Batgirl #20 Reviewed

As always, my review contains spoilers - if you don't want to know what happens in this issue of Batgirl then stop reading now!

Batgirl #20

With a flashback to the last university semester 'Batgirl: The Lesson' continues and concludes with the second part of a two-part story-arc entitled, somewhat ambiguously perhaps, 'Tunnel Vision'.

First at Gotham University, then the Theta-Kappa-Gamma house, and finally a fast-food restaurant we witness a young student making his way through his academic life with just about as little effort as possible before, somewhat out of the blue, he receives an email that could just give the student some direction and focus.

Fast-forward to present day and we discover that the young man in question is a member of the mysterious 'Order of the Scythe' - except on this occasion he's not demonstrating much in the way of team work or togetherness.

Angered that he hadn't been told that his speedster suit had an off-switch the student - named Xane - has to be restrained by fellow 'Reapers' as he learns that this feature is standard for the group: aside from anything else it ensures they don't deviate from the groups' plan.

Quite what that plan is none of the Order know - only 'The Client' is aware of the bigger picture.

Meanwhile, over at Firewall, "Batgirl's (excitingly remodeled) base of operations", Stephanie Brown - Batgirl - seems to be struggling with a puzzle while Wendy Harris - Proxy - asks her friend to demonstrate a little focus.

Thanks to 'Batman, Inc's' recent generous investment Steph has a number of new 'toys' to distract her: and she's currently distracted by a high-tech batarang-maker that allows her to manufacture the most elaborate - and unlikely! - array of gadgets.

Positioned in front of a vast bank of computer displays Wendy and Steph mull over what they currently know about Slipstream and the Reapers recent activities - large amounts of money have been 'tagged' with a tracking spray prior to its movement - and bemoan what they don't know - namely where the money is headed once the banks move it.

Later on, at Gotham U, Steph is explaining, without giving everything away!, the situation to her friend and mentor Barbara Gordon. It seems the transfer of large amounts of cash is not that unusual and every few years the banks will transport soon to be defunct notes to an unknown destination - and until they know where, when and how the money is being moved they are forced to play a waiting game.

A little out of the blue Steph laments that she feels things aren't the same since Barbara stepped away from her role as her 'handler' and is reminded by her friend that, be that as it may, that's the way things have to be for now - the Batgirl/Oracle partnership may be a thing of the past but Babs does her best to gee-up Steph and reminds her that she, and she alone, is Batgirl.

Later on we find Steph sitting a "bonus" night class - although she's clearly distracted as it's been fully six hours since she last heard from Proxy. Steph's anxiety and nervousness finally gets the better of her as she shouts out loud at a fellow student - named Swift - who for some unknown reason has been mumbling directions to himself for some while.

As Swift receives a phone message - "You're on" - Steph notices that her fellow student has again been studying a map: a map of Gotham as it happens. As she herself receives a telephone message from Wendy, Steph deduces that she's been sat alongside Slipstream all this while - and now he's got away.

Racing out of class, across the campus grounds, Steph links in with Wendy before arriving at her new, Batman Inc-funded car, named by Steph “The Compact”. It seems that a convoy of trucks transporting the bank notes in heading towards "The Tube" - an emergency tunnel carved deep beneath the city. Engaging "Combat mode" The Compact transforms into an armoured vehicle as it enters the tunnel and Steph - now in Batgirl costume - races towards her destination.

Across the city at Kord Tower, and in line with her earlier comments that she wouldn't be around to help her out of a jam, Barbara passively, pensively, watches events unfold.

Overtaking the convey and screeching to a halt Steph leaps from her vehicle and reassures the armed guards that she's there to help - perhaps, on reflection, not her smartest move as the guards don't take on board her comments and open fire on her. At that moment Slipstream arrives on the scene knocking the guards from their feet with his speedblur before turning back to confront Stephanie.

