Comics: Batgirl 0

Batgirl begins!!

Barbara Gordon has had a complex past. She grew up with a father she saw as a hero fulfilling her childhood fantasies. However, her mother left her and her brother alone leaving their father the only person to raise them. Through her father, she learned what it meant to be a hero as she began to want to serve the greater good beginning when she entered college.

Gordon got the first taste of what it was like to be a hero when she stopped a break-in at the Gotham Police Department. She was interviewing police officers for her college newspaper when she discovered something unexpected. She discovered a Batsuit the police were trying to put together based off the real life Batman. She really took to doing an expose on the GCPD because of this investigation into the mythic vigilante which the police espouse is not true as he’s a real man who wears a Kevlar suit and has lots of gadget. Lucky enough for the young Gordon as she fends off the bad guy and in this actual Bat suit, she meets the real Batman who comes into save the day as usual. Afterwards, she then began to join him in his crusade alongside Robin as well. However, she eventually decided she wanted to hang up the cowl. Yet, she cannot escape what happens when she chooses to do that…..

Gail Simone produces the definitive Batgirl origin. This is better than any origin story of the character before. The writer is in full control of her craft, and brings the reader into the story while still leaving many questions left unanswered which will hopefully be answered down the road.

Ed Benes takes over for the series, and the transition from great artist Ardian Syaf is quite smooth. They have similar styles but both nail the word of Barbara Gordon. They both know her, and I personally am glad to see Simone/Benes working together as I miss their old days on Birds of Prey which got me back into reading comics partly.

As the series goes forward beyond #0, it continues to be one of the best series at DC Comics, and that’s all due to Ms. Simone and the fabulous artists she works with.

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Tommy Zimmer is an up-and-coming writer of short stories, comic books, journalism/media reviews, screenplays, and anything related to writing. On zimmert101.wordpress.com, you can view his latest work, and see what exciting things he is currently doing!!