Barbara Gordon's mind has been hacked. Can computer expert pal Frankie rescue Batgirl by going into her head and enlisting a hopefully neutered evil AI as her guide?
Yeah, it's comics goes Tron again. But wait... this is rather good. Writers Cameron Stewart and Brenden Fletcher use the conceit to give us a closer look at Frankie's heroic chops, making her the protagonist rather than the supporting character. As Babs has lately seemed alternately spiky or dense, I'm happy to see someone else take centrestage even as the recent moods are explained. And given Frankie is likely to take up the Oracle spot in the upcoming Batgirl and the Birds of Prey book, it makes sense to build her up.
Suffice to say, the always likeable Frankie's every bit the hero figure here, formulating and carrying out a desperate plan to rescue Babs from her mindscape, into which she's been locked by the villain known as Fugue. Back in the regular world, Black Canary stands by to protect Frankie, while Spoiler and Bluebird search the Gotham sewers for Fugue.
The script is smart and satisfying, with echoes of a recent big Batman Family storyline not getting in the way of the enjoyment.
Stewart and Fletcher delight in the comic book nonsense of it all, while recurring images of characters plunging lend a sense of disorientation. And the art is a feast of gorgeousness, from the delightful work of regular artist Babs Tarr to the creepily surreal lines and colours of James Harvey.
Also drawing are Ming Doyle, Horacio Domingues and Roger Robinson, while Serge Lapointe colours and Steve Wands letters, and there isn't a bad page in the book. Some, like this one by the aforementioned Harvey, are outstanding.
(And a shout-out to Chris Conroy and Dave Wielgosz for being the first DC editors in ages to make clear which artists in a jam book are doing what - reviewers everywhere thank you.)
Multi-artist stories aren't always the best, but when you're in Tron territory, anything goes and Batgirl #49 mines the deadline-beating move for maximum emotional and visual appeal, while setting up for a fun 50th issue - that's classy.
Excellent review. I've been a huge Batgirl fan since 2012 and you do an excellent job.
ReplyDeleteThanks very much, I'm really curious to see where Babs goes with the next DC linewide revamp. Good places. I trust.
DeleteThis is the Batgirl I've wanted since Stephanie Brown was lost to us because of Flashpoint. Pre-Oracle Batgirl was too generic and never used fully the tools the character was given. Cassandra Cain was too mopey in atmosphere despite being physically a better Batgirl. Fletcher and team have revived the sense of joy in Batgirl's life we got with Stephanie. Everything just pops! It's a funbook that doesn't insult my intelligence or have characters crippled under the darkness, the latter being why I could love Simone's Oracle but loathe her Batgirl. Here's; hoping Johns doesn't think Babs needs to be Rebirthed back into just another angst ridden do gooder!
ReplyDeleteYou can't beat fun, I agree. Steph has one of the best DC titles in years, and they threw it away (see also Zatanna). It is great to see a light, but not un-serious, approach taken to Batgirl.
DeleteFingers crossed Babs keeps all her limbs...
Excellent review Mart, I've stuck with Batgirl throughout it's run since the NU52 change and have generally enjoyed it. I didn't get the Tron analogy, though I do now, I saw it as one of the many 'eternal sunshine of the spotless mind' journey through the minds of a hero episodes we see in comics. But it was neat either way!
ReplyDeleteCheers. I see there's talk online that this undid The Killing Joke, but it's very ambiguous as to what was a real memory and what wasn't. I hated the book, but I don't like seeing something that led to so much growth for a character arbitrarily done away with, apparently to serve some agenda about victimhood and agency. Sometimes the strongest of us are victims, and it's in getting beyind that, that we triumph.
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