Batwoman: Hydrology (Volume 1)

Batwoman:  Hydrology (Volume 1)
J.H. Williams III
W. Haden Blackman
2012

The Summary
"Gotham City is drowning.

"They call her La Llorona.  'The Weeping Woman.'  A spectral presence that drowns her own sorrow by destroying the lives of others, dragging innocent children to a watery grave...or to an even worse fate.  The hero called Batwoman is no stranger to sorrow herself.  Estranged from the father who was once her partner in crime fighting, she blames him for the death of her mad sister in Gotham Harbor--but she blames herself most of all.

"Now she has a new partner, her cousin Flamebird.  Together they're on the hunt for La Llorona, the children she's abducted, and the shadowy forces behind it all.  But the hunters are hunted as well:  Everyone from government agent to Gotham cops wants to clip Batwoman's wings.

"A tide of danger and death is coming in to Gotham City.  And it will be all Batwoman can do to keep her head above water..."

The Good
I quite liked Batwoman.  I won't say I fell in love, but it's close.  Batwoman is thrilling and enthralling and, truthfully, beautiful.  The plot, like it's protagonist, is complex and surprisingly deep.  La Llorona is a tragic figure, an urban legend of the Weeping Woman who mourns for the loss of her children--for the loss of her own life--while simultaneously lashing out at others.  It's incredibly sad and undeniably tragic.

But there's a deeper red thread in the narrative, a villain who is controlling things behind the scenes like a maniacal puppeteer.  It's terrifying and it cultivates a feeling of danger, suspense, and terror that's sure to keep you hooked.  I enjoyed getting a glimpse into this dark, deviant world of shapeshifters and skinwalkers, urban legends and myths, paranormal creatures that seem to step right out of nightmares.  It was fascinating.

It was terrifying too, and I sat at the edge of my seat the entire time.  But it was absolutely fascinating.

I also liked Batwoman as a character.  Don't get me wrong, her story is sometimes hard to stomach, but she's a fascinating character.  Her mother and twin sister were killed in a kidnapping gone wrong when she was only a little girl, she was dismissed from West Point for being gay, she was nearly killed in some back issue when a blade nearly pierced her heart, and she has suffered innumerable wounds at the hands of horrifying villains--and yet she keeps coming back for more.

She's strong, she's dedicated, she's smart and she's capable.  I loved watching her in action, getting insight into her life as she struggles to balance her nightly escapades with her superhero responsibilities and her family.  She's a complex character facing a complex world, which I enjoyed.  She has depth, she faces burdens that seem impossible to bear, fights that seem impossible to win.

But she just keeps going.

Overall, I enjoyed reading Batwoman.  It has beautiful art, great character development, intriguing and/or terrifying villains, and an incredible story.  It's a great first collection for the Batwoman, and it's easy to jump into even if you don't have any previous experience with the franchise.

Plus, I like that Batman has his own little cameo as he attempts to gauge Batwoman's skills and her ability to be a protector of Gotham.  It's interesting to observe Batwoman through his eyes, to see how she stacks up in his estimation.  It gives readers the inside track on her abilities and, when Batman is suitably impressed, we can't help be find ourselves impressed as well.

The Bad
Although I loved the art in Batwoman, I was sometimes (okay, frequently) confused by the direction of the panels.  It's wonderfully detailed and incredibly beautiful, but it can get a little too "artsy" (if that's a word)--that is, it can become muddled in the illustrator's attempts to create something new, something dynamic and inventive.

It is inventive and dynamic, and it's new (to me, at least); however, it's also hard to read a story when you're not sure exactly where the first panel begins and the last panel ends.  It's confusing and, honestly, it's a little frustrating.  Moreover, it makes me less enthusiastic to read the next one.

The Ugly
Death.  Blood and gore.  Murder.

Batwoman does not pull punches when it comes to violence, even when children are involved.  It's graphic and, occasionally, borders on explicit.  It goes for perturbing, I think, and it certainly does a good job of making you hate the villains for the horror they unleash on Gotham.