Written by: Cameron Stewart & Brendan Fletcher
Art by: Babs Tarr
Publisher: DC
When Cameron Stewart, Brendan Fletcher, and Babs Tarr first took over from Gail Simone on issue #35 (funny to think that it’s been almost a year at this point), I was rather unimpressed, angry even. I saw issue #35 as a betrayal of Barbara Gordon’s character, a character that I had really fallen in love with over the course of the previous two or three years. The thing is, all that I’ve heard about it since that point has been positive. It seems that everyone I know who reads comics is reading (and loving) Batgirl, and taking every opportunity to try and get me to read it. So, when given the opportunity to review this issue, I took it, if only so that I could have a better understanding of why people seemed to love the book, and the new interpretation of the character, so much.
Here’s the thing: what Stewart, Fletcher, and Tarr are doing with the character isn’t for me. Is it bad? Not necessarily. Objectively, the craft of this issue is actually pretty good. The first two or three pages of this issue – in which Barbara is busy worrying about make up and outfits – were hard for me to get through, and on the whole fairly cringe worthy. But after that point, the writing improves a good bit and delivers what is ultimately a fun, if substance lacking, one shot story.
To be honest, that seems to be what this issue’s going for. It’s meant to be celebratory, so the lighthearted tone is appropriate. The writing is a bit silly, and at times overly dramatic, but again, that feeds the tone of the issue quite well. I don’t really have a problem with the dialogue. There’s a part of me that actually found myself enjoying it. I really enjoyed the character dynamic between Barbara and Luke Fox, which I wasn’t aware of. However, that’s definitely not the focus of this issue. The bulk of the issue concentrates on Barbara’s relationship with Dick actually, which I guess makes sense thematically.
One thing I will give Fletcher and Stewart kudos for is that they have an excellent grasp on the relationship between these two characters. Even though they write both of them differently than what I’ve come to expect as the norm, the character dynamic here hasn’t changed, and that’s good to see. Of course, I’m a sucker for Dick/Babs appearing together in general, but this interaction was pretty well written. Unfortunately, it feels kind of pointless. It’s certainly more entertaining than a whole issue about a wedding, but it doesn’t really go anywhere. Neither character is really advanced in this issue, rather, they just end the issue in the same place they’ve been for quite some time now.
Fortunately, there is a little bit more to this issue than Dick showing up. Though that is the bulk of this issue, Batgirl #45 does actually include Alysia’s wedding. And look, good on DC for letting this happen, and good for Alysia. If I remember correctly, she was Barbara’s room mate in Simone’s run, so there’s actually some emotional pay off there for me, which is great. It is a bit of a slap in the face for Batwoman (yup, still salty about that), but hey, at least DC’s policies on the matter seem to have changed. Granted, it’s not a character in a leading role, but it’s a start.
Finally, there’s the art, which I love. Tarr’s style is what makes the tone so effective, really, and Batgirl may just be worth picking up based on the visual style alone. It’s cartoony, but in a good way. It’s expressive and vibrant, really making the characters and setting come to life. Yes, I am aware of what a cliche that phrase is, but it really does sum up Babs Tarr’s art.
If you weren’t a fan of Fletcher and Stewart writing Batgirl when the run first started, then you probably shouldn’t bother with this issue. It wasn’t quite enough to convince me that I should be reading the book on a monthly basis. For everyone else, I see no reason not to enjoy this issue. It’s not amazing or anything, but it’s fun without compromising solid writing. Plus, the art’s excellent, so there’s always that.
