The controversial comic book finally arrives
A spoiler-free review is immediately below. Scroll down for the full and spoiler-filled recap.
Review:
As expected, Batgirl #1 delivers enough excitement, entertainment and emotion to call it a solid story on its own terms, debuting largely undaunted by the heated politics of its conception and yet handled with enough sensitivity to lightly acknowledge the concerns of its detractors. Writer Gail Simone reintroduces Barbara Gordon with a characterization still very much layered considering the complexities no longer provided by her paralysis, and despite the optimism Barbara’s new able-bodied status quo would imply, Batgirl #1 offers just as much dark grit as it does fresh pep.
Even its inevitable splash page of Batgirl gleefully grapple-hooking it through Gotham is sandwiched between scenes devoted to a gruesome crop of murderers, one of whom is so horrifyingly crafted that his ingenious methodology and savage determination haunt Batgirl’s darker and happier pages alike. Although Barbara is back on her feet, her vulnerability is clearly positioned as an ever-present priority—and not only through her collision courses with violent villains. Barbara’s inner dialogue reveals the traumatic sting of being shot and paralyzed by the Joker three years ago and, regardless of her miraculous physical recovery (however vague it remains for now), the indelible mark it’s left on her confidence.
Her lack of steely resolve sets this new Barbara Gordon apart from the one that existed pre-relaunch, and contributes to DC’s assertive reshaping of the character overall. In contrast to Oracle, this Barbara doesn’t have the consistently commanding polish she’s known for, but rather flashes of it interspersed with mistakes made on the front line, dialogue that delineates her insecurity, or narration highlighting both. In some ways, this is absolutely the same Barbara Gordon that awed fans as a grown woman—determined, independent, decent-natured—but with the de-aged, stumbling version presented here, “Batgirl” comes off as a fitting term for the new Babs. While her inexperience swells the story’s tension successfully, it also brings with it the charm of a more innocent young woman humorously attempting to navigate nasty waters. Her earnest shock at knocking out an assailant with one punch and her apologies toward civilians she tries not to run over with her motorcycle are enjoyable indications of the kind of heroine we’re in for moving forward.
And as the storyline develops, it’s apparent the character won’t completely leave behind her experience with a disability. A brief bit of dialogue between Barbara and her new roommate hints at the long-term repercussions of her paralysis and the attention to be paid to the sensitive issues they’ve reared for her—and, presumably, fans of Barbara as Oracle. While there is no way this one issue will thoroughly satisfy readers who see Barbara as a disability icon, the groundwork is laid in this comic for that part of her history to still mean something to the character.
The discussion between Barbara and her roommate Alysia is just one of several examples of the sturdy dialogue present throughout the comic. Apart from an emotionally expository exchange between Barbara and her father, the rapport among the cast feels mostly natural and often adeptly varied in rhythm, ranging from witty to warm to deliberately wobbly when the situation calls for each.
Likewise, Ardian Syaf’s pencils are nearly perfect, producing gorgeous characters to look at with emotions impossible to ignore. Although the first action sequence seems like it’s missing a few panels and Barbara’s “affordable” bedroom comes off mansion-sized, the rest of Syaf’s work here is exquisitely realized. Particularly interesting is the respect he demands for Barbara in costume; occasionally, she’s cloaked in enough shadow to make her no less threatening or intimidating than the Dark Knight.
Overall, this first issue of Batgirl is a strong start to a new chapter in the life of Barbara Gordon. Again, the book won’t magically put to rest the fears of critics who’ve been dreading its significance on a meta-textual level. However, as a story in and of itself, Batgirl #1 is a suspenseful, engaging take on a both fresh and familiar hero that will be sure to please plenty of fans.
Full Recap:
- Mirror, a villain with a list of survivors who miraculously escaped death, approaches a man named Graham Carter in his private garden. Mirror lifts up his cape to show Carter something unseen by the reader, which seems to have a terrifying effect. Mirror then questions Carter as to why he didn’t die during a past event that drowned his fellow sailors but left him as the sole survivor. Mirror then takes Carter’s hose and sprays his mouth–then lungs–full of water. Below Carter’s name on Mirror’s list is Barbara Gordon.
- Barbara takes on her first mission as Batgirl since she was shot and paralyzed three years ago by the Joker (how she recovered remains a mystery). She saves a family in Gotham from being slaughtered by a band of aspiring serial killers, but during the confrontation, the ringleader of the group—Theodore Rankin—nearly falls from a high balcony. Batgirl saves him.
- Barbara wakes up from a dream reliving the Joker shooting her.
- Barbara’s father, Commissioner Jim Gordon, pushes Barbara not to move out of his apartment, but Barbara says it’s time for her to “stretch her legs.” In the next scene, she begins moving into her new apartment with a witty new roommate, Alysia. Alysia makes an offensive comment about wheelchair users, unaware that Barbara used to be one. Although Barbara winces at Alysia’s statement, she hits it off with her overall.
- At a Gotham hospital, a detective, Mel, and her partner wait on Rankin to wake up in his hospital bed. Mirror enters the hospital lobby looking for Rankin and kills a security guard. Barbara receives a police alert (illegally routed to her cell phone from her dad’s) and hops on her motorcycle in costume to get to the hospital.
- Mirror bursts into Rankin’s hospital room, killing Mel’s partner, injuring Mel, and opening his cape to show Rankin his own “true face.” Rankin screams. Batgirl arrives before Mirror hurts Rankin, but freezes when Mirror points his gun at the exact spot on Batgirl’s body where she was shot by the Joker. Mirror pushes Rankin’s hospital bed out of the window, sending him to a death similar to the one he barely escaped on the balcony during his fight with Batgirl.
- Mirror points his gun at Batgirl. Mel calls Batgirl a murderer for letting Mirror kill Rankin unopposed, aiming her gun at Barbara as well. To be continued…
Photo courtesy of DC Comics
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