Batgirl #0 Preview/Discussion

[CBR News]

How did Barbara first become Batgirl? What led to her to don the cape and cowl? Witness Barbara Gordon's shocking injury and her inspiring drive to recover and walk again!


Full preview here.

[sidekick77]

I didn't contribute to the last discussion on this preview, but I will say the staging of the final scene against Babs internal dialogue is a bit odd for me.

Author puts an emphasis on the word "copycats" in a police environment where the term holds some very negative connotation, particularly in the larger world of serial killers. Not that Barbara is any such thing, but given the photo-shrine on her wall, the intent to collect more evidence from the police station, and her faced pressed against the glass as she gleefully starts to associate herself with her idol... there is an interesting tonal shift going on here. A sudden depiction of her being weird--not weird-weird, more like 'American Beauty'-weird. That probably made no sense... but that last panel of her all crazy-eyed is priceless

Of course, I don't think the word play was meant negatively, nor an amateur attempt at teenage dialogue. I think it was very precise of Gail and in line with her recent trend of defining Barbara or boosting her profile as Batgirl through the characteristics or virtues we identify with Bruce Wayne. "They call me intense... driven... and exceptional"... "smart like me". Perhaps even exceeding the last attribute in her promotional comments last year that she was already smarter than Batman.

Nothing wrong with the last bit, but the overall association with Batman's heroic archtype in this issue will be a topic of conversation for readers. Next to that of her costume, if rumors are true.

--Also, raise your hands if think the colorist painted Barbara's bare legs blue to tone down Benes' art. I do!

[ArnoldoAAD]

why did CBR News guy make a new thread, the last one was only closed until wednesday for the discussion

[Mr. Holmes]

Mr. CBR always posts a preview/discussion thread regardless of what thread exists.

[ArnoldoAAD]

Mr. CBR always posts a preview/discussion thread regardless of what thread exists.

this is actually a new thing, i saw a lot of this in DC forums but dont remember seeing them before

[The_Greatest_Username]

--Also, raise your hands if think the colorist painted Barbara's bare legs blue to tone down Benes' art. I do!

Ha! I didn't really think about that, you're right. That first panel would've been a bit much.

[batalia]

Maybe we should have two threads. One for the haters and the other one to the people who actually enjoy the book. Otherwise this monthly ritual of Batgirl threads getting derailed and a mod coming along to close it instead of dealing with the trouble makers is just not fair and punishes everyone.

[Mr. Holmes]

Yeah there's a lot of negativity on the Batgirl threads. I normally don't participate in them, but at the same time, I find Arnolodo's takes to be pretty much spot on.

[ArnoldoAAD]

Maybe we should have two threads. One for the haters and the other one to the people who actually enjoy the book. Otherwise this monthly ritual of Batgirl threads getting derailed and a mod coming along to close it instead of dealing with the trouble makers is just not fair and punishes everyone.

the problem is not the ppl who dislike the comic, the problem is the ppl who just end up insulting the other posters just cause they dont respect their opinion

Yeah there's a lot of negativity on the Batgirl threads. I normally don't participate in them, but at the same time, I find Arnoldo's takes to be pretty much spot on.

well thank you Mr Holmes XD

[majormcmeat]

Only about 12 hours until Oracle either never happened (making Barbara a significantly weaker character) or happened briefly (making her an incredibly selfish person).

And these pages are giving me the creeps.
An obsession marked by newspaper clippings on the wall, secretly thinking everyone's praise is a lie, manipulating people while insulting them in her mind, and deciding to be a copycat as officers dicuss how stupid and dangerous that would be.

Barbara has dangerous mental heath problems.

[ArnoldoAAD]

Only about 12 hours until Oracle either never happened (making Barbara a significantly weaker character) or happened briefly (making her an incredibly selfish person).

spoilers here http://forums.comicbookresources.com...Spoilers-notes

And these pages are giving me the creeps.
An obsession marked by newspaper clippings on the wall, secretly thinking everyone's praise is a lie, manipulating people while insulting them in her mind, and deciding to be a copycat as officers dicuss how stupid and dangerous that would be.

Barbara has dangerous mental heath problems.

lol

[Mr. Holmes]

Hahaha what the hell? So they've made her a wannabe, immature Bruce Wayne. Forget Oracle or Stephanie Brown, this has to be the worst reimaginings of a character I've ever seen. I can't believe I ever complained about the old Red Robin series.

[RoughNTumble]

batgirl is like a monthly car crash that I have to watch and worry over how badly the people were hurt

[Godlike13]

LoL another thread, but still the same old - same old i see.

[sidekick77]

idk, I think my points were rather technical to what the author is employing here. The word play is very choice and the tonal shift is redefining Barbara in the pastiche of genius/obsessive/dysfunctional/introverted unicorn, which is something I think Gail prefers her to be. Babs has always been IQ smart, but historically I always found her to be socially adept and well rounded.

This is not a strike against her role as Batgirl, as I've seen shades of this in Gail's BoP. I think I'm simply not caring for Simone's take on the character pre & post-reboot. That probably sounds sacrileges to many of you.

However, the amateur stroke here is the exchange with the cop after Barbara aptly describes herself--

Babs: People call me intense...

Babs: This is really nice of you, Dwight. This is for, you know, school.

Dwight: They told me you were intense.

Did this guy transfer from Pleasantville? If this is his idea of intense, he's not going to make it in Gotham. He may throw himself out a window if he ever met Tim Drake.