Birds of Prey: Of Like Minds

Author: Gail Simone
Illustrators: Ed Benes, Alex Lei, Rob Lea

Title:Birds of Prey: Of Like Minds

Publication: March 1, 2004

Publisher: DC

Genre: Graphic Novel, Comic Book

Pages: 144

Audience: 16 and up

Rating: 5 out of 5

Source: Purchased

Synopsis (from the cover): After being paralyzed from the waist down, former Batgirl Barbara Gordon took on the persona of information cyber lord oracle and began a successful crime-fighting partnership with the Black Canary.
But when the two femmes fatales are confronted by Savant, a villain whose physical and mental abilities equal their own, they become drawn into a deadly and elaborate trap. Now with the madman holding Black Canary hostage, Oracle- who reluctantly enlists the aid of the Huntress- must choose between revealing Batman's secret identity to her captor and saving the life of her friend and partner.

My thoughts:
Gail Simone is one of my favorite comic book writers. I also follow her on Twitter and she is hilarious and extremely opinionated. Either way, the lady can write. I'm not sure if this is volume three, or if she took over and made it her own. Amazon claims it is volume 1, Goodreads says volume 3. I feel like it could be a continuation of Chuck Dixon's story, but starting in this graphic novel, Black Canary knows who the Oracle is. Either way, I believe this is where the story really picks up. I gave the other two a 4 out of 5, but I could not put this book down! I was taking a 15 minute break at work, and accidentally took a longer break because I was reading. 
This story adds a more human aspect to the characters. Even though they are superheroes, they are still  human and can get hurt. It also deals with relationships- business, romantic, friendship. It just made the storyline more rounded. No matter what number in the timeline, this graphic novel falls in, it is a perfect stand alone graphic novel and I highly recommend it!

 

Birds of Prey Volume 2: Old Friends, New Enemies

Authors: Chuck Dixon, Greg Land, and Drew Geraci
Illustrators: Greg Land and Drew Geraci

Title:Birds of Prey Volume 2: Old Friends, New Enemies

Publication: February 22, 2011

Publisher: Vertical

Genre: Graphic Novel, Comic Book

Pages: 224

Audience: 16 and up

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Source: Purchased

Synopsis (from the cover): 
Recruited by the mysterious Oracle to act as her agent, former justice leaguer Black Canary now travels the globe fighting injustice and forcing the guilty to pay for their crimes. Through their adventures an odd friendship has developed, even though Black Canary has never even seen Oracle face to face.

But their friendship and their lives could be cut sort when Black Canary finds herself. in the middle of a deadly hunt being led by the ruthless cult leader Kobra for a long forgotten piece of Russian technology, and as Black Canary fights for her life, Oracle has her own troubles when the U.S. Army begins tracking down the person hacking into their systems, There's no rest for anybody here, wicked or otherwise.

My thoughts:
This comic was action packed. My husband loves Chuck Dixon and I can see why! He is a great writer and I just love him for spawning The Birds of Prey storyline. Black Canary is still doing what she does best- kicking bad dude's butts. Oracle is still utilizing her librarian skills and finding the bad guy's hideouts. They make a great team, which in turn is a great read. I found the individual stories intertwined, but not as closely as volume 1. The last story in the book was kind of crazy and involved time travel and a lake in Minnesota. It was just really odd. Even though, the last story kind of threw me for a loop, the entire book is worth reading!

 

Li'l Gotham Volume 1

Authors: Derek Fridolfs and Dustin Nguyen
Illustrator: Dustin Nguyen

Title: Li'l Gotham Volume 1

Publication: February 25, 2014

Publisher: DC

Genre: Graphic Novel, Comic Book

Pages: 128

Audience: 10 and up

Rating: 5 out of 5

Source: Purchased

Synopsis (from the cover): Life in the big city just got crazier with this year-round all-ages holiday fun, featuring Batman and all of his adorable allies and adversaries! Crimefighting and celebrating go hand-in-hand in Gotham with Batman, Robin, Nightwing, Catwoman, Mr. Freeze, The Penguin, The Joker, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, and more!

