Batgirls #1 Review

Double Trouble for a New Generation

Written by: Becky Cloonan, Michael Conrad

Art by: Jorge Corona, Sarah Stern, and Becca Carey

Cover price: $3.99

Release date: December 14, 2021

Batgirls #1 catches up with Cassandra Cain, Stephanie Brown, and Barbara Gordon as they move into their new flat and establish a more secure base of operations away from the watchful eye of the Seer.

Was It Good?

Color me surprised. This first issue in the series is not bad. Cloonan and Conrad may have finally found something of a sweet spot at DC.

Before getting into the plot particulars, let's cover tone, vibe, and potential target audience. The style and vibe fall somewhere in the family-friendly Batman adventures arena. There are costumed shenanigans and bad guys aplenty, but you never get the feeling Steph and Cassie are in any real danger beyond the bumps and bruises from a street brawl. It's not a super serious, dark & gritty, Batman-style book. Instead, the tone feels like something you'd see on the DC's Super Hero Girls television series with a little less slapstick silliness.

Therefore, the possible target audience is a middle-grade, tween girl demographic. There's nothing right or wrong about going after that audience. This is simply information to help you set your expectations accordingly.

The art from Corona has a cartoonish feel with a stylistic edge. Again, a lot here is reminiscent of DC's Super Hero Girls. Still, the minor stylistic refinements echo Bruce Timm's designs from Batman: TAS, especially during the action scenes and the look of the main characters' flowing capes.

"What about the characters and story?" you ask. Well, they are continuing from Future State, and the threat of the Seer, Barbara Gordon, Steph, and Cassie take up residence in a loft apartment to set up an unhackable network for Barbara to establish a new, secure base. There's some slice-of-life silliness as the girls move in and get to know the neighborhood that was more charming than expected.

Meanwhile, the Seer finds them much sooner than anyone knows, and the original plan falls into threat level midnight pretty quickly. 

The characters are not new, but credit where credit is due, Cloonan and Conrad nail each character's individual "voices" charmingly and engagingly. Steph is the too-bubbly teenager excited for danger. And, Barbara is the street-wise-yet-doting den mother keeping an eye on double trouble while she tries to figure out Seer's game plan. Of the three, Barbara seems more motherly than in any prior iteration, but it makes sense for her position of responsibility and the situation.

Make sure to listen to our Weekly DC Comics Recap and Review Podcast to hear us talk more about this book.  Just look up "Weird Science DC Comics" anywhere you listen to podcasts, and make sure to rate, review, and subscribe!

Bits and Pieces

Overall, I like this first issue much more than I expected. The material and characters are probably most relatable to a tween girl audience with a tone and style reminiscent of DC's Super Hero Girls. Still, the story and character work are no less engaging. As a result, I'm interested in reading more.

8.5/10