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alice_digest's review
4.0
This series continues to be really GOOD! It's just so good!! And creepy.. Things get creepy in this one.
Now I don't ready any other DC titles so I'd got no idea what was going on with the whole Joker "dinner party" thing with the rest of the Bat Family.. That was lost on me, but it was creepy... and apparently the Joker's face got peeled off at some point and stapled back on? Gross.
It's James Gordon Jr that's the real villain here. He's got a lot of issues... and some plans for his sister.. Whenever he appears in a panel I always get shivers.
Now I don't ready any other DC titles so I'd got no idea what was going on with the whole Joker "dinner party" thing with the rest of the Bat Family.. That was lost on me, but it was creepy... and apparently the Joker's face got peeled off at some point and stapled back on? Gross.
It's James Gordon Jr that's the real villain here. He's got a lot of issues... and some plans for his sister.. Whenever he appears in a panel I always get shivers.
scottpm's review
5.0
Batgirl and all the Bat family titles just keep thundering along like a runaway train. Great reading.
magnetgrrl's review
2.0
These are still pretty underwhelming. I love Barbara Gordon. I want these to be better.
kmfeeney's review
3.0
This volume was confusing to start off with because it incorporates storylines from non-Batgirl volumes.
Also the Joker is my least favorite villian ever. I think he's super boring so that made me like this less.
Also the Joker is my least favorite villian ever. I think he's super boring so that made me like this less.
iffer's review
4.0
While I liked the previous two trades of New 52 Batgirl, I really enjoyed this one. The stories were more cohesive, and with Gail Simone at the helm, these story arcs couldn't help being great, since the Joker and James Gordon, Jr. are some of the best villains for Batgirl. I could've done with more development of Gordon family dynamics and the relationship between Barbara and her roommate Alysia, though (who, while I'm glad that she's trans and it's no big deal, doesn't seem to have any reason to be trans except that DC wanted to seem forward-thinking?).
rhganci's review against another edition
3.0
(3.5 stars) The first fourteen issues of BATGIRL that were collected in the previous two trade books were among the best of the New 52 over the course of the first year--Barbara's struggle through survivor's guilt, the threats represented by Mirror, Gretel, and Knightfall, and against the Court of Owls stood out as a particularly remarkable character story that's greatest strength was Gail Simone's development of Barbara's narrative voice. That continues to be the strongest aspect of the book, but the departure of Adrian Syaf's and Ed Benes' pencils and Simone's two-issue hiatus from writing duties really diminished the overall quality of this collected edition of one of the New 52's most surprisingly excellent titles.
Vol. 3, THE DEATH OF THE FAMILY is a bit of a misnomer--while the collection does include both Barbara's 3-issue "lead-up" story arc to BATMAN #17 and that conclusive chapter of the DEATH OF THE FAMILY crossover, that event spans less than half of the collected material of this paperback. The story arc involving James Gordon, Jr.'s escape from Arkham Asylum takes center stage, meshes with and departs from DEATH OF THE FAMILY, and finally ranges to its conclusion in by the end of the collection, but a few departures from the formula diminish the overall quality of the book.
The first of these is Gail Simon's very noticeable departure from writing duties after DEATH OF THE FAMILY, during which she continues her superb storytelling, writing Batgirl's DEATH OF THE FAMILY story that complements Snyder's nicely. After the Joker story concludes, Ray Fawkes's contributions to the story aren't exactly negative, but the contrast in quality between his story and when Simone is in the driver's seat is very noticeable. The thoughtful and humorous narrative voice that Simone has cultivated disappears when Fawkes temporarily takes over writing duties, and is replaced by narration by James, Jr. that sounds forced and lacks any of the development that Barbara's possesses. These books advance the story, but do not develop the characters, thereby undercutting what has made BATGIRL such a standout title of the New 52. Thankfully, Simone's departure lasts only two issues, and she returns to pen the final chapter of the James, Jr. story with as much style and substance as any of her previous installments, concluding the arc and launching the next expertly and restoring the high-degree of quality that the book has enjoyed.
