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Batgirl (2011)
Batgirl, Volume 4: Wanted
In one moment, Batgirl irrevocably tore her family apart. Faced with no other choice, Barbara Gordon was forced to kill her brother, James Gordon Jr., a madman and a murderer. With James dead and their mother is leaving town, their father – Gotham Police Commissioner Gordon – is on a mission to arrest the person responsible for his son’s death: his own daughter! As the Commissioner unknowingly mounts this manhunt, can Batgirl protect her secret and keep herself out of jail?
Batgirl scribe Gail Simone (SECRET SIX) and gifted artists Fernando Pasarin (GREEN LANTERN CORPS) and Daniel Sampere (TRINITY OF SIN: PANDORA) take Batgirl and Commissioner Gordon down their darkest road yet in BATGIRL: WANTED.
Collects: Batgirl #20-26 and Batman: The Dark Knight #23.1: Featuring Ventriloquist.
Batgirl scribe Gail Simone (SECRET SIX) and gifted artists Fernando Pasarin (GREEN LANTERN CORPS) and Daniel Sampere (TRINITY OF SIN: PANDORA) take Batgirl and Commissioner Gordon down their darkest road yet in BATGIRL: WANTED.
Collects: Batgirl #20-26 and Batman: The Dark Knight #23.1: Featuring Ventriloquist.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published May 27, 2014
About the author
Gail Simone
989 books1,158 followersGail Simone is a comic book writer well-known for her work on Birds of Prey (DC), Wonder Woman (DC), and Deadpool (Marvel), among others, and has also written humorous and critical commentary on comics and the comics industry such as the original "Women in Refrigerators" website and a regular column called "You'll All Be Sorry".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 230 reviews
August 20, 2022
(B+) 77% | Good
Notes: Flat and mushy, it’s an unabating primal scream: prone to punching out of problems, and ill with chronic anticlimax.
Notes: Flat and mushy, it’s an unabating primal scream: prone to punching out of problems, and ill with chronic anticlimax.
May 27, 2014
4.5 stars
Also posted at Addicted2Heroines
I have such a girl-crush on Gail Simone!
And if DC ever decides to take her unwillingly off of this title, I have no doubt I would boycott the bastards.
This volume focuses on two different stories that crisscross and intersect very well, in my opinion.
First, we get and introduction to the new (and I think vastly improved) Ventriloquist.
Second, we see the fallout from the last volume, Batgirl: Death of the Family. Mainly, that Barbara isn't sure she can keep playing the role of Batgirl after what happened.
Warning: Potential Death of the Family Spoilers Ahead!
For those of you who don't remember the original Ventriloquist...
Join the fucking club.
Nobody remembers him very well, because he's a D-list villain whose only distinction is being less popular than the Mad Hatter.
At any rate, from what I do remember of him, he was a tiny little guy with a puppet. And the puppet was a mobster.
Yep. Real Scary.
Now a few years back, they came out with a female version of the character, which seemed to be a bit of an improvement...but in the end, she was still just a crazy chick with a semi-magical marionette.
Enter the new Ventriloquist!
We get introduced to Shauna Belzer when she was a child, being tormented by bullies at a birthday party. As fate would have it, she finds Scarface (the above mentioned puppet) during the backyard celebration. And once Scarface is added into the mix, the body count really starts piling up. Now, would Shauna have been a psychopath without the intervention of the dummy?
Maybe.
Probably.
We later find out she had a twin, and both of them were evidently vying for a spot in the fabulous world of Child Stardom.
I have to ask why anyone would think that allowing your child to become part of the Hollywood churn-and-burn is a good idea? If they don't get famous, you might be ok. But if they do, then what?! How many of the BIG child stars make it out of that without serious damage? I mean, the Epic Fails are all over the news! How do you NOT see that?!
Personally, I do not want to have to worry whether or not a video of my kid pooping on a stripper...or some such nonsense...will go viral.
So Shauna is Miley Cyrus with a talking doll.
Imagine, if you can, an even creepier version of Wrecking Ball...
At this point, Barabara has hit a low point, and is really starting to doubt herself. For one thing, Jim Gordon is out for blood, after witnessing Batgirl (supposedly) kill his son, James.
And James needed killin'!
Still, as evil as James was, I can understand Jim's feelings. After all, you can't stop loving your kid, just because they turned out to be a sociopathic serial killer!
Dear Baby Jesus,
Please don't let any of my kids grow up to be deranged murderer.
Also, peace on earth...starving countries...global warming...etc..
Amen
In a effort to keep her family intact, she tries to hang up her cape and try for a normal life. Of course, that's not gonna happen. Now, those of you who read Batgirl: Knightfall Descends might remember the young punk that she saved, who ended up losing his leg to Knightfall's trap. Well, over the course of the last book, he grew into an upstandingish young man, with a major crush on Batgirl. At first it didn't seem to be heading anywhere, but Babs took a shine to the fella, and managed to arrange to bump into him without the suit on.
Awww...
His brother is still in trouble with a gang, though, and it plays heavily into the overall ending of the story. I don't want to spoil too much, but her relationship with this guy ends up being the deciding factor in whether or not she lets her guilt, and Papa Gordon's grief and anger, take her out of the game.
Between date nite, daddy issues, and a totally demented villain, this was an incredibly interesting addition to the new chronicles of Batgirl!
