Gail Simone: writer
Ardian Syaf (pages 1-5, 14-20) & Alitha Martinez (pages 6-13): pencillers
Vicente Cifuentes: inker
The Solicitation
One dark, tragic night, The Joker shattered the life of Barbara Gordon in the landmark story BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE. In this issue, see a side of that story that has never before been told, as BATGIRL faces the demons of her past! And if that's not enough, a deadly new gentleman killer, Grotesque, stalks the streets of Gotham City!
Preview
The Story
I know that last issue was going to be my last one. So what brought me back? Did you not read the solicitation? If they are finally going to reveal some info and address the whole Killing Joke story, then I want to hear about it. Unfortunately, this doesn't really happen in as much the sense of the Joker showing up as it is addressing the issues Barbara has had since taking back the cowl of Batgirl.
We start with the bad guy getting the advantage over Batgirl and kicking her butt AGAIN. Thankfully, this issue gets addressed for why Barbara has been having this happen to her. Me likes that. But an inspirational talk later doesn't seem to do much in the long run.
Batgirl then spars with Black Canary to let some of her energy out and to try some therapeutic methods to discovering what is keeping her back. We check in for a quick minute with James Gordon meeting his wife that ran away. Then back to Batgirl. She starts crying again because her life is so depressing and messed up and that is when Black Canary slaps her. I was so thankful for that moment. I'm glad someone had enough sense to slap Barbara for all her whining about being able to walk again and the guilt it brings her.
Cue back to Batgirl investigating this Grotesque villain that is the villain of the moment. She gets the drop on him and his gang. When she knocks out one guy, she recognizes him as the guy who was standing behind the Joker when she was shot.
To me it seems like the comic has done a complete 360 in the same comic. Here she went from being down and out about it, to finally gaining some perspective and then back to being down and out about it. The cause of it was some guy who was standing in the background. Sigh.
There book actually had some strong points even though it didn't really have the Joker in it. And I commend it for that. Someone had to tell Barbara to stop being pitiful and be thankful for what has happened to her. I'm glad we got to see that moment, it made the book feel like it was moving forward. Then it comes to a complete stop.
Seeing how this is the first time that I see Black Canary in the new 52, I wonder what is new about her in this universe. We don't really get a feel for anything about her. We know that she is someone that Batgirl confides in and knows about Batgirl's secret ID.
The story makes me regret spending the money. But then we get to...
The Art
Bleh. Messy. And not much to write home about. There was a guest artist on this book, but there was still some pretty bad art and use of page space for this issue. For example, on Page 3, which I think may be in the previews, uses half the page to show the ceiling of a sewer. Literally half a page gone to waste.
In the center of the book we have the guest artist. Every face that is drawn by the artist looks as if it was made of putty. Seriously. And they all have this weird porn motif going on, like a porn actress was used as a reference point. That's my own thought, I don't know if the artist actually did that or not. Just seems really awkward.
But when Black Canary grabs Barbara's left arm, and then takes her down by it, why does Black canary somehow have Batgirl's right arm? the same weirdness happens when Batgirl lands on her back and Canary flips from being on one side of her to the other.
By the end of the book, when we get back to the regular artist, we get some more weird perspectives and body contortions. Seriously, the floor that everyone is standing on must be at a 45 degree angle or something. It was the same weird perspective that I talked about a couple of issues ago.
Where did Batgirl's cape go on that last panel? It seems to have disappeared. And her boobs seem to go between Superhero Big to realistic to not there to Superhero Big in each panel.
Bleh.
The Cover
There are MANY things wrong with this cover. First off, what is she trapped in? Is it some sort of bubble? She has room to stand, so I assume it is some sort of pool/bubble thing.
Where did her chest go? She gained an Ass but somehow the chest went to nothing. She looks very awkward and weirdly posed. I don't see her having a sense of danger other than her eye catching how big her backside got.
Grades
Words: 3/10
Pictures: 2/10
Recommend: No. New readers will be lost, and while we do have some character progression in this issue, is seems like it goes stepping back on the last page.
Buy Next Issue: No. Definitely not. Trust me, I gave it one last chance and it bit me in the ass.
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