Review: Batgirl #50

This giant-sized issue is a great example of what has gone wrong with Batgirl.Â Is she a fully fledged member of the Bat-Family, is she a kid friendly characters or is she a leader of a group?Â Will the real Batgirl please stand up?

Following the Joker War, there are still aftershocks of the clown shaped earthquakes that shook Gotham and the Bat-Fam.Â Now, with that particular crisis over, it’s time for Babs to get her life sorted.Â That means not one but two visits to Jason Bard, an argument with her Dad, a resetting of the board with Nightwing and a potential future that harkens back to her past.

Writer Cecil Castellucci has the unenviable task of seeing her run close out this series, a series that has in fairness been kind of “meh” for the majority of the time and less than “meh” for the rest.Â This comment is by no means aimed at Castellucci; to be fair her run has probably been some of the better issues, though I could have done without the dragon issues.Â Babs works best when she has things to do, the main story kind of runs with that focus; once she is in Batgirl mode things tend to work out.Â I have enjoyed seeing Babs find her feet and can certainly see how she fits in the new Bat order.Â Castellucci is also the writer for the two back-up stories; one featuring Batgirl and the Justice League and the other featuring her previous and her new girl groups.Â The middle story doesn’t really work for me in any shape way or form, with the third kind of playing out a little too sappy.

The art for the main part of the book is supplied by Emanuela Lupacchino, who after a god awful opening panel settles into the style that we have come to enjoy.Â Lupacchino manages to draw a good Babs as well as well as a good Batgirl.Â Whereas Batgirl can be more rigid in places, Lupacchino applies a lot of animation to the faces not covered by cowls.Â With three inkers on the story, Wade Von Grawbadger, Mick Gray and Scott Hanna, the pencils fluctuate wildly.Â Whilst this does make a great study on how inks affect the finished work it also makes for an inconsistent flow.Â Colors are provided by the ever fantastic Jordie Bellaire whose scheme is less polished, less bright in a good way.Â Becca Carey does a fantastic job when you consider the entire verbiage in the main story.

For the second story, DC Bombshell artist Marguerite Sauvage supplies the art and colors with Becce Carey, once again on letters pulls double duty.Â Sauvage’s art, whilst suiting the whimsy of an alternative, past era drenched DC Universe may not suit the more standard refines of the DCU proper.Â Still, I am sure that her fans will enjoy this section of the book,

Finally, the third story goes all Dungeons and Dragons……again.Â Artist Aneke first crossed my reviewing eyes on Red Sonja.Â Here the art takes a more standard approach.Â I would have liked to have seen more subtly especially around the faces and some changes in body styles.Â Colors are provided by Trish Mulvihill with a darker style than Bellaire or Sauvage.Â Becca Carey erans her triple rate pay for her third outing in the special sized book.

There has been a Batgirl book on the shelves since before Flashpoint, with Babs taking the spotlight from New 52 onwards.Â Since Gail Simone was writing Babs’ adventures, I fear that Batgirl has lost her way; possibly never a top tier book, she has dropped down in peoples attention due a myriad of writers, change in tones and at times some god awful art.Â Despite all this issues flaws, Batgirl is going with a kind of high.Â I am looking forward to the next incarnation of a Batgirl book, if DC can find the correct tone.Â Otherwise, there is no real point to continuing with this character.

Writing – 3 Stars
Art (Lupacchino) – 3 Stars
Art (Sauvage) – 2.5 Stars
Art (Aneke) – 3 Stars
Colors (Bellaire) – 5 Stars
Colors (Mulvihill) – 3.5

Overall – 3 Stars

Written by; Cecil Castellucci
Art by; Emanuela Lupacchino, Marguerite Sauvage and Aneke
Inks by; Wade Von Grawbadger, Mick Gray & Scott Hanna
Colors by; Jordie Bellaire & Trish Mulvihill
Letters by; Becca Carey
Published by; DC Comics

Author Profile

Johnny "The Machine" Hughes

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