My thoughts:

 I have been waiting since September or October for the trade of this graphic novel to come out! It was sooooo precious! I'm not sure every character stays in the "li'l" format, but this is the cleanest novel I have ever read. I would share it with a younger audience. It is really perfect for all ages. I love corny jokes and puns, and this comic was filled to the brim with them- I laughed through the entire book. The artwork appeared to be done in watercolor, which was beautiful, but at times lacked in detail or was a bit faint. However, when you are making all your characters little, I guess small details can be forgiven.
If you are looking for a clean read or a place to jump start into comics, this one is perfect!

Young Marvel: Little X-Men, Little Avengers, Big Trouble

Authors: Skottie Young, Dan Slott, Ruben Diaz, Chris Claremont
Illustrators: Gurihiru Gurihiru, Mark Buckingham, JJ Kirby, Tom Raney

Title: Young Marvel: Little X-Men, Little Avengers, Big Trouble

Publication: October 15, 2013

Publisher: Marvel

Genre: Graphic Novel, Comic Book

Pages: 208

Audience: 15 and up

Rating: 1 out of 5

Source: Purchased

Synopsis (from the cover): There's no pacifying Cyclops and Cap, who swap "ABC" for "AVX" as the playground becomes a battleground over a cherished teddy bear! Then, when Mojo kidnaps Wolverine to star in his arena of death, it's Longshot, Dazzler, and the uncannily cute X-Babies to the rescue! And when those junior X-Men stand up to the Brotherhood of Mutant Bullies in a murderous game show produced by Mojo and Arcade, will they be outdone by new kids on the block- or will one of their number dissolve back into neoplasm from which they were formed?

My thoughts:

 Little X-Men was one of the worst books I have read in a long time. I would almost say it verges on false advertisement. I judge books by their cover, and I assumed this book would be all about mini- marvel characters. The first little story was and the artwork matched the cover. The crap after that was just that, garbage. I fell asleep numerous times while trying to trudge through this book. It was a Valentine's gift from my husband, and I felt bad because it was awful and about $10 more than graphic novels typically are.
I will admit to not know much about the Marvel universe except for a few Rouge singles I have read, the X-Men cartoon from the 90's, and what I have watched of the blockbuster hits. In this graphic novel though, the names were changed. I finally realized Sugah was Rouge, Storm was Rain Cloud or something, it was stupid, unnecessary changes. I was lost as to who some characters were due to the name changes, and eventually I gave up the guessing game.
I expected the art to be the same throughout. It usually is for graphic novels, but this was a mish-mash of garbage that must have not made it into other storm arcs. The main story that takes up most of the pages in the middle was confusing and to me, the characters weren't little, more like middle school or teenage. It wasn't cute either. Only the first story was. Then there were a few more short comics at the end by some other person that had nothing to do with the Young Marvel title. I was baffled. Then at the very end (about 20-30 pages) were just comic covers that were never made into covers.
I was sorely disappointed by this graphic novel. It was money and time wasted. I should have actually looked up reviews on Goodreads or Amazon before I begged my husband to purchase it.

Black Canary/ Oracle Birds of Prey Volume 1 by Chuck Dixon

Author: Chuck Dixon, Jordan B. Gorfinkel, Gary Frank
Illustrator: Stefano Raffaele, Matt Haley, Jennifer Graves, Sal Buscema

Title:Black Canary/Oracle Birds of Prey Volume 1

Publication: February 1999

Publisher: DC Comics

Genre: Graphic Novel, Comic Book, Super Heroes.

Pages: 208

Audience: 15 and up

Rating: 4 out of 5

Source: Purchased

Synopsis (from the cover): Alone, they are driven vigilantes...together they are a force to be reckoned with. 
Name: Barbara Gordon 
Alias: Oracle
 The former Batgirl, she now serves as information broker to the super-hero community-all the while searching for something beyond the limitations fate has forced upon her.
Name: Dinah Lance
Alias: Black Canary
A master of judo, aikido, karate, and several other martial arts, this ex- Justice Leaguer now finds herself searching for a new direction, a new outlet for her talents.

