One Perfect moment: Kate and Jake Kane

[requiem2adream]

I started reading Greg Rucka's run on Detective Comics for one reason: the back up feature about the Question, Renee Montoya. At first I only read the man feature because hey, I'd brought the book, I may as well read the whole thing. I liked it but still it was the backup feature that was what really made me keep reading it. Then something happened. Issue 859 was released.

I don't have the words to describe how this issue - how the page I am posting in particular - made me fall in love with Kate and her father and with Greg Rucka too. All I know is that the moment is about as perfect as father-daughter moments go in comics.


I cry every time I read it. It's so simple and yet so beautiful. Everything from the art to the storytelling in this issue is so damn perfect.

I was lucky enough a few weekends ago to meet Rucka himself at the London Film and Comic Con for a signing and a panel. When it came to deciding what I would get signed, the answer seemed to elude me for a while but then, while I was waiting in line and talking it over with my friend it kind of became obvious which issue would mean the most signed:



Sorry about the quality, my scanner is all packed away at the moment so you'll have to make do with a photo instead.
Anyway, turns out this issue has  practically perfect behind the scenes story to tell as well. While we were cueing to have comics signed my friend pointed out to me a few panels that come earlier in the issue, just before Kate gets kicked out of West Point:




Some of you might recognise the man Kate is talking to as Dan Choi, the man who made the news when he came out as gay on the Rachel Maddow show and was kicked out of the army because of it. I don't know if I hadn't noticed the first time I read it or if I'd noticed and just forgotten that he was in it but after having it pointed to me in the cue we asked Greg how it had come about - Dan also has a special credit for research on this issue - assuming of course that it was as a result of Dan's appearance on Maddow.

Not so. The real story is, as Greg put it far more serendipitous than that.

As it happens while Greg was researching West Point he made a Facebook statement about wanting to talk to someone who knew what it was like to be gay at West Point and someone he had known at college responded and put him in touch with a friend he knew through choir. That man happened to be Dan Choi. A few weeks later, Dan was on Maddow.
So there you have it. One perfect moment, and one perfect behind the scenes story from what I consider to be one of the most perfect comic book issues I have ever read.

Comments

[bradhanon]

See, that's parenting, there. I intellectually understand why some parents feel they have to abandon or decry their own children because of their sexuality or gender identity. I think it's WRONG, but in theory I get that their reasons make sense to them. What I can't do is viscerally understand it. I just do not get turning your back on your own kid. What Mr. Kane is doing here, that makes sense to me.

[psychopathicus_rex]

What I got from it is 'I neither approve nor disapprove of what you ARE; I'll work that out later - I do approve of what you DID. Good for you.' Which is pretty reasonable, I'd say - whatever the guy's feelings on his daughter's sexuality, he's still proud of her for staying true to who she is.

[thebigapricot]

I had this issue sitting out and was thinking of posting this scene myself because you are absolutely right, it is perfect.

[requiem2adream]

:D Sorry I beat you to it!

[renface]

Good to see this on Scans_Daily, I was behind you and your friend in the queue for Rucka.

I opted to get the final TPB of No Man's Land signed, as I wanted to talk to him about the Renee/Harvey relationship.

Rucka said he feels it needs addressing again to give it closure, particularly now that Renee is The Question. I hope he does it.

[requiem2adream]

haha if I'd have known it was a fellow S_Der in the queue behind me I wouldn't have felt so bad about talking to Rucka for so long ;) I kid, I kid. Seriously, sorry we were taking so long. It's not every day you get to meet one of your idols, you know?

:D But yeah, Renee-Harvey is a very interesting relationship. I hope he gets to do something else with it down the line. I really want him to be the guy who finishes the Kate-Beth stuff too.

[renface]

Hah, it's cool, it's cool. It didn't feel like you took long.
I think I was quietly fangirling anyway.

It'll be interesting to see where the new run goes, but I do hope Rucka comes back. We can trust him to do good with the characters.

[thelostglove]

That's a great backstory, I had no idea. Thanks for sharing!

I'm not out to my parents, and the first time I read this issue, that scene was like a kick in the chest, in the best way. Gets me every time.

[taggerung301]

when you do come out I hope your parents are just understanding as Kate's dad

[thelostglove]

Aw, thanks. I do too :)

[requiem2adream]

:D I've been meaning to post it since the con but life got in the way. One Perfect Moment Week gave me a perfect opportunity to post an awesome scene and tell an awesome story at the same time.

I know what you mean, I'm in the same boat (kinda - I'm bi so I think that takes the edge off being 'closeted' a little bit) and I feel exactly the same way about it this page.

[thelostglove]

Yeah, no, I'm bi too, and I'll tell my parents at some point--I mean, I'm really lucky, I can't picture them disowning me or anything, and I'm a financially independent adult, so it's not like I'd be out on the street if they did. But yeah, right now everyone's kind of just happier with how things are, so...

[requiem2adream]

Ah, gotcha :)

right now everyone's kind of just happier with how things are, so...

*nods* I know that feeling. Until I have a serious girlfriend there's no point upsetting the apple-cart as my mother would say.

[thelostglove]

My logic exactly.

(Which..."Hey Ma, this is _____, oh, yeah, I may have forgotten to mention the liking girls thing, like maybe since 2003. Hey, you made pie!" I'm cringing for my lucky lady in advance. But it seems like the least worst way to do it.)

[shadowpsykie]

that would be an awesome web strip!

[thelostglove]

Also an awesome excuse to start drinking gin at nine in the morning on Thanksgiving. Everybody wins!

[meatwhichdreams]

One perfect moment is right. And with that art...! Mwah.

[requiem2adream]

The art for this whole book is just stunning. I really hope that Williams keeps up with the two styles thing on the Batwoman series because they make such a lovely contrast.

[meatwhichdreams]

I totally have to pick up a full book of Batwoman sometime and experience it on the page rather than on the screen. :D I love all the art people have posted on S_D -- I think this sort of noir feel (that's not too realistic but has a strong basis in realistic proportions) is perfect for a Bat series.

[lilacsigil]

When I read this it made me cry. Thanks for posting it, because now I can just be achy-happy.

I had no idea that was Dan Choi she spoke to in those panels - that's a wonderful addition to the story!

[psychopathicus_rex]

Mr. Kane, it would seem, is that rare type of ex-military dad in comics - one who believes in the spirit of the law, not the letter of it. What I mean by that is, there's a lot of talk of honor and glory and integrity and so forth in the military, but those sort of ideals seem to get bogged down too often in red tape, mindless patriotism and the 'SIR, YES SIR!' mentality. The dictatorial ex-military dad shows up a fair amount, but it's a rarity to find one who still believes in the basic values of military life, and is proud of his daughter for staying true to those values. I'm not sure just how true to life this sort of thing is, but it's rather moving here.

[swatkat]

This is really a beautiful moment. Thanks for sharing. I cannot wait for the new Batwoman series to come out.