My only complaint (and it's NOT a new one) is that I'm getting a little sick of all the gory stuff. Let's tone down the eyeballs hanging out of sockets, the rotting corpses, and the victims who've been flayed alive. I'm a bit done seeing dead people posed in family portraits, m'kay?
Find a happy medium, DC!
Thank you NetGalley!
Also posted at Addicted2Heroines
I have such a girl-crush on Gail Simone!
And if DC ever decides to take her unwillingly off of this title, I have no doubt I would boycott the bastards.
This volume focuses on two different stories that crisscross and intersect very well, in my opinion.
First, we get and introduction to the new (and I think vastly improved) Ventriloquist.
Second, we see the fallout from the last volume, Batgirl: Death of the Family. Mainly, that Barbara isn't sure she can keep playing the role of Batgirl after what happened.
Warning: Potential Death of the Family Spoilers Ahead!
For those of you who don't remember the original Ventriloquist...
Join the fucking club.
Nobody remembers him very well, because he's a D-list villain whose only distinction is being less popular than the Mad Hatter.
At any rate, from what I do remember of him, he was a tiny little guy with a puppet. And the puppet was a mobster.
Yep. Real Scary.
Now a few years back, they came out with a female version of the character, which seemed to be a bit of an improvement...but in the end, she was still just a crazy chick with a semi-magical marionette.
Enter the new Ventriloquist!
We get introduced to Shauna Belzer when she was a child, being tormented by bullies at a birthday party. As fate would have it, she finds Scarface (the above mentioned puppet) during the backyard celebration. And once Scarface is added into the mix, the body count really starts piling up. Now, would Shauna have been a psychopath without the intervention of the dummy?
Maybe.
Probably.
We later find out she had a twin, and both of them were evidently vying for a spot in the fabulous world of Child Stardom.
I have to ask why anyone would think that allowing your child to become part of the Hollywood churn-and-burn is a good idea? If they don't get famous, you might be ok. But if they do, then what?! How many of the BIG child stars make it out of that without serious damage? I mean, the Epic Fails are all over the news! How do you NOT see that?!
Personally, I do not want to have to worry whether or not a video of my kid pooping on a stripper...or some such nonsense...will go viral.
So Shauna is Miley Cyrus with a talking doll.
Imagine, if you can, an even creepier version of Wrecking Ball...
At this point, Barabara has hit a low point, and is really starting to doubt herself. For one thing, Jim Gordon is out for blood, after witnessing Batgirl (supposedly) kill his son, James.
And James needed killin'!
Still, as evil as James was, I can understand Jim's feelings. After all, you can't stop loving your kid, just because they turned out to be a sociopathic serial killer!
Dear Baby Jesus,
Please don't let any of my kids grow up to be deranged murderer.
Also, peace on earth...starving countries...global warming...etc..
Amen
In a effort to keep her family intact, she tries to hang up her cape and try for a normal life. Of course, that's not gonna happen. Now, those of you who read Batgirl: Knightfall Descends might remember the young punk that she saved, who ended up losing his leg to Knightfall's trap. Well, over the course of the last book, he grew into an upstandingish young man, with a major crush on Batgirl. At first it didn't seem to be heading anywhere, but Babs took a shine to the fella, and managed to arrange to bump into him without the suit on.
Awww...
His brother is still in trouble with a gang, though, and it plays heavily into the overall ending of the story. I don't want to spoil too much, but her relationship with this guy ends up being the deciding factor in whether or not she lets her guilt, and Papa Gordon's grief and anger, take her out of the game.
Between date nite, daddy issues, and a totally demented villain, this was an incredibly interesting addition to the new chronicles of Batgirl!
My only complaint (and it's NOT a new one) is that I'm getting a little sick of all the gory stuff. Let's tone down the eyeballs hanging out of sockets, the rotting corpses, and the victims who've been flayed alive. I'm a bit done seeing dead people posed in family portraits, m'kay?
Find a happy medium, DC!
Thank you NetGalley!
August 9, 2022
This new version of the Ventriloquist is twisted. Not only is she messed up in the head, she can control her dummy telekinetically to kill people. All throughout this volume Barbara is trying to deal with the guilt and rage of having to kill her brother while her father blames Batgirl and is trying to arrest her. It's quite the dark and dramatic turn Barbara has to go through especially once Knightfall decides to go after Commissioner Gordon.
July 27, 2014
Gail Simone's Batgirl has been consistently impressive, and this volume is no exception. At the end of the previous volume, Babs killed her brother, James, to prevent him from killing their mother. Something like that will really screw a girl up, you know? Much of this volume is taken up with Babs working through this the only way that somebody like her can: entirely alone. She can't exactly confide in her therapist, after all. And for completely understandable reasons, she doesn't feel like she can reach out to the rest of the Bats, even if Dick does try. Watching her journey through her grief and guilt was, for me, the best part of this book.
But not the only good part. This volume features (and, I think, introduces) the latest version of the Ventriloquist. And the best so far, in my opinion. I was never a huge fan of Scarface, and the female version introduced right before Flashpoint wasn't a favorite of mine, either. This new version keeps the female Ventriloquist with a very personal relationship with her puppet and turns the creepy up to eleven. She's more vicious, with a motivation entirely separate from organized crime. She wants to be famous, at any cost. And her puppet seems to have a life of his own, life that she seems to have somehow given him. Halfway through the book, she stars in her own issue, and it's horribly creepy. She's a great contribution to Gotham's cast of villains.
