I Reads You Review: DETECTIVE COMICS #854

Detective Comics #854
DC COMICS

WRITER: Greg Rucka
ARTISTS: J.H. Williams III, Cully Hamner (backup)
COLORS: Dave Stewart, Laura Martin (backup)
LETTERS: Todd Klein, Jared K. Fletcher (backup)
40pp, Color, $3.99

Elegy Part One, “Agitato”

The Katherine Kane Batwoman began her reign over her very own Batman title in Detective Comics #854. Written by Greg Rucka, this issue is apparently part of the “Batman: Reborn” event, which, if I remember correctly, had something to do with the original Robin (Dick Grayson who now uses the first name, Richard) becoming Batman and Damien Wayne (Batman and Talia al Ghul’s lovechild) becoming the new Robin.

Apparently because Batman and Robin were busy at the time, Gotham City’s newest caped crusader, Batwoman, took on the responsibility of fighting the 13 covens that make up something called the Religion of Crime. Yes, DC Comics is now the “House of Ideas (Not).” That aside, what is now of note about Detective Comics is that Katherine Kane is a lesbian. Rucka even writes a rather dull scene in which Katherine and her lover have a very hetero you-don’t-bring-me-flowers slash you-don’t-sing-me-love-songs-anymore moment.

Dull is the word to describe Detective Comics #854. The fights are uninspired; the character drama falls flat, and the villains are just the latest in the mostly monotonous line of colorful, DC Comics baddies. Thank heavens for the art by J.H. Williams III (pencils and inks) and Dave Stewart (colors).

Williams and Stewart shine on the pages with Batwoman in action scenes. Their inspired art and graphical storytelling present Batwoman as a wraith, depicted in painted art against a backdrop of characters and settings whose colors are all muted to some extent by gray. These scenes look so pretty that I could eat them like candy. The Williams/Stewart art team also does good work on the Kathy Kane-civilian scenes, but even they seem a bit lackluster next to the visually striking superhero scenes.

Rucka redeems himself (a little) on the backup feature, which stars The Question. The venerable character, formerly a white man, is now a Latina named Renee Montoya. In the “Pipeline” story arc, she searches for a missing young Mexican woman. This looks to be the familiar human trafficking/Mexican mafia story, but at least it is better storytelling than the main feature.

B-