Review: Batgirl #36
By Philip Schweier
July 3, 2019 - 08:41
DC Comics
Writer(s): Mairghread Scott
Penciller(s): Paul Pelletier
Inker(s): Norm Rapmund
Colourist(s): Jordie Bellaire
Letterer(s): Andworld Design
Cover Artist(s): Francis Manapul; Josh Middleton
Chapter 3 of
the Terrible Trio saga – how appropriate is that? Batgirl’s battle against
what was a thin folder in Batman’s file of rogues, reprobates and recidivists
concludes in this issue, comprising the bulk of the chapter. This issue also
ties off an assortment of loose ends, for better or worse.
It’s really easy to see comic books as a collective fight between the forces of good and evil. But Batgirl comes across as a genuine hero – one who’s willing to live up to the various creeds that, for other crime fighters, seem a bit fluid.
Batgirl has grown in the time I’ve been reading her book. She used to be a girl, in her purple outfit with the snap-on cape and yellow Doc Martins. Her new costume (which I thought was a temporary prototype) features a yellow bat-bra motif, perhaps because all the best super-heroes wear their underwear outside their tights. It’s indicative of a growth to post-college age, which begs the question: if we’ve got Batgirl, who needs Batwoman?
Barbara Gordon has a new path ahead of her, and this is a great opportunity for people who haven’t been reading to start with the next issue. Hopefully, DC Comics will be keeping the current creative team in place. I’ve made no secret of how much I enjoy the artwork of Rapmund and Bellaire. If they’re moving on, I’d like to know where, but that doesn’t mean I would dump Batgirl. The character is too much of mainstay of the DCU.
Rating: 10/10
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