I'm very happy with this volume. A lot of good work was done here, and I'm still interested in seeing what comes next.
But not the only good part. This volume features (and, I think, introduces) the latest version of the Ventriloquist. And the best so far, in my opinion. I was never a huge fan of Scarface, and the female version introduced right before Flashpoint wasn't a favorite of mine, either. This new version keeps the female Ventriloquist with a very personal relationship with her puppet and turns the creepy up to eleven. She's more vicious, with a motivation entirely separate from organized crime. She wants to be famous, at any cost. And her puppet seems to have a life of his own, life that she seems to have somehow given him. Halfway through the book, she stars in her own issue, and it's horribly creepy. She's a great contribution to Gotham's cast of villains.
I'm very happy with this volume. A lot of good work was done here, and I'm still interested in seeing what comes next.
November 24, 2015
Bullet Review:
It's so nice to pick up a comic and have almost every single issue be amazing. This is Batgirl. Well - minus the final issue of this volume. Didn't care for the art or the story - must be some what if story? No clue, don't wanna read a million other comics to find out either.
It's so nice to pick up a comic and have almost every single issue be amazing. This is Batgirl. Well - minus the final issue of this volume. Didn't care for the art or the story - must be some what if story? No clue, don't wanna read a million other comics to find out either.
July 8, 2017
This was a solid followup. Volume 3 was better but some things I did love in here. This is broken into two parts. First half revolves around a crazy puppet master chick with a doll who can, you guessed it, talk and kill people. Sounds dumb right? Actually it's the best part. Super exciting and fun and the villain is creepy as fuck and perverted so makes it entertaining. Then we have the second half where Knightfall go after Gordan cause he knows too much. Inbetween we got some fun little moments with Ricky and Bab going on a date and then something horrible happening. It's pretty full and a lot works, but not all.
What I liked: I enjoy Ricky and Babs. I think we get to see outside of the Batgirl suit and that's always a plus for character growth. I also really enjoyed the doll, as he was just super creepy, and his one liners and such were funny as heck. I enjoyed Batgirl not getting over the events of the last volume. What he had to go through with the Joker and then her brother was entertaining and tough. So Glad it's taking the time to show that.
What I didn't like: Knightfall or whatever their name is isn't all that interesting. Infact I find them really over the top and boring. I also didn't like how Gordan was reacting. I get his hatred for batgirl up to a point. He knew his son was a piece of shit, and I get parents love their kids that much, but after the history of his son and then Batgirl I just wasn't buying it.
Still a solid volume for Gail's run. I enjoyed this tiny bit more than 2 but not as much as 3. On to volume 5, the final one, and hope it ends strong!
What I liked: I enjoy Ricky and Babs. I think we get to see outside of the Batgirl suit and that's always a plus for character growth. I also really enjoyed the doll, as he was just super creepy, and his one liners and such were funny as heck. I enjoyed Batgirl not getting over the events of the last volume. What he had to go through with the Joker and then her brother was entertaining and tough. So Glad it's taking the time to show that.
What I didn't like: Knightfall or whatever their name is isn't all that interesting. Infact I find them really over the top and boring. I also didn't like how Gordan was reacting. I get his hatred for batgirl up to a point. He knew his son was a piece of shit, and I get parents love their kids that much, but after the history of his son and then Batgirl I just wasn't buying it.
Still a solid volume for Gail's run. I enjoyed this tiny bit more than 2 but not as much as 3. On to volume 5, the final one, and hope it ends strong!
August 1, 2015
The new Batgirl of 52 is no longer Oracle nor bound to a wheelchair.
In this installment she deals with a ton of personal issues and follows on the heels of a female villain with a dangerous, talking puppet.
Wonderful artwork with grittiness and shadow applications.
OVERALL GRADE: B plus.
In this installment she deals with a ton of personal issues and follows on the heels of a female villain with a dangerous, talking puppet.
Wonderful artwork with grittiness and shadow applications.
OVERALL GRADE: B plus.
April 5, 2017
This story arc had some positives, but the things I disliked about it outweighed them. It's about my personal tastes and not about the quality of the storytelling.
I liked Barbara/Batgirl’s struggle with guilt because she thinks she was forced to kill her psycho brother James Jr. to save their mother. She feels unworthy to wear the Bat emblem and call herself a heroine, and it’s good to see that kind of self-doubt in a heroic character.
Jim Gordon’s determination to bring Batgirl to justice for killing James Jr.--even though he knows the depth of his son’s evil--gets intense. He notes that he put his reservations about dealing with the Bats aside because they didn’t kill. He tells off Batman, blaming Batman for taking on a girl apprentice instead of turning her away. The sequence in which Barbara-as-Batgirl gets her father to see reason is a good one. She’s willing to share her secret identity with him…but her attempt to lessen her burden is denied because her father doesn’t want to know who Batgirl really is.
However, we find out that Barbara’s and Jim’s suffering is basically for naught, as James Jr., in the long-standing tradition of comic book villains, is still alive. I think sometimes a villain should just stay dead. Someplace like Gotham, there could always be a new villain to take another’s place.
Barbara’s friendship with her roommate, Alysia, is a bright spot in the darkness. It’s also good that she’s friends with Richard “Nightwing” Grayson, who shares the burden of operating under a secret identity and shares a connection to Bruce.
While it makes sense that Barbara might try to carve out some regular life for herself in terms of trying to have a boyfriend, the Ricky plotline felt less successful to me.
