BATGIRL #37 Preview/Discussion

[Usagi Yojimbo]

stephanie was never a hipster anyway
babs is making her trendy, new, modern day young woman aestetic to heart whereas as stephanie was just immature and jokey sometimes.

I agree completely. Stephanie never acted like the new Batgirl.

[Cmbmool]

Everytime they try to mention Babs in a wheelchair makes me dislike this new title even more.

It has fun, great campy art that is enjoyable, but each time they try to reference the past it just a bit of hurt over what DC erased.

[RobinFan4880]

Batgirl is fast becoming one of my favorite comics.

[Babs]

Everytime they try to mention Babs in a wheelchair makes me dislike this new title even more.

It has fun, great campy art that is enjoyable, but each time they try to reference the past it just a bit of hurt over what DC erased.

Allow me to display the flipside of that coin:
Imagine becoming a Batgirl fan through Batman The Animated Series in the early 90's. Then getting into comics, finding out what DC did to her. That she'd been shot and paralyzed and Batgirl no more. To me it always felt like DC abused and mutilated one of their most fun and light hearted characters in their thirst for grim dark stories and shocking events in the late 80's and early 90's. I mean, i get that to paraplegics Oracle was a role model, and i also get that she had an important role for other characters in the DCU, but still, in order to get there they destroyed Batgirl in the comics.
Besides, she never seemed happy as Oracle. She always came off to me as strong and mature character, but also very tortured and sad because of her present state. For me that was never fun to read or to watch, specially whenever they referred to her role as Batgirl in the past, or how books like Batgirl: Year One showed us a glimpse of that time, and how cute and awesome Babs was as Batgirl.

For me, what Cameron Stewart, Brenden Fletcher, and Babs Tarr are doing now is making a dream come true that i've had for a long long time, and i'm very happy that DC finally fixed that horrible nightmare in Barbara's life as a comicbook character. For me this is the absolute best thing that has come out of the new 52.

[Badou]

Honestly, I really feel the art is carrying this series and the writing is clearly behind it in terms of quality. The art is a perfect fit for the style they are going for. It's bright, colorful, dynamic and feels so energetic. Plus in a medium where facial expressions tend to be wooden most of the time I love the variety we see in just one issue here. It is great.

But to echo what a lot of people have said it does feel like they are trying a bit too hard to be "trendy", and make sure they check off all these set boxes they have to try and appeal to all the groups they have targeted rather than tell strong stories first. If that makes sense, but it's a bit difficult to explain. It sort of feels like when you are watching a movie and an obvious product placement appears which immediately takes you out of the scene. That is the closest thing I can't compare it to. With books like Wonder Woman, Grayson or Green Arrow I don't get that feeling and it feels like the authors are just trying to tell good, strong stories first and foremost and aren't concerned with anything else. So something just feels off and the writing doesn't quite match what the art is bringing to the table I guess. Also I feel for Black Canary fans. She has really had a rough time in the reboot.

[Vworp Vworp]

Also I feel for Black Canary fans. She has really had a rough time in the reboot.

After this issue, and considering the solicit for #39; "...and the truth of her enemy’s identity will shock her to her very core!", I'm guessing that Fletcher/Stewart are looking to put suspicion onto Canary as being Babs unseen nemesis; We've already seen her relentlessly bitter attitude and this issue added the notion that she wouldn't even come and help Babs when she asked for it. Plus we know that whoever is toying with Babs/Batgirl's life is aware of who she is.

I don't think Dinah will turn out to be the villain of course. Although considering the crap the character's been put through since the reboot, I'm not completely ruling it out. But it seems more likely that it's just about putting the finger of suspicion in her direction.

[sirjustin86]

I don't think Dinah will turn out to be the villain of course. Although considering the crap the character's been put through since the reboot, I'm not completely ruling it out. But it seems more likely that it's just about putting the finger of suspicion in her direction.

Agreed. I don't think Dinah would do these sorts of things - the look of sad shock on her face when she also saw the portrait of Barbara in the wheelchair made me 'happy' in that yeah, they have a bit of a rough patch right now as friends, but she still cares for Barbara a lot. Of course, this being comic books, she might be the villain, though I sincerely doubt it. I'm leaning towards Gordon Jr. given his highly personal vendetta against Barbara and his intimate knowledge of her.

[Maxpower00044]

They're not trying too hard to be trendy! It's satire! How do people not see that it's not taking itself seriously when it comes to the 'hipster' culture.


