Marguerite Bennett is known for her work on DC Comics Bombshells. Our club has covered her work before[1][2], but this month we will be reading her in continuity Batwoman work. We will be reading Batwoman in Detective Comics as well as picking up where DCU Book Club-Girl Power left off! I hope you’ll be able to join us and that you’re all safe and well.
The Batwoman issue is just a great short story, really well written. It doesn’t even have to have anything to do with Batwoman, it’s just good by its own merits. I love that last line where she’s asked to stay and breathe.
The two above scenes are from the same panel and its just beautiful and sad all wrapped in one.
Shamelessly from Bennet wikipedia page, “If you write stories that tell folks that queer people can live without shame, they just might grow up believing it”
Thanks for posting this month @nu52 (was worried there wasn’t going to be more)
I love that entire sequence of her needing to breathe. It shows how much she has struggled in society because of who she is, but on that island she can be open about who she loves.
I really like the page before and how the panels are configured.
Yeah, that was a fun little exchange. He knew she was on his trail, but I wonder if he was letting her get close on purpose for some reason.
Yes! I loved the art across both stories. They were each unique and yet flowed well into one another because Kate and Batwoman have such a strong and definitive look. Batwoman’s aesthetic is incredible. I love how vibrant her reds are and that the black parts of her costume come across as grey at times.
I did find that interesting that the people on the island think of Kate as a siren, because that means they were all aware of Safiya being pulled away.
I love the scenes you pulled to showcase the art. I especially love the quote you mentioned. I really felt that with Kate in issue #5 of Batwoman.
No, thank you for joining in the conversation! (they’re usually at the end of the month, sorry for worrying you)
I love it so much too, and I think it’s intentional. I think it’s meant to be charcoal black actually, not pure black. So a very very dark gray color. And the red is probably crimson, which is a very striking combination with the charcoal black. I obviously think her look is simply the best in all of comics
I agree with @stefanie.murr7 about the interaction. Respectful but not looking for approval.
For me the moment that really stood out was when she said that Batman exists to fight crime and Batwoman exists to fight war. For me that is the thesis statement for her raison d’être
I’ve now read Batwoman 2017 1-5 and I’m still not sure what to think about Safiya’s relationship with Kate. But Safiya’s own words seem to sum it up, “she trusts me enough to peer into the abyss”
I love all of the sea storm and shipwreck panels, they are incredible, they remind me of the European 17th-18th century nature paintings. I wish Stephanie Hans had stayed around for more of the Batwoman series!
I’m glad you brought up the line about Crime v. War because it really stood out to me as well. It also goes to show how Batwoman’s been shaped vs how Batman was. Kate was ex-military and that played a big part in her development intp Batwoman, while Batman’s origin always involves crime taking his parents from him. It sets Kate apart from the rest of the Bat fam in an interesting way so that she may occupy a space of her own within that world.
The art during the storm sequence, especially the part you highlighted with the screen grab, was great at drawing out emotion. Just the ferocity of the sea and the fear in Kate’s eyes. Stephanie Hans has a way of making it look as if each panel were a painting. It’s really gorgeous.
We’re having a watch-along for Batman: Bad Blood, this coming Tuesday, before it leaves DC Universe. Batwoman (Kate Kane) is a prominent character in it. Hope you can join
Share your thoughts on the reading overall as you read along and let’s discuss
And just their similar yet very different styles/attitudes.