Secondly, Adrian Syaf's pencils are absent, and while Ed Benes contributes his striking artwork intermittently (mostly in the form of some terrific covers), Daniel Sampere's pencils lack the consistency of Syaf's. The colors are less stylish, and without the purple and gold motif for Gotham City, the book feels less like Batgirl's, and as such, less distinct. It is my hope that as Fernando Pasarin inherits artwork duties in Vol. 4 (due out in December), some of the consistency that Syaf and Benes contributed to the first two collected volumes can return to accompany what is sure to be another terrific story from Gail Simone.
You can read this review and a bunch of other awesome articles at our blog, The Unending Backlog: http://unendingbacklog.wordpress.com/2014/08/15/review-batgirl-vol-3-death-of-the-family/
Vol. 3, THE DEATH OF THE FAMILY is a bit of a misnomer--while the collection does include both Barbara's 3-issue "lead-up" story arc to BATMAN #17 and that conclusive chapter of the DEATH OF THE FAMILY crossover, that event spans less than half of the collected material of this paperback. The story arc involving James Gordon, Jr.'s escape from Arkham Asylum takes center stage, meshes with and departs from DEATH OF THE FAMILY, and finally ranges to its conclusion in by the end of the collection, but a few departures from the formula diminish the overall quality of the book.
The first of these is Gail Simon's very noticeable departure from writing duties after DEATH OF THE FAMILY, during which she continues her superb storytelling, writing Batgirl's DEATH OF THE FAMILY story that complements Snyder's nicely. After the Joker story concludes, Ray Fawkes's contributions to the story aren't exactly negative, but the contrast in quality between his story and when Simone is in the driver's seat is very noticeable. The thoughtful and humorous narrative voice that Simone has cultivated disappears when Fawkes temporarily takes over writing duties, and is replaced by narration by James, Jr. that sounds forced and lacks any of the development that Barbara's possesses. These books advance the story, but do not develop the characters, thereby undercutting what has made BATGIRL such a standout title of the New 52. Thankfully, Simone's departure lasts only two issues, and she returns to pen the final chapter of the James, Jr. story with as much style and substance as any of her previous installments, concluding the arc and launching the next expertly and restoring the high-degree of quality that the book has enjoyed.
Secondly, Adrian Syaf's pencils are absent, and while Ed Benes contributes his striking artwork intermittently (mostly in the form of some terrific covers), Daniel Sampere's pencils lack the consistency of Syaf's. The colors are less stylish, and without the purple and gold motif for Gotham City, the book feels less like Batgirl's, and as such, less distinct. It is my hope that as Fernando Pasarin inherits artwork duties in Vol. 4 (due out in December), some of the consistency that Syaf and Benes contributed to the first two collected volumes can return to accompany what is sure to be another terrific story from Gail Simone.
You can read this review and a bunch of other awesome articles at our blog, The Unending Backlog: http://unendingbacklog.wordpress.com/2014/08/15/review-batgirl-vol-3-death-of-the-family/
burntfries's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
old_tim's review
4.0
Good, but this would be so much better if they'd stop forced those crossovers.
http://fedpeaches.blogspot.com/2013/10/left-alone-this-would-be-great.html
http://fedpeaches.blogspot.com/2013/10/left-alone-this-would-be-great.html
wanderlustlover's review
5.0
2015: 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!
2013: Even a few weeks late I can remember how refreshing it was diving back into this universe after taking 2 weeks to read the newest volume of Captain Marvel. I had some issue there, that opening this up reminded me every page that there are people out there doing it right. Able to blend the real life and the super life, like a hand in a glove. Able to blend horror and snark, with love and affection. Who have men, women, and trans people. Father, Mothers, Daughter, Brothers. All together all at once, and it's still a kick ass Girl Power Title.
Yes. Yes. More of this. So much more of this I need and want and love all of it.
2013: Even a few weeks late I can remember how refreshing it was diving back into this universe after taking 2 weeks to read the newest volume of Captain Marvel. I had some issue there, that opening this up reminded me every page that there are people out there doing it right. Able to blend the real life and the super life, like a hand in a glove. Able to blend horror and snark, with love and affection. Who have men, women, and trans people. Father, Mothers, Daughter, Brothers. All together all at once, and it's still a kick ass Girl Power Title.
Yes. Yes. More of this. So much more of this I need and want and love all of it.