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catbrigand's review against another edition
3.0
Nope, nope, not buying it. Quick disclaimer that I'm very new to reading the comics, like I've only read stuff from the New 52 and just started this week for the sole purpose of reading Batgirl (which also led to reading vols. 1-3 of Batman). I'm really not a fan of the art for this issue, it's somewhere between too grotesque and too cartoonish, and while I'm not weak in the stomach at all, I could do without quite so much gore. But there are a few things that really bug me and that I don't quite buy:
1) What the hell did the Joker say to the bat fam during the last arc? My supposition at first was that the bat fam was punishing Batman for not trusting them completely, but clearly the Joker did something to them. Is this going to be mentioned later or is this what I get for reading 4 years of comics after they're released? I even kept reading Batman (which I really quite liked) and nope, wasn't explained there, either.
2) I get wanting to keep cohesion among the different comics within the Batman group, but I have neither the money nor the desire to read all the comics in the group. Some crossover events were totally fine and I thought they worked well--Death of the Family, Court of Owls. Others are sort of awkwardly shoe-horned in.
3) You are not going to be able to convince me that Barbara Sr., who saw everything and knows her daughter is Batgirl, would not seriously testify that James fell. She would not say that she saw nothing. She would protect her daughter at all costs.
4) You are not going to be able to convince me that Batman, in either of his identities, is not going to reach out to Batgirl. Nope. No matter how mad he thinks she is at him, he would reach out to her.
5) Okay, so the bit where the commish acknowledges that his son was a raging sociopath who killed a dozen people was refreshing. But the fact that he knows this and accepted it long before it was actually stated makes his complete bullheadedness re: hunting Batgirl strange and out of place. It's not that I expected him to be like "well shucks, that's a shame," but I don't think he would relentlessly pursue Batgirl above all else. I also believe based on issue 25 that he knows, or at least seriously suspects, that Barbara is Batgirl, which makes his cold rejection of logic even more heartrending.
I don't know, man. I could tell from the reviews that this volume was really polarizing for people and that they either loved it or hated it. I didn't hate it, but I was deeply disappointed. I love Gail Simone's characterization of Barbara, and I've thoroughly enjoyed the previous two volumes, which made me all the more critical of this one.
1) What the hell did the Joker say to the bat fam during the last arc? My supposition at first was that the bat fam was punishing Batman for not trusting them completely, but clearly the Joker did something to them. Is this going to be mentioned later or is this what I get for reading 4 years of comics after they're released? I even kept reading Batman (which I really quite liked) and nope, wasn't explained there, either.
2) I get wanting to keep cohesion among the different comics within the Batman group, but I have neither the money nor the desire to read all the comics in the group. Some crossover events were totally fine and I thought they worked well--Death of the Family, Court of Owls. Others are sort of awkwardly shoe-horned in.
3) You are not going to be able to convince me that Barbara Sr., who saw everything and knows her daughter is Batgirl, would not seriously testify that James fell. She would not say that she saw nothing. She would protect her daughter at all costs.
4) You are not going to be able to convince me that Batman, in either of his identities, is not going to reach out to Batgirl. Nope. No matter how mad he thinks she is at him, he would reach out to her.
5) Okay, so the bit where the commish acknowledges that his son was a raging sociopath who killed a dozen people was refreshing. But the fact that he knows this and accepted it long before it was actually stated makes his complete bullheadedness re: hunting Batgirl strange and out of place. It's not that I expected him to be like "well shucks, that's a shame," but I don't think he would relentlessly pursue Batgirl above all else. I also believe based on issue 25 that he knows, or at least seriously suspects, that Barbara is Batgirl, which makes his cold rejection of logic even more heartrending.
I don't know, man. I could tell from the reviews that this volume was really polarizing for people and that they either loved it or hated it. I didn't hate it, but I was deeply disappointed. I love Gail Simone's characterization of Barbara, and I've thoroughly enjoyed the previous two volumes, which made me all the more critical of this one.
labunnywtf's review against another edition
4.0
I am super de duper confused by that last chapter. I'm guessing that was flashback/further origin? Because short hair and young James and mom's earrings, but plopping it down there just makes my head hurt. Maybe volume 5 explains it. I don't know, it kind of screws up what was otherwise a sincerely awesome book.
The Ventriloquist. Seriously, I cannot handle ventriloquist dummies.
And it really isn't clarified whether the dummy is an evil dummy, or Shabby Shauna is just scary powerful. Also, intensely creepy and blargh. Blargh blargh blargh very well done.