The last chapter, “Homestead,” is a Zero Year story, essentially the origin of Batgirl. Barbara (aged about 15) discovers when Gotham is flooded and without electricity that the whole of Gotham is her home and its citizens are her family, and she becomes ‘her own hero.’ Nicely done.
The art is well-done. The Alex Garner covers are especially stunning. It's just that the gruesome and gory stuff was more than I cared to see.
The story thread about a very sadistic psycho named Shauna, AKA the Ventriloquist, and her fricking-creepy-sicko dummy, Ferdie, was far too disturbing for my taste. I was never clear on whether Ferdie had always been ‘alive’ or if somehow Shauna’s psychic powers were really animating him in a split-personality kind of way. It was also difficult to tell if Shauna was born disturbed or if the favouritism shown her brother and the dismissive attitudes of others toward her pushed her over the edge. Ugh. That story was all too gross for me.
I liked Barbara/Batgirl’s struggle with guilt because she thinks she was forced to kill her psycho brother James Jr. to save their mother. She feels unworthy to wear the Bat emblem and call herself a heroine, and it’s good to see that kind of self-doubt in a heroic character.
Jim Gordon’s determination to bring Batgirl to justice for killing James Jr.--even though he knows the depth of his son’s evil--gets intense. He notes that he put his reservations about dealing with the Bats aside because they didn’t kill. He tells off Batman, blaming Batman for taking on a girl apprentice instead of turning her away. The sequence in which Barbara-as-Batgirl gets her father to see reason is a good one. She’s willing to share her secret identity with him…but her attempt to lessen her burden is denied because her father doesn’t want to know who Batgirl really is.
However, we find out that Barbara’s and Jim’s suffering is basically for naught, as James Jr., in the long-standing tradition of comic book villains, is still alive. I think sometimes a villain should just stay dead. Someplace like Gotham, there could always be a new villain to take another’s place.
Barbara’s friendship with her roommate, Alysia, is a bright spot in the darkness. It’s also good that she’s friends with Richard “Nightwing” Grayson, who shares the burden of operating under a secret identity and shares a connection to Bruce.
While it makes sense that Barbara might try to carve out some regular life for herself in terms of trying to have a boyfriend, the Ricky plotline felt less successful to me.
The last chapter, “Homestead,” is a Zero Year story, essentially the origin of Batgirl. Barbara (aged about 15) discovers when Gotham is flooded and without electricity that the whole of Gotham is her home and its citizens are her family, and she becomes ‘her own hero.’ Nicely done.
The art is well-done. The Alex Garner covers are especially stunning. It's just that the gruesome and gory stuff was more than I cared to see.
The story thread about a very sadistic psycho named Shauna, AKA the Ventriloquist, and her fricking-creepy-sicko dummy, Ferdie, was far too disturbing for my taste. I was never clear on whether Ferdie had always been ‘alive’ or if somehow Shauna’s psychic powers were really animating him in a split-personality kind of way. It was also difficult to tell if Shauna was born disturbed or if the favouritism shown her brother and the dismissive attitudes of others toward her pushed her over the edge. Ugh. That story was all too gross for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2017
Another great volume to a great series. Last volume Batgirl crossed the line in killing her sadist of a brother James Gordon Jr. Not only must she deal with her own guilt but the wrath of her father Commissioner James Gordon. Yes he knows what his son was, but he was still his son. As penance Barbara give up the Batgirl costume and realises being Barbara Gordon is not really so bad. However Barbara is not the kind of person to take $hit from anyone no matter what clothes she wears. With the appearance of the new Ventriloquist (a women psychotic enough to be Jokers spoiled little sister), and people she loves and cares about in trouble. Can Barbara really stop being Batgirl?
This is my one criticism of this series. It is the same as people said about Daredevil. How can anyone who has met both Barbara and Batgirl not know that they are the same person? With her red hair her identity is more obvious than Nightwing and the Robins. We are given a not so satisfactory answer from the commissioner, but really? That is just a small criticism, but this is one of the best of the Bat books. I really like that fact that Barbara gets to show her heroics in and out of costume especially in the year Zero tie in issue. I like the fact the extra twist they create between father and daughter aside from the one I already mentioned.
This is my one criticism of this series. It is the same as people said about Daredevil. How can anyone who has met both Barbara and Batgirl not know that they are the same person? With her red hair her identity is more obvious than Nightwing and the Robins. We are given a not so satisfactory answer from the commissioner, but really? That is just a small criticism, but this is one of the best of the Bat books. I really like that fact that Barbara gets to show her heroics in and out of costume especially in the year Zero tie in issue. I like the fact the extra twist they create between father and daughter aside from the one I already mentioned.
February 5, 2017
Babs is having a terrible time.
I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first 2. Probably because I felt like the Ventriloquist villain dragged this down a bit.
This is the aftermath of Babs' fight with her brother James in the last volume. I didn't think he was really dead because this is a comic book. She feels guilty and Gordon is on the warpath for Batgirl. For an interesting concept like that, we don't get as much on it as I would have thought. I'm used to Gordon being a big part of Batgirl's stories but I was surprised by how much we got outside of him in this book.
We get Babs trying to move on and she tries to retire from being Batgirl. She feel unworthy to wear the Bat symbol and she even cuts it out of her uniform. That was really interesting.
I loved Babs and Ricky together and what happens with that made me really sad. Gordon's involvement just made it worse. Babs can't enjoy anything, can she?
