Batgirl 2: Knightfall Descends

Batgirl, Vol. 2: Knightfall Descends wasn't a bad book. In fact, it was actually another strong installment from Gail Simone. The problem had nothing to do with the incredibly talented Gail Simone, but with the stories demanded by the publisher to fit in with the crossovers of the other Batman family titles, including The Birds of Prey title. This was in the form of the plot points dropped for the Death of the Family arc, as well as the fight against a female Talon in the Court of Owls crossover. The female Talon will become a member of the Birds of Prey team, I hear. Her introduction was the sole purpose of Barbara fighting her.All in all, the actual story itself was interesting, but it was only in the back of the collected issues in this volume that this story took place, due to DC using the Batgirl title to set up other tales. The plot was two-fold, like it was in the first volume. The main plot was Barbara going up against a ruthless gang of killers who view themselves as heroic if they "clean up crime" in Gotham City by brutally torturing and murdering criminals, including petty ones. It's basically a clash between the "dark and gritty" '90's antiheroes and the more idealistic heroes like those in the Bat family.The secondary plot has to do still with Barbara Gordon's efforts to deal with what can only be described as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or at least very similar symptoms to those of PTSD, due to her recent recovery from the paralysis she suffered for three years following being shot by the Joker. But it wasn't super-angsting, or at all boring. It was moving the plot forward, and, in a rarity for almost any work of fiction, comic book or otherwise, these issues were treated seriously and realistically.Early on, in a sparring session, Black Canary tries to knock some sense into Batgirl, as it were. When I read that part, I admit that I was very annoyed. It's always the idea in fiction-land, that if someone has emotional or psychological problems, that he or she just needs to "buck up" and they will get better. This is, of course, absolute bull. No one works that way in dealing with stress successfully. The key word being "successfully". Anyone who tries to just "tough it out" will fail, miserably, at getting better or improving their mental health. Thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised, as Babs' attempt to get better that way was a flop. She just has to slowly work through things.In fact, it was the above reason why I didn't have a problem with something that I normally would have had a problem with. Some folks critiqued how these issues had Babs fight a lot more women than men. In fact, she fought almost all women, with only a few men. Most of the time, as I said, I would have had a problem with this, due to it being sexist, and incredibly unrealistic that she would only ever come across female villains. In this case, however, I didn't mind it, because it wasn't some effort to make her "weak" or what not. It was to contrast her own struggles with those of others who have not managed to work through their own traumas nearly as well. And I think it worked.The art was beautiful, just gorgeous. The artist did a top-notch job, though I do have to critique some of it for the "objectification" of Barbara in one section. In the flashback story to her beginnings as Batgirl, the young, college freshman Barbara Gordon was was wearing a short skirt, and every chance they got, Barbara's strong, athletic, shapely legs were emphasized. It got to be ridiculous after a page or two of this. I am as red-blooded as any other guy, and can't say the pics weren't nice to see, but this is a comic book story, not porn. If someone wants to see women objectified and be a sick little pervert, go to dirty mags, not comic books. Maybe the sophomoric artists at DC Comics could learn this, and stop turning an iconic, beloved female character into fodder for drooling teenage boys. I don't care if I sound like a prude. I don't want to see the character treated this way. Thankfully, this was only a problem in that one story. The vast majority of the depictions of her in this volume were fine and not at all "fan-servicey".All in all, this was a really good comic book, and a terrific continuation of the first. I just wish the story arc for Batgirl's continuing story wasn't interrupted so much to tell other characters' stories.

The first volume of the rebooted Batgirl series kicked it off to a great start: Babs is back under the cape and cowl, and the start of her journey from a broken, scarred woman back to her old self, or maybe even a new, better self, is well worth the price of admission. This volume, while faltering slightly, still delivers a great story and even better value.This book contains eight issues, a great buy considering the last one only had six. It's issues #7-13 along with the special #0 issue from DC's Zero month. The book opens with that issue, so I will too. Batgirl #0 is, like all the issue zeroes across DC's line, a look at Barbara's origin. And while origin stories so often fall flat because they try to do something we've all seen before, this one succeeds hugely, introducing us to a younger, wide-eyed Barbara taking up the Bat-mantle for the first time. The art in this issue is also beautiful, with gorgeous pastels and a very light, flowing feeling; at times, it looks like a watercolor painting.The story chugs along after that, with Batgirl tackling a new villain and running into someone from her past. The first new villain, I'm sad to say, isn't terribly gripping. You just don't think he's that credible of a threat, and his story drags on a little too long. Barbara's encounter with a man from her shooting, however, is much more effective. It's here that Simone is at her best, here where she shows us that Batgirl is still very much recovering from the experience that changed her life (Black Canary also makes an appearance, and her moments with Barbara are some of the volume's best). She's not who she used to be, even if she's wearing her old costume and going by her old name. Simone's expert command of Barbara's voice is what has sold the story so far, and this arc is no exception. This Barbara is warm, witty, and a delight to travel alongside.As things progress, it becomes clear that the book's events are headed towards something bigger. And indeed it is, with everything building up to a dramatic new villain reveal. Again, this second new villain isn't a stunner, but she's much better than the first one and is a much more believable threat. Batwoman makes a guest appearance in several issues to help Barbara take the new crook down (or is she just there to beat Batgirl up?), and she and Barbara are like night and day. One might assume that there would be some rivalry between the two Bat-gals, and while some of that crops up, it's clear that the two women operate in totally different spheres where it counts. It is nice, though, to see Barbara interact with someone she should definitely see more of in future. Oh, and a new (or is he?) villain is coming to the series who it seems to me has a lot more potential than the ones we've already met.Again, because it cannot be said enough, the key to this series is Batgirl's winning personality. It's her that makes you care about the journey you're being taken on. The actual concrete events (the villains she fights, the situations they put her in) are this series' weaker points, though they're still well written and perfectly enjoyable. But I'm not reading this book because I care about Batgirl's scuffle with her latest baddie. I'm reading because I want to know what Barbara is thinking during that scuffle, how she reacts afterwards, victorious or defeated. I want to see how everything going on around her is affecting her, I want to see how she's handling living apart from her father and dealing with her roommate and...her other family issues. I love this series because I love Batgirl, and I want more reasons to keep loving her.Hopefully you'll like this book as much as I do. It's not perfect, and it's not revolutionizing the superhero comic or redefining Batgirl's rogues gallery. But with a lead character as strong as Barbara, it doesn't have to any of that to be a great read for most any Bat-fan. If Simone's work stays as good as this, I'll be perfectly happy. But I have the feeling it's only getting better.

