Batgirl #0 Review
By J. Skyler
September 12, 2012 - 20:51
DC Comics
Writer(s): Gail Simone
Penciller(s): Ed Benes
Inker(s): Ed Benes
Colourist(s): Ulises Arreola
Letterer(s): Dave Sharpe
Cover Artist(s): Ed Benes, Ulises Arreola
$2.99 US
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In Batgirl #0, we see Simone in her element as writer. She depicts the young Barbara Gordon as the jubilant prodigy everyone expects her to be, unburdened by constraints of cultural sensitivity which are vital to the main storyline. In this retelling of her origin myth, we see a truly modern Barbara Gordon as Batgirl for the first time, with all the same enthusiasm she possessed in her introductory story "The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl" in 1967. I loathed Batgirl: Year One released in 2003, because it relied heavily on foreshadowing, depicting everything that would one day make Oracle miraculous while simultaneously negating everything that made Batgirl spectacular. Part of what made Oracle compelling in the first place was that she was forced to reinvent herself after permanently loosing her identity as Batgirl, which at one time, meant everything to her. We did not see that same emotional attachment to her masked identity in Batgirl: Year One, but we find it in Batgirl #0. Barbara Gordon's loving devotion to her father, as well as her borderline neurotic obsession with Batman and her unbridled impulse to emulate him are all explored with fantastic rendering by artist Ed Benes.
Generally speaking, I don't care for metahumans in the Batman mythos (save Batwoman's rogues gallery), which is why I found Mirror and The Brisby Killers far more compelling than the barrage of metahumans found in later issues of Batgirl. If you enjoyed The Brisby Killers from Batgirl #1, you'll love the main antagonist Harry X in Batgirl #0. From her days writing Birds of Prey, to her current task of penning Batgirl, Gail Simone seems to write her best villains as inconveniences for Barbara Gordon. Sure, characters like Savant (Birds of Prey #56) and Harry X present an immediate and lethal threat, but since few villains can match Gordon's intellectual genius, defeating them is simply a matter of calculation. It's a trait that runs through the entire issue, as Commissioner Gordon's overprotectiveness, her brother's dubious nature, the GCPD, Harry X and even Batman himself can be seen as mere obstacles to Barbara's objective.
Do I have qualms with this issue? Only one: Batgirl's initial costume, which is modeled after the one illustrated in Frank Miller's All-Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder. It works well with Miller's storyline but seems out of place here. Batgirl should always wear a full cowl, period. Other than that, Batgirl #0 is a must read, one that will leave you wishing it were a limited series unto itself, rather than a stand alone issue.
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Rating: 9/10
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