Although I’ve been moderately disappointed with
BATGIRL since it began in September, I definitely saw last month’s issue #3 as a step in the right direction. However, with issue #4 now out on the racks of comic shops everywhere, I have to say that this issue is the one I was waiting for when I heard that Gail Simone would be writing a new
BATGIRL series.
One of the more baffling details for fans is the fact that Barbara Gordon’s paralysis from the previous DC Universe is still in continuity, yet in some event as yet unrevealed to the audience, she has miraculously recovered from her paralysis and is now fully functional enough to be Batgirl yet again. Although some fans have been incensed at this decision by Simone, I made the argument back in my review for the first issue of this series that in a world of such metaphysical possibilities as the DC Universe is, you should be able to see that a paralyzed woman can regain the use of her legs if you have people coming back from the dead and flying around the universe with nothing but a green glowing ring on your finger.
Although the full details of what allows Barbara to return as Batgirl are still largely shrouded in mystery, we learn a few other small details that hint at the full explanation of what happened to her. In truth, I can take or leave what they’re hinting at. It seems like it’s a little too convenient, but in the end, I don’t particularly care about it. I care more about the end result of having her back as Batgirl than I do with the continuity details regarding how she got there. I’ve also become a little impatient at the length of time it’s taking to learn about it. I’ve said it before, I’m just glad she’s back. If the plot device used to bring her back is good, I’ll be the first to sing it’s praises. But as of now, the rest of what this issue held is what really intrigued me.
Simone introduced a new villain called the Mirror, who has the ability to show you your flaws and make you face what you truly are. Theirs is some really great story work here in regards to the conflict between Mirror and Batgirl. By this issue, we all know what drives the Mirror to do what he now does. Batgirl knows this as well, and has decided that the best way to confront the Mirror is by turning that self-reflection back at him. This allows for some pretty entertaining and well thought out dialogue between the two, and this exchange made the whole issue for me. I was very pleased with how it turned out, and look forward to more issues of this series where the conflict is the event people will talk about in comic shops, not the extraneous continuity details.
Ardian Syaf renders clear lines and easily visible emotion on the pages in this issue, which serves only to make the conflict feel that much more genuine. With work like this, I hope he sticks around for awhile as I think that this is his best work on the series yet.
BATGIRL is back on the list of more highly anticipated books of mine every month, and all it needed was a kick in the pants of conflict and getting in touch with who Barbara Gordon is supposed to be as a front lines soldier in the Bat-army once again. I’m pleased with where this issue took her, and I can only hope that more of this is prevalent in the issues to come. Solid.
