Review: Batwoman Volume 2 - To Drown the World

Having been blackmailed into joining the D.E.O., Batwoman teams up with Agent Cameron Chase in an effort to dismantle the global criminal cartel Medusa. Together they must infiltrate the cartel’s inner circle and apprehend its lieutenant. However, things go south when Batwoman decides to deviate from her orders.

Batwoman Volume 2: To Drown the World collects Batwoman #6-11, written by J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman with art by Amy Reeder and Trevor McCarthy.

To Drown the World serves as a continuation of the narrative established in the first collection of this series. Told in a series of vignettes, this arc focuses on Batwoman and her supporting cast as they deal with the machinations of Medusa. Batwoman and D.E.O. Agent Cameron Chase take a stand against Medusa’s lieutenant Falchion, Maggie Sawyer continues her investigation into the disappearances of children from the barrio, and Jacob Kane attempts to awaken his niece Bette from her coma after having been eviscerated by one of Medusa’s enforcers.

J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman provide a complex and layered plot that plays out at various points in time, encouraging the reader to carefully piece everything together. Each thread in this tapestry is character-focused and offers a tremendous amount of insight into the cast. My favourite scenes are those with Jacob Kane at Bette’s bedside as they reveal his insecurities as a father and paint a vivid portrait of Kate’s character. The dialogue in these sequences is poignant, raw, and captivating. Something similar is also done with Maggie and Kate later on in a touching scene wherein they open up about their past. It’s a rare moment of vulnerability for Kate that hints at the possibility of maturation for her character and it also helps to establish Maggie as more than just Kate’s love interest.

As a fan of urban legends, To Drown the World appeals to me on every possible level. The lead antagonists are each brilliant reinventions of iconic folkloric figures. Bloody Mary, the Hook, La Llorona, and even the alligator in the sewer become the monstrous enforcers of Medusa. They are gorgeously designed and utilized within the story as physical manifestations of our greatest fears and insecurities. This helps to give Batwoman a creative rogue’s gallery that seems far more menacing than the typical tights-wearing supervillains most other heroes face. Beyond that, it contributes to the overall tone and aesthetic of this book, keeping it dark and moody.

Amy Reeder and Trevor McCarthy provide the artwork for this collection. Reeder, whose work on the Vertigo title Madame Xanadu was whimsical and otherworldly, is perfectly suited to this book. There’s expressiveness to her art that gives the characters life and an ethereal quality that is necessary for capturing the arcane aspects in this series. McCarthy’s work is equally as impressive, though his style tips closer towards more traditional superhero artwork. Both Reeder and McCarthy skillfully manage to capture the aesthetic that J.H. Williams III established for Batwoman, particularly in giving the titular heroine her distinct gothic appearance and telling the story with expansive and unusual panel layouts.

Batwoman is one of those few comic books where story and art are so perfectly paired that it turns reading into a truly immersive and unique experience. To Drown the World flawlessly brings together the worlds of superhero fiction and cultural folklore in one gorgeously illustrated collection. The characters and their stories are layered, making them both flawed and relatable. By this trade’s final page, it becomes quite evident as to why Batwoman was regarded by some as the best of what DC Comics had to offer during their New 52 initiative.

RATING: A