The aspect of PTSD throughout this series so far has been extremely well done. It doesn't debilitate Batgirl, which is the route so many would've gone down, but it affects her, and she is forced to power through it. The same happens with this series, this time involving her brother, rather than The Joker. Very powerful.
Seeing Commissioner Gordon's breakdown was equally good. I'm guessing the Gordon Family Psycho has never been introduced in any of the movies? Or if it has, it's been in one of those Christian Bale movies, and since I hate him as Batman, I wouldn't know that.
The return of Knightfall was also great. I don't know if she's going to be returning in volume 5, I truly hope so. I'm miffed, because comic book villains are like Stefano on Days of Our Lives, and they never truly die, so I realize that none of these villain stories are going to end in a satisfying way. Even if she crushes one of them under her boot heels, I realize that there's going to be a twist. Lemme guess, they escape from Arkham Asylum. Nooooooooooo way. That place is like Fort Knox, how could that possibly happen??
Also,
The final scene between Bats!Barbara and her father was extremely well played. Comics are so good with the metaphors, and the scene where Barbara is ready to show her father who she truly is, and he literally refuses to see it. Very, very, very well done. So good, so damn good.
And then that last chapter, which I am wrinkling my nose up at as I type this. FANTASTIC story, really it was. But it was so jarring and disjointed from the rest of the book, and that bothers me a great deal.
One more volume to go, and then...are these still being written? Hmm. I need to find that out.
The Ventriloquist. Seriously, I cannot handle ventriloquist dummies.
And it really isn't clarified whether the dummy is an evil dummy, or Shabby Shauna is just scary powerful. Also, intensely creepy and blargh. Blargh blargh blargh very well done.
The aspect of PTSD throughout this series so far has been extremely well done. It doesn't debilitate Batgirl, which is the route so many would've gone down, but it affects her, and she is forced to power through it. The same happens with this series, this time involving her brother, rather than The Joker. Very powerful.
Seeing Commissioner Gordon's breakdown was equally good. I'm guessing the Gordon Family Psycho has never been introduced in any of the movies? Or if it has, it's been in one of those Christian Bale movies, and since I hate him as Batman, I wouldn't know that.
The return of Knightfall was also great. I don't know if she's going to be returning in volume 5, I truly hope so. I'm miffed, because comic book villains are like Stefano on Days of Our Lives, and they never truly die, so I realize that none of these villain stories are going to end in a satisfying way. Even if she crushes one of them under her boot heels, I realize that there's going to be a twist. Lemme guess, they escape from Arkham Asylum. Nooooooooooo way. That place is like Fort Knox, how could that possibly happen??
Also,
Spoiler
I totally knew James wasn't dead. See above re: Stefano.The final scene between Bats!Barbara and her father was extremely well played. Comics are so good with the metaphors, and the scene where Barbara is ready to show her father who she truly is, and he literally refuses to see it. Very, very, very well done. So good, so damn good.
And then that last chapter, which I am wrinkling my nose up at as I type this. FANTASTIC story, really it was. But it was so jarring and disjointed from the rest of the book, and that bothers me a great deal.
One more volume to go, and then...are these still being written? Hmm. I need to find that out.
captwinghead's review against another edition
3.0
Babs is having a terrible time.
I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first 2. Probably because I felt like the Ventriloquist villain dragged this down a bit.
This is the aftermath of Babs' fight with her brother James in the last volume. I didn't think he was really dead because this is a comic book. She feels guilty and Gordon is on the warpath for Batgirl. For an interesting concept like that, we don't get as much on it as I would have thought. I'm used to Gordon being a big part of Batgirl's stories but I was surprised by how much we got outside of him in this book.
We get Babs trying to move on and she tries to retire from being Batgirl. She feel unworthy to wear the Bat symbol and she even cuts it out of her uniform. That was really interesting.
I loved Babs and Ricky together and what happens with that made me really sad. Gordon's involvement just made it worse. Babs can't enjoy anything, can she?
I loved seeing Alysia and Bab's friendship. The fight scenes were beautifully drawn, as usual. I wish I enjoyed this more.
I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first 2. Probably because I felt like the Ventriloquist villain dragged this down a bit.
This is the aftermath of Babs' fight with her brother James in the last volume. I didn't think he was really dead because this is a comic book. She feels guilty and Gordon is on the warpath for Batgirl. For an interesting concept like that, we don't get as much on it as I would have thought. I'm used to Gordon being a big part of Batgirl's stories but I was surprised by how much we got outside of him in this book.
