Batwoman has been blackmailed by the DEO into taking out Batman. Combined they hatch a plan, but with this issue, Batwoman sees that the DEO are seemingly so single minded in their vendetta against the Dark Knight that they don’t care how much damage they inflict to lure him into their clutches. To that end, they’ve unleashed Poison Ivy, The Riddler, The Mad Hatter, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum and Band. Some of the villains stick to the plan, but others go rogue and carry out their own agendas.
Maggie Sawyer angrily confronts Cameron Chase, once things start to hit the fan, but Chase pulls rank and both Sawyer and Harvey Bullock are taken out of the equation.
The plan works though. Batman does take the bait, although we learn quickly that he knows more about the situation than everyone else realizes.
Hawkfire is sent to bust Beth, Batwoman’s sister, also the mentally disturbed Alice out of her holding cell, but the plan starts to unravel when timing issues arise.
Unfortunately, the book ends in TWO cliffhangers and the next issue blurb indicates that the book will be jumping into the ‘Zero Year’ cross over, so does that mean… that we have to wait a year to find out what happens next?! That’s probably why W. Haden Blackman and J.H. Williams III walked off this book and away from DC Comics in such a noisy fashion! They’ve been building this story for months and now it’s suddenly on pause?
The story itself flows nicely. The characterization is nicely handled. Batwoman comes across as a little overconfident, especially since she’s squaring off against Batman a character a lot of fans can beat Superman. (These fans are a tiny bit delusional. )
The art is solid. It’s a little rough at times, but this series has never looked conventional, so it works. On the first page, there’s an image of Poison Ivy riding what looks like a cartoonish version of Audrey 2 from ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ which breaks the mood. Obviously, I’m not gushing, but it’s solid enough.
Well, I’m sad to see the founding writers of this series depart. they brought an immeasurable amount of love and concern to this series. While this issue was sound, they’ve done better work and the normally bang-up art was a tad rough and inconsistent. It was still above average, but the book has been better.
BATWOMAN #24
Written by W. Haden Blackman and J.H. Williams III
Art by Trevor McCarthy
Cover by J.H. Williams III
