Batgirl infiltrates the GCPD.
Far too many DC books have been hit by last-minute art changes lately. Sadly, Batgirl is no exception. Babs Tarr’s stylish, elegant art has been a huge reason for this book’s success over the past year or so, and the series invariably suffers without her. Such is the case with the latest issue, which features two fill-in artists tackling what should be a memorable chapter of a crucial new storyline for the book.
The art duties are divided between Eleonora Carlini and Moritat this month. Both offer a serviceable but somewhat subdued take on the book’s usual aesthetic. Carolini’s pages consist mainly of talking heads, which certainly doesn’t help to conjure up some of that familiar energy. Moritat at least has more to work with as he renders a high-stakes infiltration of GCPD headquarters. His smooth, expressive figures are a treat to behold, although the bizarre framing of a fight sequence between Spoiler and a superhuman foe leaves a lot to be desired. At least colorist Sergio Lapointe is still present to lend some sense of consistency to the series.
In terms of the script, this issue proves mostly satisfying, however. The aforementioned talking head sequence consists of a prolonged meeting between Barbara and her father. We’ve seen annoyingly little of their dynamic lately, and it’s nice to see them reconnect and discuss Jim’s current job as Batman. The GCPD raid never seems entirely justified from a logical standpoint, but it still makes for a thrilling pseudo-heist sequence. It’s also a treat to see Babs teaming up with Spoiler and Bluebird, forming a sort of neo-Birds of Prey in the process. Even better, the final pages make it clear that the writers are intent on revisiting a character that never quite received their due earlier in the series. That leaves plenty of reason to be excited about Batgirl in the months to come, as long as Tarr isn’t absent for too long.
This chapter of Batgirl takes a predictable dip in quality thanks to the absence of Babs Tarr. The book still has its moments of visual excitement, though. And between the three-way superheroine team-up, the father/daughter bonding scene and the return of a character who deserves more attention, this new storyline is quickly heating up.