I loved seeing Alysia and Bab's friendship. The fight scenes were beautifully drawn, as usual. I wish I enjoyed this more.
I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first 2. Probably because I felt like the Ventriloquist villain dragged this down a bit.
This is the aftermath of Babs' fight with her brother James in the last volume. I didn't think he was really dead because this is a comic book. She feels guilty and Gordon is on the warpath for Batgirl. For an interesting concept like that, we don't get as much on it as I would have thought. I'm used to Gordon being a big part of Batgirl's stories but I was surprised by how much we got outside of him in this book.
We get Babs trying to move on and she tries to retire from being Batgirl. She feel unworthy to wear the Bat symbol and she even cuts it out of her uniform. That was really interesting.
I loved Babs and Ricky together and what happens with that made me really sad. Gordon's involvement just made it worse. Babs can't enjoy anything, can she?
I loved seeing Alysia and Bab's friendship. The fight scenes were beautifully drawn, as usual. I wish I enjoyed this more.
October 13, 2020
When it comes to many of the “New 52” titles I haven’t thought much of a lot of the writing, but Gail Simone continues to surprise me with Batgirl. This volume was a complete page turner with plenty of suspense. As I am still working thru my backlog of graphic novels I find that Batgirl is one title that is worth reading.
March 10, 2019
Very well done. Working too hard to create arch-villains (well beyond just villains), and a number of them, but the "ecosystem doesn't really support them -- where's Batman to help, or Batwoman or any other defender of Gotham.
June 4, 2017
BE YOUR OWN DAMN HERO 💪
July 8, 2022
4.5 ⭐️'s. Unfortunately I have to deduct half a star for the inconsistent artwork and the very strange organization of this volume. There are two separate and seemingly unrelated storylines contained in this book, one involving a new female Ventriloquist, the other dealing with the fallout following Batgirl's apparent slaying of her serial killer brother in the previous volume. Only the latter is herein resolved. The Ventriloquist plot just stops abruptly. Regardless, this comic is consistently excellent. Gail Simone should be universally regarded as one of the very best writers in the business!! 👏👏
Edit: Ah, I see now. The Ventriloquist story in the middle was from a special "Villains Month" issue of the New 52-era The Dark Knight series.
Edit: Ah, I see now. The Ventriloquist story in the middle was from a special "Villains Month" issue of the New 52-era The Dark Knight series.
March 8, 2015
Batgirl's journey under Gail Simone continues in this fourth volume. It opens with a battle against the Ventriloquist, a creepy new take on the character that preys on Barbara's shaken state of mind and yet is eerily hilarious at the same time thanks to the Ventriloquist's dummy's perverted sense of humour. The Ventriloquist Villain's Month issue is also pretty good, giving us some backstory, but it feels a little late since it comes after the main story involving her.
The second arc in this volume is the titular Batgirl: Wanted story which brings back Knightfall and her crew of previous Bat villains. We can see how far Barbara has come in this arc - even if she doubted herself the first time she fought these psychos individually, she's grown as a character through adversity and is more than capable of taking them on now. Her personal relationships go through the wringer too, from father James Gordon to her new boyfriend Ricky and roomate Alysia. It does end on a happier note though, so it's not all doom and gloom. There's a Zero Year issue right at the end too, which is decent enough, but not related to anything else in this volume otherwise.
The art is once again solid throughout, with Daniel Sampere returning for a bit, and Fernando Pasarin taking over as seris artist after ending a 20 issue run on Green Lantern Corps.
The second arc in this volume is the titular Batgirl: Wanted story which brings back Knightfall and her crew of previous Bat villains. We can see how far Barbara has come in this arc - even if she doubted herself the first time she fought these psychos individually, she's grown as a character through adversity and is more than capable of taking them on now. Her personal relationships go through the wringer too, from father James Gordon to her new boyfriend Ricky and roomate Alysia. It does end on a happier note though, so it's not all doom and gloom. There's a Zero Year issue right at the end too, which is decent enough, but not related to anything else in this volume otherwise.
The art is once again solid throughout, with Daniel Sampere returning for a bit, and Fernando Pasarin taking over as seris artist after ending a 20 issue run on Green Lantern Corps.
July 15, 2014
OK well, this started off a little ho-hum for me, but then Gail Simone kicked in, and I had a real female hero to read about, with real issues, not the usual crap that writers seem to think 'girls' do. I let this one simmer a bit since I read it (about 10 days ago), and yes, I think I'll still have to support 4+ stars. Never has Batgirl felt so relevant to me or to DC at large.
Then I read this: http://io9.com/batgirls-new-uniform-m...
Not only is Gail Simone done, but they are revamping...to make Batgirl like 12 yrs old. UGH. BOO! DC you always go fuck up the New 52 ones that are working, when there are so few of them...silly fools.
Well either way, this is serious, grown up mature reading (not tits and ass or swear words) but real issues. Barbara gives up being Batgirl? Has to face down her father, Commissioner Gordon? Does she reveal herself?
Her family is in tatters, and what will happen to her new love interest (Ricky - who I actually think was pretty interesting) and then we're reminded of the past with good ole' Dick Grayson. (wHo I also see is being rebooted into a superspy type dude?).
This is a strong volume for sure, a great follow up to DoTF. Here's a hint: The Commish batslaps Batman!!! Perhaps even deservedly so...
Then I read this: http://io9.com/batgirls-new-uniform-m...
