Batwoman #8: Bad Seeds Week 9 Part 1 Review
Writer: Greg Rucka
Artist: DaNi
Colorist: Matt Hollingsworth
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Cover Artists: DaNi & Matt Hollingsworth
Variant Cover Artists: Stjepan Šejić & Javi Fernández
Bad Seeds Spot Foil Variant Cover Artist: David Nakayama
Editors: James Reid & Rob Levin
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $3.99 US | Variant $4.99 US (Card Stock) |Variant $6.99 US (Foil)
Release Date: October 21, 2026
Derivative. Performative. Woke. Call her what you want. But when an emergency strikes, Batwoman races to the rescue. Batman sent her to the St. Dumas Cathedral, but Commissioner Savage's private army followed.
Her sister’s demise gutted her. Beth’s resurrection destroyed her public image. Now, her brainwashed sister is getting the treatment she desperately needs. But Kate Kane is still hurting. How will Batwoman react when soldiers storm the catacombs? And will more skulls adorn the walls when her battle with the TUCOs ends? Let's leap into Batwoman #8 and see what happens!
Story
Forget about transporting your injured friends or family to Gotham General. Poison Ivy's superbloom rules the streets. Still, the TUCOs want civilians to stay clear so they can hunt down the Bat-family. After shooting her, one squad pursues Huntress. Her blood trail leads them toward St. Dumas Cathedral.
In Batwoman #8, Batwoman has a chip on her shoulder. While it ended on a hopeful note, her time in Greece was a nightmare. Thanks to a viral video, everyone thinks she's a killer. People know Batman and other members of the Bat-family better and think she's an opportunist. After completing her assignment for Batman, Batwoman was eager to prove them wrong. Then, Huntress stumbles into St. Dumas Cathedral and overturns Batwoman's battle plan.
While Greg Rucka’s story follows Batwoman and Huntress’ efforts to escape the TUCOs, it also follows the TUCOs’ search for two Bat-family members. Vandal Savage's private army may have bounties on their minds. Yet despite their callous attitude to civilians, the two squads fear attacks from Poison Ivy's hyperaccelerated plant life. Savage touted his private army as superior to his highly trained police force. Still, venturing into the skull-lined catacombs to apprehend two highly trained vigilantes gives the TUCOs pause in Batwoman #8.
Art
As the TUCOs search the darkened streets, their helmet lights cast each in a spotlight. Green vines and flowers sprawl near their boots, while red ribbons appear in the beige circles of light. When a helmet light captures Huntress, she clutches her bleeding side. The next moment, she slips back into the darkness. Their gray visors and night-vision goggles evoke Anarky, also out somewhere on this crazy night. Yet the smiles on the TUCO visors evoke another villain’s madness.
As Matt Hollingsworth colors DaNi’s dark art with restraint, the green plants and airborne spores link with glimpses of Cathedral infrastructure. Kate's actions and her red costume elevate fears of the supernatural. Pink links a moment of confusion with Huntress's costume, while the two TUCO squads meet amid blue and red. Yet down in the catacombs, hints of blue and green struggle to dominate the gray, skull-lined interior in Batwoman #8.
Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou fills white dialogue balloons with uppercase black letters. Lowered voices appear as small lowercase letters, while scribbles indicate muttering. Raised voices swell words and distort balloons. White letters also haunt the violent night. Sound effects accompany danger, confusion, and sounds that raise the hairs on the back of your neck. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.
Final Thoughts
Kate Kane wanted to be a soldier like her father. She wanted to have a normal relationship with a well-balanced sister. Kate may not have the public’s respect. Still, she has two families, and she loves them both. Batwoman and Huntress may be distant Bat-relations. But even if they don’t share the same outlook, Kate is determined to rescue Huntress from the TUCO squads while upholding her ideals in Batwoman #8.
Rating 9.4/10
To look inside see Batwoman #8 Preview.
For why the TUCO soldiers fear her, see Batwoman #7 Review.
For the events that shaped this series, see Batwoman #6 Preview.
For Beth's reunion with Mother Despina, see Batwoman #5 Preview.
For Kate's reunion with someone she loves, see my preview of Batwoman #4.
For the murders that rock Greece, see my preview of Batwoman #3.
For Jacob "Jake" Kane struggle to see his daughter, see my preview of Batwoman #2.
For how this series started, see my preview of Batwoman #1.
For the Batwoman story, "Second Date," see my preview of Justice League Dream Girls: A DC Pride Event #1.
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