There are a lot of comics out there, but some just stand out head and shoulders above the pack. With “Don’t Miss This” we want to spotlight those series we think need to be on your pull list. This week, we look at “Batgirls” by Becky Cloonan, Michael W. Conrad, Jorge Corona, Sarah Stern, and Becca Carey, published by DC Comics.
Who Is This By?
Writers Becky Cloonan and Michael W. Conrad have been known to work together in the past, such as “Wonder Woman”, but their bibliographies extend beyond that scope. Cloonan wrote the “Gotham Academy” series and its sequel series for DC Comics between 2014 and 2017, “Southern Cross” for Image Comics from 2016 to 2018, and the 2016-2017 “Punisher” for Marvel Comics, among other series. Meanwhile, Conrad usually seems to work with Cloonan, but outside of that he wrote the 2019 “Tremor Dose” for Mystery School Science Group.
Artist Jorge Corona has his own interesting portfolio. He illustrated for DC Comics on 2015-2016’s “We Are Robin.” For Image Comics, he co-created various miniseries, namely 2014-2015’s “Goners,” 2017-2018’s “No. 1 With A Bullet,” and 2021’s “The Me You Love In The Dark.”
Aside from her colors on “Anti/Hero” and “Green Lantern: Legacy” for DC Comics, Sarah Stern has multiple projects in other companies. Among them are “Steeple” for Dark Horse Comics, “Pumpkinheads” for First Second, “Rick and Morty” for Oni Press, and “Goldie Vance” for BOOM! Studios, along with many others in various publishers. She also writes, illustrates, and colors her own webcomic, “Cindersong,” which updates on Mondays and Fridays.
Becca Carey has worked as a letterer on the BOOM! Studios incarnation of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Angel” alongside “Redlands,” “Radiant Black,” and “Supermassive” at Image Comics. The majority of her credits seem to be at DC Comics, including the ‘Young Diana’ backups for “Wonder Woman,” “Truth and Justice,” “Nubia and the Amazons,” and “The Joker.” Her work also extends in DC beyond the superhero fare, such as “DC Horror Presents: Soul Plumber,” and “The Conjuring: The Lover.”
What’s It All About?
Over the years in the main DC Comics continuity, be it New Earth, Prime Earth, or what have you, the mantle of Batgirl has shifted from one young woman to another. We have had, most famously, Barbara Gordon, the daughter of the famous Jim Gordon, Sr., a woman who has also gone by the alias “Oracle.” Beyond her, there have been two other major wearers of this particular cowl (metaphorically speaking): Stephanie Brown, a.k.a. “the Spoiler,” and Cassandra Cain, a.k.a. the second “Orphan.” The three have all existed at one point or another, but rarely all at once. With “Batgirls,” the trio decide to share the mantle, branching off from their three-part arc of backup stories in the ‘Fear State’ Batman event (across “Batman” #115 through #117) and its aftermath.
Forced into hiding after the destruction of their clock tower base of operations by a combination of their public actions and the machinations of the mysterious “Seer,” the trio, led by Barbara Gordon, have begun rooming together in a lesser-known area of Gotham City, making their way as bat-based heroines without a need to completely rely upon Batman himself. Unfortunately, they are still getting used to acting as a team, and so have some humorous misunderstandings along the way as, among other things, Oracle attempts to essentially wrangle her teenaged partners into responsible, more meticulous action, especially considering they are still all wanted criminals as of the aforementioned ‘Fear State.’
What Makes It So Great?
How does “Batgirl” function as a collective identity? How can early 2020s social media combine with superhero themes to wreak havoc of an entire city? Both of these appear important to the “Batgirls” run.
“Batgirls” may involve our heroines in a rather dire situation, with their public image terrible. However, rather than go into the dreary mentality so common with Batman, this story instead relies on happier, wholesome themes. There is a plethora of action, and some of the imagery presented by Corona and Stern can be rather nightmarish (especially the villain Tutor), but the mood isn’t quite as negative as it seems. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel, a feeling of belonging and hope, even if some serious moments do reign when necessary.
Continued belowHelping this approach is the way that Cloonan and Conrad utilize narration and characterization both. With the relatively upbeat Stephanie Brown as the narrator, bringing along her awkward way of speaking and her colloquial attitude, the story has a friendly face. With Cassandra Cain, politeness and social awkwardness is made all the more endearing, especially when placed into situations both with and without her focus on combat. Meanwhile, Barbara Gordon is forced to be a kind of mother figure, an older sister, and a team leader all at once, and the way she has to switch between these modes helps to humanize her, especially when trying to be more friendly over the radio communications they have. Together, these aspects turn the trio into a quasi-family within the Batman family itself.
Unlike some runs of DC heroes, this one does not require prior reading. Of course, it may help to understand the basics of what is going on, but the vast majority of information is readily available within the issues themselves, from the identities of villains to the characterizations if the heroines.
On a related note, with exception of Seer (who first appeared during ‘Fear State’), it seems that the villains for this run are originals. As such, aside from references to other arcs, there is very little necessary for readers to know, while also helping to expand the Batgirls’ rogues gallery beyond the standards of Batman himself. Yes, certain elements from more well-known villains are used, but by and large, the characters themselves are new.
Topics under examination are definitely geared toward current events. Social media as a means toward fear mothering and disinformation, rumors being spread, and cults of personality are all referenced, and while this run may not be exactly timeless, it does help bring in newcomers looking for something more topical in their superhero stories.
How Can You Read It?
“Batgirls” is available wherever comic books are sold. “Batgirls” #6 is available today, with new issues released monthly.