Not only is Gail Simone done, but they are revamping...to make Batgirl like 12 yrs old. UGH. BOO! DC you always go fuck up the New 52 ones that are working, when there are so few of them...silly fools.
Well either way, this is serious, grown up mature reading (not tits and ass or swear words) but real issues. Barbara gives up being Batgirl? Has to face down her father, Commissioner Gordon? Does she reveal herself?
Her family is in tatters, and what will happen to her new love interest (Ricky - who I actually think was pretty interesting) and then we're reminded of the past with good ole' Dick Grayson. (wHo I also see is being rebooted into a superspy type dude?).
This is a strong volume for sure, a great follow up to DoTF. Here's a hint: The Commish batslaps Batman!!! Perhaps even deservedly so...
August 28, 2017
More of the same.
World: The art is okay, it's the same old same old for me. It's too dark in my opinion. The world building is okay for what Simone has done here, it makes sense in her world and it's just more doubling down on what the New52 was.
Story: Yeah not my favorite because of the tone. This is my second time reading this and now they I look back at it there were a lot of deaths in the short time of the New52 and it was dark and close to torture porn. I don't like the contrived story of Babs v Dad and I was not a fan of the Ventriloquist story as I liked the old DCU version better. Not my favorite.
Characters: Babs is still miserable and it's understandable as so much misery has happened in Gotham in the New52. I don't like her relationship with the boyfriend and think there is so much fighting and maiming and blood the there's no time for Alysia...shame. The dad and Babs stuff needs more quiet moments to counter it but alas that's not the case. This Ventriloquist is just over the top Saw Jigsaw bull. It's like all the Bar family writers had a sit down and decided the New52 universe for Batman would take place in James Wan's head...
I don't like this. One more to go the I can get to Burnside!
Onward to the next book!
World: The art is okay, it's the same old same old for me. It's too dark in my opinion. The world building is okay for what Simone has done here, it makes sense in her world and it's just more doubling down on what the New52 was.
Story: Yeah not my favorite because of the tone. This is my second time reading this and now they I look back at it there were a lot of deaths in the short time of the New52 and it was dark and close to torture porn. I don't like the contrived story of Babs v Dad and I was not a fan of the Ventriloquist story as I liked the old DCU version better. Not my favorite.
Characters: Babs is still miserable and it's understandable as so much misery has happened in Gotham in the New52. I don't like her relationship with the boyfriend and think there is so much fighting and maiming and blood the there's no time for Alysia...shame. The dad and Babs stuff needs more quiet moments to counter it but alas that's not the case. This Ventriloquist is just over the top Saw Jigsaw bull. It's like all the Bar family writers had a sit down and decided the New52 universe for Batman would take place in James Wan's head...
I don't like this. One more to go the I can get to Burnside!
Onward to the next book!
December 21, 2017
Rebounding from the depressingly dark and brutal Death of the Family, Vol. 4 (suggested sub-title: Babs' Bad Day) steps right up to kick the line but thankfully does not cross it like said predecessor. The first half features a "hell hath no fury . . ." villainess, who is right out of a Stephen King daydream, hijacking a reality-TV show audition. The latter half continues the James Jr. / Nightfall story-lines from the prior editions with non-stop action. In contrast, there are several nice, lighter scenes of Babs with dependable roommate Alysia and potential suitor Ricky. The inclusion of the short story Homestead for a finale did not really fit with the rest of the book.
August 30, 2015
Unexpectedly dark and brooding. It would have been a little better if there could have been some variation on how her brother's death was affecting her.... but Simone kept striking the same note over and over with that plot point. The artwork wasn't too great either. This volume was definitely a step down from previous volumes.
3/5
3/5
May 28, 2021
Wanted is exactly what you'd want from this series after the events of vol.3. Following her killing of James Gordon Jr., Barbara is wracked with guilt to the point where she considers hanging up the cowl. In a series that focuses on Barbara's struggles with guilt and PTSD, this graphic novel goes all in on how her most recent traumas have impacted her. In a weird way, it's a much-needed breather after we encountered both the Joker and James Jr. in the previous installment. We've spent a lot of time going from major threat to major threat, and now we really get to see what Barbara does in her free time (or, at least, wants to do). The date issue, in particular, is a great example of how a superhero comic can be interesting without a specific villain to fight or chase. If any part of this run was going to make me root for the Barbara/Ricky pairing, it's this one. The characters share a likeable repour, and it's nice to see Barbara happy for once despite everything going on. The artwork is great as always, though I tend to prefer Daniel Sampere's pencils over Fernando Pasarin's. The Zero Year tie-in, while not important to the overall story, was a fun addition. This iteration of the Ventriloquist is an interesting one, and she works as an antagonist for the brief time she's in the series. That said, I'm glad she doesn't overstay her welcome, and remains more of a one-off villain.
Going into critiques, Knightfall's involvement in the latter half of the volume feels a little forced. We haven't been able to spend a lot of time with Detective McKenna since the first Knightfall storyline, and as a result her interactions with Batgirl were a little lacking. It also felt like the ending was a little too neat, considering the complicated nature of Barbara's traumas. Overall, it's still a pretty good continuation. If you liked vol.3, this is a must-read.
