Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Get Your Comic On
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube
    • Hot Topics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Marvel
      • Power Rangers
      • Star Trek Universe
      • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
      • Titan Comics
      • Transformers
      • Universal Pictures
    • Features

      Six Crime Films to Watch After ALL THE DEVILS ARE HERE

      September 29, 2025

      Five Dark Knight Animated Projects to Watch This BATMAN DAY

      September 16, 2025

      Who Could Superman and Lex Team-up to Defeat in 2027’s MAN OF TOMORROW

      September 15, 2025

      The 10 Most Memorable Deaths In The ALIEN Series, Ranked

      August 15, 2025

      Are the FINAL DESTINATION Films All Linked to the Events of 1968?

      May 17, 2025
    • Comics

      BATGIRL (2024-) #12 Review

      October 1, 2025

      POISON IVY (2022-) #37 Review

      October 1, 2025

      SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN (2019-) #44 Review

      October 1, 2025

      STAR TREK: RED SHIRTS (2025) #3 Review

      October 1, 2025

      Stan Lee and John Romita’s THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN Newspaper Comics Returning to Print

      September 30, 2025
    • Film

      A Serial Killer is on the Loose in International Trailer for Docu-Horror STRANGE HARVEST

      October 1, 2025

      Here’s Everything Coming to RAKUTEN TV in October 2025

      October 1, 2025

      Guillermo Del Toro’s FRANKENSTEIN is Finally Revealed in Brand New Trailer and Artwork

      October 1, 2025

      Varèse Sarabande and Craft Recordings Celebrate 50 years of ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST

      September 30, 2025

      TIM BURTON’S CORPSE BRIDE 4K Collector’s Edition Review

      September 30, 2025
    • TV

      Earth-X Continues to Cause Trouble for the Gang in Latest PEACEMAKER Episode Stills

      October 1, 2025

      Shudder Releases Spectacular – and Fractious – Trailer for THE BOULET BROTHERS’ DRAGULA: TITANS Season 2

      September 30, 2025

      Apple TV+ Releases New Clips From THE SISTERS GRIMM Animated Series

      September 30, 2025

      BBC Announces New Cast Joining Procedural Drama VIGIL for Series Three

      September 29, 2025

      Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson Team-up in Official Trailer for Apple TV+ Drama DOWN CEMETERY ROAD

      September 29, 2025
    • Culture
      • Anime
      • Collectibles
      • Conventions
      • Gaming
    • Podcast
    • Interviews

      Anson Mount Breaks Down the STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS Season 3 Finale (EXCLUSIVE)

      September 12, 2025

      Richa Moorjani Breaks Down ALIEN: EARTH Episode 5 (EXCLUSIVE)

      September 3, 2025

      PEACEMAKER Stars Jennifer Holland & Frank Grillo Discuss Working Together on Season 2 (EXCLUSIVE)

      August 25, 2025

      Sol Rodriguez & Steve Agee Talk Dance Routines and Sharing Scenes in PEACEMAKER Season 2 (EXCLUSIVE)

      August 25, 2025

      Danielle Brooks & Freddie Stroma Talk Shooting Emotional PEACEMAKER Season 2 Scenes (EXCLUSIVE)

      August 25, 2025
    • Directory
    Get Your Comic On
    Home»Comics»Comic Book Reviews»Batgirl: Rebirth #1 ‘Beyond Burnside pt1’ review!
    Comic Book Reviews

    Batgirl: Rebirth #1 ‘Beyond Burnside pt1’ review!

    Neil VaggBy Neil VaggAugust 7, 2016Updated:June 6, 2020No Comments4 Mins Read
    'Batgirl: Rebirth' #1 artwork by Rafael Albuquerque
    'Batgirl: Rebirth' #1 artwork by Rafael Albuquerque
    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email
    'Batgirl: Rebirth' #1 cover art by Rafael Albuquerque
    ‘Batgirl: Rebirth’ #1 cover art by Rafael Albuquerque
    • Written by Hope Larson
    • Art & Cover by Rafael Albuquerque
    • Colours by Dave McCaig

    The Batgirl you know and love is going global with Eisner Award-winning and New York Times best-selling writer Hope Larson (A Wrinkle in Time, Goldie Vance) and all-star artist Rafael Albuquerque (AMERICAN VAMPIRE). In order to up her game, Babs travels to Japan on a quest to train with the most elite modern combat masters of the East. But when a chance meeting with an old friend puts a target on her back, Batgirl may need to use her new skills to solve a deadly mystery.

