Comics! Batgirl #16

Batgirl #16

Gail Simone: writer
Ed Benes: art pages 1-10
Daniel Sampere: pencils pages11-20
Vincente Cifuentes: inks pages 11-20

Solicitation and Preview

Review
It is finally there. A flashback to Barbara in a wheelchair. Taking some time to explore the lost New 52 chapter of her life in a wheelchair. But whatever you do, don't blink. Blink and it is gone.

Seriously, there were two pages to it that felt more of a focus on Batgirl that I could accept coming out of the New 52. I would want nothing more than for this to be a focus for a little while. But wait, we got some Death in the Family to focus on.

So my question about Barbara is this: what type of person is she? She was previously a rather fun character that we've seen in previous flashbacks. Then she was shot and her time in her wheelchair hardened her character a little. There are those moments in this book were she lets down whatever walls she has up and just goes batshit crazy on the villains. That kinda puts her into Batwoman territory with regards to personality. So where does she fit outside of that comparison?

I think that is some of my problem with Batgirl. I don't see where she fits in either with the other Bat-characters or just by herself. Look at it this way: with Batman books, you are reading it for Batman. Bruce Wayne is the mask. But in Batgirl, I would expect that Batgirl is the mask, and Barbara is the real person. And I felt that when she went all out, that was when we got to see some of the real Barbara.

It is funny. She goes about not wanting to be a victim again, but she puts herself in a victim status with the Joker. She knows first hand what he is capable of and goes in anyway. And then the end of the book just feels rushed in order to get people into their places.

It just didn't feel like Simone was ready for this. Barbara meeting the Joker has happened way too early in this book. This needed a little more time for the story to play out like it should. And I think that is what is really throwing me off. That and the art.

The art just feels crowded and rushed. There was a divide in the middle of the book with the art duties that just throws me off. No rhyme or reason for the change it seems other than we reached the halfway point and there it goes to the next artist.

I'm just indifferent with this book. It is what it is, it has its fans, but it just doesn't seem to pull together in a way that I find compelling or makes me want to stick around. So I think until the next crossover, or the next big specialty issue, I may just be skipping this book. Maybe next time it will come back around to my liking.

Grades
Words: 6/10
Pictures: 6/10
General Feeling After Reading: Indifferent.
Buy Next Issue: Nah.