Review: Batgirl #17 By Bryan Q. Miller And Pere Perez

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Batgirl #17

Written by Bryan Q. Miller

Art by Pere Perez

Let it never be said that the one shot issue is dead, or that a story outside of an arc is a waste of space. Why do I say this? Because it’s January and I already want to nominate this book for best single issue of the year. Bryan Q. Miller takes a premise that most writers would find a way to stretch out into at least two issues, and he completely nails it in one. Stephanie is out on her first Batman Inc mission, and she just happens to cross paths with Damian “Robin” Wayne, and hilarity ensues. Miller has tackled an encounter between the two earlier in the series, and the promise shown in that earlier appearance is definitely lived up to in this issue. And as readers we discover that not only does Miller write an incredible and interesting Stephanie Brown, but that his Damian is just as good! He really does understand the voices of the characters who make their way through this title, even the one off’s, and I’ll just throw this out there, but I would totally buy a Bryan Q. Miller written Robin series.

So why is it so great? Well, on top of the always great characterization of Stephanie, we also get Miller’s own particular take on Damian, where he focuses heavier on the boy himself as opposed to the Robin guide he wears. This is done in an interesting, and very Batgirl like way, of letting Steph be our eyes looking at this boy who wants desperately to be a man. Damian was robbed of a childhood by his mother, traine to be an assassin, dropped off in his father’s care, and quickly becoming Robin. He sees himself, as children are known to do, as his father’s son, and the grim and grittiness that he wears as an exterior feels very much like a product of trying to be his father. It’s also infinitely more entertaining than Damian being an overly violent and brooding, Batman esque, kid sidekick.

Now I like Damian, and I have since his first appearance. He’s an arrogant little punk that you always figure is one wrong word away from getting his ass kicked, and despite his flaws being brought up, he doesn’t lose that. Whether he be dressing down Alfred’s cooking or insulting Steph, he never lets you forget that he’s better than everyone else. At the same time, watching him do things like deprive himself of sleep, or string a man up for interrogation, or even his Red Casebook….he’s trying to emulate his father as closely as possible, it comes across like him seeking approval and it makes sense. Damian hardly knows his father, but he does know the extended family, and in Bruce’s absence he tried to fill the grim and gritty Bruce role, nowadays though…it’s a little easier to see through the facade.

Damian was robbed of a childhood, instead of school he trained under the League of Assassins, and this leads him to being unaware of one of the most infamous things about school as a kid, a plot device used well to put him undercover in a place he is completely out of his element. Damian goes on a field trip. Hilarity ensues.

Well, hilarity mixed with a little heartache as Steph gets to watch Damian go undercover and in the process learn a few things about him; like seeing that his first instinct for an alias, the first name to come to mind, is Bruce. And then worse than that, the realization that Damian has no idea at all how to have fun, how to play, how to be a kid, he just knows how to fight.

Now, for those of you who read Batgirl, you know that this is not Steph at all. She’s fun loving, impulsive, and the epitome of light hearted in the Bat family. There’s nothing grim and gritty about her, and that’s one of the many reasons to love her, it makes her stand out against the other characters in the Bat family and creates  niche that is all hers. So she and Damian play amazingly off of each other, and the “Dysfunctional Duo” are one of my favorite team ups in recent memory. The two of them together are laugh out loud hilarious, especially with moments like an overly cocky Damian deciding he can drive a bus….yes, that happens.

Steph doesn’t so much take a backseat to Damian as she helps push his story along with hers, happily riding a controlled shotgun as she helps teach the Boy Wonder a thing or two about life, and in the process has her first Batman Inc mission. It feels less like a team up at times as Steph seems to slip into a big sister role between moments of swapping snark with Damian, and it suits her well. Compared to her interactions with other Robin’s, this one is a nice little change….and the fact that she’s older than him really helps. She’s his sanest female influence, after all.

Pere Perez handles the art in this issue, and as he’s been one to do on this book, he does an awesome job. I already knew that I loved the way he handled Stephanie, but his Damian is great too. The book maintains its light hearted tone throughout the book, especially when Damian goes undercover. Facial features are nice and subtle but always fit the tone of the panel, and I have to say, I love the way he handles Damian’s face. Just a very nice looking issue, and it maintains the level of quality that one comes to expect from Batgirl.

Was this the perfect issue? Well, if you believe in such a thing, and I kinda do….yes, yes it was. We got a one and done story that felt important, added a lot of depth to two characters, and set up any and all future teamups between the two. Sure, it’s not a game changing story arc, and there’s no big thrills or kills in the issue, but it doesn’t need them. Miller crafts a brilliant little story that helps to define the relationship between Batgirl and Robin, and in the process gives Damian more character than most writers allow him. I actually felt sympathy for the little punk, that takes work! Kudos to Mr. Miller, a really nice guy, for writing the best issue of this book yet! Keep up the good work!

Overall?

10/10

A lifelong reader and self proclaimed continuity guru, Grey is the Editor in Chief of Comics Nexus. Known for his love of Booster Gold, Spider-Girl (the real one), Stephanie Brown, and The Boys. Don't miss The Gold Standard.