Batgirls #6 - DC Comics

BATGIRLS No.6, July 2022

Rather succinctly bringing this on-going series’ opening six-part storyline to a conclusion, as well as potentially paying homage to Christopher Nolan’s 2012 superhero film “The Dark Knight Rises” by having Stephanie Brown seemingly die in an explosion at the end after unselfishly driving a bomb-laden car into a river, Becky Cloonan and Michael Conrad’s script for “One Way Or Another” probably pleased the majority of its audience. Indeed, the twenty-two-page periodical’s plot is particularly successful in evenly sharing out its spotlight between all three different incarnations of Batgirl to ensure each crime-fighter actively contributes towards the combined defeat of Tutor and Spellbinder; “Not only did they help administer an antidote to the Fear toxin, but one of them allegedly gave her life stopping a bomb…”

In addition, this publication most probably hooked many a perusing bibliophile straight from its start by hurling Barbara Gordon right into the centre of the action despite the “popular comic book figure” being comprehensively tied to a chair. The supposedly disadvantaged superheroine’s subsequent fisticuffs with Charles Dante is enthrallingly ferocious, courtesy of the former paraplegic utilising her experience of being ‘trapped in a wheelchair’ to outmanoeuvre and ultimately outwrestle, her overconfident opponent.

No less impressive though is the authors’ handling of Cassandra Cain and her last second roof-top rescue of the suicidal Grace O'Halloran. This wonderfully orchestrated sequence not only produces a moment of genuine mirth when the brainwashed news reporter mistakes her rescuer as the Dark Knight himself and is curtly corrected. But also sees the black-clad vigilante cleverly use her bat-line’s momentum to safely swing the pair into the very room where Brown is somewhat struggling against her electro-sword wielding opponent - just so the dynamic duo can subsequently coordinate an impressive double Kung-fu kick upon an astonished Cody Kline.

Working well in tandem with Cloonan and Conrad is Jorge Corona, whose well pencilled panels really help sell the superior fighting skills of this comic’s titular characters and the awkward arrogance of their heftier enemies who foolishly seem to think that their physical size alone makes them unstoppable. Furthermore, due respect should also be given to colorist Sarah Stern, whose eye-catching use of different purple and blues throughout Stephanie and Cassandra’s exploits marvellously contrasts with the vibrant orange-red palette utilised during the scenes concerning Barbara.

Story: Becky Cloonan & Michael Conrad, Art: Jorge Corona, and Colors: Sarah Stern