The Good
This issue begins with a bang, introducing us to a bedazzled new Batgirl partying with a carload of other masked criminals on a veritable spree across the city! When the original Batgirl swoops in to put a stop to it, the newly minted one escapes to sparkle another day. Meanwhile Babs and company attend a gala art event centered around...BATGIRL! The artist doesn’t exactly portray her in the most flattering light, with one particularly dark piece depicting her in a decrepit wheelchair. When the new Batgirl challenges Babs via a hidden message, the revelation of dual identity spirals further and further into delusion and madness. Cameron Stewart and Brenden Fletcher deliver up a slice of life issue, showing us a storyline that’s practically standalone. The only reference to previous storylines we get are all in the form of the supporting cast, particularly a still-disgruntled Black Canary, but what we do get plenty of is wit and very solid, excellent character interactions. Not only between Batgirl and her support team, but Barbara Gordon and her friends, and it’s the latter where this book shines. Not only do we get a solid differentiation between Batgirl and Barbara Gordon's voice, but the dialog is naturalistic and the characters seem fleshed-out and well-motivated. As a result, the storyline feels like it’s proceeding organically and not simply because it must go where it needs to for the plot to advance.
Babs Tarr, with Stewart on breakdowns, provides the linework that’s made this book the darling of both the internet and the comic’s community at large, and it’s a style that continues into this book. This is an issue all about style, so it makes sense that the visuals would be striking and arresting, as well as varied. From the upbeat skirmishes that pepper the book to the feeling of stomach-dropping horror at the art exhibitions most controversial piece, Tarr has a great variety of facial expressions and the characters all have incredibly evocative body language. This is one of those titles that you could almost remove the dialog from and the story would still be clear and concise, at least from the characters’ perspective. Colorist Maris Wicks’ contributions can’t be understated either. This is a beautiful book and its colors are bright and vibrant, even though almost all of the book takes place either in the dark or in places with very harsh lightning. While the story goes to some very dark places, preventing me from full-on calling it whimsical, the colors keep things, at the very least, upbeat and fun to read.
The Bad
I can’t tell if this story truly is a standalone or meant to lead somewhere else, because it certainly doesn’t seem to have led from anywhere. The last two issues have done a great job of establishing Barbara’s new location, but there’s been very little of an overall plot or direction to be seen, and this issue is the most clear example yet. Apparently the imposter Batgirl’s already an established figure, despite not appearing or being mentioned in previous issues, but we’re never given a time frame, so it may have been two days or two months. As a result, it’s also a little strange that the characters seem to be falling into extremely established roles, even in their interactions with one another. While I do love their conversations Babs (the character, not the artist) feels like the only one dynamically reacting to how the world is moving and changing.
The Verdict
It’s only been three issues, so it’s far too soon to write off a book that gets this much right because of a few complaints. This is still one of the most fun, visually interesting books in mainstream comics and it’s still worth getting into. This issue, in fact, is still a great jumping on point which is handy as back issues are becoming increasingly harder to find. I’m hoping the setting asserts itself more strongly and begins to define its characters’ role in it, but for now I’m content with how they simply bounce off each other in fun, delightful ways.
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