Batgirl #19 - A Review

A sudden surprise storm sees Gotham City snowed-in. Luckily The Penguin just happens to own several snowplows he's happy to loan the city in the name of civic pride. It's a little too convenient for Batgirl, however, who starts investigating just how the American Weather Association could possibly have failed to see this storm coming.


Goodness knows your old Uncle Starman is the last person in the world to complain about comics with political content, his favorite superhero being that fat-cat-bashing Green Arrow. That being said, while I agree with Hope Larson's politics, she could have done a far better job of subtly inserting the issue of corrupt and unqualified political appointees destroying a government agency leading to disaster into this issue. Larson is a fantastic writer and it's stunning to see her grind the plot of a story to a halt for the sake of a political statement. She's far better than that.

Thankfully, the artwork is still on point. Chris Wildgoose and Jose Marzan Jr. keep the appearance of the book light and spirited, as befits the largely comedic story. Mat Lopes' colors are equally cheerful, adding to the humorous aesthetic. Hopefully things will come together better next month.

The Final Analysis: 6 out of 10. A solid issue, suffering only in how it sacrifices plotting for preaching.

Batgirl #17 - A Review

Years ago, a case involving designer drugs, The Mad Hatter and the first friend Barbara Gordon made after moving to Gotham City brought Batgirl and Robin together. Now, Nightwing has joined with her again as a new villain called The Red Queen has come out of the woodwork seeking revenge. Can Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon work past their old wounds to save the day?


There's not much I can say about this issue without spoiling one of the best multi-part stories I've read in some time. It's a credit to Hope Larson's skill as a writer that she can tell two stories set in two different points in time so well, much less two mysteries! She also has a great handle on the characters of Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon .

The artwork is equally impressive. Chris Wildgoose is an amazing penciler, who draws a smooth action sequence. Both Jose Marzan Jr and Andy Owens do a fantastic job keeping the inks uniform. Mat Lopes's colors leave every panel popping. Even letterer Deron Bennett adds to the visuals in surprisingly subtle ways.

The Final Analysis: 10/10. A perfect conclusion to an amazing arc.

Batgirl 16 - A Review

Then, Robin and Batgirl teamed up to investigate Mad Hatter's turning to nanotech drug dealing. They discovered that Ainsley -  Barbara Gordon's one friend since moving to Gotham City (apart from Robin, of course) - was helping The Hatter and using Barbara's coding skills to do it!

Now, a new villain called The Red Queen has stolen The Mad Hatter's technology and is it using it to strike against everyone who ever hurt Ainsley... including Nightwing and Batgirl! Barbara thought her old friend had reformed, but now she isn't so sure...


The most miraculous thing about the current Batgirl arc is how well Hope Larson has balanced the flashbacks and the story set in the present. Both stories are honestly surprising and well-paced as far as mysteries go. Larson also has a great grasp of Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon's personalities at both points in time and the interaction between them is a joy to read.

Larson's script is well matched by the art team. Chris Wildgoose is phenomenal and easily the best artist to work on this series since Daniel Sampere. Both inkers - Messrs. Marzan and Owens do a fantastic job of shading the artwork without blanketing the page in blackness. The colors of Mat Lopes provide the perfect finishes.

The Final Analysis: 10 out of 10. A must read for all Bat-Fans!

Batgirl #15 - A Review

When a cryptic text message lures Batgirl and Nightwing to the same crime-scene, it becomes apparent that some villain from their past is out for revenge. All signs point to The Mad Hatter... or so they think. A new villain called The Red Queen has taken the field and she's uncomfortably familiar with both Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon - a revelation that forces the two allies to think back to their first case together, shortly after Barbara Gordon first moved to Gotham City!


The most miraculous aspect of Batgirl #15 is how well Hope Larson tells two mysteries at two different points in time without the past story spoiling the present one. Apart from both mysteries involving a woman named Ainsley - Barbara Gordon's first real friend upon first moving to Gotham - there's seemingly no common link between the stories. Larson also captures the characters of Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon perfectly as both teenagers and young adults and the complicated friendship/romance between them is well-handled.


