Unlike books like Green Arrow, OMAC, and Static Shock that feel like missed opportunities to capitalize on developing a new status quo and/or take advantage of the ability to build up areas of the the DCU that have been relatively unexplored in the past, Batwing is a title that really hits the mark in those areas.

As part of Batman Inc., Batwing is the “Batman of Africa” and the first issue already does a great job of showing us just what that entails and how very different it is from being a member of the Bat-Family in a cookie-cutter city or Gotham itself. As much as I like to see new characters, as a fan I tend to prefer to see already existing characters (especially villains) if they would fit just as easily, rather than trot out yet another fire-themed villain (there must’ve been dozens and dozens over the years, just as an example), but this is a book that lends itself to the opposite. Since we’ve seen so little of the DCU Africa and its heroes and villains, this makes Batwing the ideal book for a writer to build up a mythology and make the world that much bigger by hinting at histories and a status quo that has been there all along but that we haven’t been privy to in stories so far.

The art is gorgeous and a real standout so far in the new launch. It does make me wonder what it might look like when deadlines start to close in (which I admit is unfair to the artist, since we haven’t seen him slip at all yet), and I’d place this in Batwoman or Ultimates territory in that I’d prefer to wait a little while longer between issues rather than see fill-ins, if such a thing ends up being needed.

Judd Winick expertly juggles showing us flashbacks about how Batwing started out as part of Batman Inc. and showing us how a different methodology for crime-fighting will be necessary this far from Gotham (but still upholding Batman’s cardinal rules) while tying it in to present-day plot and also giving us a glimpse of Africa’s superhero history (which reminds me of a similar effort in Paul Cornell’s very entertaining “Knight and Squire,” another book involving Batman Inc. characters).

Like many of the first issues, this is only the beginning and is part of a much bigger story, so it can be hurt or helped by future developments, but so far it easily earns an “A-” as one of the more intriguing launch books.

- Ed

After seeing previews of this book’s art at Comic Con, this was the book I was most intrigued about and excited for. And it did not disappoint. Ben Oliver is fantastic and I’m now a huge fan. He’s going to be HUGE. The art is that great. Kudos also to Brian Reber on his coloring.

Judd Winick does a great job with the story – setting up how Batwing started out, and how fighting crime in the Ivory Coast of Africa is going to be a lot different than in Gotham or anywhere else. And this is what I like about this book. It’s a batman story like no other. Setting the story in Africa, will not only make it new but interesting as well. Already the story is zipping along with intrigue and a villain that is equally mysterious, crazy and all out violent.

Be prepared for some gruesome scenes here. And what a cliff-hanger at the end! I cannot wait for issue #2. So much so, I’m going to go read the book again, and look at the pretty art….

Bottom line — this is a really good book. And holds great promise.

Can you guess my grade? A-minus.     —Kelly

We knew the art was going to be great.  DC showed some slides and San Diego Comic Con and the whole room was in awe.  The black and white pictures were awesome, and these colored ones are just as good.  I don’t know how he is able to get that shading and tone.  It looks photographic in some places.

Not only is the art detailed, but it moves the story along great and shows emotion and character to the people in the story.  Which is good because the story itself it terse.  It isn’t that it is short.  It is that a lot of the story is told with the art.  Not a lot of dialogue or text boxes.  It feels very schematic, like a movie would be paced.

It isn’t just a Batman spinoff (although Batman does show up).  It could easily have been a different character, and I probably would have enjoyed that better.  I think it hurts the concept that it is Africa Batman instead of a non-Batman character.  Some people might just write off this book as derivative, and that is far from the case.

A- …  Don