Make Mine... DC?

I've recently been reading some DC trades, namely Batwoman: Elegy, Batgirl: Batgirl Rising and Batgirl: The Flood, and I've enjoyed them more than I enjoyed my Marvel reads. Whilst they've not exactly been problem-free reads, for example I didn't understand some aspects of Elegy, I've found them easier to get into and just generally more compelling reads. The titular characters also have another aspect that I've harped on about a little bit, and that's they don't have breasts the size of watermelon plantations. They're both relatively conservatively drawn and well proportioned, although of course they are a little thin.

Batgirl, with Stephanie, is a humorous and well-drawn read. She's a compelling character, she's a bit on the cute side, but it hasn't let the darkness that permeates Gotham-based comics get in the way of having a good bit of fun. Whilst there are some slightly darker moments, it's very arguably a bit closer to classic Batman in that it's fun, there's lots of people getting beaten up in a non-gruesome manner and it largely doesn't take itself seriously.

Batwoman, with Katherine Kane, is from the little I've read (i.e. just Elegy), a much darker and more serious read, but it's no less well drawn and has some of the most creative panelling I've seen in comics. Her sexuality, whilst a little controversial, doesn't define her character although it is an irreplaceable part of her that - were it different - would completely change her situation, perhaps even to the point of her not ever becoming Batwoman.

Has it been perfect? Of course not, as I mentioned above I found some parts of Elegy to be beyond me, specifically the werewolves (Or whatever they were). I didn't know them, I didn't know what part they played in Gotham, I knew nothing about them. It didn't affect the story too much for me, but they still had me scratching my head a bit. In Batgirl Rising, Batman was actually Dick Grayson (i.e. the original Robin) rather than Bruce, and I wasn't really clued up as to why, but aside from the banter between Oracle and Dick, it made little impact on the story.

I'll hopefully be receiving my new DC comics soon. I've ordered a few of the #1 issues from the reboot (Batgirl, Batwoman, Wonder Woman & Birds of Prey) to gauge if I'll like them or not, and I'll admit the Batgirl reviews have me slightly worried, but also if I'll continue to buy DC comics.

As for Marvel, you might be wondering why I'm leaning towards DC. I've found Marvel to be much less forgiving to a new reader. It's event after event after event, it's big breasts after big breasts after big breasts, even with the younger X-Men. Buy one trade, and you find you need another couple at the very least to fully understand the events going on. I also find Marvel's stable of female heroes to be less compelling. Spider-Girl I'm interested in, especially with the new girl, and I enjoy a few of the X-Men (Mercury, X-23, Pixie), but largely I find myself caring less and less about Marvel and its characters. Even Deadpool has fallen out of favour with me after a few over-priced trades (This is coming from she who bought The Killing Joke and Pixie Strikes Back) and the largely average Deadpool Corps, of which I have the Prelude and first collection.

So, from now onwards, I think DC will be getting a lot more attention from me. I'm very impressed with their attitude towards Batwoman, despite her tumultuous release history, and I'm hoping I enjoy their comics more than I have Marvel's.