The Good

As a detective, David (Batwing) has a lot to learn. Just when he thought he knew and understood the identity of his adversary, he realizes he is very, very wrong. What makes a really interesting interaction between a hero and a villain is a commonality. In order to make the reader care about the relationship and the rivalry, there must be an underlying reason why a villain is a hero's adversary. Without that hidden, underlying connection between the two characters, it's much harder to hook the reader. That's something that writer Judd Winnick definitely got right when he created Massacre as a member of Batwing's rogue's gallery. In issue #8 of Batwing Massacre's identity is finally revealed; and while it may be hard to believe, you might find yourself sympathizing with the character by the time you read the last page of the issue.

Every issue before this made this one worth it. Winnick's understanding of the importance of deep relationships between characters is evident in this issue of BATWING. He will make you care about the character.

There is a phenomenal scene between Batwing and Batman where Batwing questions himself and his capabilities. You get the sense that the character is still trying to find his footing and that he has a lot of compassion. It's a great scene and I felt it was one that was very important to the story and to the development of the character.

The Bad

My only complaint is what the heck are they doing in Gotham City? Why does everything need to come back to Gotham? I guess because we will be seeing the Court of Owl's story arc bleed into all the Bat titles (including BATWING), Winnick decided to bring Batwing to Gotham. Yet, it didn't really make a whole lot of sense. I would have liked to see the Bat-family go to Africa as opposed to Batwing traveling to Giotham.

The Verdict

This is really the first time where I felt that the interactions between Batwing and the rest of the Bat-family felt really natural and organic, and I wonder if a lot of that stemmed from the way that Batman is depicted as this sort of mentor to David. This book is full of really touching scenes that will tug at your heart strings and really make you fall in love with Batwing's character. In a way, he reminds me of Tim Drake because he has less of a problem demonstrating compassion. He cares about people, and that's nice to see.

I thought it was great that Winnick left the end of the issue rather open-ended. Will we see Massacre again, and when we do will he still be "Massacre"? I'm definitely looking forward to his next appearance and their next interaction.

Very good issue Batwing is a very good comic book.

Can't wait to eventually pick this one up.

Thank god it has a new artist, the old art was painful to look at and had almost no backgrounds

I'm finding this series a bit lack-luster, especially that twist in this issue, like that's been pretty obvious for the past few issues. It really started strong, I loved in the first issue when David was talking about how myths and legends are important in Africa and he's going to use that... but then in issue 3 he was just fighting Massacre in the middle of the afternoon outside a school and its like... any myth or legend kinda loses its mystery when you, literally, parade it around in plain sight.

yeah, i thought it was pretty obvious who massacre was real early on in the series.

I gotta get this I wanna know who Massacre is

@darth bul said:

Batwing is a very good comic book.

@k4tzm4n said:

Can't wait to eventually pick this one up.

This

It was a good read. The arc was cool but the end was predictable. Bring on the owls.

Dam I can't wait for my friend to lend me the comic

@Pbott: The old art was great! Easily one of the best looking books in the New 52!

Yeah, its still a pretty good series.

But it should be obvious why they're in Gotham; to set up Batwing's part in Night of the Owls.

Also, I think Winick should've revealed Massacre's identity earlier and had David striving to save him for longer, hanging the mystery of 'The Redeemer' over our heads for those later issues. The way it was here, almost everyone was able to predict Massacre's identity WAY in advance, so each issue that didn't confirm it just added more padding to the mystery that made the payoff less and less satisfying each time. An early reveal would've avoided that while keeping the tension the same due to David's inability to keep in pace with Massacre. And the Redeemer's identity being revealed right after we discovered his existence had an equally weak payoff for the opposite reason. It was over and done with in a few pages.

Hi guys, i was wondering, if i wanted to pick up batwing (i was unfortunate to pick it up from the beginning), can i start from issue 7??? apparently it's a new arc or something??? i don't know, but if anyone can tell me where to start reading pleas help!!!!

Thanks.

@Baberaham_Lincoln said:

Hi guys, i was wondering, if i wanted to pick up batwing (i was unfortunate to pick it up from the beginning), can i start from issue 7??? apparently it's a new arc or something??? i don't know, but if anyone can tell me where to start reading pleas help!!!!

Thanks.

It's not really a new arc, more like the final stretch of the first arc. This issue was the finale of the arc that began with the first issue. You can probably jump in with the next issue, or go back to the first.

@Baberaham_Lincoln:

If your looking for a good jumping on point i'd suggest either starting from the beginning. Or waiting for Issue 10 which is the start of a new arc involving pirates.

Sure, Massacre's true identity has been obvious for quite some time now, but still, I think Winick did a superb job in handling the emotion behind the revelation as well as leaving matters open-ended. I'm sure many found the final sequence corny, but I actually found it to be an emotionally fitting and perfect way to top off Batwing's first story. I'm extremely pleased with this book so far.

The twist was stupidly handled,so Massacre has amnesia? nice plot device.

@entropy_aegis: Wait, what? I don't recall the issue saying he has amnesia, just that after suffering those injuries he basically became a mad man while barely surviving in the jungle.

