DCU Comic Book Reviews

BATGIRL #5

Batgirl Rising: Core Requirements, Part One

February 2010

Written by Bryan Q. Miller

Pencils by Lee Garbett

Inks by Sandra Hope and Oliver Nome

Cover by Phil Noto

Synopsis

In Devil’s Square, Stephanie Brown (aka Batgirl) battles against Diesel, who set a housing development on fire.  Batman and Robin arrive to help.  In the midst of capturing Diesel, Batgirl accidentally encases Robin in ice.  Later, Batman chastises Barbara Gordon (aka Oracle) for helping some as reckless as Stephanie.  He then orders Oracle out of the batcave and tells Oracle to rein Stephanie in or he’ll do it for her.  The next day, Stephanie is working at the library when she encounters, Francisco, the son of the owner of the housing development that burned down.  Stephanie tries to get him to talk about it, but he refuses.  Instead, he asks her out on a date.  At Caroline’s Diner, Barbara is waiting for her father, but quickly realizes her father tried to set her up on a date with someone also waiting for the commissioner.  The meeting doesn’t go well.  That night, Batgirl is swinging through the city when she spots Francisco alone at a diner.  After quickly changing, Stephanie decides to join him.  At the moment, armed men attack Francisco, kidnapping him and shooting Stephanie in the head… 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

This was a good issue.  Now that we have established the relationships with Stephanie as Batgirl and Oracle as her mentor, this series is settling into a good rhythm.  The three-way banter between Batgirl, Oracle, and whatever/whoever Batgirl is facing is proving to be a good source of humor in the midst of the action.  Moreover, those interactions are the crux of the book, not only in terms of the writing structure, but also in terms of their relationship.  Garbett is doing a good job with the characterizations; I really liked the opening sequence with Diesel.  The encounter with Batman and Robin served a purpose and in that regard was handled nicely, but I object to Stephanie’s bumbling or Dick’s threats.  Both felt a little out of character.  On the flip side, I liked Damian’s appearance and characterization, especially his two conversations with Stephanie.  The rest of the issue is standard set-up for future plot developments (Oracle’s “date”) or the cliffhanger (the scenes with Francisco).  After Stephanie was near death just a little while ago, I wonder where Garbett is going with the shooting.  It has this feel of been there, done that and I hope Garbett has something in mind.  Otherwise, this was a good issue; the series is getting into a good groove. 

There wasn’t a better villain available?  There have got to be a number of fire-based villains that could’ve been used. Firefly?  Heat Wave?  Human Flame?  Personally, I don’t mind if a writer creates a new character or villain, but in what amounts to a cameo, I think using someone already established would be a better way to go.  If you are going to create a villain, you should take the time to really create the villain, know what I mean? 

At least this issue answers the question about Oracle setting up shop in the batcave when the batcave was dismantled in this issue of Batman.  I am curious to see what happens to Oracle’s based now.  With the news that a new Birds of Prey series is coming, I am sure if Garbett wants Oracle to remain Batgirl’s mentor, he’ll need to sync up what he is doing with what Simone will be doing in Birds of Prey. 

 

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