Another awesome issue. Writing is very good, and the art is just fantastic. I'm thinking James Jr. may be behind it all. Also, I'm pretty sure Frankie met Babs in PT, so that would explain why she may need crutches from time, to time.

Obligatory this book is SO MUCH BETTER than what came before it. This is how the book should've been since issue 1. My one gripe is for two consecutive issues Babs is referred to as "commissioner's daughter". After this week's eternal, it seems that's a minor hiccup, because it's still Bard as commish.

[Sans Simian]

They're not trying too hard to be trendy! It's satire! How do people not see that it's not taking itself seriously when it comes to the 'hipster' culture.


Another awesome issue. Writing is very good, and the art is just fantastic. I'm thinking James Jr. may be behind it all. Also, I'm pretty sure Frankie met Babs in PT, so that would explain why she may need crutches from time, to time.

Obligatory this book is SO MUCH BETTER than what came before it. This is how the book should've been since issue 1. My one gripe is for two consecutive issues Babs is referred to as "commissioner's daughter". After this week's eternal, it seems that's a minor hiccup, because it's still Bard as commish.

Agree with everything. As for the last point, either this is set after Eternal (like the latest Batman arc is) or there's still cop on the force who are loyal to Gordon and are letting her know (probably the most likely). Or it's a mistake in the type and my theories are completely unfounded.

[Maxpower00044]

Agree with everything. As for the last point, either this is set after Eternal (like the latest Batman arc is) or there's still cop on the force who are loyal to Gordon and are letting her know (probably the most likely). Or it's a mistake in the type and my theories are completely unfounded.

Babs has her new costume on in this issue of Eternal. I'm thinking it's just a flub. No biggie, though.

[Vworp Vworp]

I'm leaning towards Gordon Jr. given his highly personal vendetta against Barbara and his intimate knowledge of her.

But would that "shock her to her very core"? She already knows he's still alive, and it's pretty much par for the course by now that he wants to destroy her life. Besides, given the big part James played in much of Simone's run, I get the feeling that's a road the current writers wouldn't wanna go down all over again.

[Kid A]

Allow me to display the flipside of that coin:
Imagine becoming a Batgirl fan through Batman The Animated Series in the early 90's. Then getting into comics, finding out what DC did to her. That she'd been shot and paralyzed and Batgirl no more.

Yo, I was basically in the same situation. But Oracle won me over because of good stories. But then again so is the new Batgirl.

They're not trying too hard to be trendy! It's satire! How do people not see that it's not taking itself seriously when it comes to the 'hipster' culture.

Yes! I mean the villains were so hilariously over the top in their vanity that I'm amazed people don't see that the creative team is making fun of social media culture, not trying to get its approval. The fake Batgirl and her henchmen screaming "kawaii!"and taking pictures is supposed to be cringeworthy. And hits close to home.

[RobinFan4880]

Babs has her new costume on in this issue of Eternal. I'm thinking it's just a flub. No biggie, though.

Even in Eternal there were cops who were supporting Gordon, even if they had to publicly tow the party line.

[quinnzel]

I'm loving this book more and more with every issue.

I'm surprised that some people actually didn't like the wheelchair mention in this issue. Personally, for me, I thought it was a great addition. The whole art exhibit was creepy and kept sort of light and funny because Babs is going through all weirded out and Dinah is laughing her ass off and then they get to that one piece. And you can see on her face how it affects her on a visceral gut level. I wasn't expecting that at all and I kind of stopped reading for a second when I got to that point and just had this moment of, wow, okay. This book has been relatively light with a bright, colorful art story and everything and hasn't been super serious but that one moment reminds you of everything Barbara has actually been through and I thought it was great.

[Sans Simian]

I'm loving this book more and more with every issue.

I'm surprised that some people actually didn't like the wheelchair mention in this issue. Personally, for me, I thought it was a great addition. The whole art exhibit was creepy and kept sort of light and funny because Babs is going through all weirded out and Dinah is laughing her ass off and then they get to that one piece. And you can see on her face how it affects her on a visceral gut level. I wasn't expecting that at all and I kind of stopped reading for a second when I got to that point and just had this moment of, wow, okay. This book has been relatively light with a bright, colorful art story and everything and hasn't been super serious but that one moment reminds you of everything Barbara has actually been through and I thought it was great.

Yep, definitely connects it to Simone's run, and makes you remember of all that crap that Babs has gone through and what she's trying to get away from by moving out to Burnside.