Batgirls #7 - DC Comics

BATGIRLS No.7, August 2022

For those Batfans able to negotiate their way through Becky Cloonan and Michael W. Conrad’s surprisingly sedentary storyline for Issue Seven of “Batgirls”, it was probably very clear just why “DC Comics” needed to ‘pump up’ the enthusiasm for the book by largely focusing its solicitation upon the mysterious identity of the serial killer known as the Hill Ripper, rather than what this twenty-two page periodical genuinely contains. Yet whilst such a debatably dishonest ploy might have tricked a few ill-fated bibliophiles to pick a copy up off their local store’s spinner rack, the actual narrative to “Bad Reputation” will arguably have ensured that few readers would make a similar mistake again.

Indeed, considering that this magazine contains the murderous mercenaries known as the Saints and Barbara Gordon’s arch-nemesis Seer, as well as a covert mission to infiltrate Oswald Cobblepot’s felon-filled Iceberg Lounge, many devotees must have been bitterly disappointed that nothing much action-orientated occurs within its cover. Sure, the publication opens dynamically enough with Kira Kosov apparently racing for her life across the rooftops of a night-time Gotham City. However, even this short-lived, adrenalin-pumping act is soon shown to be nothing more than a sham to lure Tarsus, Assisi and Valentine into Oracle’s trap.

Furthermore, this comic’s collaborative writing team appear to unashamedly test their audience’s willing suspension of disbelief by skirting over the fact that the Saints had previously been well and truly defeated by the Batgirls, courtesy of a single line stating that the supposedly imprisoned “ex-Magistrate splinter cell” simply “vanished” from police custody before they could be booked in at Central Station. Quite possibly such an ‘unusual’ escape would be much more forgivable if incoming artist Robbi Rodriguez had actually been given an opportunity to draw their escape. But instead, the co-creator of Spider-Gwen is disappointingly tasked with simply pencilling numerous panels featuring alcoholic news reporter Grave O’Halloran talking nonsense or Barbara getting dressed up for a date with Dick Grayson; “I don’t care! How am I supposed to kick butt in a dress?”

In fact, the illustrator’s layouts must have come as something of a shock to those readers who have been collecting this ongoing series from its start, as the American’s heavily-laden line style somewhat shocking jars with the much more quirky drawing technique employed by his predecessor Jorge Corona – a striking contrast which is probably made all the worse by this book having Corona sketch its cover.

Story: Becky Cloonan & Michael Conrad, Art: Robbie Rodriguez, and Colors: Rico Benzi

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

Batgirls #5 - DC Comics

BATGIRLS No.5, June 2022

Finally providing Oracle with something more to do than simply communicate across a commlink or devise technological devices, Becky Cloonan and Michael Conrad’s narrative for Issue Five of “Batgirls” certainly must have hooked many a perusing bibliophile with its fast-paced opening. In fact, the titular trio’s awesome fracas with the horribly heinous Saints genuinely sets this comic up with a seriously scintillating start as Barbara Gordon once again dons her bat-suit and demonstrates just why her incarnation of the cowled character was so popular “during the Silver Age of Comic Books.”

Disappointingly however, things do then seem to wane once the Bird of Prey roars away on her “classic” bat-bike and leaves her two protégés to yet again face the increasingly tedious, reoccurring antagonist known as the Tutor. This confrontation, which at least somewhat excitingly occurs inside “the creepy, abandoned Arkham Asylum”, arguably feels like little more than a re-tread of the writing team’s prior instalment, and only differs from what has previously been penned before when Cassandra Cain breaks off from her tête-à-tête with Stephanie Brown to singlehandedly confront “a scene out of a zombie movie.”

Luckily, for those booklovers able to navigate Spoiler’s extremely text-heavy investigation into Cody Kline’s patient records, there is some light at the end of the tunnel in the guise of a civilian-clothed “Babs” visiting her evil ex-boyfriend Charles Dante to discern just how Gotham City’s homicidal underground artist escaped the psychiatrist’s custody. Regular readers will already know that the art therapist is actually the supervillain Spellbinder, so much of the palpable tension presented in this predicament is cleverly generated simply by them waiting for the hypnotist to strike at his prey, rather than them discovering his secret identity.

Proficiently pencilling this twenty-two-page periodical’s panels is Jorge Corona, whose ability to depict Gordon speeding her way through the trials and tribulations posed by the Saints is genuinely scene-stealing. Indeed, it’s a pity that the red-haired crime-fighter isn’t made more prominent throughout this publication, or her battle against “these nasty ex-operatives” of the Magistrate lengthened, so that the Venezuelan artist can sketch her just a little bit more; “They may be seasoned killers, but they’re outclassed. And easily manipulated. Kinda tragic, actually.”

