Category Batgirl

Nov 2 2012

Batgirl Annual 1

Today, Shelby and Mikzyptlk are discussing the Batgirl Annual, originally released October 31st, 2012.

Shelby:  “The Bat, The Cat, and the Owl.” It sounds like some sort of nursery rhyme, but it’s actually the cast of the Batgirl Annual. Gail Simone has teamed up Batgirl with Catwoman and recently sprung lady-talon Mary. The result is a touching look at three very unique ladies: one unequivocally good, one (seemingly) unequivocally bad, and one who toes the line between the two. “But Shelby!” you cry, “Where’s the Joker? What about James, Jr. and Babs, Sr.?” It’s true, we don’t get any of that in this issue. While that does make the timing of this issue a little tricky, Simone delivers such a strong character piece with these three gals that I don’t mind in the least.
Continue reading →

Oct 11 2012

Batgirl 13

Today, Shelby and Drew are discussing Batgirl 13 originally released October 10th, 2012. This issue is part of the Death of the Family crossover event. Click here for complete DotF coverage.

Shelby: What was the last really difficult thing you had to do? It could be something physical, mental, whatever. About  a year ago, I ran a 10K, the longest race I’ve run yet, and it was hard. I had trained for it, but not enough that it was a walk in the park. Not only was it hard on my body, it was also hard on my brain. I had to spend a lot of time reminding myself that I could in fact do it, that the little voice telling me I couldn’t was wrong. After it was over, you know what I did? I immediately went home and ran a half marathon. No, no, I’m totally kidding; I had brunch and took a nap. I rested, I rewarded myself for accomplishing this difficult task. Batgirl is concluding her fight with Knightfall just as Death of the Family is ramping up; instead of resting her broken body, things are just going to get much, much harder for Barbara.
Continue reading →

Sep 18 2012

Batgirl 0

Alternating Currents: Batgirl 0, Drew and HesperToday, Drew and (special guest writer) Hesper Juhnke are discussing Batgirl 0, originally released September 12, 2012. Batgirl 0 is part of the line-wide Zero Month.

Drew: Batgirl is pretty unique among the New 52. Where most titles opted to return to an earlier time the the characters’ history or just plow ahead like the reboot never happened, Batgirl 1 found Babs in a very different position than when we last saw her, throwing a big question mark over her past in the DCnU. It quickly became clear that at least some of what we know is true, but writer Gail Simone cleverly left just enough out to make her past a tantalizing mystery she could tease out as the series progressed. The thought of a zero issue was bittersweet, then, as my desire to know more about Barbara’s past came into direct conflict with my desire to see these answers slowly revealed in the series proper. Simone cleverly side-steps this issue by avoiding those question marks altogether, effectively broadening the mystery by introducing new unknowns.

Continue reading →

Aug 9 2012

Batgirl 12

Today, Shelby and Patrick are discussing Batgirl 12, originally released August 8th, 2012.

Shelby:  I am no stranger to the feeling of being unable to put a book down. There are some authors out there whose stories get their hooks in your brain; as you read, you reach a point of no return, a point that leaves you still reading at 2:30 AM on a work night because you just HAVE to know what happens next. Luckily for me, Batgirl is doled out in little bite-sized portions once a month, otherwise I would quickly reach that point. This title is so good, I can’t tear my eyes away. 

Continue reading →

Jul 12 2012

Batgirl 11

Today, Shelby and Peter are discussing Batgirl 11, originally released July 11th, 2012.

Shelby: I recently finished Frank Herbert’s Dune (highly recommended if you like old-school science fiction), and one of the prevailing ideas is that of plans within plans within plans. The idea is that your enemies, or your allies, are never what they seem: that every plan you see is part of another more intricate plan, and so on and so on. The only way to survive is to think the same way, to create plans upon plans until even your closest allies aren’t sure your motives. I’m beginning to feel the same vibe from Batgirl; enemies and allies are telescoping inward, and every motive revealed is another motive for another plan.

Continue reading →

Jun 14 2012

Batgirl 10

Today, Peter and Drew are discussing Batgirl 8, originally released June 13th 2012.

Peter: We are now out of the Night of the Owls. Babs is back in action fighting crime in Gotham. We get a new storyline and tons of new possibilities from here on out. Babara is an incredibly dynamic character so far. Gail Simone has been writing this character for a long time, from Oracle to Batgirl, and has done an incredible job getting Barbara back on her feet. The amount of time and detail that is going into this story is continuously setting it apart from many of the other books in DC’s current line-up.

Continue reading →

May 11 2012

Batgirl 9

Today, Drew and Shelby are discussing Batgirl 9, originally released May 9th, 2012. This issue is part of the Night of the Owls crossover event. Click here for complete NotO coverage. Not caught up on Batgirl? No problem! Get up to speed with our video Cram Session.

Drew: As a crossover event, the Night of the Owls is pretty rigid in what it requires of its participating titles. Namely that the hero(es) 1) receive Alfred’s APB, 2) rush to protect one of the target on the hit-list, and 3) battle at least one Talon in order to protect said target. Those strict guidelines run the risk of getting old rather quickly, as they are repeated in about a dozen titles in a single month. It’s credit to writer Gail Simone that she managed to wrangle and subvert those guidelines into a compelling narrative, though doing so left little room for that signature Babs wit we’ve come to love from Simone’s writing. Continue reading →

May 8 2012

Cram Session: Batgirl 1-8

It can be hard to keep up with all the comics you love. But it’s damn near impossible to keep up with all the comics you’re interested in.

Retcon Punch got you covered.

Gail Simone’s excellent Batgirl series will be crossing through the Night of the Owls on Wednesday. If you missed Barbara Gordon struggling against Mirror, Gretel, Grotesque and her mother, you can check out our video recap.

Apr 17 2012

Batgirl 8

Today, Drew and Patrick are discussing Batgirl 8, originally released April 11th 2012.

Check out Shelby’s exclusive Gail Simone interview here!

Drew: “Closure” is a word we hear with increasing frequency in modern narratives. Characters reunite with long lost lovers or otherwise return to their pasts in order to move on to the future. This can be a compelling motivation, but it often reduces those characters down to some defining moment or relationship, keeping them rather one-dimensional. Real life problems are much more complicated, forcing us to settle for smaller comforts over the kind of profound sense of closure promised in movies. Batgirl 8 illustrates that point beautifully, providing a return to The Killing Joke that only addresses some of Barbara’s baggage. Continue reading →

Mar 15 2012

Batgirl 7

Today, Shelby and Patrick are discussing Batgirl 7, originally released March 14th 2012.

Shelby: I am the only ladywriter here at Retcon Punch. I’m certainly not trying to minimize the “ladyness” of some of the other writers; I think Patrick and Drew may be bigger feminists than I am. Feminists or not, I think being the ladywriter gives me a certain empathetic view point when it comes to reading about our lady heroes. Or, it would if I thought I could at all relate to these metahuman women, running around with their tights and boob windows. Enter: Barbara Gordon. She has the same sort of inner monologue that I have; she doubts herself, she’s unsure, she’s conflicted. Of course, she’s got much bigger inner fears and issues than I do, but I can understand her. And that is why I love reading about her.

Continue reading →