My Thoughts:
I am a huge fan of Barbara Gordon, who is Batgirl/Oracle. I am also a fan of the Birds of Prey, mainly thanks to Babs. I started the New 52 Birds of Prey and decided I wanted the entire original back story. My husband lovingly spent months, time, and money on helping me collect the original story. The art in this book is marvelous as well as the writing. Granted, the art is a little dated looking. I thought it looked a bit like the 80s or 90s. It is from 1999, so that could explain it, but it is worth the read. Chuck Dixon is one of my husband's favorite comic book writers, and he hasn't let me down on any story I have read by him so far. 
The story is essentially how Black Canary and Oracle come together to create this team of heroines to save Gotham and the rest of the world. The story throws in some details that are probably explained in other comics or hopefully in the future comics of this series. Some of it is kind of understood, like everyone should know that the Joker shoot Barbara Gordon and paralyzes her. She then uses her knowledge and technology to help the super heroes fight the bad guys, and she turns into the Oracle. Occasionally other questionable ladies are thrown into the mix like Catwoman, Lois Lane, Lady Shiva, and the Huntress (I REALLY hate her, especially since the show Arrow had her on there.). Even though there are other characters mixed in, Black Canary proves time and time again she can take care of herself, with a little help from Oracle. If you are interested in the series at all, I strongly recommend this "origin" story.

Batwoman Volume 2: To Drown the World

Author:J.H. Williams III, W. Haden Blackman

Illustrators: Amy Reeder and Trevor McCarthy
Title:Batwoman Volume 2: To Drown the World

Publication: January 22, 2013

Publisher: DC Comics

Genre: Graphic Novel, Comic Book

Pages: 144

Audience: 16 and up

Rating: 2 out of 5

Source: Purchased

Synopsis (from the cover): Murder. Madness. Monsters... Medusa. Taking its name from the horrifying creature of myth, this global conspiracy of crime has taken its war against goodness to Gotham City. 

There, its sinister agents prey upon Gotham's children, using the guises of urban legends. Ghosts in the mirror searching for bloody retribution. Monsters in the sewer hungering for innocent lives. Crazed specters spreading their pain in a  tide of blood. Brutal killers wielding death with a hook bladed hand. 

At Medusa's dark heart stands the Mother of Monsters. Her goal is to drown the world in darkness.  

But the Mother isn't Gotham's only dark spirit.

Batwoman's mind, body, and soul have been battered as never before. But she's emerged from her trials stronger than ever. Now on a collision course with Medusa, no one- not the GCPD, not the shadowy Department of Extranormal Operations, and not the men and women who care about her the most will stop her from seeking justice for the lost....

My thoughts:
What an utter and total disappointment.  I love the character Batwoman/ Kate Kane. She is a wonderful character and I believe there are so many (good) things the writers could do for her. However, this story was complete garbage in my opinion. The graphic novel was split up by people and their individual time lines that occurred over what appeared to be about a few weeks or so. It would jump from various character who were not Kate or Batwoman and the time line would jump around also. It was a complete jumbled mess. Also, the story is full of mythology and along with the timeline it was just incomprehensible. I was able to understand some of the basics of what was going on. It was like the graphic novel was a filler meant to tease the reader. It actually makes me angry that the storyline and the flow was such a mess. I'm actually trying to decide if I want to purchase the next graphic novel or not. Most fans do not question their loyalty, but I will unless a writer steps up to the task of sorting the chaos that the Batwoman plot is at the moment and sculpt it in a beautiful, well thought out story.

As for the art, it seems to have diminished a bit. She isn't as shiny or as detailed as I remember, which I can forgive. I do appreciate the artists attempts to bring Kate Kane's complexion to that of the living and less like a dead corpse. She is still pale, but she looked healthier and better than before. The art is still great even if the story is completely lacking.

I will read the next one, but I may wait for it to arrive at the library first.

