Identity In Greg Rucka's Batwoman Elegy

Of the texts that we have read in our Female Superheroes course, Batwoman Elegy by Greg Rucka is one that stands out. Although most comics deal with issues that a reader may face in his or her life, Batwoman Elegy deals with particular topics in a realistic and serious manner. Sexuality, discrimination within the armed forces, and gender expression are all themes within Rucka’s telling of Batwoman’s story. Through addressing these topics in a serious tone, Batwoman Elegy provides Batwoman a story that removes her from her original creation, grants her independence, and provides a social criticism.
Before I read Batwoman Elegy, I was unaware of her existence in DC Comics or in the “Batman” canon. Growing up, the only “Batman” characters I knew of were Batman, the various Robins, Batgirl, and Batman’s more frequent villains. I was first introduced to Batwoman when they discussed her in

When reflecting on her past, Kate remembers the horrific murder of her mother and sister. Although I am familiar with this theme from other literary works, the images that accompanied Kate’s story made it disturbing. When reading a traditional novel, I am responsible for creating my own images. However in Batwoman Elegy, J.H. Williams does that for me. When Kate’s mother is killed, there is an image of her tied to a chair with a sack covering her head and a bloody gunshot wound. This was an image that I had never seen in a book before; therefore, I was disturbed by it. Yet, I found ways to cope with what I was reading. Although this image was graphic, Kate’s mother’s face is not shown. By making myself aware of this, I was able to appreciate Williams’ artwork. Additionally, I was able to understand the importance of having this artwork in the text because it enhances the Kate’s story an allowed me to see why this event had such a profound impact on her. Through this, I was able to identify with Kate’s