Excellent volume. Good story and excellent art work, would have given this 5 stars on their own. What makes this even better is Batgirl's internal monologue. I like the fact that even when she knows she is in trouble, (in her internal monologue), she still show her toughness and defiance by telling her opponents she is going to kick their @$$.I have to mention a couple of issues in this volume are a tie in with the Court of the Owls story line in the Batman. The continuation and conclusion of that story line is not in this volume for that you will need to either get Court of the Owls book itself.What was slightly missing for me in Vol 1 was Batgirl really dealing with the trauma of what happened to her 3 year ago this is covered in this volume. As well as giving Batgirl her own distinctive villains to deal with. This volume starts what Batgirl issue 0. This show how Barbara Gordon got her first taste of action as a Bat, sowing the seed of her brothers career path, and when she through it was all going to end in The Killing Joke. The next couple of issues apart from introducing a new villain for Batgirl also allows Batgirl\Barbara to deal and get some (not complete) closure to her past as well as some "psychical therapy" with the Black Cannery. Then we have the Court Of the Owls (the best batman story in recent history) tie in story. The we have Batgirl introduced to a new nemesis and some major set up for Vol 3.

After reading the pleasant volume 1, I was blown away by volume 2.Gail's writing is superb, excellent capturing Barbara's witty, somewhat sarcastic humour. And, although it is stating the obvious a bit, having a woman write Batgirl gives her a sense of realism that, unfortunately, isn't there in her brief appearances in Snyder's Batman. The book can really be split into two halves, with an interval set in the 'Night of the Owls' (see Batman Volume 1 and 2 for the main plot).The first half deals with Barbara finally overcoming the doubt in her since Joker had her shot and caused her paralysis (see 'The Killing Joke' cos...it's awesome). Batgirl spends much her time dealing with a masked madman called Grotesque. I'm not entirely sure what Grotesque's deal actually was, which is what let down Mirror and Gretel in the previous volume, but he seemed to have this murderous obsession with beauty. The real meat here is Batgirl's interaction with one of Grotesque's cronies; the man that shot her when Joker attacked. The only thing that let that down was there was too little interaction between Barbara and Danny to make the ending as...emotional as it should have been.The Night of the Owls segment is interesting, it deals with Batgirl's fight against one of the Court of Owl's Talons, and sheds insight into why the GCPD were nowhere to be seen in the main plot. It wasn't as chilling as Snyder's main plot (I couldn't be alone for a couple of hours after that) but it was enough to give you goosebumps, particularly what the Japanese balloons embodied.The REAL thrill is the second half of the book, the titular 'Knightfall Descends'. It chronicles Batgirl's fight against an orphan girl who's rich parents were murdered in front of her, causing her to become the masked vigilante called Knightfall. Sound familiar? Well it shouldn't. Despite Knightfall's good intentions, and they are incredibly similar to the Bat's, she ended up going mad in Arkham after being charged; her vision of crime free Gotham starts with a bloodbath of every criminal. Despite the cliched set up, Knightfall is actually a pretty interesting villain, and a HUGE step above the first three. And if the ending is anything, Knightfall might be a major antagonist in the coming installments.There's also an interesting subplot with James Gordon Jr. So, all in a faultless book.

Barbara's return to the cape and cowl of Batgirl continues and what a great second volume it is. Gail Simone continues as writer here, and quite rightly too. Gail captures Barbara's inner dialogue to a tee, revealing Barbara's inner doubts about her return as Batgirl, as well as genuine funny moments in Barbara's humour. Not just that but the story arcs are well paced, and contain one or two surprises and at the end of it all you just want more. The main villain in this section is a great and different character for Barbara to battle. I would like to see Knightfall return in later issues and I really hope Gail stays as writer as she suits Batgirl perfectly. This volume includes the Zero issue and also Batgirl's involvement with the Night of the Owls.

Thoroughly enjoying Batgirl, for me as a reader, I simply just enjoy simply being apart of the story, getting to see how are heroes react and emotionally change through out the story. Some parts slow down, but you can't expect every page to be an explosive moment.

I'm enjoying Gail Simone's Batgirl more then 95% of DC' s many many Bat-related titles since the New 52 relaunch. While the Court of Owls stuff is good and Damien Wayne actually developing into a decent character, it's nice to have a book that's insular and creates its own world and characters. Simone has already created a decent Rogues gallery without resorting to shoving out the Arkham reserve, and they are all miles better then something like the pointless "Doll Maker" in Detective comics.