Batgirl #22
Batgirl no more? It has led to this point since the minute Barbara supposedly killed her brother. While we knew the end result, the journey from point A to point B has been an emotional roller coaster and Gail Simone made a very convincing ride. If you felt sympathetic for her when she was paralyzed in the past, this is something on a whole new level.
While she has managed to make peace with what she has done, you now see that transition into what she can call a normal life. Even though that road is paved with bumps, Gail Simone has eased her into this somewhat new life though she still finds herself troubled. How long will this last? Who knows, but if there is one thing this story has delivered on its Batgirl’s uncanny ability to rise no matter how hard she falls. You really care for her character right now and that’s what really matters. While not as vulnerable as before, she still in a recovery phase in which anything can happen. Allows for just about anything to happen and in her case it is inevitable.
If anything really made this issue the emotional roller coaster it was, its Jim Gordon. Someone who always supported Batman and the Bat Family, but not in this situation. He so overcome with grief that he’s going off on his own to arrest Batgirl, knowing himself that he’d be out of his league against any of them. Most shocking moment being him punching Batman square in the face. It was completely out of character for him, yet in a good way. At this point he really makes a convincing father who is broken by loss.
Where buttons have been pushed up to now, things are only going to get worse for Batgirl. While not good for her, story-wise this is great. This is the kind of situation you like to find her in. It’s as they say, anyone in the Bat Family is at their most dangerous when backed against a wall. I believe that is what we will see very soon and even so it won’t be a position Barbara finds comfortable to be in. The dark tone that the art gave off is what I really liked in this issue. Mainly that of the confrontation between Gordon and Batman, I feel that that specific part was drawn very well. Aside from that I enjoy the detail put into their emotions and expressions, that’s what I expected to see from this issue.