Goading Slipstream into attacking her Steph skilfully evades his charge with a "swoop!" of her cape and as the pair once again turn to face one another Slipstream's suit starts to malfunction - a victory for Batgirl's combo-batarangs!

Later on, with Slipstream grounded and the Gotham City Police Department on the scene Stephanie - still in her Batgirl guise of course - and Detective Nick Gage - reflect on the days events. Gage comments that Swift doesn't appear in the least bit concerned that he was heading back to Blackgate while Steph responds that their problems aren't behind them as The Reapers are clearly planning something bigger.

Regretting her fellow student's role in recent events Steph wonders aloud just how Swift became involved with the cult in the first place - and is shocked by the response she receives from Gage.

Elsewhere, the issue closes back at the Reaper base with confirmation that Swift's capture and incarceration are indeed part of a much bigger plan ... and the introduction of a menacing new adversary for Batgirl called, ironically, Harmony.

This issue had everything I've come to expect from Batgirl - a fun, engaging storyline; enjoyable, charming dialogue, fantastic interior art; a bold, eye-catching cover with amazing colours throughout and yet in several respects this felt like a different type of issue: not better than usual, certainly not worse ... definitely different.

For me, the book has a somewhat darker tone than I've grown used to - as the story progressed I developed a real sense of foreboding, as if all wasn't quite as it at first seemed, culminating in Steph and Gage's rooftop heart-to-heart that something much bigger than a robbery was around the corner, coupled with the Detective's cryptic confession.

Having created and developed a credible opponent for Batgirl in Slipstream I was just a little surprised how easily Steph finally captured her opponent - and I'm certainly not a fan of long, drawn-out fights. That said this all too brief scene was wonderfully written and left me with a genuine sense of joy as Steph delivered an immediate return on Batman Inc's investment in her.

Once again the exchanges between Stephanie and Barbara Gordon were really quite touching and I found myself thinking just how their own relationship has developed over the past 18 months or so - at times almost parent and child and never less than sisterly. That Bryan Q. Miller writes a superb Stephanie Brown/Batgirl cannot be disputed - credit should also be given for the voice he has nurtured for Barbara.

Aside from the ease of Slipstream's capture I know that some will suggest that the convenience of young Xane Swift being Steph's classmate was just a little too ... well, convenient. Not me: while the baddie being known to the hero is not an original plot device - see any number of episodes of Buffy, Charmed or Scooby Doo! - I appreciated Swift's subtle introduction to our story and that his involvement was allowed to grow slowly over a couple of issues.

The somewhat darker tone I sensed with this issue was supported, I felt, by a shortage of the hugely enjoyable 'one-liners' that the series has garnered a reputation for. That said, there was still enough fantastically flippant dialogue to satisfy me: "... the most bad-assingest not-tortilla press batarang-maker ...", "And then you did a touchdown dance?" and my favourite when Steph stopped the convoy - "Don't worry! I'm Batgirl!".

Some of the closing pages of this issue are amongst the finest in the series as a whole I'd say. I'm referring to Batgirl and Detective Gage's rooftop liaison: fantastic collaborative storytelling. The story simultaneously seems to take a breath and yet race away - just what is the "something bigger" and just what was Gage referring to with his revelation to Steph? I felt these pages in particular where quite beautifully drawn by Ramon Bachs - again, simple panel composition allowing the reader to focus on the emotions of the central characters - and very sensitively coloured by Guy Major.

Mr Bachs seems an artist who is ideally suited to the Batgirl title: to my eyes he has an ability to capture a character's personality perfectly: be it Steph's youthful exuberance mixed with at times over-confidence, Barbara's strength and caring, even the reluctance and sadness of a new character such as Swift/Slipstream.

There are subtleties to his work that I don't always, on first viewing pick-up on - for instance, on first read I felt that one or two of the panels set in Barbara's office tended to be just a little flat, lacking in life or movement. It was only on second read that I realised that I suspect that's how they were meant to be seen - almost as if Barbara's words were hanging in the air, with time, momentarily, standing still.

