DC Comics reviews for 2/15/17 – Justice League, Batwoman, Super Sons

Batwoman Rebirth #1

Who is Batwoman and where is she going are the main themes of Batwoman Rebirth. Unfortunately, the kick off issue offers little fresh insight to the character. Instead, it reads like a rehash of every other Batwoman story mainly focusing on the death of her mother and twin, getting kicked out of the military for her sexual preference and ultimately training to become a vigilante.

That’s hardly new ground for anyone familiar Batwoman and it’s disappointing that Kathy Kane still has to be so typecast as the lesbian vigilante.

Writers James Tynion IV and Marguerite Bennett make Kate’s sexual orientation a key component of her identity. Who Batman sleeps with is hardly a vital aspect of his stories and it’s equally not as important to Kate’s superhero adventures. Tynion and Bennett tease some surprises as the issue unfolds, but they seem far more of the stock cliché variety.

Steve Epting is a very smart choice of artists for this title. He’s got a no frills style that fits Batwoman and her world perfectly. His line work is solid and his real world approach works well for Kate’s world.

Batwoman has been a very compelling character in Detective Comics, but little of that carries over to her solo debut. Hopefully the regular series delivers more engaging adventures with Gotham’s latest hero.

Rating: 6.5 out of 10