Barbara Gordon has made a miraculous recovery from her paralysis. She attempts to pick up her life where she left off – and that includes her career as the vigilante crimefighter Batgirl. But Gotham isn't a town that gives second chances easily – there's still masked criminals out there who would like nothing more than to take down one of Gotham's protectors, and there's a new one in town who not just after Batgirl but has his sights set on Barbara Gordon too. Not only that, but she has to prove to her allies that her skills are still just as sharp as they were three years ago.
The return of Barbara Gordon to the role of Batgirl carried with it some controversy as it erased the previous two incumbents to wear the cowl – Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown. While one of these characters has since returned, many fans were very upset about the return of a character who had not been Batgirl for over twenty years. Fortunately, Gail Simone's strong story and Ardian Syaf's amazing art won many people back. Simone found a strong voice for Barbara Gordon, drawing on the experience of writing her as Oracle in the Birds of Prey series prior to the New 52.
One of the major strengths of any of the Bat-family characters is their relationship with the others. Barbara has history both with Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson, but her strongest relationship is with her father, James Gordon. There's a heavy focus on family that makes the book all the stronger, a recurring theme that runs through each part of the story and it really makes the book stand above the others that were coming out at the same time.
This is a great series for new readers as it is a new start for the character. I definitely recommend this series, and from what Gail Simone has been saying about the new team on the book, it should remain one of the stand out DC titles.
Batgirl vol. 1: The Darkest Reflection – 9781401238148 – Gail Simone - $29.99 – 144 pages
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