Batgirl #18 Preview/Discussion

[Issy543]

From Monkeys fighting robots (what type of name for a website is that?):
https://www.monkeysfightingrobots.co...ew-batgirl-18/
It’s nice to see Harley and Batgirl reunite again.

[Frontier]

That's some pretty art .

"The Wrapper?" It's almost like a joke on the quality of Babs' villains at this point...

That whole talk about Babs crushes and how she's off men until the New Year felt kind of Meta.

I'm guessing this is going to go like the Ivy/Catwoman issues where Harley causes trouble, Batgirl gets involved, and then they end up begrudgingly teaming-up and Harley ends up getting away scott free by the end.

And "Maid of Mischief?" Is Harley trying to hone in on Supergirl's trademark ?

[Godlike13]

Ooh, that really is some pretty art. And the Wrapper is funny. Very cartoonish.

[OBrianTallent]

Love Sami Basri's art.

[scary harpy]

I really like the look of the Wrapper. Wish he had a better name.

[RolandGunner]

Love Sami Basri's art.

Yeah, great to see Sami back at DC. Hope he gets more work soon!

[RedQueen]

That art looks rad.

The Wrapper? OK I'm all for goofy villains but with Batgirl's current reputation I'm over wasted panel time for random stuff like that. Hopefully the New Year Year will bring in new stuff for Batgirl and bring back the meat and bones.

[RedQueen]

Positive: Art was great. They definitely should keep the artists around. Story wise it was fine. It treated Harley fine, and more in line with the goofy side. A few cute moments here and there for the characters.

Negative: This is just me on about one shots...With a one shot just a few months ago it feels like a another filler. Just really don't know where Batgirl fits in story wise for her grand scheme of things. In the time of Doomsday Clock and Metal, and big arcs happening for other Batfam member, Batgirl's narrative feels under served and shoving in a throwaway one shot is odd especially when then was one a while ago. I don't require epic sagas or anything but I don't believe the one shots shouldn't happen too often. Anyways, one shots should be used sparingly but effectively, and I'm not against holiday themes popping up either but I would have liked a bit more than getting from Point A to Point B for the plot. A cameo from Jim would have added a lot. The issue was fine but it just isn't doing anything for me.


Anyways correct me if I'm wrong, I believe there was a big fat continuity error, Alysia doesn't know Babs is Batgirl, so she was tagging along on the adventure with no set up. Did I miss out on a issue because I know Babs was close to telling her at one point when they were roommates but Alysia was never involved in the Batgirl hijinks side of things and didn't know Bab was Batgirl either. This is a big thing to overlook but I really don't recall this reveal happening for Alysia. did I miss something?

[scary harpy]

Grift Wrapper? The Presence?

I would like to see this guy again but he needs something more.

Anyone?

Read it and enjoyed it. Sometimes a light-hearted issue with a less-than-awful villain can be fun.

The Batclan has 500+ foes; they should be used somewhere.

We can get back to too-serious next issue.

[Godlike13]

Cute one and done with stand out art.

[Aahz]

This is just me on about one shots...With a one shot just a few months ago it feels like a another filler.

I genrally like if they put in a one shot between arcs, since the usual storylines are usually quite action heavy nowadays, and the one shots can be used to do something different, if it is of corse just used for a filler ...

Just really don't know where Batgirl fits in story wise for her grand scheme of things. In the time of Doomsday Clock and Metal, and big arcs happening for other Batfam member, Batgirl's narrative feels under served and shoving in a throwaway one shot is odd especially when then was one a while ago.

I think the general problem with Batgirl is at the moment, that the book kind of feels like it was set in the same world as the other Batman titles, and that Barbara is (apparat from a few appearances in Nightwing) not really used by other Batwriters and was imo more or less replaced by Kate in the current Batfamily dynamic.

[16 Bit]

Anyways correct me if I'm wrong, I believe there was a big fat continuity error, Alysia doesn't know Babs is Batgirl, so she was tagging along on the adventure with no set up. Did I miss out on a issue because I know Babs was close to telling her at one point when they were roommates but Alysia was never involved in the Batgirl hijinks side of things and didn't know Bab was Batgirl either. This is a big thing to overlook but I really don't recall this reveal happening for Alysia. did I miss something?

I was wondering this too. I don’t remember Alysia ever finding out. It’s probably a continuity error. I’ll take it though, her not figuring it out was dumb.

[RedQueen]

I was wondering this too. I don’t remember Alysia ever finding out. It’s probably a continuity error. I’ll take it though, her not figuring it out was dumb.

Yeah she should have been Babs' roommate and confidant more so than anyone else, just as we getting to know her she was shipped off and became a minor side character. But yeah reading it was a bit jarring at first because I was totally lost. I think it's lazy on the Batgirl editorial to miss it but I'm glad it's established at least, but sort of feel robbed of a big reveal.

[Confuzzled]

Simone should have just had Babs reveal it to Alysia when the latter came out to Babs as trans. It would have made a poignant scene even more touching with an "exchange of the knowledge of secret identities" and have been the defining moment for Barbara and Alysia's friendship.

If that scene ever makes it to the big screen, I hope that's how it plays out.

[RedQueen]

Simone should have just had Babs reveal it to Alysia when the latter came out to Babs as trans. It would have made a poignant scene even more touching with an "exchange of the knowledge of secret identities" and have been the defining moment for Barbara and Alysia's friendship.

If that scene ever makes it to the big screen, I hope that's how it plays out.

I think it's probably one of my favorite scenes from Simone's run. The way it played out was touching. I love Frankie, but it terms of room mate and bff that the Batgirl team seem to recycle I much preferred Alysia and I only mention it because I don't like how they just use her as diversity wallpaper now compared to when Simone made concerted effort to raise the character up.