@k4tzm4n said:

@entropy_aegis: Wait, what? I don't recall the issue saying he has amnesia, just that after suffering those injuries he basically became a mad man while barely surviving in the jungle.

He had no idea who he was.

@entropy_aegis said:

@k4tzm4n said:

@entropy_aegis: Wait, what? I don't recall the issue saying he has amnesia, just that after suffering those injuries he basically became a mad man while barely surviving in the jungle.

He had no idea who he was.

He being Batwing? David didn't have a chance to reveal himself to Isaac.

@k4tzm4n said:

@entropy_aegis said:

@k4tzm4n said:

@entropy_aegis: Wait, what? I don't recall the issue saying he has amnesia, just that after suffering those injuries he basically became a mad man while barely surviving in the jungle.

He had no idea who he was.

He being Batwing? David didn't have a chance to reveal himself to Isaac.

I'll check it again later but 'm pretty sure Massacre had no clue who he was.

@entropy_aegis said:

@k4tzm4n said:

@entropy_aegis said:

@k4tzm4n said:

@entropy_aegis: Wait, what? I don't recall the issue saying he has amnesia, just that after suffering those injuries he basically became a mad man while barely surviving in the jungle.

He had no idea who he was.

He being Batwing? David didn't have a chance to reveal himself to Isaac.

I'll check it again later but 'm pretty sure Massacre had no clue who he was.

Yeah, he didn't know who Batwing was, but how would he know Batwing's true identity? Batwing only has the chance to say "Dav" before the explosion.

@k4tzm4n said:

@entropy_aegis said:

@k4tzm4n said:

@entropy_aegis said:

@k4tzm4n said:

@entropy_aegis: Wait, what? I don't recall the issue saying he has amnesia, just that after suffering those injuries he basically became a mad man while barely surviving in the jungle.

He had no idea who he was.

He being Batwing? David didn't have a chance to reveal himself to Isaac.

I'll check it again later but 'm pretty sure Massacre had no clue who he was.

Yeah, he didn't know who Batwing was, but how would he know Batwing's true identity? Batwing only has the chance to say "Dav" before the explosion.

He did'nt know his own ID,and he kinda became tame and confused when he lost his mask.

@entropy_aegis: He did know it. When David says "Isaac?" for the first time, Massacre replies with "How...how do you know my name?"

I just think he's freaking out that this guy he's been fighting all along knows who he really is, and Massacre wants to know how/why (thus the constant "who are you? How do you know my name!?"). That's at least how I'm taking it.

@k4tzm4n said:

@entropy_aegis: He did know it. When David says "Isaac?" for the first time, Massacre replies with "How...how do you know my name?"

I just think he's freaking out that this guy he's been fighting all along knows who he really is, and Massacre wants to know how/why (thus the constant "who are you? How do you know my name!?"). That's at least how I'm taking it.

Whoops.

@entropy_aegis: It's alright. I have the advantage of only reading the book an hour ago and having the copy right next to me :D

@k4tzm4n said:

@entropy_aegis: It's alright. I have the advantage of only reading the book an hour ago and having the copy right next to me :D

I'm losing interest in comics TBH,mostly skim through the issues.

@entropy_aegis said:

@k4tzm4n said:

@entropy_aegis: It's alright. I have the advantage of only reading the book an hour ago and having the copy right next to me :D

I'm losing interest in comics TBH

IMPOSSIBLE!

@k4tzm4n said:

@entropy_aegis said:

@k4tzm4n said:

@entropy_aegis: It's alright. I have the advantage of only reading the book an hour ago and having the copy right next to me :D

I'm losing interest in comics TBH

IMPOSSIBLE!

VERY MUCH POSSIBLE SIR.

@entropy_aegis said:

@k4tzm4n said:

@entropy_aegis: It's alright. I have the advantage of only reading the book an hour ago and having the copy right next to me :D

I'm losing interest in comics TBH,mostly skim through the issues.

I'm right with ya

My only response to this comic was, upon looking at the cover, in the middle of the comic store, to yell at the top of my lungs, "HOLY BAT-BOOTY, BATMAN!"

Oh come on, you see it too, don't lie.

Bat wings costumes echos that of Shadowhawk

@lekosis: No way, not at all, you're crazy.

What I thought was 'DAT ASS.'

Then I thought, "BAT ASS."

@mattwing87 said:

@Pbott: The old art was great! Easily one of the best looking books in the New 52!

what the art from issue 7 have to admit didn't like that art at all

I'm Glad i found this Story Line, cant wait to Read it and Catch Up... Maybe we Need a West Coast Batman...,hmmm...

@htb106 said:

@mattwing87 said:

@Pbott: The old art was great! Easily one of the best looking books in the New 52!

what the art from issue 7 have to admit didn't like that art at all

Im not saying its amazing, its solid at best. Its just that the art before was not so much bad but just lazy because it had virtually no backgrounds, which kind of sucks when a book is supposed to be in Africa

shame that they ended the first arc as a team up might've been better to see batwing finishing by himself

oh big bat family team up batman, robin, nightwing and batgirl

sigh,why is tim never involved in any of this

I have to agree with the bad, the African setting really gave this story its own character. Regardless, yes the story is ... tearful D: