Review: Batgirl (The New 52) #28

DC Comics/$2.99

            Gail Simone’s run on Batgirl has been phenomenal, taking the character of Barbara Gordon to places we haven’t seen before and digging deep into the psychology of the woman underneath the cowl. On the surface, the title is a straight-forward action-adventure superhero book, but look past the capes and batarangs and you’ll find stories of self-discovery, healing, relationships, and many other factors of the human experience. While not as dark as Scott Snyder’s Batman, Simone’s Batgirl balances equal parts superhero action, humor, and humanity with ease. When I first started reading the title back in the first year of the New 52, I wasn’t sure that I’d stick with it. I had never been a big fan of Batgirl, but Gail Simone’s writing has made me fall in love with the character and it’s now one of the first books I read from my extensive pull list every month.

        Simone has introduced a few new villains to Batgirl’s rogues gallery, and Batgirl #28 features one of the strangest and most interesting yet- the self-styled vampire slayer Silver. Under the delusion that the Bat-family of vigilantes are actually night-stalking vampires, Silver takes to the streets of Gotham to hunt them all down and end their reign of “terror”. Meanwhile, Strix, a mute former Talon and now regular member of the Birds of Prey, is attempting to locate a kidnapped child. The missing youngster’s condition hits a little too close to home for Strix, so she tracks down Barbara and enlists her help. All too soon, though, the investigation leads to a confrontation with Silver, who is convinced that Batgirl is an unholy creature of the night and is intent on ridding Gotham of its vampire scourge. The Gotham police department intervenes, and the issue concludes with a cliffhanger that will leave you wanting more!

       With an expertly-crafted script from Gail Simone, masterful pencils by the excellent Fernando Pasarin, mood-setting inks by Jonathan Glapion, colors by Blond, and lettering supplied by Dezi Sienty, this issue puts an unexpected twist on the perception of the Bat-family of characters. The beautiful cover painting was done by Alex Garner, who has made every cover he’s done for this series into frame-worthy pieces of art. DC should be offering posters or prints of his Batgirl covers- they’d make a killing in sales!

       I should also note here that DC Comics has recently cancelled Gail Simone’s other series for them, The Movement, which is a shame because that title has been a real pleasure to read, as well. I’m sad to see that title cut from their release list. If you enjoy Simone’s writing on Batgirl, you may also enjoy her current runs on Tomb Raider for Dark Horse Comics and Red Sonja from Dynamite Entertainment.

Review: Supergirl (The New 52) #28

DC Comics/$2.99

A new era in the life of Kara Zor-El begins here! Supergirl #28 marks the first chapter of the Red Daughter of Krypton story arc, which ties in with the Green Lantern/Red Lanterns #28 flip-book, kicking off this epic tale in style. No reboot in recent history has spawned as much debate as DC’s New 52 Universe, and there has been a lot of discussion among comic fans over whether or not the company’s managed to keep the integrity of the characters intact through this new version of the DCU. Love it or hate it, though, one has to give credit to DC for trying new approaches with classic characters. Their willingness to try new things has given us some great stories, and Red Daughter of Krypton looks like it may be the shot in the arm that the Supergirl title needs to keep it fresh.

  Supergirl has felt like an outsider ever since arriving on Earth at the beginning of her New 52 series- having been tricked, manipulated, betrayed, and heart-broken by those closest to her. Recently, she was even sent back in time to ensure the destruction of her home planet and, along with Superboy and Superman, witnessed the obliteration of Krypton for a second time. To say that she has a little bit of rage pent up inside of her is an understatement.

            A confrontation on Earth with the intergalactic bounty hunter known as Lobo is the final straw in pushing Kara’s rage over the edge. As she lands blow after blow upon him, Lobo taunts her at first but then attempts to sway her to his cause. As Supergirl’s anger builds, she realizes that Lobo is just the latest in a long line of people trying to manipulate her, and she’s had enough! As the battle reaches a crescendo, so does Kara’s rage, and the cosmos takes notice. A red power ring, seeking a new bearer, senses Kara Zor-El’s rage and chooses her to become a Red Lantern.

       Those readers familiar with the power rings and their associated emotions will no doubt realize that this combination of a rage-fueled ring and a Kryptonian wearer can potentially be the most dangerous thing the DC Universe has seen in a while, and it definitely leads to some interesting story potential. Since a red ring cannot be removed without causing the bearer’s death, will this be a permanent change? Or will Kara’s Kryptonian constitution allow her to take the ring off without suffering? As Supergirl becomes the newest Red Lantern, this event will surely have ramifications across all the Lantern titles and change the way we look at the Girl of Steel. Be sure to also check out the Green Lantern/Red Lanterns #28 flip-book for the continuation of the story (and to see that it takes a whole squad of Green Lanterns to contain the rage of a red ring-wearing Supergirl), as it’s on sale now!

            Supergirl #28 is written by Tony Bedard, with pencils by Yildiray Cinar, complimented with inks by Ray McCarthy, colors by Dan Brown, and letters done by Rob Leigh. A “Super” creative team to bring this first chapter to life if there ever was one! Well done, DC! I can’t wait to see what transpires in the coming months with Red Daughter of Krypton!