Going into critiques, Knightfall's involvement in the latter half of the volume feels a little forced. We haven't been able to spend a lot of time with Detective McKenna since the first Knightfall storyline, and as a result her interactions with Batgirl were a little lacking. It also felt like the ending was a little too neat, considering the complicated nature of Barbara's traumas. Overall, it's still a pretty good continuation. If you liked vol.3, this is a must-read.
November 14, 2017
Babs just can't catch a break!
This volume deals with the aftermath of her fight with her brother, James, and how she copes with it. Barbara decides to retire her cape, feeling she is no longer worthy of wearing the bat sigal.
Due to recent events, and later events, Babs' relationship with her father is estranged. Jim is usually a big part of Batgirl stories but it was interesting to see his love for Barbara and disdain for Batgirl. His reluctance to learn her true identity surprised me for some reason. It shouldn't have but he was just so adamant about not knowing who was under the cowl.
The ventriloquist plot seemed to drag on and was really creepy. Must you be so crass, Shauna and Ferdie? Just plain weird.
I loved Babs and Ricky and it broke my heart to see him get hurt. Alysia's and Babs friendship is great. Both of these characters worked as a support system for Barbara.
This volume deals with the aftermath of her fight with her brother, James, and how she copes with it. Barbara decides to retire her cape, feeling she is no longer worthy of wearing the bat sigal.
Due to recent events, and later events, Babs' relationship with her father is estranged. Jim is usually a big part of Batgirl stories but it was interesting to see his love for Barbara and disdain for Batgirl. His reluctance to learn her true identity surprised me for some reason. It shouldn't have but he was just so adamant about not knowing who was under the cowl.
The ventriloquist plot seemed to drag on and was really creepy. Must you be so crass, Shauna and Ferdie? Just plain weird.
I loved Babs and Ricky and it broke my heart to see him get hurt. Alysia's and Babs friendship is great. Both of these characters worked as a support system for Barbara.
May 18, 2018
This volume was awesome! Not only is Babs on the run for a crime even she blames herself for; her father's after her (without knowing she's Batgirl) and they reinvented the Ventriloquist (arguably my second-favorite DC villain behind Mxyzptlk-Harley doesn't count!)!
I really enjoyed the meta-flavor ventriloquist, Shauna. I hope there's more of her later.
I really enjoyed the meta-flavor ventriloquist, Shauna. I hope there's more of her later.
July 12, 2020
Gail Simone's Barbara is my favourite Barbara
August 29, 2018
Gail Simone's Batgirl continues to be an amazingly well-written book. Yes, it is dark--it is very dark in this case, but Barbara Gordon is stronger than darkness. She might be going through the gauntlet, but Simone makes every moment meaningful and worth it. I'm just sad there's only one more volume from her.
August 14, 2019
This comic was hands down excellent
May 3, 2015
Gail Simone is writing the best Batbook right now--that has probably been true since the beginning of New 52, but Snyder really gave Batman a long-needed and refreshing overhaul with the Court of Owls, which I still consider the best pure "Gotham City" story in the setting's history. But when it comes to mixing the comic medium with the psychology of the non-superpowered folk, Gail Simone keeps the story of the renewed Barbara Gordon at the top of the class in terms of plotting, quality, and self-awareness.
We get to revisit some of the earlier plots in Wanted, as it really brings together the "Knightfall" storyline with that of James, Jr., and things in Cherry Hill get even messier for Babs. There's a lot of questioning and residual guilt after the events at the docks, and Simone takes Barbara through an identity crisis that succeeds not only as a good story in its own right, but avoids simply being a rehash of the inner struggle that Simone plots for Babs in The Darkest Reflection.
This volume is thoughtful in a different way than Vol. 1, neither so similar to the crisis of self that Barbara experiences there, nor so different as to bail on the extraordinary work that Simone has done in the first 19 issues of her run. The range of storytelling options that she has isn't any narrower than Snyder has with Batman, but she somehow keeps the circle small and inclusive even as the story shows remarkable and suspenseful development. Wanted is a collection of Simone's best work on Batgirl, and even as it sort of does require familiarity with the majority of the previous year's arcs, it's an outstanding sample of some of DC's finest offerings from 2014.
We get to revisit some of the earlier plots in Wanted, as it really brings together the "Knightfall" storyline with that of James, Jr., and things in Cherry Hill get even messier for Babs. There's a lot of questioning and residual guilt after the events at the docks, and Simone takes Barbara through an identity crisis that succeeds not only as a good story in its own right, but avoids simply being a rehash of the inner struggle that Simone plots for Babs in The Darkest Reflection.
This volume is thoughtful in a different way than Vol. 1, neither so similar to the crisis of self that Barbara experiences there, nor so different as to bail on the extraordinary work that Simone has done in the first 19 issues of her run. The range of storytelling options that she has isn't any narrower than Snyder has with Batman, but she somehow keeps the circle small and inclusive even as the story shows remarkable and suspenseful development. Wanted is a collection of Simone's best work on Batgirl, and even as it sort of does require familiarity with the majority of the previous year's arcs, it's an outstanding sample of some of DC's finest offerings from 2014.
June 21, 2015
In my review for Vol.3 Death of the Family I talked about how things would change going forward and how exciting I was to read all about it.
