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A review by fifteenthjessica
DC Comics: Bombshells Vol. 4: Queens by Marguerite Bennett
3.0
If you've read my previous reviews of these comics, you know I'm not impressed by the Batgirls issues, because the flaws of using such a large cast are really apparent here. In the issue in the trade, I mixed up Bette and Felicia at one point because they have very similar costumes and color schemes, and Felicia is one of the most underdeveloped Batgirls. This time, they are tangling with a villain determined to make Nazi sympathizers in Gotham pay for their crimes. It brings together some previous Gotham plot points nicely, but the girls' decisions to use the law to punish villains clashes with a choice Batwoman makes later.
Speaking of Batwoman, most of this book focuses on Batwoman, Catwoman, the Quesion, Vixen, Hawkgirl, and eventually Wonder Woman (Mera and many of the other heroines and their beaus are not here) in the fictional kingdom of Zambesi in Africa. There was some fighting in Africa during WWII, but this mostly feels like an interlude to go over some backstory while keeping the Nazis from uncovering some alien tech hidden in Zambesi.
Focusing on six principle heroines did the story some good. Hawkgirl and Vixen feel more familiar than several characters introduced in previous issues, and we also learn a lot about Batwoman and the Question as well as the villainess Cheetah. However, a lot of the characters aren't particularly complex. The closest the characters get to internal struggle is Supergirl's continued mourning of Stargirl and Hawkgirl realizing that sometimes aliens really did make some of the wonders.
Batwoman's development in the series is interesting. While I get the vibe that Bennett has a very rosy view of her heroines, Batwoman has been developing into a morally gray character. While the Batgirls don't want to take a life themselves in the name of justice, Batwoman is all too eager to kill Cheetah to avenge her and Renee's adopted son. While she was kicked off the Kane Industries board, she helped them attempt to exploit Zambesi's resources, which eventually lead to the Nazis being able to break into the country and try to create their own weapons and super humans. She also seems to be cheating on Maggie with the Question and on the Question with Catwoman. It's not a good look, and while she gets called out on the Kane Industries stuff, I wonder what Bennett will do with Batwoman's romantic tangle.
Speaking of Batwoman, most of this book focuses on Batwoman, Catwoman, the Quesion, Vixen, Hawkgirl, and eventually Wonder Woman (Mera and many of the other heroines and their beaus are not here) in the fictional kingdom of Zambesi in Africa. There was some fighting in Africa during WWII, but this mostly feels like an interlude to go over some backstory while keeping the Nazis from uncovering some alien tech hidden in Zambesi.
Focusing on six principle heroines did the story some good. Hawkgirl and Vixen feel more familiar than several characters introduced in previous issues, and we also learn a lot about Batwoman and the Question as well as the villainess Cheetah. However, a lot of the characters aren't particularly complex. The closest the characters get to internal struggle is Supergirl's continued mourning of Stargirl and Hawkgirl realizing that sometimes aliens really did make some of the wonders.
Batwoman's development in the series is interesting. While I get the vibe that Bennett has a very rosy view of her heroines, Batwoman has been developing into a morally gray character. While the Batgirls don't want to take a life themselves in the name of justice, Batwoman is all too eager to kill Cheetah to avenge her and Renee's adopted son. While she was kicked off the Kane Industries board, she helped them attempt to exploit Zambesi's resources, which eventually lead to the Nazis being able to break into the country and try to create their own weapons and super humans. She also seems to be cheating on Maggie with the Question and on the Question with Catwoman. It's not a good look, and while she gets called out on the Kane Industries stuff, I wonder what Bennett will do with Batwoman's romantic tangle.