Batwing 3: Enemy of the State

Comic Info

Batwing #15

Reprints Batwing #13-18 (December 2012-May 2013).  A man named Father Lost is creating havoc in Tinasha by enthralling followers and forcing them to commit horrible crimes…and Batwing could be his next victim.  Plus with the murder of a young girl, David decides to take on the police force’s corruption first hand…and it could have fatal consequences!

Batwing Volume 3:  Enemy of the State follows Batwing Volume 2:  In the Shadow of the Ancients and changes up the writing team.  Batwing #13-15 is written by Judd Winick and Batwing #16-18 is written by Fabian Nicieza.  The art for the volume is provided by various artists.

Batwing was always a fringe character with the launch of the New 52.  He was an unofficial part of the “Batman Family” much like Batwoman, but unlike Batwoman he felt like a very generic ’90s character in his design and powers.  This third volume of the series does end up showing some promise, but it could be too little too late.

Part of the problem with Batwing is illustrated by the first story arc in this volume.  Judd Winick was given the comic with the launch of the New 52 and Winick is just a very average writer at best.  His stories never have seemed to evolved from the ’90s and the whole Father Lost story just feels like an Image launch story when Image put art above storytelling.

Batwing #18

The second storyline really feels like it is starting to give Batwing a direction.  I don’t claim that Fabian Nicieza is the world’s greatest author either, but he does provide a bit of a spike that is needed for the character.  Batwing isn’t Batman and that is important to remember…and Fabian Nicieza at least seems to get that as he takes over.  The concept seems a lot fresher in the last issue, and the story feels like a massive reset (especially since it was the period where many of the New 52 launch titles were being cancelled).

Batwing 3:  Enemy of the State is a very divided book.  It doesn’t quite get over the hump that it needs to surpass to make Batwing a good book, but it shows some progress in the situation.  I don’t know where Batwing will go from here, but I look more forward to finding out what happens in the next volume than in previous entries.  Batwing 3:  Enemy of the State is followed by Batwing 4:  Welcome to the Family.

Related Links:

Batwing 1:  The Lost Kingdom

Batwing 2:  In the Shadow of the Ancients

Batwing 4:  Welcome to the Family

Batwing 5:  Into the Dark