Cassandra Cain is getting the spotlight in her first solo Batgirl series in nearly two decades. Writer Tate Brombal, artist Takeshi Miyazawa, and colorist Mike Spicer team up to bring this story to life. Brombal has said that this series will include some family drama, undiscovered secrets coming to light, and lots of martial-arts action. So let’s find out if issue #1 can execute those intriguing details in a satisfying way.
First of all, I just want to preface that I’m not familiar with any of the creative team’s prior work. And for the character of Cassandra Cain, I’m not too familiar with her backstory or her characteristics. The only portrayal I do know is when a version of her appeared in the Birds of Prey film with Margot Robbie. And from what I’ve heard from passionate Cassandra Cain fans, that version was no where near the ideal version of Cassandra Cain. With that all said, I have come into this series with an open mind and essentially a blank slate. And based on the premise that DC provided, I was slightly intrigued because what guy doesn’t like a story involving martial arts and assassins?
My expectations of Batgirl #1 were pretty much met, and I thought this issue was really solid and a good start to the series. Tate Brombal crafted a fast-paced, action-packed story, and I was never bored throughout. The issue really reminded me of John Wick but with the Batman/Bat-Family mythos infused with it. Even though the story wasn’t anything groundbreaking and was pretty simple, Brombal still laid a solid foundation for what is to come. I was left wanting more, and that’s a pretty good compliment. Takeshi Miyazaki’s artwork, along with Mike Spicer’s colors, was riveting and elevated the action sequences. I also really liked Batgirl’s design. It really invoked her upbringing mixed with her new position as apart of the Bat-Family. Honestly, I didn’t have that many problems with this issue even though it was mostly set up and it was pretty short.
As far as the story goes, again, it was pretty simple. The villain Lady Shiva (and Cassandra’s mother) calls her for a meeting in a high-rise building in Gotham. Batgirl doesn’t trust her mother and thinks she has an ulterior motive. Shiva tells her that a number of trained assassins called “The Unburied” are going to kill them both and everyone Cassandra loves. The reasoning remains a mystery, and The Unburied attack the mother and daughter, and the two escape the building. While Cassandra has her doubts about Lady Shiva’s true motivations, she reluctantly agrees to fight along side her mother to end this new threat.
Recommended if…
- You’re a fan if the Cassandra Cain version of Batgirl.
- You like stories with martial arts and assassins like I do.
- You want to read a quick in-and-out issue where you’re never bored.
Overall
Batgirl #1 was really fun. The story is not overly complicated, and I think anyone can jump right into this series without feeling lost. Tate Brombal has stated that Cassandra Cain is his favorite Bat-Family character, and you can definitely tell that he and the creative team care. I’m excited to see what happens next and how Batgirl and Lady Shiva’s complicated relationship further develops and what secrets get revealed.
Score: 8/10
English (US) · 