Overview: Batgirl’s secret hacking has cost the Birds the life of one of their friends. Dinah and Helena feel betrayed by Barbara, can they ever have a trusting working relationship again?
Synopsis (spoilers ahead): Calculator’s mechanical assassin, Burnrate, tortured and killed the Birds’ friend Gus. Gus had impersonated Oracle many months ago but in the meantime had reconciled and gotten close with the three superheroes. Gus was killed because Babs had hacked into Calculator’s computer systems, against her own rules, and the incursion was detected by Calculator. He sent Burnrate out looking for Oracle and ended up finding Gus. Dinah and Helena are upset with Barbara and so Batgirl is patrolling Gotham alone ruthlessly searching for Calculator.
Helena gets a summons to go to court to be a character witness for her incarcerated mother. She realizes that she doesn’t really understand her mother and why she does the illegal things she does. When the judge asks her if her mother should be released she says the doesn’t know, that her mother needs help. The judge quickly agrees and sends her to Arkham to be treated as criminally insane. Not cool. Helena suspects that the judge has been compromised.
The Birds all attend Gus’ funeral. Helena spots Burnrate in the woods observing the burial. She gets her two partners to hide behind a crypt and while they hunkered down they begin to blame Barbara for Gus’ death. Babs sits down and is upset that they are fighting amongst themselves. The other Birds get upset at their behavior as well. They agree to trust each other and to not keep secrets.
Helena spies on the judge that sentenced her mother to Arkham. She is observing him outside his house when she is attacked by Burnrate. Since Burnrate is at the judge’s house she surmises that Calculator has had something to do with her mother’s unexpected sentence. Helena shoots Burnrate with a trick crossbow bolt that Dinah got from Green Arrow. Burnrate emerges reasonably unscathed by the flames but it gives Huntress time to get on her motorcycle and ride away. Burnrate chases her but she brakes quickly which causes the robot to tumble to the pavement.
Burnrate and Calculator go to Arkham and kill a guard to get access to Maria Bertinelli and the metahuman Blackbird whose powers won’t work because Burnrate overloads her senses with a powerful electronic signal.
Helena tells Dinah and Babs what happened at the judge’s house. They wonder what Calculator had to do with Helena’s mother. They get an alert that there is a breakout at Arkham. Helena realizes that with her mother, a criminal mastermind, along with Burnrate and Blackbird on his team, Calculator is getting ready to cause havoc in Gotham!
Analysis: Writers Julie and Shawna Benson give us a solid story full of action and interpersonal drama. The most interesting element for me here is the conflict between the titular heroes. It is strange that Babs suddenly has a moral problem hacking into Calculator’s computer, but the Birds discuss this and are more concerned that she put Gus in danger. I could quibble, but I won’t. Suffice it to say the conflict is satisfactorily confronted and resolved, hopefully making the team stronger in the process. I suppose the fact that I am so invested in these ladies working happily together is a testament to the work the Bensons are doing here.
The art is by Roge Antonio, colors by Marcelo Maiolo, and the letters are by Saida Temofonte. The lines are simple but the characters are (generally – see note below) easy to identify. The palette changes as the book moves from scene to scene which keeps the action flowing. There is one particularly good page, the title page. It shows the split figure of Helena on one half and Huntress on the other. Behind her are images of her as a fighter on one side, and a teacher/normal human on the other. Not only is it nicely rendered it is also excellent storytelling, showing the split nature of Helena.
I continue to enjoy this title. The creative team is doing Babs and the Birds proud. I just wish it would hang around for a longer time.
Reviewers Note: In my last review, I mistook Maria’s prison visitor for a young girl. In actuality, it was Huntress. This mistake spawned a series of crazy head theories, thankfully none of which were included in my review. Whew.
Final Thoughts: The stakes are getting raised in this story as things begin to get personal for Helena. Solid plotting and art combine to make a terrific book that deserves better attention than it is getting.
[wp-review id=”46178″]
