Batgirl #17
The Good:
Daniel Sampere pencils this issue and he does a great job. The action is very well done and really shows you what Babs is doing. The expressions in this issue also help provide a little feeling for every character in this issue. Their is tons of smoke and fire in this issue and Sampere does a great job at making the smoke look sketchy; but the colorist also keeps up the art in this issue. The story feels much different from normal writer Gail Simone. Ray Fawkes decides not to make Barbra have inner dialog; this move was a great one and provides a much needed break from the amount of thinking Batgirl does. Fawkes does a great job at wrapping up the Death of a Family story arch and heading into the new one very gradually but suddenly at the same time. James Jr. has a slight role in this issue but he makes everything slightly better by saying that he has a plan but we don't quite know that yet. Ray Fawkes writes Barbra in a way that makes her feel older then what we have been getting and this really made the character slightly more likable.
The Bad:
The plot doesn't really gives us a reason as to why the villain at the end is there and why he is doing what he is doing. Barbra's mother also acts slightly out of character towards James Jr. James Gordon and the others rounding up the Joker's crew seems like a good idea but is all together pointless to the issue and didn't add anything to the story. This issue also jumps around a lot and it makes it slightly confusing on what plot we are focusing on; the Joker or this new problem.
The Verdict: 4/5 (Great)
Ray Fawkes does a great job for his short time on Batgirl. While I like Gail Simone, I like the way Fawkes writes a mature Batgirl and really makes her more along the lines of Oracle. I will welcome Gail Simone back with open arms but I am going to enjoy this take that seems to be darker and complex. If you aren't going to pick up these issues due to the lack of Gail, I still recommend that you try them because it feels very similar to what has been happening but in a way that makes it different and exciting. I recommend that you pick this up if you like the character.
Daniel Sampere pencils this issue and he does a great job. The action is very well done and really shows you what Babs is doing. The expressions in this issue also help provide a little feeling for every character in this issue. Their is tons of smoke and fire in this issue and Sampere does a great job at making the smoke look sketchy; but the colorist also keeps up the art in this issue. The story feels much different from normal writer Gail Simone. Ray Fawkes decides not to make Barbra have inner dialog; this move was a great one and provides a much needed break from the amount of thinking Batgirl does. Fawkes does a great job at wrapping up the Death of a Family story arch and heading into the new one very gradually but suddenly at the same time. James Jr. has a slight role in this issue but he makes everything slightly better by saying that he has a plan but we don't quite know that yet. Ray Fawkes writes Barbra in a way that makes her feel older then what we have been getting and this really made the character slightly more likable.
The Bad:
The plot doesn't really gives us a reason as to why the villain at the end is there and why he is doing what he is doing. Barbra's mother also acts slightly out of character towards James Jr. James Gordon and the others rounding up the Joker's crew seems like a good idea but is all together pointless to the issue and didn't add anything to the story. This issue also jumps around a lot and it makes it slightly confusing on what plot we are focusing on; the Joker or this new problem.
The Verdict: 4/5 (Great)
Ray Fawkes does a great job for his short time on Batgirl. While I like Gail Simone, I like the way Fawkes writes a mature Batgirl and really makes her more along the lines of Oracle. I will welcome Gail Simone back with open arms but I am going to enjoy this take that seems to be darker and complex. If you aren't going to pick up these issues due to the lack of Gail, I still recommend that you try them because it feels very similar to what has been happening but in a way that makes it different and exciting. I recommend that you pick this up if you like the character.