 

Batgirl Volume 2: Knightfall Descends

Author: Gail Simone

Illustrators: Ardian Syaf,Ed Benes, Vicente Cifuentes
Title:Batgirl Volume 2: Knightfall Descends

Publication: February 12, 2013

Publisher: DC Comics

Genre: Graphic Novel, Comic Book

Pages: 192

Audience:  17 and up

Rating: 5 out of 5

Source: Purchased

Synopsis (from the cover): Gotham city can be dangerous. No one knows this more than Barbara Gordon. Recovered physically but not emotionally, Batgirl is back on patrol. Unfortunately, others have their own ideas about how but to safeguard the city. These vigilantes will execute every criminal they find, down to the pettiest offenders. They answer to a maniac named Knightfall, a masked woman who wants to save Gotham, but not before drowning it in blood. Smart and skilled, she is every bit Batgirl's equal. But right now, Batgirl isn't who she used to be. Can Barbara find the strength within her to defeat Knightfall? Or will crime in Gotham finally be wiped out- brutally, lethally and permanently?

My thoughts:
Batgirl is back and kicking butt! She is trying to protect the people of Gotham from the villain, Knightfall. However, Knightfall has paired up with someone from Batgirl's past who may know her better than she knows herself. This graphic novel really delves into  her back story. It explains why her mother is back and why her mother left. Barbara is just not ready to patch things up with her mother though. She is still very bitter about their relationship. So to soothe that wound, she turns to fighting the bad guys. The story becomes a bit of a mess when Batwoman appears in the picture. I have the new Batwoman comic that I need to read, but there is apparently some disagreement between the two ladies. This makes for an interesting story line. This comic was a bit longer than most and it covered a lot of Barbara's back story while setting up a continuing storyline. Things are a little convoluted because there is a lot going on, but it isn't too hard to follow. I cannot wait for the next trade to come out because to me, this one left me on a cliff hanger. I want to know what happens, but I'll have to wait until the trade comes out- dang it! 

 

Birds of Prey Volume 1: Trouble in Mind (New 52)

Author: Duane Swierczynski

Illustrator: Jesus Saiz
Title: Birds of Prey Volume 1: Trouble in Mind

Publication: September 18, 2012

Publisher: DC Comics

Genre: Graphic Novel, Comic Book, Villains 
Pages: 160

Audience: 17 and up

Rating: 5 out of 5

Source: Purchased

Synopsis (from the cover ):

The sirens of the night. One is wanted for a murder. The other is on the run for knowing too much. Together, Black Canary and Starling work in Gotham City, taking down the villains other heroes can't touch. But now, as a grizzled newspaper reporter threatens to expose them, the two get sucked into a nightmare involving stolen pharmaceuticals, terrorists for hire, and killers in stealth suits who can appear-and disappear- at will. Realizing that Gotham City's citizens are in grave danger, Black Canary recruits Katana, a vengeful samurai and the notorious bio terrorist Poison Ivy. Will the Birds of Prey be able to work together to save Gotham?

My thoughts:
I have read a few Birds of Prey graphic novels before the New 52 rolled out and wasn't impressed. It could have been the fact that there was so much back story that I was totally lost. For Trouble in Mind, you don't have to know an awful lot about Black Canary or Starling or Katana. I feel the New 52 is a bit more graphic...and there is a lot, a lot of gore and violence in this graphic novel. I'm also not a fan of the New 52 outfits. I hate them. Poison Ivy looks stupid. I know this will sound anti-feminist, but I liked her ivy leotard...I'm not sure what this solar panel/ivy/green body suit is, but I'm not a fan. (I won't even go on my rant about Harley Quinn's new attire).  
As from the title of this trade paperback, Trouble in Mind, it gets pretty crazy trying to keep up with everything. Towards the end of the book I was having to flip back to the page I previously read because I thought I might have skipped over something. It messes with your mind a bit...especially if it is 1 AM and you have been battling a sinus infection. However, if you are new to comics or want to start on something new. DC's New 52 is the perfect place to start. For a new beginning, it was a great start because now I'm a fan of the Birds of Prey.