Likewise, the portrayal, on the final page, of the mysterious 'Harmony' seemed just a little comedic - in a similar way that Steph's Ricochet looked a little comedic when I first saw it - until I reminded myself that 'she' - like Ricochet - is entirely in keeping with the overall tone of the series.

Aside from the 'roof-top' pages I particularly enjoyed how the tunnel heist scenes were drawn - clean, clear and uncluttered by unnecessary background interference yet they appeared full of movement and chaos.

Speaking of movement and chaos - top marks to Dustin Nguyen for delivering another bold, beautiful, eye-catching cover: The Compact on its roof, wheels spinning wildly; Slipstream sliding beneath the vehicle, seemingly in total control of his situation; Batgirl, upside down, eyes half closed and yet with a smile (or maybe a grimace!) on her face: all fantastically coloured and complemented by the title Batgirl symbol.

In summary, for me a different type of issue this month for sure and every bit as enjoyable and satisfying as ever. As with the series as a whole this is an example of sequential storytelling at its finest.

Batgirl #20
Written by Bryan Q. Miller, art by Ramon Bachs, colours by Guy Major, letters by Dave Sharpe, cover by Dustin Nguyen
Published by DC Comics, June 2011

Batgirl #19 Reviewed

As always, my review contains spoilers - if you don't want to know what happens in this issue of Batgirl then stop reading now!

Batgirl #19

'Batgirl: The Lesson' continues with the first of a two-part story entitled 'Tunnel Vision'. As the issue opens we find our heroine, Stephanie Brown, sitting at the breakfast table across from her mother, prodding, poking at her morning waffles, recounting her recent academic studies.

"And chaos, my dear mother, is a sticky mistress".

Yet Mrs Brown isn't really paying her daughter much attention as she's distracted by the lead story in the Gotham Gazette that focuses on yet another mysterious bank robbery the night before. Perhaps Steph - as Batgirl - knows more than she's letting on as she announces to her mother that it was time she opened up a savings account.

Across the city at the Gotham Bank and Trust - branch 19 to be precise - GCPD have the crime scene locked-down. Detective Nick Gage is the officer in charge and, realising that a friend is also on the scene, he asks his fellow officers to clear the room.

Turning and glancing up he greets Batgirl - who's hanging from the ceiling - with the news that this is the third such crime this week where the only physical damage appears to be to the building's front door and the door to the vault - and it was only this physical damage - rather than the intruder or intruders - that set off the pressure-censor alarms.

Revealing some photographs taken from the bank's closed circuit television both Batgirl and the detective immediately recognise the image of a “speedblur” from their earlier encounter with the mysterious gang known as The Reapers. Even more surprising than the return of an old foe ... inside the vault Gage reveals that while the 'speedster' may have stolen a couple of thousand dollars they left behind over a million dollars in cash.

So on top of the murder of a former colleagues son - Newton Flitwick - the authorities are now investigating a very unusual robbery. Refusing to reveal just why he's so interested in The Reapers Gage makes his excuses to Batgirl and leaves. Outside the bank a new 'friend' of Batgirl's - known as the Grey Ghost - listens intently to their conversation ...

Later on, at Gotham University, a tired Stephanie accompanies her friend and mentor Barbara Gordon - 'formerly' Oracle - across the campus grounds. With her new base Kord Tower in the distance Babs explains that she hasn't in fact quit being Oracle, it's just that things have changed. She goes on to explain that while she is indeed very busy, revealing that Bruce Wayne has tasked her with building a new internet - something Steph doesn't even pretend to understand - she always has time for her young 'student'.

In which case, retorts Stephanie, if time isn't really an issue shouldn't Barbara spend a little with Wendy Harris - Proxy, Batgirl's new handler - and explain the situation to her? After all, the young girl with the 'complicated' family history already has "abandonment issues" we are all reminded.

