1302 ( )

So great. Seriously. Drop everything you're doing, I don't care, the baby can change it's own diaper, I said EVERYTHING. Drop it all and read this now. You won't regret it. (But maybe wash your hands first, they're covered in baby poo) ( )

Love the art in this book. Enjoyed the story quite a bit, too. ( )

The New 52 brought me to DC Comics in a way that I'd never been involved before. I didn't think that would be the case. I knew these classic characters in ways that the casual reader likely doesn't, because I grew up with comic books. That said, I grew up with the Marvel universe on my shelf much more than the DC Universe, but still...I was suspect. Until I read a handful of the inaugural issues, after which I was hooked. As you might suspect, the Batman titles have held special interest for me, likely because I had been a Batgirl reader prior to the New 52's launch.

Batwoman, however, is the character of which I knew the least. While friends have spoken very highly of what DC is doing with the character, I found myself turning to wikis to read about her origin, because I knew very little about Katie Kane or how she fits into the Batman mythology.

As it turns out, she operates parallell to Batman's mythology more than she operates within it, but, in any case, I wanted to be introduced to this character, and, "Elegy" being a highly acclaimed story arc, seemed a good place to start. This graphic novel collects all of the issues within the story arc, which takes place before the New 52 re-boot.

Here we find Batwoman facing off against a new villain called Alice, who dresses as one of Carroll's characters and quotes lines from the book while proving herself quite adept in the realm of criminal insanity. She is targeting Batwoman, and Katie does not know why. Katie proactively begins hunting down Alice, against her father's advice. Her father points out that this is more about revenge, while Katie insists that this is about survival. The reader is drawn on a rollercoaster of a storyline as we watch Katie waver back and forth between the two.

Batwoman is a very different character for the Batman mythology. She has a military background, and has received much notice as being one of DC's few gay characters. After being dishonorably discharged from military service for her sexuality, she is in search of a new way to "serve." She is inspired when she fights off a mugger, easily defeating the attacker just as Batman shows up. She watches the Dark Knight vanish into Gotham's dark skyline, and realizes that this is how she will serve the public around her. Using her wealthy father's resources and her background along with new training, she dons a costume as Batwoman. Her adventures bring her into occasional contact with Batman, although she is not really part of his "family," at least not at this point.

Batwoman's origin is woven into this story through flashbacks, as it brings to light who Alice is and why she is targeting Batwoman (I'll say no more in the interest of spoilers). The story weaves in a good dose of the supernatural, which fits well with Gotham's eerie past. As with any self-contained collection of stories from a larger serial, there is some backstory of which the reader may not be aware, but I was able to deduce at least the generalities of this quickly. So, someone who does not read comics regularly would not be lost here.

The art is a very different style than I'm used to reading in comics, at times striking with Batwoman's imposing figure and red and black costume, at times cartoonish in background panels and it's portrayal of Alice. Our heroine is consistently daunting yet disturbing in appearance, her skin a bit too white, her smile threatening. This is critical in understanding the character, however, and developing the character is perhaps what the writers do best here. I felt that I knew Katie Kane as well as I know most other characters in the Batman mythology when I turned the final page.

That said, the character isn't one of my favorites. While an interesting and dynamic addition to Batman's world, this is a peripheral individual, operating in Batman's likeness but not with his style, and often not with his blessing. She serves the people of Gotham as a hero would, yet her sense of duty seems misplaced at times. Her actions are motivated by anger more than justice, and I concluded at the end of the book that she was, in fact, quite motivated by revenge. Her closing words to an underground coven of lucanthropic criminals is to leave her family alone, or "I will kill every last one of you." These are violent sentiments of which no other hero in the Batman "family" that I can identify would ever espouse. This is part of what sets Batwoman apart, however, and, as we see her walk away from her father in the final panels of the story, she does so different from Katie Kane. Any version of Batman's mantel comes with a price, and Batwoman's dedication to protecting those around her has caused her to be drawn into a darker version of herself as the story concludes.

Overall, it is this radical departure from Batman's heroism that causes me to rate this book with only three stars. That said, the writing is excellent, the story exciting if predictable, and the art refreshingly different. If you're interested in the Batman titles and, like me, have no idea where Batwoman fits in, this is a good read. I'm glad that I got to know this character. I'm just disappointed with her based on what I know. ( )

When DC first announced they were bringing back Batwoman, I was skeptical that it wasn't a publicity stunt to resurrect an old character with a new spin (she's a lesbian now, guys!) to grab headlines. I'm pleased to report I was totally wrong.

Usually when I review DC's Batman compilations, I feel the need to break them down issue-by-issue to acknowledge the fact that there are bad issues and good issues. Elegy works really well as a cohesive whole - I couldn't tell you what my least favorite issue was, as I'm not sure where one begins and another ends.

JH Williams III is as amazing as he as ever been. Look at the hidden words in Kate's memories when she's been poisoned! Check out how the panel borders and layouts change when Kate stops being Kate and starts being Batwoman! The fight-sequence-in-one-page when Kate jumps onto the plane! Hell, even just Kate dancing with Maggie Sawyer (DC: you need some more new lesbian characters) is wonderfully done. I could go on and on. There's a reason they're putting him together with Gaiman for another run at The Sandman.

The plot is really great - the twist is one that you don't see coming, but looking back, you can see where Rucka planted the clues. The origin story issues are just absolutely phenomenal -- as Rachel Maddow points out in her introduction to the collection, the sequence where Kate comes out to her father is absolutely heartbreaking. Rucka just delivers on Kate as a character every step of the way here, and does a great job of giving her her own "Yes, father" moment when she manages to save herself from a mugger before Batman even shows up.

I'm baffled why DC doesn't take more steps to integrate Kate into the larger Bat-family. She's a helluva character, and this is a helluva book. (Plus, I'd get a charge out of the moment when Bruce and her show up to some charity ball in the same tux.) ( )