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

Batgirls #4 - DC Comics

BATGIRLS No.4, May 2022

Firmly focusing upon Oracle’s protégés bringing the facially-disfigured Tutor to justice at his secret headquarters, Becky Cloonan and Michael Conrad’s storyline for Issue Four of “Batgirls” certainly seems to bound along at an enjoyable pace. Sure, this comic’s readers arguably have to endure a few mundane moments at its start, whilst Stephanie and Cassandra take the day off from crime-fighting to obtain a book from the local second-hand store. But this dialogue-driven scene helps develop the intriguing relationship blossoming between Cain and the ever-amiable Mister Dhaliwal; “No, No. Absolutely not. The first read is on me. I only ask that you come back to tell me how you liked it.”

Furthermore, once the action does start it does so with plenty of palpable energy, due to Brown (once again) falling under the mesmeric influence of her Fear Gas-utilising opponent. This sudden shift in the battle’s flow against the social revolutionary genuinely gives the fisticuffs an added edge, especially once Cody Kline instructs his latest follower to fight against her fellow caped crusader. Indeed, what initially appears to be a ‘play-by-numbers’ skirmish where the titular characters hold all the game-winning cards, is suddenly transformed into a tense tussle, courtesy of Cassandra having to both dodge her friend’s jaw-breaking punches, as well as evade the rest of the Gotham artist’s zombie-like minions.

Perhaps however, this book’s biggest thrill comes towards the very end when the two masked vigilantes drop a successfully apprehended Tutor off at the home of Charles Dante in order for their prisoner to receive some much needed psychiatric care. Barbara Gordon’s ex-boyfriend has always been depicted as having an air of untrustworthiness about him, and this well-penned subplot is finally brought to the fore when it’s revealed he’s actually the hypnotic super-villain Spellbinder.

Ably aiding and abetting the Batgirls in their war upon crime is Venezuelan sequential illustrator Jorge Corona, whose artwork really helps this publication’s writing team tell an engaging adventure. The almost ungainly quirkiness of Cain’s character is especially well-sketched by the Russ Manning Award-winner, with the black-clad, semi-stitched heroine debatably capturing all the attention in any well-pencilled panel in which she appears – most notably those when she is either soaring across a night-time skyline or dodging the blows of her entranced team-mate.

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

Batgirls #3 - DC Comics

BATGIRLS No.3, April 2022

Considering that a quarter way through this comic Barbara Gordon realises that her super-team are spreading themselves too thin by dealing with multiple problems, it’s difficult not to imagine some readers feeling equally as bamboozled by this publication’s numerous sub-plots. In fact, up until Oracle’s decision to fully focus upon Tutor being “responsible for putting innocent Gothamites under [a] trance”, the titular characters appear to be being pulled all over the place, whether it be from the constant threat of the Seer, another battle with the deadly Saints, Stephanie Brown’s strange susceptibility to the mysterious street artist’s Fear Gas derivative, the bizarre number of street-level thefts occurring within the local neighbourhood, the identity of the mass-murdering Hill Ripper, and even who amongst the central protagonists makes the most drinkable coffee.

Fortuitously though, once writers Becky Cloonan and Michael W. Conrad pen the Batgirls attending an underground art show at an old shipyard, this twenty-two-page periodical’s narrative arguably gains some considerable traction and even manages to shed a little light on one of Babs’ former romantic relationships. Sure, the authors can’t seemingly help themselves muddy up the waters a little bit by having the likes of Tarsus, Valentine and Assisi ‘pop up’ towards the end of this publication simply to serve as a reminder to any perusing bibliophiles of their deadly presence. But at least circumstances ensure that the two opposing groups don’t actually engage one another on this occasion, and instead allow “One Way Or Another” to simply continue its depiction of Tutor’s Machiavellian machinations; “It’s just… After what happened last time, and then again tonight… I feel like the weak link. I just don’t wanna be a liability, ya know?”

Indeed, debatably the highlight of this comic is Brown and Cain’s rematch with the masked wall-scrawler inside a derelict ship, which intriguingly has Cassandra single-handedly fending off the gas-guzzling entertainer’s deadly attacks against her team-mate, after he casually casts 'Spoiler' into another zombie-like trance. This fight sequence is incredibly well pencilled by artist Jorge Corona with plenty of bone-crunching blows and dynamically drawn acrobatics. Furthermore, the action really helps highlight just how savagely tough the previously-named Orphan can be when supposedly cornered, courtesy of the young woman ultimately besting her smart-mouthed foe even when at a major disadvantage.