Oracle: The Cure

Author: Kevin VanHook

Illustrator: Tony Bedard, Claude St. Aubin, Julian Lopez, Fernando Pasarin
Title: Oracle: The Cure

Publication: April 6, 2010

Publisher: DC Comics

Genre: Graphic Novel, Comic Book, Villains 
Pages: 128

Audience: 17 and up

Rating: 5 out of 5

Source: Purchased

Favorite quote: "Why are people always so frightened of technology? It's never the computer, or the transit system, or the x-ray machine that does you wrong. It's the mind that guides it. The most advanced weapons system on earth is harmless in the hands of an idiot...while in the hands of a genius, a simple lever can move the world."

Another favorite quote: "But I do have a super-power: Information. I'm better at gathering and using it than anyone on earth. In an information society, I bank the coin of the realm." 

Synopsis (from the cover ): After disbandng the Birds of Prey, Barbara Gordon--the first Batgirl, before a vicious attack by the Joker paralyzed her for life- returns to Gotham City and her reclusive life as Oracle. As the premier source of superhero intelligence, she spot trouble as it strikes around the world, but this time it hits too close to home... With genius to rival Oracle's the Calculator has grown to become of her greatest enemies. Now he's hijacked the Internet and an entire virtual world in his desperate pursuit of the devastating Anti-Life Equation. Without a network of allies to rely on, Oracle stands alone against this brilliant enemy. If she can get her hands on the remnants of the Anti-Life Equation first. she could save millions and possibly even heal her broken body. But is the cure worse than the disease?

My thoughts:
This graphic novel is not from the New 52 launch. I'm just very fond of Barbara Gordon over the fact that she was a librarian and Batgirl. After becoming paralyzed thanks to the Joker, she becomes the Oracle who provides intelligence to all superheros. This graphic novel was interesting as it involves technology and alien technology. I felt the alien technology was not fully explained. This could be due to the fact that I'm not a tech-savvy in the least. Either way, it is alien technology and it doesn't need to be explained. he reader gets to know Barbara as a victim and you see how she is and is not coping with her new lifestyle. It is a great read. The art is beautiful. It seems every image has almost shiny, and it is not from the glossy paper. The art work is a bit different, but it works. There is some gore and violence, but nothing too terribly bad.  After reading this graphic novel, I would love to read the one that comes after this due to the ending, but older and more obscure graphic novels are harder to find.

 

Batgirl Volume 1: The Darkest Reflection (New 52)

Author: Gail Simone

Illustrator: Ardain Syaf and Vicenete Cifuentes
Title: Batgirl Volume 1: The Darkest Reflection (New 52)

Publication: July 17, 2012

Publisher: DC Comics

Genre: Graphic Novel, Comic Book, Villains 
Pages: 144

Audience: 16 and up

Rating: 5 out of 5

Source: Purchased

Synopsis (from the cover): Batgirl is back! Three years ago, the brilliant and brazen Barbara Gordon received a nearly life-ending shot to the spine at the hands of the Joker. Not only did she survive but, after years of paralysis, she also regained her ability to walk. A miracle, and Batgirl was born again! Now Barbara must prove to her mentors Batman and Nightwing, as well as her Police Commissioner father, that she's ready to get her life up and running again. Even more important she must prove it to herself. But getting back on her feet in Gotham City will become even more challenging when a very personal hit list is revealed in the hands of a new villain. And Barbara's name is on it.

My thoughts:
I was a little sad when Batgirl was rebooted. Not because I wasn't happy Barbara was back as Batgirl, but because I'm pretty sure they erased the part of her being a librarian. That's okay though because this story is AWESOME! You meet Barbara as a young lady and she is ready to get out on her own and start her own life. The graphic novel starts currently, but it flashes back to when she was paralyzed and how life was for her then. She is still dealing with the guilt of being able to walk again and it continues to rear it's ugly head throughout the novel. She does fight some bad guys in between. Then a person we never thought would come into her life re-appers, which I found odd and suspicious. I think more will come about that later...or at least I hope. The one thing the writers did not touch is the budding romance between Batgirl and Nightwing and I'm happy for that...considering Batgirl and Nightwing are my wedding cake toppers. This story is awesome. It provides enough back story to get you through the novel and it provides plenty of butt kicking to keep you entertained!

