After duking it out with the aristocratic villain Grotesque, Batgirl comes up against a cabal of extremist vigilantes known as the Disgraced. She must team-up with Batwoman and a crooked cop in order to bring them down before they can wreak more havoc on unsuspecting criminals.
Batgirl: Knightfall Descends collects issues #7-13 and 0 of Gail Simone's run on Batgirl. It is chock full of action, suspense, and sassy quips.
Reading Batgirl: Knightfall Descends, it's next to impossible not to love Batgirl. Simone writes the characters incredibly well and her inner voice is relatable in its tone. Barbara is funny and charismatic, proving that Nightwing is far from being the only sasspot in the Batman Family. That's not to say that there aren't serious moments in this collection. In fact, it is quite the opposite. There is an overwhelming sense of dread that is creeping into Barbara's life and she is surrounded by darkness. Nevertheless, it's quite evident that there is nothing this spunky redhead cannot handle.
Beyond Batgirl's infectious sass, Knightfall Descends has a lot going for it. For one, it features some spectacular guest stars. In one story, Batgirl visits gal pal Black Canary and the two spent some time gabbing after beating the living snot out of one another (the superhero equivalent of girl talk). In general, the title had been very introspective up until then so it was nice to have Barbara opening up to another character.
Fan-favourite Batwoman also makes an appearance. It's clear that Simone has the utmost respect for the character and thankfully depicts her as every bit of the badass that she is. The team-up between Batgirl and Batwoman starts off a little rocky, but leads to an interesting potential for future interactions between the two.
When it comes to the book's villains, Simone really hits it out of the park. From the very first issue, she'd been building a fantastic rogues' gallery for Batgirl but really outdoes herself with the Disgraced. They're arguably her most dangerous foes to date and it takes the combined might of Batgirl, Batwoman, and Detective McKenna to bring them down. As with the preceding Simone-created baddies, the collection's titular villain Knightfall is an incredibly complex character with a fantastic design backing her.
It's hard not to love Gail Simone's Batgirl. The comic is beyond words and it's truthfully quite difficult to sum up how great Simone's run is. She writes the definitive (and most likeable) version of Barbara Gordon and surrounds the character with one of the most compelling supporting casts at DC Comics. There are many unpredictable twists and turns, ensuring that readers will always be kept on their toes. Aside from the surprises and action, the story is packed with substance. This isn't your average superhero title, it has a heart and a soul. You do not want to miss out on having this book in your collection Bat fans!
Rating: A
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