Batgirl

Batgirl and the Birds of Prey: Rebirth #1

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Batgirl and the Birds of Prey: Rebirth #1Setting up the upcoming Batgirl and the Birds of Prey series, Batgirl and the Birds of Prey: Rebirth #1 introduces to the three key characters of the team while explaining the past relationships of Batgirl and Black Canary. Barbara’s time as Oracle stays in the continuity as does her former partnership with Black Canary. Wiped from continuity is any official Birds of Prey team featuring other members (Huntress, Zinda Blake, and others).

Batgirl and the Birds of Prey: Rebirth #1 works to get everyone up to speed on where these characters are now, with most of the focus on Batgirl. I didn’t like Dinah as much here as the version of the character we’re seeing in Green Arrow and we see so little of the new Huntress it’s too early for me to make a judgement on her quite yet. And, for me, the comic could use a firecracker like Lady Blackhawk to liven things up.

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Secret Six #12

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Secret Six #12With a few arcs under its belt it looks like its time for a little shake-up to the current status quo of the Secret Six. The neighborhood gets a trio of unexpected visitors in Secret Six #12. With Batgirl still hanging around from last month’s issue, Lady Shiva comes calling on the house of misfit toys. Determined to make Strix an offer the assassin can’t refuse, Shiva makes quick work of Catman, Strix, and Batgirl. Further threatening the lives of her new friends, Shiva convinces Strix to join the League of Assassins.

We also get an appearance by Sue Dinby which has a dramatic effect on her husband. Say goodbye to Big Shot and say hello to the Elongated Man. Maybe his heroic look can rub off on Catman next?

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Batgirl #47

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Batgirl #47While fun, Batgirl #47 is a jumbled mess. Offering us an team-up between Batgirl, Spoiler, and Bluebird the latest issue sends Babs and Stephanie into the GCPD disguised as cops in an undercover mission so ridiculous it would have made Charlie’s Angels blush. The girls’ night out vibe is cute, but Barbara’s plan (breaking into a police station where nearly everyone knows her by sight) is half-assed at best.

It also doesn’t help that the art from the issue is a scatterbrained as the story with two different artists sharing duties. The very talkie issue also takes far to long to get to the break-in as we’re forced to wait through Babs dealing with the bizarre New 52 version of her father (seriously DC, WTF did you do to Commissioner Gordon?) and roommate issues.

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Batgirl #46

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Batgirl #46Despite the issue’s cover Batgirl #46 doesn’t quite give us the Batgirl and Spoiler team-up we were hoping for. In fact Stephanie Brown doesn’t even appear until halfway through the issue when Babs sets out to save the Spoiler who has gotten in over her head with the local gangs. Still, for at least a few panels we get to see the woman who should be Batgirl fight along side of the woman who is Batgirl.

Meeting during Spoiler’s fight with the gangs, the issue can’t quite resolve a major problem with the New 52 reboot where the two are far too similar in age for Babs to be taking the older sister approach which she did prior to the start of the New 52. Given the comic’s second soft reboot, which attempted to de-age the character a bit with the introduction of a new costume and creative team, balancing her actual age and experience to that of Spoiler is problematic (which is probably why the two say less than 100 words to each other).

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Justice League United #14

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Justice League United #14Let me start by saying I have absolutely no idea what is happening in Justice League United #14. The second issue of an arc (yeah, okay I’ll admit I didn’t read the last issue, but seriously WTF is going on?) involving members of the team being trapped in a WWII battlefront along with a Who’s Who of lesser known DC characters including Sgt. Rock, Vandal Savage, Robotman, the Creature Commandos, Enemy Ace, the Unknown Soldier, and Batgirl is as bizarre as it sounds. Hell, even O.M.A.C. shows up before all is said and done. And it’s also kinda fun.

I haven’t picked up an issue of Justice League United over the last six months finding the title’s opening arc only so-so. The cover of Justice League United #14, featuring Stargirl and Batgirl, however grabbed my attention as did the odd collection of characters within. With the series facing cancellation before the end of the year it’s obvious that writer Jeff Lemire and artist Paul Pelletier have been left to their own devices to construct an unusual tale that while baffling still makes me want to stick around to see how things turn out. Congrats DC you’ve finally sold me on the title.

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