Batman: Mad Love and Other Stories

Author: Paul Dini

Illustrator: Bruce Timm
Title: Batman: Mad Love and Other Stories

Publication: September 6 , 2011

Publisher: DC Comics

Genre: Graphic Novel, Comic Book, Villains

Pages: 208

Audience: 15 and up

Rating: 5 out of 5

Source: Purchased

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

The trend in superheroes of the late 1980s was dark, grim, gritty, and not very kid friendly. Then along came the animated Batman series. The visual style was totally unique: clean, sharp, and bold. Batman Adventures: Mad Love is an original comics story drawn in the style of the popular animated series. It's even put together by Paul Dini, a major force behind the animated show. This particular story involves Batman's old foe, the Joker, and Joker's cute but deadly sidekick, Harley Quinn. Actor Mark Hamill of Star Wars fame, who plays the voice of the Joker in the animated series, claims that this is one of his all-time favorite comics, calling it "bold, lusty, gleefully demented".

My thoughts:
If you are the fan of the 90's cartoon, then you'll love this graphic novel. It is written and drawn by the creators of the animated television show from the 90's. This comic is interesting in the fact that it offers some of Harley Quinn's back story and how she and her puddin' came to be partners in crime. Mad Love is the first story told in the novel and it is the only one that focuses on Harley Quinn.  It also shows how much the Joker really abuses Harley. Obviously from the title, this is a Batman graphic novel. So the rest of the stories focus mainly on Batman. Like I mentioned before, if you enjoy the cartoon the graphic novel contains the corny humor and the artwork from my childhood. 

Superman Earth One

Author: J. Michael Staczynski

Illustrator: Shane Davis
Title: Superman Earth One

Publication:November 2, 2010

Publisher: DC Comics

Genre: Graphic Novel, Comic Book

Pages: 136

Audience:15 and up

Rating: 5 out of 5

Source: Purchased

Synopsis (from Amazon.com): J. Michael Straczynski, the creator of Babylon 5, joins forces with rising star artist Shane Davis (SUPERMAN/BATMAN: THE SEARCH FOR KRYPTONITE) to create this original graphic novel that gives new insight into Clark Kent’s transformation into Superman and his first year as The Man of Steel. This is the first in a new wave of original DC Universe graphic novels, featuring top writers’ and illustrators’ unique takes on DC characters.

My thoughts:

I’m going to go ahead and throw this out there right now, I have never been a fan of Superman. He always seemed too over powered, un-flawed, and too much of a boy scout for me to get into him as a kid, that being said I thought Superman Earth One was a great read. Having never read a comic spotlighting the Man of Steel before, I thought I’d give Earth One a try. I was so happy with Batman Earth One after all I thought, “Why not?” Earth One is a retelling of the Superman story in a more modern setting, with Clark Kent at the age of 21. I felt like this book made Superman a little more relatable. He is young, unsure,  just setting off in to the big city to discover himself, and to find out how his powers can be used to help people. Even though I’ve never liked Superman all that much I thought this book was exceptional, and I very well may look in to some other Superman stuff because of it. If you’re a fan of Superman or just getting in to the Man of Steel, give this book a try.

 

Birds of Prey: Death of Oracle

Author: Gail Simone and Marc Andreyko 

Illustrators: Ardian Syaf

Title: Birds of Prey: The Death of Oracle

Publication: October 18, 2011

Publisher: DC Comics

Genre: Graphic Novel, Fantasy

Pages: 200

Audience: 16 and up

Rating: 2 out of 5

Source: Purchased

Synopsis (from the cover):
Who's playing who? Oracle, Black Canary, Lady Blackhawk, Huntress, and Dove: A collection of the world's most notable heroines, and one of the DC Universe's most impressive super teams. In an effort o conceal her identity from the world at large, the data specialist Oracle plans to fake her own death, but we all know what happens to the best-laid plans of mice and women...

