Last issue, sorceress Maro killed the treacherous Sune, who had betrayed Medusa to aid Batwoman.  Then, Maro shape shifted into a duplicate of Sune.  With both Sune and Falchion out of the way, that leaves Maro to seize control of Medusa.  Maro plans to take the kidnapped children to “the Mother” and for some reason, when Cameron Chase attempts to stop her, Batwoman shocks her.  Maro leaves with the kids, but leaves La Llorona and Killer Croc to finish off Batwoman and Chase.  Batwoman manages to get them to safety, but Chase is angry that she stopped her from apprehending Maro.  Later, Kate and Maggie share some secrets they’ve been keeping from one another.  And in another subplot, Jake passionately pleads with his still-comatose niece Bette to wake up before her family has her life support shut off.

A few story lines get wrapped up here, so that’s nice.  I’m glad to get some closure as some plot lines are really plodding along.  La Llorona was the antagonist in the very first storyline, kidnapping and drowning kids in Gotham.  She’s still free and the kids are still missing, although we now know where they are.

The time jump style of storytelling continues here.  I still don’t love it.  It’s too hard to follow and chops up the story too much.  But, I wouldn’t want them to suddenly drop it in the middle of a storyline, so I can deal with it.  I hope they reconsider using it in the future.

The art is very good.  Trevor McCathy and Pere Perez do their best to emulate J.H. Williams III’s page layouts and utilize different art styles or the different subplots.  They don’t do it as well, but that would be impossible.  If I sound unenthusiastic, it’s simply because even though there is absolutely nothing wrong with the art– it’s all very good– it’s just so normal.  It looks like any other comic and this book has never been just any old comic, in writing or art.  But there’s absolutely nothing wrong.  The storytelling is solid and there are a lot of really nifty sequences, for instance Batwoman’s underwater battle with Croc.  There are also some really neat coloring effects.  Batwoman’s costume in closeups have this neat textured look (like Spider-Man and Superman’s movie costumes).  A scene of Maggie Sawyer investigating at a pier features an innovative homage to classic “comic book dots.”

Overall, I feel this book is meandering too much and not enough is being resolved… so I’m grateful to get a few resolutions this issue.  I have high hopes for the upcoming storyline featuring Wonder Woman, which will mark the return of Williams on art duties.  I’m a bit worried that the villain is Bloody Mary, part of Medusa, meaning that plot line will still be going on.  I mean, I get that they’re trying to give Batwoman a Rogue’s Gallery, so I guess I have to deal with that.  However, if things keep going as they are… I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I may end up dropping this once-innovative title.

Verdict: Borrow

BATWOMAN #11
Written by J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman
Art by Trevor McCarthy with Pere Perez
Cover by J.H. Williams III