Batwing #4

Success! I was able to get all 4 comics on my list at Lee's yesterday, AND a copy of All-Star Western #2 I had previously missed out on. Huzzah! Then, from Lee's, my hubby and I went for dinner, Abita beer and comics reading at Marvin Gardens in Belmont...

We grabbed a spot in a back booth and I tucked right in to Batwing #4. Once again, I loved it! The action never stops in Batwing, and I continue to be impressed by Winick's ability to weave serious issues such as AIDS, orphan soldiers and violent warlords into a tale I still find highly enjoyable. In this issue, Batwing's "secret origin" was "unveiled!" Batwing, aka David Zavimbe, suffered through a tragic childhood fitting of any Bat-character, but is also haunted by his own terrible actions from the past, making him in some ways more tortured than the Batman himself. While I was not surprised by his secret origin, I did find it heartbreakingly realistic. And perhaps that is what I love most about this comic - it is believable. It is much easier for me to imagine a damaged villian massacring innocent people with machetes in Africa because, well, there are actually real people who massacre innocent people with machetes there. And it makes me happy to imagine that Batwing is doing something about it.

From the preview I saw, I was a little worried that I wouldn't be into the art on this issue, since I've grown attached to Ben Oliver's work in the first 3. But Chriscross did a good job. The art flowed from previous issues, but definitely had its own twist and style. I be a happy camper. Check it out:

 

Batwing #4 is written by Judd Winick, with art by Chriscross and Ryan Winn.