After being forced to kill her brother in a harrowing battle, Barbara Gordon no longer feels worthy of being Batgirl. She's given up her costume and is intent on staying home instead of prowling the streets at night. There's just one problem - Gotham City won't let her. First, the menacing Ventriloquist kidnaps a pop star and then a gang war erupts, placing her new boyfriend in the middle of the conflict. If that weren't enough, her father is out for Batgirl's blood.
Batgirl Volume 4: Wanted collects Batgirl #20-26, written by Gail Simone.
Gail Simone brings the drama (and then some) with this collection. Barbara is dealing with being responsible for her brother's death, Commissioner Gordon is obsessed with arresting Batgirl and the villains of Gotham City are practically rocketing out of the woodwork.
Simone is to be praised for her continued quality work on portraying Barbara as a flawed character who feels palpably real. The fallout from the fight against James Gordon Jr. is intense for Barbara and she's clearly shaken by having been forced to kill her brother. Many other writers would not take the time to explore the aftermath of this death, but Simone revels in it. She recognizes this moment as a treasure trove for character development. This also helps define Barbara as someone who has a strong moral core, so even though her brother was a serial killer she's still deeply affected by having to take him down.
Despite the rather heavy subject matter in this volume, there are moments of humour that help to balance it all out. One of the funniest scenes occurs when Ricky comes to pick Barbara up for their first date (as pictured above). Simone's comedic timing is as sharp as ever and she really dares readers not to laugh out loud. Similarly, the exchanges between Barbara and Alyssia help to ground the series with a strong friendship that gives Barbara a sense of stability. A standout scene between the two occurs when they go shopping and are harassed by a couple of sexist punks, Barbara's aggressive response not only mirrors her own fragile psyche at that moment, but the fury and frustration women feel every day when they are commodified by the men around them.
From the onset, one of Batgirl's strengths as a title has been Simone's consistent ability to create fascinating villains that keep us turning the pages to see what happens next. In this volume, she introduces a brand-new Ventriloquist, who is infinitely creepier than any previous baddie to carry the mantle. It's essentially like the little girl from The Ring carrying around an icky dummy, which is sure to give more sensitive readers nightmares. On top of that, we get a little preview of the assembled rogues' gallery during the final battle in this set. Seeing the likes of Mirror, Grotesque and Gretel all together reminds us just how dangerous these bad guys are. The fact that they're organized underneath Knightfall makes them all the more deadly.
As this series has worn on, it's becoming increasingly more difficult to find fault with it. It's as funny as it is dramatic, with insane action and incredible dialogue. Simone is truly at the top of her game and proves that she's one of the most capable writers in the genre, crafting memorable villains and pulling out the unexpected whenever she can. Perhaps the most valuable aspect to Batgirl is just how easy it is to relate to its characters and its stories. While the series is about a costumed vigilante who fights super powered bad guys, there are scenes that mirror real life situations so closely that you almost forget you're reading a comic. If anything, Batgirl proves why Gail Simone has been one of my favourite writers for well over a decade now.
Rating: A-
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