Batgirl

The art is so pretty! I really enjoy the art however story wise? I wasn’t too keen on it but it was not like unbearable to read!

Enjoyable set-up of this new storyline, but not much happens plot wise, it's very much "exposure-y". I like the idea of Batgirl getting out of her confort zone by leaving her old turf of Gotham. I'm looking forward to seeing how Larson makes this work in the long run. I've never been that keen on Rafael Albuquerque's art to begin with, but I must admit the artwork kinda grew on me throughout this issue. The cover is stunning, its coloring is insane. I know it's not fair to him to compare Albuquerque's work to Babs Tarr's, but I do really miss her :( She brought such a distinctive and modern feel/aesthetic to this title, that it's hard to adjust to another artist's take.

I really want to like new Batgirl. I really don't. Part of the problem is that DC obviously wants to write a YA Batgirl, but she's the CEO of a major company and a PhD? She acts way too young for her position in life in these books. In fact, she feels very similar to Ms Marvel who is 16. She's supposed to be wonderfully amazing, but she acts like a self-righteous teenager most of the time. It's frustratingly incongruent. This volume wasn't anything special either. Barbara goes backpacking in Asia, learns a valuable lesson from an old Asian lady (ugg), and has an annoying love interest that gets her in trouble. Meh. The art, particularly the inking and colours, are terribly weak. The plot twist on Barbara's eidetic memory makes no sense, and it's just so... boring. There's nothing clever about this Barbara. It doesn't feel like she's earned what she has, and she should be in a far less developed position in all aspects of her life given her attitude. If you want to write a 16 year old Barbara, stick her in Gotham Academy and be done with it, DC :l

I love this graphic novel. I enjoyed the story and the illustrations too. Can't wait to get my hands on the next volume