Writers: Cameron Stewart & Brenden Fletcher
Artist: Babs Tar ( breakdowns by Cameron Stewart )
SPOILERS SWEETIES! 😉
When writer Gail Simone was announced to be leaving Barbara Gordon………….Batgirl…………..behind many of Gail’s fans were nervous…………& then she came back. 😉
Gail wrote Babs……….Barbara…………for many years, 1st in the Birds of Prey as Oracle & then since the start of DC’s New 52 as she returned to her original role of Batgirl. In the middle of her 34ish issues she was announced to be leaving & her readership rose up & forced DC to hire her back.
Now Gail has left again & Cameron Stewart, Brenden Fletcher & Babs Tar have arrived, & in the words of Babs Gordon’s new room mate Frankie,…………
Babs has moved to a suburb of Gotham named Burnside. When Gail left we were given the impression that her room mate Alysia was moving with her but apparently there was a quick decision that Alysia would not, though she does not appear to be entirely removed from the cast. This is apparently to make room for Frankie, Liz, possibly a guy named Troy &……………..spoilers!…………….Dinah Laurel Lance aka Black Canary! I loved Dinah & Babs’ friendship in Birds of Prey that came to an abrupt halt. They are brought back together by a fire that is also why Babs has lost her hi tech Batgirl costume, but they are not exactly bffs any longer.
This issue sees Babs trying to solve a theft that ties into several social network & websites. The story works very well & ties into both her roles as Batgirl & the mistress of computers Oracle. The ending as she defeats her social networking enemy in particular shows her intelligence even if it is a trick that I feel like I have seen before. I think that I like where the story is going to go except for 2 concerns. The 1st is that Babs going back to university as a researcher feels like she has been de-aged…………which is not a big deal, but she did not feel that old to begin with so it seems a little unnecessary. The 2nd is that Dinah is being portrayed as such a jerk!!!!! Well maybe not so much a jerk as……………a less-likable Samantha from Sex & The City ( sorry if you do not get the reference but just……….older than Babs, more confident & not scared to show it rudely! ).
Babs Tar’s art work is amazing!!!! It feels very independent & not like the majority of DC right now. It reminds me of Mike Allred. I am sure that Mister Stewart’s breakdowns are of great assistance with the story telling but after 1 ish I am a fan of this Babs too!!!!!! ❤
My Rating: 4/5
-30-
you were more generous. i thought the whole thing was average at best. the artwork doesn’t work for me, but the concept of a “new direction” certainly does. as does the new costume design. we’ll have to just wait and see, i suppose. i think it could be potentially awesome, but it was a pretty lackluster “first” issue for me. here’s to hoping for a better part two of this new creative team’s new direction.