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DC gives us another super gay issue of “Batwoman” and another queer superhero in “Birds of Prey”

When Batwoman #5 wrapped up its inaugural – “Hydrology” – arc last month, it left us with as many questions as it did answers. Batwoman destroyed The Weeping Woman, but where the heck did she come from anyway? And those kids she kidnapped, are they really dead? Is Kate Kane going to team up with the D.E.O. to protect her identity, even if it puts her at odds with Batman? Is Bette Kane going to live? Is Detective Maggie Sawyer more than just a fling? Are she and Kate going to makeout some more?

Batwoman #6, which kicks off the six-issue “To Drown the World” arc, hints at answers to all of those questions – plus it gives us our first real look at the much-anticipated art work of Amy Reeder, who is splitting drawing duties with J.H. Williams III on an arc-by-arc basis.

Let’s answer the most pressing question first: Are Kate and Maggie going to makeout some more?

Yep!

Issue #6 takes up six different narratives from six different characters and gives us a glimpse at what their role has been in the Weeping Woman story so far, and how they factor into the larger story. Luckily for us, one of those six characters is Sawyer. By day she’s still trying to solve the case of the missing children while their parents cry their eyes out in her office and chastise her for doing anything besides crime-solving. By night she’s got a great thing going with Kate, as long as she doesn’t make the major mistake of asking Kate to talk about her past, her work, her family, or her feelings.

As for Kate’s non-Maggie activities, she’s on the hunt for the Medusa Organization, the Dr. Frankensteins of the Weeping Woman. And she’s also battle testing her new costume. Same look, totally bullet-proof.

Bette is still in ICU at Gotmam Central, and Jacob (her uncle, Kate’s dad) is keeping vigil at her bedside, reading her stories and generally feeling like an ass for introducing the family to the superhero game. And we get a look at the mastermind behind Medusa, and learn that there’s a whole lot of sinister supernaturalism afoot.

This issue feels a lot like an introduction: to the story, to the characters, and to Amy Reeder’s art. The plot doesn’t move forward a whole lot, but I’ve read several interview with Reeder and Williams, and it sounds like they’ve got great plans for this arc. Not only crime-fighting stuff and the introduction of Batwoman’s own supervillains, but serious focus on Kate and her relationship with Maggie. So, you know, I’m headed back to my comic shop to sleep in the parking lot until issue #7.

Now, while I have you here: You’ve got to check out Birds of Prey when you get a few minutes. It turns out the super hot, super badass Ev (Starling) is a queer lady. She had a highly charged two-panel conversation with what looks like a former girlfriend(June) in issue #5 and when a fan asked writer Duane Swierczynski on Twitter if it’s a hint that she’s gay, he said, “Yep. I’d say it’s more than a hint.” Issue #7 hits stands next Wednesday (Feb. 15th) so I’ll check it out and let you know if it’s time to get excited.

What did you think of batwoman #6?

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