Now in class - Intro to Dynamic Systems no less! - it seems Steph's night-time activities have caught up with her as she is sharply woken from a nap by her Professor. Along with Mr Swift, a fellow snoozing student, Steph acknowledges that she's fallen behind with the lecture and offers to share notes with her 'sleeping neighbour' who, somewhat to Steph's puzzlement appears to have a building schematic on his laptop rather than anything to do with the subject at hand.

Later still, over at The Thompkins Clinic Barbara interrupts Wendy Harris during her physical workout, taking her to task for using the fact that she's in a wheelchair to get her out of a jam when gathering information on the university campus. Refusing to take the comments on-board Wendy makes it quite clear she feels differently - Barbara in turn leaving Wendy in no doubt that she considers her behaviour, and her attitude, unacceptable.

Taking Wendy further to task Babs issues something of an ultimatum - 'Firewall', the 'Team Batgirl' base of operations, has been upgraded, there's no doubting the young woman's ability, she just needs to make a decision about what she wants to do with her life ... and commit that decision.

As Babs turns and makes her way to the exit Wendy tries to call her back - but Babs doesn't want to hear it.

That same evening The Grey Ghost - Clancy Johnson - is scanning the Gotham City skyline, searching for his "black and purple angel', his "beautiful bruise". Moments later, Johnson's expensive, night-vision binoculars smash to the floor as Batgirl takes him by surprise and demands to know why he has been tracking her for the past week.

Fearing for the welfare of her somewhat heavy-handed new friend Batgirl suggests to Johnson that he needs help - and I suspect she isn't simply meaning with surveillance. Before they can discuss this any further Batgirl receives an incoming transmission from Proxy: it seems that her earlier confrontation with Babs did indeed force her to consider her future.

Proxy goes on to explain that she's been able to track "someone" who has ran a toll booth and nineteen sets of red traffic lights in a matter of seconds to their ultimate destination. As Batgirl listens on it seems that The Grey Ghost is also listening - electronically - to their conversation before disappearing: much to Batgirl's surprise and frustration.

Across the city we witness a speedblur cross the street, climb the stairs and burst through the doors of another bank. Inside the vault, now at 'regular' speed we catch sight of Slipstream, the super-speedster, who appears to be marking piles of banknotes with a fine, misty spray.

Upon hearing that he isn't alone Slipstream turns to find himself at gunpoint - The Grey Ghost has reappeared! However, before introductions can be made Slipstream sends The Grey Ghost crashing through a window and falling to ground. An instant later the two are reunited in the street and joined by Batgirl, who demands to know her adversary's name.

Introductions taken care of Batgirl springs into action ... only to discover that Slipstream is just too quick to respond to her movements. Just as quickly Batgirl learns that her opponents suit offers him ample protection to pretty much anything she can fire or throw at him - and that she, in turn, has no response when Slipstream activates his speedsuit ... and sweeps her off her feet, knocking her to the ground.

Back on her feet Batgirl is taken aback when The Grey Ghost speaks to and name-checks Proxy ... leaving Steph wondering just how Clancy knows so much. As Slipstream circles back around the pair are once again sent flying before receiving a chilling threat - "Time to die, Batgirl".

Seconds later, with Batgirl and The Grey Ghost at his mercy, Slipstream lets out an agonising cry as he receives what appears to be an electronic shock ... "Override activated" ... "Not yet, Slipstream. Not yet".

As Slipstream Leaves the scene as quickly as he arrived Batgirl and The Grey Ghost look on incredulously and wonder just what happened - and who came to their rescue. It wasn't Proxy, it wasn't The Grey Ghost. It certainly wasn't Batgirl.

Soon after we find Steph in a lift, on her way down to see Proxy - who warns her to expect a "bit of a ... shock". During their earlier encounter Steph had managed to lift the spray canister that Slipstream had been using at the bank and Proxy explained that thanks to the new equipment that Bruce bought them she'd been able to analyse it.