*WARNING- SPOILERS* My thoughts:

Being a librarian in training, I'm a huge fan of Barbara Gordon. Who starts her heroine days as Batgirl, but then is shot and paralyzed thanks to the Joker. She then trains her upper body and uses the skills of a librarian to become Oracle. She is the information headquarters. She helps the super heroes who end up in bad situations and provides a lot of useful information about road blocks, or where the police area, etc. So now she fakes her death because so many people know who she is. Well, its like she was never really gone. That was confusing. Another reason it was confusing is because I have no background knowledge on the Birds of Prey. This is technically a second volume, and I read it as a stand alone. It can work as a stand alone, but I feel like you need the first volume to complete this part of the story. Vyse kept telling me that it wasn't a good idea to jump in the middle of a story and try to understand it, and he was right. I was lost, but the graphic novel did a good job of listing who was who in the first part of the graphic novel. I even got a little biography information on The Dove, which I loved. I love background stories and figuring out where people came from and why they are the way they are. Overall, the story was okay, but it was a little lackluster.

Gotham City Sirens, Volume 1: Union

Author:  Paul Dini
Illustrator: Guillem March

Title: Gotham City Sirens, Volume 1: Union

Publication: April 20,2010

Publisher: D.C. Comics

Genre: Graphic Novel,Villains

Pages: 176

Audience: 16 and up

Rating: 5 out of 5

Source: Purchased

Goodreads Synopsis:  
This graphic novel features the bad girls of Gotham City! Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn are tired of playing by other people's rules regardless of which side of the law they're on. These tough ladies have a new agenda that's all their own, and they'll use any means necessary to pursue it. But can they get along and work as a team? And who will get hurt along the way?

My thoughts:

                                                                     I love Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, and Catwoman. All of my favorite supervillain ladies in one comic! There are actually four Gotham City Siren graphic novels, but I've started on the first one. It is an interesting read considering these lovely bad girls are deciding to live together and work together whether it is for good or bad. The shenanigans these ladies get into are hilarious, thanks mainly to Harley Quinn. The story line was a bit hard to follow because I had not read a background story on the villain Hush or knew anything much about Batman or Bruce Wayne. I forewarned my boyfriend before he read it. I told him he may want to wait and read everything about Hush because there are a few spoilers in the graphic novel. I did not really care. I'm not going to read all the Batman stories like he is. Even though, it was a bit hard to follow, I eventually got some answers to my questions, I just had to read a bit further. It was a quick read. I grabbed it up and read it in about an hour. If you are looking for a light read and something humorous with most of Gotham City's bad girls- you should read this.

Batwoman, Volume 1: Hydrology

Author:  J.H. Williams III and W. Hayden Blackman
Illustrator: Amy Reeder

Title: Batwoman, Volume 1:Hydrology

Publication: June 19, 2012

Publisher: D.C. Comics

Genre: Graphic Novel, Paranormal, Super Hero

Pages: 160

Audience: 18 and up

Rating: 5 out of 5

Source: Purchased

Favorite Line: "Murdered sidekicks tend to come back from the dead. As supervillains."- Batman telling Batwoman that she should leave Flamebird out of a dangerous case.

Goodreads Synopsis: 
As Batwoman (a..ka Kate Kane) faces deadly new challenges in her war against Gotham City's underworld–and new trials in her personal life.Who or what is stealing children from the barrio, and for what vile purpose? Will Kate train her cousin, Bette Kane (a.k.a. Flamebird), as her new sidekick? How will she handle unsettling revelations about her father, Colonel Jacob Kane? And why is a certain government agency suddenly taking an interest in her? These are some of the questions that will be answered in this long-awaited series!

My thoughts:
Ohmygoodness! I have waited for what feels like an eternity for this graphic novel. After the first graphic novel, I was an instant Batwoman fan. I'm going to geek-out for a minute and confess that I went to a local comic book shop and bought a statue of Batwoman.  I paid too much for it, but it is so awesome. It looks really good on our comic shelf.

