Saturday, November 3, 2012

Batgirl Annual #1 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Simone delivers a great issue here.  It's an absolute pleasure to read, a tightly constructed story that starts with Batgirl and Catwoman seemingly moving in different directions but ends with them kicking some serious ass to save a former Talon with a past.

The interplay between Batgirl and Catwoman is the best part, with Simone showing them slowly building respect for each other.  The issue definitely has a girl-power vibe to it, in part because they're working together to save the female Talon that Batgirl confronted in issue #9.  After the odd characterization of Selina that I read in "Catwoman" #13, I was pleased to see a Selina who I recognized here, willing to toe the line of the law, but not willing to kill and always willing to help out a sister.  It makes sense that Selina would empathize with Mary and put herself on the line to help her.  Similarly, I was glad to see Barbara use Ricky here.  Usually, informants are the Ensign Jones of comic books, appearing once and then fading into obscurity.  Instead, Simone actually takes someone that we've already seen (from the "Knightfall" arc) and use him in a new and believable way.  It makes for a much more enjoyable reading experience, because you feel much more immersed in Barbara's world.

In the end, you're left seriously impressed with two of the more decent human beings to be wearing a costume in Gotham City.  If you haven't been reading "Batgirl," this issue is a good place to start.

(As an aside, I'm somewhat confused by the Court of Owls continued presence.  Aren't all the Talons imprisoned?  I get that Bruce didn't totally eliminate them, but I was surprised to see four Talons here.  Batgirl is, too, so it's clearly not like I just missed an issue.  But, I'm really over the Court of Owls.  I'm OK with the focus on Mary here because it's more about her as a human than a Talon, but I really wish the rest of them would just disappear for a while.)                                                                                             

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