Review: Batgirl #49
A death of Batgirls leads to a family confrontation or is that a family confusion? Ironically, the Gordon’s motto of “never give up” feels a little flat in this, the penultimate issue of a series that has been hit and miss.
The Batgirl killer is still on the loose, focussing on natural red heads naturally convinces Jim Gordon, still not a cop after his Batman Who Laughs infection and James Gordon Jr. that Babs is next. Of the two, James knows that Babs is Batgirl which gives Babs a level of concern. Also in the mix is Jason, the love of Babs and hater of Batgirl. I know what you are thinking…. whats with all the “J”s? Joker, Jim, James and Jason. I guess that as Superman has the letter “L” under contract there only 25 other letters to choose from!
Cecil Castellucci has given Batgirl a bit of maturity in this arc. There is sexual undertone in the situations and the characters, which is a welcome addition and far removed from the younger audience that was previously the target audience. I find it ironic that for a character who was castigated for being too dark under Gail Simone, Cartellucci delivers the best issue for quite some time by utilising the same sort of vibe. The writing isn’t perfect; the transitions between the pieces are a little jarring at times. The dialogue works though, with each of Barbara’s strained relationships getting some serious panel time, though I would say that for a ex-cop who is “always a cop”. how has Jim not worked out Barbara’s secret? The conclusion of the book does have a sort of New 52 feel, specifically Batgirl #19 to be exact. This time though the ramifications may be far greater.
The art by Robbi Rodriguez is stylised and works for large parts of the book. Rodriguez’s art varies through the pages in a way that emphasises certain tones. There is a seedy maturity to the opening pages, a world weary effect, almost cartoon like Jim Gordon and a flirty bartender keep the visuals interesting. Rodriguez also shows some affection between Babs and Batgirl with the later more angular around the face and more statuesque in place, though there is an occasion where Batgirl’s belt epaulettes look like shorts thanks to the pose she is in. One exception is the interaction between Jason and Babs; initially I thought Babs was talking to James again, it wasn’t until I caught up with the words did I realise who it actually was. This is a minor quibble as Rodriguez pulls out all the stop for a rain drenched third act, showing Batgirl as a detective before the final revelation. Jordie Bellaire delivers a scheme that feels weighty, matching the darkness inherent in all the characters on show, of which only Bullock seems to escape. AndWorld Design demonstrates their talent in this issue, especially during the final act and confrontation. With all the Joker stuff kicking around the bat-universe, it must be hard to letter crazy in an original way, yet AndWorld is more than up to the task.
Reading this book, my knee jerk reaction was to wonder why this series hasn’t been this good before! Problem is, the subject matter can only be used once or twice before losing its impact, those in DC who always want to use the Joker should take note. It may seem that Batgirl is only readable when its dark, when in fact Bryan Q. Miller gave us a fun, hopeful Batgirl prior to the New 52. Still, judging this book on this arc shows that Castellucci is far more talented than working on a lame duck book may intimate. You never know, DC may keep her around for whatever the next (Batgirls led by Oracle maybe?) step in Babs journey will be.
Writing – 5 Stars
Art – 4.5 Stars
Colors – 5 Stars
Overall – 4.5 Stars
Written by; Cecil Castellucci
Art by; Robbi Rodriguez
Colors by; Jordie Bellaire
Letters by; AndWorld Design
Published by; DC Comics
Author Profile
- I am a long time comic book fan, being first introduced to Batman in the mid to late 70's. This led to a appreciation of classic artists like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo. Moving through the decades that followed, I have a working knowledge of a huge raft of characters with a fondness for old school characters like JSA and The Shadow
Currently reading a slew of Bat Books, enjoying a mini Marvel revival, and the host of The Definative Crusade and Outside the Panels whilst also appearing on No-Prize Podcast on the Undercover Capes Podcast Network
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