Art by: Jeremy Haun
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: April 16, 2014
Slowly Spinning a Web
Marc Andreyko's short run on Batwoman has been good. He has done a bang up job with lead Kate Kane, especially when it comes to her relationship with Maggie and more recently with her daughter Jamie. Where the book has been lacking, however, is in the actual story being told. The Art Mystery comes off as a poor man's Da Vinci Code and the Wolf Spider is a pretty weak villain. It doesn't help that the story has been in neutral with Andreyko pushing it down the road slightly each issue. This issue pretty much is par for the course. We get some silly action, a hint at a major personal conflict in the future and a little bit of overall story progression.
The issue opens with what you would expect from last issue's close. Kate is fighting through H-List villains in Arkham trying to get to the Wolf Spider. She doesn't catch him, but tracks him to his next destination, her Father's house. As Batwoman is about to finally catch old Wolfie, he is saved by his benefactor and they get away with the final painting they needed.
Meanwhile, as if Maggie and Kate's relationship hasn't had it's problems already, Maggie gets served papers from her Ex Husband seeking sole custody of their daughter. Oh snap!
The book ends with Batwoman and the Wolf Spider simultaneously figuring out where the mystery of the paintings leads. It's not a huge "eureka" moment (in fact, I was a bit confused), but at least it pushes the story towards a finale.
After reading the issue, I am much more interested in the custody battle coming up in the future. Yes, the Wolf Spider story should be wrapping up soon, but quite honestly, I am not that invested in it. In fact, I'm not really sure I could tell you exactly what the story really is about. It just seems to be a story to supply the action "needed" in a comic book, while the real story is Kate and Maggie's relationship. DC really screwed up the marriage, but can make some amends with a custody battle done right. I know Andreyko will do it right.
Someone who also does things right is Jeremy Haun. He's back this month and the action is explosive and everything looks great.
Bits and Pieces:
Batwoman #30 continues the Wolf Spider/Paintings Mystery story, but only pushes it forward a bit. That's not a huge problem since the villain and story are rather generic in the first place. I'd rather see more of Kate and Maggie's relationship and we do get a bombshell this month that will setup a story line that will be controversial and awesome. Give me that and finish up with the Wolf Spider and I'll be just fine.
6.8/10
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