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

Batgirls #2 - DC Comics

BATGIRLS No.2, March 2022

Sporting a dynamically-drawn cover illustration of the titular characters' “new secret muscle car” by Jorge Corona and Sarah Stern, as well as a rip-roaring fight-fest between Barbara Gordon’s young protégés and the super-villainous Saints, the start to Issue Two of “Batgirls” certainly must have had many a bibliophile snatching the comic straight off of the spinner-rack in excitement. Indeed, the twenty-two page periodical’s opening quarter is arguably a virtuoso in how to hook an audience and carry them along with a narrative which genuinely looks set to maim or even kill one of its leading cast members; “The main thing here is to not engage head-on. If we’re going to face them, it’ll require strategy, planning, and preparation.”

Sadly however, once Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown have escaped their would-be killers by the skin of their teeth, “One Way Or Another” debatably peters out into a rather sedentary experience, where the most adventurous incident to occur is “the fourth Batgirl” getting her ears pierced so she can “wear her newly upgraded” communications device. Admittedly, this disappointing drop in pace as oracle chops up some food with a kitchen knife is somewhat salvaged later on when Becky Cloonan and Michael W. Conrad pen the ‘dynamic duo’ going back outside to “attach a signal suppressor to the roof”, but by the time this occurs the book has disappointingly almost concluded.

Possibly more successful is the writing team’s ability to maintain this ongoing series’ secondary plot thread of mind-controlled Gothamites being used to construct some bizarre “shrine to the Gods of Stolen Goods” in the docklands. This intriguing notion that someone is able to manipulate both the obnoxious Hill’s Angels and Police into doing their nefarious bidding even seemingly affects “Spoiler", and provides this publication with an excellent cliff-hanger of a conclusion.

Sequential artist Corona also needs a ‘pat on the back’ for helping make even this comic’s more mundane moments palatable, courtesy of Cain’s wonderful facial expressions and the Venezuelan’s attention to minor details like Mister Dhaliwal noticing Cassandra whenever she is out and about in her civilian attire. In addition, the Russ Manning Award-winner provides the Batgirls’ battle against Tarsus, Valentine and Assisi with some breath-taking action sequences, most notably when “Orphan” is temporarily incapacitated by her own bat-wire yet still manages to evade serious injury.

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

Batgirls #1 - DC Comics

BATGIRLS No. 1, February 2022

Unreservedly supplying “the pizza slumber party of the year you don’t want to miss”, Becky Cloonan and Michael Conrad’s narrative for Issue One of “Batgirls” must surely have pleased the better part of its audience when it first hit the spinner racks in December 2021 with its combination of boundless energy and pulse-pounding pugilism. True, the twenty-two-page periodical does contain a few sedentary, dialogue-heavy scenes in which the dynamic duo’s brand-new set-up on “the other side of town” is established. Yet such exposition is entirely necessary for those unfamiliar with the limitations being imposed upon their lives by the hacker Seer, and are frequently interrupted whenever Stephanie Brown wants to escape outside to pummel the local evildoers’ brains.

Indeed, one of this comic’s most endearing features is the restlessness of its cast, and the resultant trips into the “dark, gritty and oftentimes scary city of Gotham” to either seek revenge upon some idiotic muggers who take an unhealthy shine to Cassandra Cain’s favourite ‘unicorn’ robe, or rescue some mysteriously mind-controlled maintenance workers. Such interludes really help break-up some of this storyline’s more pedestrian moments with a quick blast of high-octane action, and also better emphasises just how chaotic the upheaval for Barbara Gordon and her two high-spirited friends really is.

Similarly as well-penned is this book’s underlying plot-thread that the titular characters have inadvertently landed themselves a residential flat smack bang in the middle of some nefarious crime wave. Whether the Batgirls’ “grumpy neighbour” really is the district’s sinister serial killer arguably sounds like something of a red herring. But there’s no doubting something evilly intriguing is taking place following the super-heroines’ encounter with a party of mantra-moaning fluorescent coat-wearing builders; “The strange workers eventually wandered off, and they called in the mugging from their burner phones.”

Helping imbue this publication with all its energetic, sense-shattering shenanigans are Jorge Corona’s layouts and Sarah Stern’s gorgeous palette of colours. The Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award-winning artist does a particularly fine job in pencilling the protagonists’ scrappy fighting style, with lots of high kicks, synchronised double-punches and incredible-looking athletic leaps, as well as providing Cain’s masked alter-ego with some genuinely humorous demoralised looks when she is being scolded by her mentor for staying out until three in the morning.

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