New equipment?

Welcome to the new, and vastly improved, Firewall, high-tech home of Team Batgirl.


Fantastic storytelling, great dialogue and eye-catching artwork - qualities I've come to expect from this series and this issue meets, and arguably exceeds, the usual high standards. After a couple of very enjoyable standalone issues I was pleased that our story returned to the ongoing 'speedster' puzzle and by the end of issue, as is so often the case with Batgirl, I found myself desperate for the next instalment.

Ramon Bachs was a very welcome addition to the creative team I must say - I've long since been an admirer of his work, most recently his run on Red Robin. The quality of art on the Batgirl book has been one of the stand out features of the series and, as each new artist has portrayed their own unique take on the rich cast of characters I've appreciated just how sensitive and respectful to their predecessor's interpretations they have been.

Mr Bach draws a Stephanie Brown that I could instantly recognise and yet one with some slightly different characteristics than I've come to expect. As Batgirl she appears a strong, confident young woman and yet as a student she gives the impression of being just a little out of her depth, as if she's struggling to keep up.

Likewise the visual portrayal of Barbara Gordon suggested a softer, dare I say less bossy, maybe even more vulnerable woman than I've come to know. I'm not sure how long Mr Bach's will be with the Batgirl creative team but I'm going to enjoy his work I know.

As I do every month I'd like to highlight Guy Major's colouring throughout the issue - as expressive, subtle and yet rousing as ever: I think it's high time Mr Major's name was featured on the front of this title. Speaking of which, I wonder why Ramon Bach doesn't get a credit on the cover?

After those couple of months of largely standalone tales it's credit to Bryan Q. Miller's storytelling I think just how effortlessly we picked up with the current ongoing thread - the mysterious "Order of the Scythe" and the first proper introduction of Slipstream.

If there was one highlight in this issue for me it would be the deliciously rich dialogue: there were so many great one liners and any number of memorable exchanges between characters. The tone of the issue was set on the first page with Steph's line about "chaos" - charming and funny in equal measure, through the clumsy back-and-forth between Detective Gage and his fellow detective and then the awkward exchange between Gage and Batgirl to The Grey Ghost's old-fashioned, melodramatic language - which provided us with a couple of wonderful moments during which Batgirl went from being described as an "angel" to a "bruise" in a matter of seconds!

Having previously said that 'student Stephanie' had the look and feel of someone at times a little out of her depth I certainly appreciated that it was she that was able to point out to Barbara that, with so much going on in the world of Oracle, it would probably be a good idea to spend some time with Wendy and let her know that despite all the changes some things were just the same.

I also enjoyed how, it appeared to me, Barbara didn't really appreciate the advice - but she certainly acted upon it. The short scene between Babs and Wendy was fantastically played out I thought - from pretty much her first introduction Wendy has come across as a difficult, troubled, 'hard' character and I enjoyed watching Babs trying to break through that tough veneer as much as I enjoyed the reaction from Wendy when it seemed that she had done.

As an addition to Batgirl's gallery of rogue's I must say I'm enjoying the introduction of Slipstream alongside the aforementioned Order of the Scythe and I think we'll be seeing a little more of Steph's fellow sleeping student "Mr Swift" - a nice touch I thought - in the months to come.

With another eye-catching cover from Dustin Nguyen - once again the final, printed image appearing far more striking to me that the unlettered solicitation preview - this was another fantastic issue.

With a thought-provoking and engaging ongoing storyline that is starting to take shape, complimented with a cast of characters as rich and varied as any book can offer at the moment I'd suggest, Team Batgirl is unbeatable.

Batgirl #19
Written by Bryan Q. Miller, art by Ramon Bachs, colours by Guy Major, letters by Dave Sharpe, cover by Dustin Nguyen
Published by DC Comics, May 2011