else, I was truly impressed by the sheer originality and versatility in the art by J.H. Williams III, together with the beautiful coloring by Dave Stewart. Furthermore, I became in love with the thought-provoking take on the Batwoman character as written by Greg Rucka (hands down!). His storytelling is so rich with detail and huma More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

May 31, 2011

Jace rated it:

I liked this book. But given all the hype and high-praise it has received, I was expecting to love it.

Batwoman is a very interesting character. I enjoyed reading about her exploits in 52, and I was glad to learn more about her background here. My favorite aspect of Batwoman is that her motivations for putting on the cape present a nice contrast to Batman's origins. While Batman was born out of personal tragedy and a quest for vengeance, Batwoman (a Marine discharged under Don't Ask, More...

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Jan 28, 2012

Jimmie rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

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Jan 10, 2011

Sally rated it:

Batwoman: Elegy collects issues #854-860 of Detective Comics in a single-volume, glossy, hardbound edition. It’s quite a beautiful presentation, and I must admit I loved having the opportunity to consume the entire series in one sitting, as opposed to sampling it one monthly issue at a time.

As the story begins, Kate Kane – cast out of WestPoint in disgrace, but still every bit a soldier – finds herself confronted with a madwoman known as Alice, who speaks and acts as if she truly wer More...

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Jan 05, 2011

Emilyn rated it:

First posted on http://littleapplebookworm.blogspot.com/

This multi-layered offering from author Rucka and illustrator Williams is a wonderful addition to the world of Gotham as the new Batwoman (now lesbian and Jewish) battles the new High Madame of the Religion of Crime. Kate Kane takes up the mantle of Batwoman in a personal quest to serve and must face the new High Madame, a Lewis Carroll-quoting goth Alice. This nuanced story is full of action in the present day setting in the firs More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jun 17, 2011

Jacob rated it:

It's every bit as good as the internet noise said and with the two creators name attached how could anyone be in doubt? How sad though that certain news networks only seemed to want to focus their agenda on the main character's sexuality and whether or not it harms children to read mainstream titles such as this instead of the fact she was a new and fully developed and interesting character. I was very pleased to see the protagonist have a wonderful bond with her father. I am so proud that Rucka More...

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Feb 21, 2011

Christopher rated it:

When was the last time you could say the art in a superhero comic was gorgeous? Yeah, I can't remember either, but this is: a flat out lush and beautiful mesh of the ornate and gritty, stylized panels to convey intense action and truly different line drawings and tones adding to the variety of vibes in the story. With the new Batwoman being a former West Point cadet kicked adrift from her military service (instilled by a military family and childhood tragedy) by not lying when she's asked point More...

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Aug 21, 2011

John rated it:

Despite the media hubub, I hadn't paid much attention to the revamped Batwoman, but I picked it up as part of my Borders horde to see what a modern title-character lesbian superhero would look like. I was at least partially convinced by the cute introduction by Rachel Maddow.

The character is approached respectfully, but honestly and addresses her childhood trauma and unfortunate expulsion from the military. The relationship between her and her veteran father seems particularly true. T More...

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Oct 01, 2011

Chip'sBookBinge rated it:

With all the comics I have read over the years, surprisingly, this was my first time reading a Batwoman title. I've come across her character from time to time, but never in her own book. And even though I knew of Batwoman, I know absolutely nothing about her origin and who is behind the mask.

I've heard some pretty good things about Elegy and most suggested this as the book to dive into to get my feet wet with Batwoman. So, was this book as good as most have raved about? No. First th More...

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Aug 23, 2011

Kurt rated it:

When my brother loaned me this book, knowing that I really dislike DC comics as a general rule (exceptions being Secret Six and Gotham Central), he warned me that I was supposed to read it for the art, not the story. I read a few reviews on GoodReads and found that most people had similar warnings. With those warnings in mind, I was able to really enjoy this book.

Rucka's story is, indeed, silly stuff. Batwoman gets into a fight with the leader of a cult of crime (that seems to be an More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)