Batwoman #21 – Review

By: J.H. Williams III & W. Haden Blackman (story), Francesco Francavilla (art)

The Story: What does a Croc need to do to get some respect in this city?

The Review: Williams-Blackman gave us a pretty great send-off last month, what with Batwoman and Co. deciding the time had come to bring in the goddam Batman themselves and getting us pumped for a big, juicy Bat-fight.  Then, all of a sudden, Williams-Blackman decide to throw this “Interlude” at us instead, one featuring Killer Croc of all characters.  Given the fact that he has nothing to do with the arc at hand, this is a bizarre, untimely sort of choice.

Setting aside how this makes almost no sense, the issue itself does succeed in getting you invested in the heart, mind, and soul of Waylon Jones.  I have a distaste for the brawler-type criminals in comics.  They always seem to carry their muscle-headed approach to fighting over to their lives as well, and come across as rather moronic for it.  But Croc declares early on, “I know I ain’t smart, but I ain’t stupid, neither,” and spends the rest of the issue proving it.