Review: Batgirl #14
Published by DC Comics
Written by Gail Simone
Art by Ed Benes
The Plot
Barbara is on the phone speaking to someone that knows that her mother has been abducted by the Joker. She then discovers that this must be Joker informing her because the same is about to happen to her, especially with the bizarre set of instructions given to her. In addition, she determines that he has also made a shocking discovery. Three of the Joker’s men show up and she fights both the assailants and well as herself. Afterwards Barbara says her goodbyes to her roommate, Alysia, and rushes to confront the Joker as he is tormenting her mother both mentally and physically. Batgirl soon discovers that it was not the Joker who spoke to her on the phone and her attitude changes immediately. The Joker has her mother set up in a booby trap and he offers Batgirl his rationale. Afterwards, the Joker then makes a bizarre request to Batgirl, which upsets her…a lot.
The Breakdown
I have heard from some people who get upset at these crossovers because they are a cash grab. I can understand this position. However, this was a quality book that did have a lot to offer to the main story. We get to see the Joker’s face up close and it’s a good look. He looked even more menacing and maniacal than usual. Everything after Barbara’s fight at her place really set the mood effectively as her life was completely turned upside down. It was very frantic and sad as she was forced to say good-bye to her life so quickly. It also did a lot to put over her friendship with Alysia effectively as well. Barbara also had a great deal of difficulty dealing with her emotions throughout this issue and I enjoyed it because it was a believable reaction. I was wondering how she would react to this situation at the beginning of the series because she was uncertain in the face of danger. However, her reaction now differed significantly and it was much better to read as a result. I’m a Stephanie Brown fan, which has affected me picking up this book on a regular basis. Also, I just haven’t been feeling this book overall, which pains me because I am a fan of Simone’s prior work. However, I thought she did a great job of providing us with a satisfying payoff of Barbara finally meeting the Joker again. Her actions (along with the ongoing internal narrative) really helped me to understand her feelings and motivation. This is going to be a major hurdle for her to overcome and I might just stick around afterwards to see what happens with this character. I’ve always been lukewarm to Benes’ art. I always found that it looked nice, but lacked some depth sometimes. I enjoyed his rendition of the Joker and he did a good job of telling an intense story. The action was easy to follow and I thought that the art complemented the story quite nicely. Also, now I know that the Joker can roller skate…indeed, his abilities do range (I suck at roller skating and once made the mistake of taking a first date to a roller skating rink thinking it would be easy…I digress, but I appreciate the difficulty that roller skating requires).
BUT…
I could only imagine that seeing a loved one in a precarious situation would be very upsetting. However, Batgirl could’ve done a better job of holding back her emotions during her confrontation with the Joker. She’s a professional and should know not to give the Joker any obvious tells. I didn’t know that they still had roller skating rinks? The colour of the Joker’s skin beneath his strapped on face kept changing and it distracted me. In some panels the skin looked normal and in others it looked reddish. Another thing that I didn’t find plausible was when Alysia got home. She gets home and sees that the door has been opened forcibly. There are giant men lying around on the ground and are obviously injured. There is also your roommate standing over them while holding a gun. I wouldn’t sneak up on her for fear of being shot. Also, I just couldn’t see myself not asking what happened soon as I poked my head in the door. I just wouldn’t surprise someone holding a gun while standing over a few bodies.
Buy It, Borrow It, Shelf Read It, or Ignore It?
Buy it. This comic contains the first part of a conflict that people have been wondering about for nearly 25 years. It was a good story that shows the Joker at his maniacal best. I like his new look and I am anxious to see what happens next issue. This crossover has actually brought us a tie-in story that matters on its own. Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I was glad for having picked up this comic.
