By: Brian Q. Miller (writer), Dustin Nguyen (artist), Derek Fridolfs (inker)
The Story: Batgirl is on the run from Gotham’s finest. She’s got one ally (Detective McCute I believe she called him), but that not much. What have the Reavers got to use against a cape?
What’s Good: Miller was in fine form, delivering the same light-hearted tone he gave us in issue #1. Mind you, Steph is not the same character. She’s grown as a person, but she’s still fun. Her self-deprecating, antic take on Gotham, university and superheroing are a good ride. Miller also took a darker, Marvel-esque turn in this story as he continued to make Batgirl’s public and secret identity problems worse. Nothing like living a bit of persecution to make us care more about a character.
And despite my comments last issue about the Nguyen/Fridolfs art team, I warmed up to them this issue. The proportions were more natural and less stylized. Another thing that really tipped my opinion in their favor were some of the backgrounds, especially the skyline as she jumped from one building to the next and the creaky wooden frame she falls through on the next page. The stylized textured, kind of soft, kind of blurred, struck me with such a sense of realism that these boys went up a notch in my estimation.
What’s Not So Good: Proxy didn’t come into focus for me. She doesn’t have a role yet in this series that isn’t redundant. Until Miller finds her one, she’s a narrative liability. Her grumbling in this issue pointed at that too when she said “This wasn’t the kind of hero support I had in mind when I signed up…” Still, I’m betting that Miller can find some useful role for her other than fifth wheel. Also, one last little quibble: what’s with Steph’s dislocated shoulder that is so casually popped back into place? Nice work Detective McCute…or should I say Doctor McCute?
Conclusion: This was a fun issue. I’m still getting used to the art change, but the fun, coming-of-age tone of the book is rock solid.
Grade: B
-DS Arsenault
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