We're promised 'Terror in the 3rd Dimension' in Batgirl #14 and as the story opens we see Batgirl – Stephanie Brown – and Supergirl – Kara Zor-El – struggling to release themselves from their captive: as Stephanie explains, she was just hoping for a quiet, normal, evening; kicking back, relaxing with a friend – instead, these friends find themselves in a grip of a monochrome Dracula!   Much earlier, at the Brown household, we are witness to a much calmer scene as the young Stephanie is slumped over the table…

Tags: barbara gordon, batgirl, birds of prey, bryan q miller, dracula, firewall, gotham city, guy major, kara zor-el, lee garbett, phil noto, scrabble, stanley lau, stephanie brown, supergirl, travis lanham, trevor scott, wendy harris

A new story-arc – 'Robins are Red …'; a new cover artist – Stanley 'Artgerm' Lau; a new interior artwork team – Talent Caldwell with Yvel Guichet and John Stanisci; plus a distinguished guest-star – Red Robin himself, Tim Drake: and maybe because there was so much 'new' about it Batgirl #8 felt, for me, just a little unsatisfactory. An enjoyable read? Yes, for sure, but just a little unsatisfactory nevertheless.   Following a brief – indeed very brief – appearance in Red Robin #9 this issue of Batgirl opens…

Tags: barbara gordon, batgirl, gotham city, john stanisci, league of assassins, lee garbett, leslie thompkins, nick gage, oracle, red robin, robin, spoiler, stanley lau, stephanie brown, talent caldwell, tim drake, trevor scott, yvel guichet

Reviewing this title each month is becoming increasingly difficult – I'm finding there are only so many ways to say 'good story', 'great dialogue', 'fun characters', 'superb art', 'striking covers' … but I'm enjoying the challenge nonetheless as Batgirl continues to be my most looked-forward-to book each month.   This issue, the third and final part of the Batgirl Rising: Core Requirements story-arc, picks-up just where the last issue left-off: Batman is in trouble, Batgirl and Robin are rushing to his aid before his hunters – Roxy Rocket, Riot, and…

Tags: barbara gordon, batcave, batgirl, batman, bryan q miller, damian wayne, dick grayson, dr phosphorus, guy major, lee garbett, oracle, riot, robin, roulette, roxy rocket, stephanie brown, trevor scott

About half-way through reading this book and it occurred to me – and I might be the only person who this hadn't previously occurred to – Batgirl is a TEAM book. I'm not talking particularly about Batgirl being part of the 'Bat-family' but it occurred to me that, for me at least, the character 'Batgirl' is Stephanie Brown AND Barbara Gordon – both of them. At the same time.   I think it was the use of the word 'I' in Barbara's narrative, just a couple of pages after…

Tags: barbara gordon, batgirl, batman, bryan q miller, damian wayne, dick grayson, diesel, jim gordon, lee garbett, nick gage, oracle, phil noto, robin, stephanie brown, trevor scott