The work delivered by the art team proves equally enjoyable. Chris Wildgoose's kinetic style is a good match for Larson's script. The inks of Jose Marzan Jr. are kept similarly light and airy, adding clarity to the finished artwork. Mat Lopes' applies his colors with zeal, crafting one of the best looking books in the business!

The Final Analysis: 10 out of 10. A must-read for all fans of good mysteries and YA superheroes.

Batgirl #10 - A Review

A chance encounter with The Penguin ends surprisingly peacefully, yet it only prompts more questions about Ethan Cobblepot and more problems for Batgirl. Barbara knows her would-be suitor is up to something shady but the nature of the game still eludes her. Still, a little help from her friends may help her find the way.


Honestly, I could read an entire Hope Larson-penned book about Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon talking while riding motorcycles. The issue has a bit more action than that, of course, but the focus here is on Barbara's relationships with her friends and  talents as a detective. The script is smartly written, with great dialogue. The whole thing is brought to life beautifully by the art team and the story flows naturally despite the unique panel placements on some page.

Final Analysis: 10 out of 10. One of the best books of the Rebirth line.

Batgirl #9 - A Review

Balancing grad school, her volunteer work with the kid's coding club at the library and her work as Batgirl leaves Barbara Gordon little time for her friends and less time for romance. She'd like to spend more time with Ethan Cobblepot but Babs can't help but shake the feeling there's something shady about the charming young tech magnate, who just happens to be the bastard son of The Penguin! Someone is definitely using the apps Ethan's company makes for nefarious purposes and now they seem to be using a hot new game to troll Batgirl...


Batgirl has fast become one of my favorite comics. Writer Hope Larson has forged a mighty alloy made up of the classic Batgirl comics of the Bronze Age and the best bits of the The New 52 and Burnside eras. More, Larson has clearly done her research as to what a modern librarian's work entails (i.e. community outreach and tech skills - not dusting books) and worked that into the mix as well. It's a minor point but it's a fine example of just how Larson goes the extra mile in building this world.

The artwork sports an equally intricate level of detail. Chris Wildgoose is an amazing penciler, equally adept at depicting high-action and soft conversations. Mat Lopes and Jon Lame provide the perfect finishes with their colors and inks. All in all, this is one book to keep an eye on!

Batgirl #8 - A Review

Despite her best efforts - up to and including a date that went far better than expected - Barbara Gordon can't find anything dirty about Ethan Cobblepot - a bastard son of The Penguin whose fingers seem to be in every new tech-based start-up in Gotham. Yet Babs can't shake the feeling that something is shady about Ethan even before she finds out that the supervillain Magpie is being employed by his new business that provides safety in numbers to ladies in need of someone to walk home with them.


When thinking of easy comparisons to the new Batgirl series, I have to go all the way back to the original run of Amazing Spider-Man. Much as Stan Lee and Steve Ditko focused on Peter Parker's life as a student and photographer as much as his exploits as Spidey, Hope Larson splits the story's focus between Barbara's life as an aspiring librarian and her beating people up as Batgirl.

The series borrows from the best aspects of the Gail Simone and "Burnside" eras of this series, utilizing the former runs' full cast of supporting characters. Further props must be given for promoting MIT's App Inventor project and showcasing Barabra's compassion and how she puts her talents to work helping others outside of her superheroics.


Larson is backed by an equally skilled art team. Chris Wildgoose has quickly become one of my favorite pencilers after only two issues on this series. Jon Lam has a perfect sense of what to emphasize with the inks and what to leave unshaded. And colorist Mat Lopes adds to the emotion of the story with some well-chosen changes to the background colors during the action sequences.

Bottom line - this is one of the best books to come out of DC Rebirth.