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Review: Batgirl #14

By Philip Schweier
October 25, 2017 - 08:26

This is where I was introduced to the ret-conned Bat-universe. The story is partly told in flashback, to when Barbara Gordon was still in high school, and she and her father had just moved to Gotham. Dick Grayson is also a teenager; still Robin the Boy Wonder. But wait – Commissoner Gordon pre-dates Bruce Wayne’s career as Batman, which in turn pre-dates Dick Grayson’s time as Robin. So did Jim Gordon arrive in Gotham long after the advent of the Dynamic duo?

Also, Dick Grayson isn’t wearing his Robin costume. You know, the green briefs, yellow cape and pixie boots. Instead he’s wearing what appears to be a variation on the Tim Drake version. It’s as if DC Comics has completely discarded 60+ years of its history.

Batgirl and Nightwing investigation into the peculiar deaths of two teenage girls leads them to the Mad Hatter, who has been hospitalized with multiple injuries. All of this is told in between flashbacks of Barbara’s initial arrival in Gotham City, and her adjustment to life at a new school, where she encounters the original Robin the Boy Wonder.

The story seems intent on introducing a new villain, and signals suggest it may be someone from Barbara’s past. It’s tricky to insert flashbacks in on ongoing narrative, but Larson does it smoothly and judiciously. The artwork is simple without being cartoony; a classic case of less is more.

The story is good, but points taken off for the ret-con. Rating: 7/10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12