Review: Batwoman Vol. 1- Hydrology

Quick Summary

Pros: Batwoman shines as the collection’s main character and is accessible to new and old readers. The main narrative is exciting and tense. The conclusion leaves readers wanting more. The artwork is absolutely fantastic and makes the whole experience better.

Cons: Unclear magic frustrates the narrative in a few places.

Overall: Batwoman makes a triumphant return to comics in the first volume of her solo series. This volume has action, tension, and mystery, all backed up by some absolutely gorgeous artwork . All of this is centered around a fantastic lead character, who proves to be incredibly worthwhile and entertaining all the way through. Any fan of Batwoman or anyone even slightly interested in her should look into this book.

Story

Batwoman Vol. 1: Hydrology, by J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman, is a tremendous start to Batwoman’s solo series. It kicks off an adventure about kidnapped children, family drama, and shadowy politics that remains entertaining from start to finish. It also showcases Batwoman in a way that is sure to convince readers that this is a character to watch out for. The resulting narrative combination is rife with success and is a wonderful way to begin a new comic book journey.

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Hydrology is instantly successful as an introduction or reintroduction to Batwoman. It quickly explains her background, establishes her present activities, and provides justification for what she is doing.

Then, it further develops Batwoman’s character from where she was at in Batwoman by Greg Rucka and J.H. Williams III (Review). There, she was fraught with the traumatic loss of her sister and a betrayal from her father. Here, she is able to move past this trauma, something unique for a Gotham City vigilante, while still accepting it as a part of her. It prevents her narrative from lingering too long on a singular point but leaves it open to addressing the issue at some point in the future. 

The entirety of this introduction takes place alongside a tremendously entertaining story. At the center is a mystery that poses an immediate danger to children across Gotham City. This tantalizing mystery forces Batwoman to take action in a series of exciting encounters. Meanwhile, a threat from the DEO is growing in the background, in a way that ensures there is an ever-present threat through the entire read. The only problem is that the villain’s connection to magic is unclear at points and makes it harder to become fully invested in what is going on. Overall though, it is still a satisfying narrative packed full of tension.

Finally, the conclusion to Hydrology succeeds in giving readers a reason to come back for more. The volume closes by drafting Batwoman into the DEO and setting her on the course to take on even more powerful criminals. The situation is interesting and I am seriously looking forward to seeing how it shakes out.

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Art

The artwork in Hydrology is easily one of the collection’s chief selling points. J.H. Williams III presents stunning versions of the characters that nearly jump off the pages of this book. This allows the book’s emotional moments to feel more realistic and touching. It also helps the book’s fight scenes feel more tense and full of action. The detail and quality of the pencils simply makes this a great comic to look at.

However, the presentation behind this artwork makes it even better. The majority of the book’s pages eschew traditional panel layouts in favor of panel designs centered around a specific theme. In some places, these designs allow an engaging fight to play out within a characteristic Bat-symbol. In other places, splintered panels can provide a visual representation of the turmoil faced by the main character. At every point, the full-page spreads in Hydrology make this a more interesting comic.

Continuity

Batwoman Vol. 1: Hydrology starts the Batwoman New 52 series. Though the New 52 is technically set in a new continuity, the story here mostly continues from Batwoman by Greg Rucka and J.H. Williams III (Review).

The story started here is continued in Batwoman Vol. 2: To Drown the World (Review).

This volume also references other comic books, detailed below:

• Bette Kane’s status as a hero is somewhat explained in Teen Titans Vol. 3 #38.
• Batman’s “Batman Incorporated” initiative is explained through Batman Incorporated.
• A reference is made to sidekicks dying and coming back as villains. This is a reference to a death in Batman: A Death in the Family and a return in Batman: Under the Red Hood.