Anyway, back to the graphic novel. Batman played a pretty big role in the novel and I was surprised. In the introduction of Elegy it says Batwoman takes over crime fighting as Batman, Wonder Woman, and the other heroes step back into the shadows for a while. He didn't take away from the storyline or any of Batwoman's glory, if anything I believe Batman just helped show off  her strength and gave her super-hero advice. I love his line from above though. Poor, Batman, he knows all about losing sidekicks. The cartoons are never as dark as the comics, but he has had several Robins and I know one in particular died and came back to life as a villain. The storyline for Batwoman has been paranormal and weird. I was unsure of how Batwoman was going to defeat the vengeful ghost called the Weeping Woman. If she does or not, I'll leave that up for you all to find out. From the last novel Kate Kane is mad at her dad so her cousin Bette, Flamebird is her new sidekick, and I think Batwoman is too hard on her. Batwoman takes Batman's advice to heart and tells Bette they are over as a team. I think the way Kate went about it was harsh and cruel. She could have asked Bette to sit back on this case and let Kate handle it because she was worried about her. Anyway, that ending isn't pretty. Kate also has the D.E.O. and Batman investigating her. I found this a bit confusing. I'm still not sure what the D.E.O. is or does, but hopefully the next graphic novel will clarify some things. Also, Kate's relationship with Maggie Sawyer continues to evolve. There is a more "graphic" sex scene in this novel, and it's not a clear image, but you get the idea that they are having sex. I have enjoyed each Batwoman graphic novel so far. She is a really kick ass super hero that adds some girl power in an area that is dominated by men.

Batwoman Elegy

Author: Greg Ruka
Illustrator: J.H. Williams III

Title: Batwoman: Elegy

Publication: June 14, 2011

Publisher: D.C. Comics

Genre: Graphic Novel, Paranormal, Super Hero

Pages: 192

Audience: 17 and up

Rating: 5 out of 5

Source: Purchased

Goodreads Synopsis: 
 A new era begins as Batwoman is unleashed on Gotham City! Marked by the blood-red bat emblem, Kate Kane is a soldier fighting her own private war - one that began years ago and haunts her every waking moment. In this first tale, Batwoman battles a madwoman known only as Alice, inspired by Alice in Wonderland, who sees her life as a fairy tale and everyone around her as expendable extras!

Batwoman must stop Alice from unleashing a toxic death cloud over all of Gotham City -- but Alice has more up her sleeve than just poison, and Batwoman's life will never ever be the same again.

Also, witness the origin of Batwoman in the shocking and tragic story, in which young Kate Kane and her family are kidnapped by terrorists, and Kate's life - and the lives of her family - will never be the same

My thoughts:
This graphic novel was recommended to me. My boyfriend had been hanging out in the same comic book shop for a couple weeks, and I was bored and decided to ask the shop manager for a comic book suggestion. He asked what I wanted and I replied, "A strong, female character." He suggested Batwoman. I walked over to where he pointed, picked up the paperback graphic novel, went home, read it, and became a huge fan of Kate Kane/Batwoman.  I just want to point out that Kate Kane is a lesbian and there are a few images, even though they are not graphic in any way elude to a sex scene. I am a huge fan of Kate Kane she is just a bad ass super hero. She was discharged from West Point due to Don't Ask Don't Tell. She quotes the honor code, "A cadet shall not lie, cheat, or steal, no suffer others to do so." She wants to serve her country and be free to be herself. She leaves Westpoint being honest with her superior and herself. She goes back home and is trying to cope with having her dream of being in the military crushed. One night she is caught off guard and a guy attempts to mug her. Batman saves her, but when she looks up and sees the Bat signal, something inside her tells her she can serve the people of Gotham too. She can still serve her country. The only problem I have with her is she is like a female version of Batman. She is young, rich, parties, and has a couple of lovers. Besides that, she is an awesome character. The novel talks about a present mystery and it is really really weird with werewolves and stuff. The back story as to why Kate Kane is the way she is is really fascinating. Not only that, but the artwork is incredible. Looking at the cover in person, it looks like someone took and put fresh lipstick on her lips.The artwork is extremely detailed and beautiful. If you are looking for a comic book that has a really kick ass girl lead character, I strongly recommend Batwoman to you!