Batgirl New 52

[GreatScott03]

After doing quite a bit of research on Batman's history, I am slowly making my way through a list of pre-Flashpoint novels. Already read Year One, Gothic, Prey, and Venom. The Man Who Laughs and The Long Halloween are up next. Impressing myself too, as three weeks ago that sentence would've meant nothing to me!! But I jumped the gun a little and picked up copies of the first two volumes in the Batman New 52 series (Court of Owls/City of Owls).

I'm still going to continue with the pre-Flashpoint material, if only for the experience of reading some of the classics, but I understood enough about Batman's world to enjoy the New 52 stuff as well, so now I want to read some of the other Bat Family New 52 stuff.

My question is, what is volume 1 of the Batgirl series?? I have found two which claim to be the first - Darkest Reflections and Batgirl of Burnside - but how can they both be volume 1? I thought they might be volumes from seperate series, but they both have the same series title (Batgirl) and both claim to be part of the New 52....

[kantor]

With #35 of the current N52 Batgirl run, the series got a "soft reboot", new look, new creative Team etc. "Batgirl of Burnside" collects the issues from #35 onward, "Darkest Reflections" from #1 onward.

[GreatScott03]

Ah, I see. Start with Darkest Reflections then. Thanks bud.

[nepenthes]

Ah, I see. Start with Darkest Reflections then. Thanks bud.

Only if you need to be a completionist (which is bad for your health when applied to comics). The rebooted Batgirl of Burnside is a hundred times more fun and interesting, and you don't need to know the earlier stuff to jump in, it's a clean break.

[GreatScott03]

What about the Death of The Family crossover? Worth a read?

[Carabas]

What about the Death of The Family crossover? Worth a read?

Depends on whether you like Scott Snyder (Court Of Owls) as a writer or not.

[GreatScott03]

I'd say Court of Owls was one of the best I've read so far, but as a new reader I don't have much to compare it to. I did prefer Year One and Venom over it, but I've not read any of the other N52 writers yet.

[nepenthes]

What about the Death of The Family crossover? Worth a read?

It's only one volume so it's not a big deal if you grab it or if you don't (you absolutely do *not* need the Joker: Death of the Family book, which collects the extraneous Bat Family tie-ins), however if you already prefer Year One over Owls I doubt you'd be overly impressed with Death of the Family anyway. It was hugely popular with a wave of new readers that came to Batman with the New 52 because, well, it was one of the first Joker comics they ever read, but in itself it's actually a pretty awful thing. There are library of far better Joker classics such as Killing Joke, The Man Who Laughs, Joker, Batman RIP, The Black Mirror that are also Batman must-reads of their own.

Also, if you liked Year One a great follow to that is actually Scott Snyders contemporary "re-imagining", Zero Year, which also doubles as a Joker origin.

[dan12456]

I'd say Court of Owls was one of the best I've read so far, but as a new reader I don't have much to compare it to. I did prefer Year One and Venom over it, but I've not read any of the other N52 writers yet.

Also it's worth noting that Batgirl of Burnside has a very different tone and style from what you've been reading in Batman. Darkest Reflections is much closer to that. But the reason they are renumbered is that with the change in creative teams they're pretty much completely different comics. So in theory you could pick up both just to see which series you want to stick with (if not both).

[lorec]

Also it's worth noting that Batgirl of Burnside has a very different tone and style from what you've been reading in Batman. Darkest Reflections is much closer to that. But the reason they are renumbered is that with the change in creative teams they're pretty much completely different comics. So in theory you could pick up both just to see which series you want to stick with (if not both).

The first 34 issues of the New 52 Batgirl are very similar to the older Batman stuff you've cited as already read and are planning to read. The different tone and style beginning in issue 35 are one of the main reasons I dropped the book. I'm not bashing it, it's just not my style.

And as for the comment nepenthes made about being a completionist being bad for your health, I don't about that, but it is hard on the bank account.

[GreatScott03]

I'll probably pick up Darkest Reflections then, as I have been really enjoying the older stuff.

I am trying to somewhat relinquish my completionist tendencies with my newfound interest in Batman. I'd love to be able to start with Year One and read every trade in chronological order right up to the N52, then start with those, but it would no doubt take me years in time and who knows how many months in salary!

[PeterBatmanSuparmanParker]

I'll probably pick up Darkest Reflections then, as I have been really enjoying the older stuff.

I am trying to somewhat relinquish my completionist tendencies with my newfound interest in Batman. I'd love to be able to start with Year One and read every trade in chronological order right up to the N52, then start with those, but it would no doubt take me years in time and who knows how many months in salary!

If only DC implemented something like 'Marvel Unlimited'...

[GreatScott03]

Would be nice for somebody who enjoyed digital copies, but let's just say I'm no fan of Kindle.