Written by: Tate Brombal
Art by: Takeshi Miyazawa
Colors by: Mike Spicer
Letters by: Tom Napolitano
Cover art by: David Talaski (cover A)
Cover price: $3.99
Release date: November 6, 2024
Batgirl #1, by DC Comics on 11/6/24, catches up with Cassandra Cain when summoned to a private meeting with her mother to warn of an incoming assassin attack.
Admittedly, my expectations for this title were severely tempered after reading Green Lantern Dark #1 a few weeks ago from writer Tate Brombal. That issue had potential but lacked personality and pacing. Therefore, I'm happy to report that Brombal redeemed himself with Batgirl #1. This issue won't shake the pillars of Heaven, but it brings Cassandra Cain back to form with an (almost) rock-solid setup.
Batgirl #1 begins at the moment of impact when Cassandra Cain, aka Batgirl, arrives at a private meeting at the behest of her mother, Lady Shiva. Cain's mother says she's come to Gotham to prevent her death and the death of her daughter at the hands of a Ninja cult out for revenge.
Cain and Shiva are not on friendly terms, so Batgirl is not instantly open to cooperating with her mother. Suddenly, the ninjas Shiva warned about crashes through the windows of the meeting place, setting off a fight, a calculated retreat out a nearby window, and a very temporary refuge in the Gotham branch of the Temple of Shiva.
The issue concludes with mother and daughter fighting side-by-side.
"Wait! That's it?" you might ask. Yes, that is indeed it. The plot is super-basic and doesn't include side plots, flashbacks, or any sort of subtext. Cass shows up, her mother lays out the stakes, and then they fight.
What's great about Batgirl #1?
Tate Brombal's opener feels like a return to form for Cassandra Cain on multiple levels. The cutesy will-they-or-won't-they flirtations Cloonrad force-fit into Cain's relationship with Spoiler is nowhere to be found. The plot is a ninja-themed adventure, which aligns with Cain's background, and Cain's ability to watch/listen to body language, which is what makes her special, returns to prominence during the action.
In effect, Brombal gives readers a classic Batgirl.
What's not great about Batgirl #1?
The assassin's motivations are lacking, which is regularly a point of frustration among all Big 2 comics. Shiva explains that the killers are after her and Cain, but even when pressed for the "why," the moment is simply dropped. When the story doesn't establish why a villain is acting, that's how you end up with one-dimensional villains that lead to forgettable stories.
In fairness, there could be a good reason why the ninja attacks are mysterious, but that delay, if intentional, shouldn't linger any more than necessary.
How's the Art?
Takeshi Miyazawa's artwork is also very solid. The fight choreography, which takes up a healthy amount of the pages, is well done. Cain's knack for reading body language is visualized in a way that brings readers into the trick, and the facial acting, almost completely from Lady Shiva, hits the mark.
Again, this issue isn't breaking any new ground, but in an era where finding a decent comic from the Big 2 is like looking for a needle in a haystack, Brombal and Miyazawa deliver.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
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Final Thoughts
Batgirl #1 is a simple, straightforward start to a Batgirl miniseries that should make Cassandra Cain fans happy. This issue isn't breaking new ground or reinventing the medium, but Tate Brombal brings Cain back to form and Takeshi Miyazawa's art is very good.
7.8/10
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I hadn't planned on giving this series a try, but it sounds like I should pick up a copy.
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