We get Babs trying to move on and she tries to retire from being Batgirl. She feel unworthy to wear the Bat symbol and she even cuts it out of her uniform. That was really interesting.
I loved Babs and Ricky together and what happens with that made me really sad. Gordon's involvement just made it worse. Babs can't enjoy anything, can she?
I loved seeing Alysia and Bab's friendship. The fight scenes were beautifully drawn, as usual. I wish I enjoyed this more.
murphyc1's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 ⭐️'s. Unfortunately I have to deduct half a star for the inconsistent artwork and the very strange organization of this volume. There are two separate and seemingly unrelated storylines contained in this book, one involving a new female Ventriloquist, the other dealing with the fallout following Batgirl's apparent slaying of her serial killer brother in the previous volume. Only the latter is herein resolved. The Ventriloquist plot just stops abruptly. Regardless, this comic is consistently excellent. Gail Simone should be universally regarded as one of the very best writers in the business!!
nerdywerewolf's review against another edition
4.0
This volume was awesome! Not only is Babs on the run for a crime even she blames herself for; her father's after her (without knowing she's Batgirl) and they reinvented the Ventriloquist (arguably my second-favorite DC villain behind Mxyzptlk-Harley doesn't count!)!
I really enjoyed the meta-flavor ventriloquist, Shauna. I hope there's more of her later.
I really enjoyed the meta-flavor ventriloquist, Shauna. I hope there's more of her later.
alice_digest's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars for this one.
Barbara is (understandably) having a tough time after the events of the previous volume.. plus her Dad is now out for Batgirl's blood (or at least to put Batgirl in jail). For a while she decides to hang up her cape and try to be normal. She starts dating Ricky (who you might remember from Knightfall Descends as the car thief who got his leg cut off) who might be reformed but his brother is in a sticky spot with some gang members.. And after a stand off with some cops things get even more complicated for our poor heroine. It's just a big mess!
The story with the Ventriloquist was particularly good. She was creepy and scary.. and maybe actually more so than her gross, demonic puppet. She's probably have been a psychopathic murderer without the dummy.. and that's terrifying!
Barbara is (understandably) having a tough time after the events of the previous volume.. plus her Dad is now out for Batgirl's blood (or at least to put Batgirl in jail). For a while she decides to hang up her cape and try to be normal. She starts dating Ricky (who you might remember from Knightfall Descends as the car thief who got his leg cut off) who might be reformed but his brother is in a sticky spot with some gang members.. And after a stand off with some cops things get even more complicated for our poor heroine. It's just a big mess!
The story with the Ventriloquist was particularly good. She was creepy and scary.. and maybe actually more so than her gross, demonic puppet. She's probably have been a psychopathic murderer without the dummy.. and that's terrifying!
wanderlustlover's review against another edition
3.0
Part of my massive Barbara Gordon Re-read which I had a glorious amazing time with. Birds of Prey, under the hands of Gail Simone, was a gorgeous thing and It made me super happy to have all my amazing women back together doing amazing things!
scottpm's review against another edition
5.0
Wow I just love this series!! It gets better with every collection. The writing and art are both top notch. It is a shame that they are changing the creative team on this title soon. I am not looking foward to the new direction.
The new Ventriloquist is just creepy, psychotic and awesomeness all rolled into one big ball of fun. The Knightfall character is very good as well. I like the addition and she works well as a major plot device and also as a background plot. I cant wait to see how Gail Simone wraps this all up.
The art on the series is also awesome and sets the tone for the whole series.
The new Ventriloquist is just creepy, psychotic and awesomeness all rolled into one big ball of fun. The Knightfall character is very good as well. I like the addition and she works well as a major plot device and also as a background plot. I cant wait to see how Gail Simone wraps this all up.
The art on the series is also awesome and sets the tone for the whole series.
iam_griff's review against another edition
4.0
When it comes to many of the “New 52” titles I haven’t thought much of a lot of the writing, but Gail Simone continues to surprise me with Batgirl. This volume was a complete page turner with plenty of suspense. As I am still working thru my backlog of graphic novels I find that Batgirl is one title that is worth reading.
iffer's review against another edition
4.0
So good. I probably could've given this 5 stars if it weren't for the blah boring standard DC art. I love Gail Simone's Batgirl. Simone hits the right notes of angst and lightness, in this volume, and portrays Barbara and Jim Gordon's relationship with nuance that other writers don't. Perhaps it should be unsurprising, because Simone is a woman herself, but she writes a believable young woman main character, including her friendships and things like street harassment. Simone also succeeds at painting Ventriloquist as both sympathetic, and as something out of a horror movie.