Her father is then left to pick up the pieces and hunt Barbara down for murder. He basically tells Batman to step out of the way and not protect her or cover of her. Although at this point the relationship between Barbara and Bruce is so broken that I don't think he really cares for her situation. And that's that really bugged me aside from her relationship with her dad which I will come to in a minute. Bruce does nothing! I mean Barbara goes ahead and does the unthinkable and he doesn't do anything! He doesn't go to talk to her, he doesn't seek her out. She doesn't seek him out either for that matter. I just don't buy it. They're suppose to be family! And I think that's the underlying problem: the story falls apart when the Bat Family is broken. They've been divided for such a long time, it's time to bring them back! You hear me new 52!! I get it, Batman has his own problems but still.....
Not to mention that they build up this great showdown between Barbara and her father and Barbara and her psyche, and then it doesn't go anywhere. It is so disappointing! It's was just not very good.... at all. They need to fix things and soon because I love Batgirl, I really don't want to hate her, but I am starting to. I almost wished that Barbara has stayed as Oracle even after her recovery. Because Barbara Gordon is fucking awesome!
Her father is then left to pick up the pieces and hunt Barbara down for murder. He basically tells Batman to step out of the way and not protect her or cover of her. Although at this point the relationship between Barbara and Bruce is so broken that I don't think he really cares for her situation. And that's that really bugged me aside from her relationship with her dad which I will come to in a minute. Bruce does nothing! I mean Barbara goes ahead and does the unthinkable and he doesn't do anything! He doesn't go to talk to her, he doesn't seek her out. She doesn't seek him out either for that matter. I just don't buy it. They're suppose to be family! And I think that's the underlying problem: the story falls apart when the Bat Family is broken. They've been divided for such a long time, it's time to bring them back! You hear me new 52!! I get it, Batman has his own problems but still.....
Not to mention that they build up this great showdown between Barbara and her father and Barbara and her psyche, and then it doesn't go anywhere. It is so disappointing! It's was just not very good.... at all. They need to fix things and soon because I love Batgirl, I really don't want to hate her, but I am starting to. I almost wished that Barbara has stayed as Oracle even after her recovery. Because Barbara Gordon is fucking awesome!
October 3, 2020
I haven't been loving Batgirl as I thought I would. And at first of Wanted I was excited. Barbara is dating a disabled Latino and it made my heart warm. They are a cute couple. And although I have feelings about the way Ricky is portrayed, I like him.
But then Detective Gordon shoots Ricky. Only because he is a brown, poor Latino and thought he was dangerous. I AM SO FURIOUS RIGHT NOW. I feel hurt and horrified that the comic justifies Gordon. Of course, it does, because Gordon is fucking loved in the DC universe, and who cares about disabled brown Latinos? I DO OKAY.
Ricky doesn't die and he decides to sue Gordon (who, by the way, doesn't feel terrible or horrified because he had reasons). Barbara defends her dad because, I don't know, bullshit reasons really. Ricky was defending Batgirl, but Barbara decides to side with her racist dad. Wonderful.
Fuck everything. I'm so pissed. Especially because Gordon never gets a word about what happened and he is defended by everyone. SO.ANGRY.
But then Detective Gordon shoots Ricky. Only because he is a brown, poor Latino and thought he was dangerous. I AM SO FURIOUS RIGHT NOW. I feel hurt and horrified that the comic justifies Gordon. Of course, it does, because Gordon is fucking loved in the DC universe, and who cares about disabled brown Latinos? I DO OKAY.
Ricky doesn't die and he decides to sue Gordon (who, by the way, doesn't feel terrible or horrified because he had reasons). Barbara defends her dad because, I don't know, bullshit reasons really. Ricky was defending Batgirl, but Barbara decides to side with her racist dad. Wonderful.
Fuck everything. I'm so pissed. Especially because Gordon never gets a word about what happened and he is defended by everyone. SO.ANGRY.
August 6, 2014
After the scattershot Death of the Family volume, Batgirl continues her journey into the dark place with a truly creepy New 52 take on the Ventriloquist. It's a daft premise if ever there was one, but this tale brings the villain to frightening life before the story launches into the Wanted arc, with Jim Gordon hunting down Batgirl.
This is a far more focused volume with much clearer story threads and purpose. There are still diversions, including a tie-in to Justice League events and Zero Year that offer little to no context and just generally seem out of place, but they don't distract from the quality of this offering. Simone's writing is much sharper here, and nails the soap opera dynamic whilst never compromising on the darker and more personal themes.
This title is moving from strength to strength. I can only hope it continues in this vein.
This is a far more focused volume with much clearer story threads and purpose. There are still diversions, including a tie-in to Justice League events and Zero Year that offer little to no context and just generally seem out of place, but they don't distract from the quality of this offering. Simone's writing is much sharper here, and nails the soap opera dynamic whilst never compromising on the darker and more personal themes.
This title is moving from strength to strength. I can only hope it continues in this vein.
July 30, 2017
This volume is the culmination of all of the previous volumes, so it's recommended to not read it without reading the others. First there's a multi-issue story with an extremely creepy Ventriloquist (not the classic Batman one) and Simone deftly writes her as sinister, deranged and unsettling. From the previous volume, Batgirl has been pushed to the brink emotionally and placed in direct conflict with her father. The events have moved her to a very dark place and it was intriguing to see how she dealt with it. It's an excellent volume with some really nice covers by Alex Garner.
It's followed with a single story that apparently takes place in Zero Year which is coming up on the list to read. It's one of those one-off stories that shows how Barbara is even a hero before she puts on a cowl.
It's followed with a single story that apparently takes place in Zero Year which is coming up on the list to read. It's one of those one-off stories that shows how Barbara is even a hero before she puts on a cowl.
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