    ‘Batgirl: Rebirth’ #1 is available at Comixology now!

    The rollout of DC Comics behemoth ‘Rebirth’ line continues with the reintroduction of Batgirl. Coming off the back of a very successful run in the back half of The New 52 the pressure was on new writer Hope Larson to maintain the quality.

    After a run of dark storylines which culminated in Batgirl’s role in ‘Death of the Family’ the move to take her off Gotham’s main streets and move her to the Burnside region was revelatory. Overhauling the tone of the series and putting some unique artists set Batgirl apart from her rivals. What new team of Larson and artist Rafael Albuquerque have chosen to do is move Barbara Gordon one step further.

    ‘Beyond Burnside’ sees the character leave Burnside, leave Gotham and leave the USA and take herself off to Japan. The formula of removing a popular character and taking them on a global adventure is nothing new. Even with the reintroduction of Nightwing we’re still seeing a globe trotting Dick Grayson leading the way in the DC Universe.

    Barbara Gordon spent all of the 90s and early 00s living in the wake of the events of ‘The Killing Joke’. Her first New 52 run gave back the use of her legs but failed to honour the legacy that she built for herself as Oracle. Burnside offered a chance for Batgirl to get out from under the shadow of Batman and to spread her wings. Given some new love interests, new surroundings and new threats gave the character a chance to breathe.

    ‘Batgirl: Rebirth’ picks up directly after Barbara has left town. She’s left her tech company in the hands of her friends and decided to go back to basics and see the world. On paper the premise opens up her world hugely, in continuity she is still only 21 and has a lot to learn about the world. In practice this issue is a fairly flat introduction to her new surroundings.

    When in Burnside ‘Batgirl’ comics spent a considerable amount of time building a support network for Barbara. There were a revolving cast of characters inhabiting the Burnside world which really enhanced the books aesthetic. That whole cast has been left behind, there’s room for references to them but right now we’re putting some distance in and that calls for some new supporting players. This issue focusses on Kai, an old school friend of Barbara’s from her Chicago childhood. Naturally he has a slightly shady past and their reconnection ends with Batgirl making an appearance in Japan.

    The story doesn’t match the originality found in Burnside but the introduction of local hero Fruit Bat offers some potential. I’m being slightly over critical given that this issue has to re-contextualise the character. There’s no doubt that it successfully takes her out of Gotham and launches a new story. What does remain to be seem is whether the story has the legs to run for multiple issues.

    Though the story doesn’t quite hit the mark the artwork is a different matter altogether. Albuquerque masterfully crafts a new look for the series which suits its tone and exotic setting. Burnside-era ‘Batgirl’ featured some ultra-modern, cartoon-eque imagery to match its tech savvy setting. Upon reaching Japan Batgirl finds herself looking much more angular and sketchy, the colour palette is also much more diverse. It’s a striking new look for a series which in the past has taken more pride in its story than its visuals.

    Faces are consistent – by now I’m sure you all know how much inconsistent faces bother me – and overall the visual style matures the series in line with its lead character. Visually ‘Batgirl: Rebirth’ is an unbridled success.

    Verdict

    ‘Batgirl: Rebirth’ #1 is a fair start to the soft reboot. The setting has high potential to create something never-before-seen for the character and that’s truly exciting. It has strong visuals to boot and a story which at best sets the scene for things to come.

    3 stars

     

     

    3 stars

    Barbara Gordon Batgirl Batgirl (comics) dave mccaig DC Comics hope larson rafael albuquerque
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Neil Vagg
    • Website
    • X (Twitter)

    Neil is the Editor-in-Chief at GYCO. He has a BA in Film & TV and an MA in Scriptwriting; he currently works 9-5 in an office and 5-9 as a reviewer. He has been reading comics for as long as he can remember and is never far away from any book which has the word Bat in the title.

    Related Posts

    BATGIRL (2024-) #12 Review

    October 1, 2025

    POISON IVY (2022-) #37 Review

    October 1, 2025

    DC Celebrates One Year of the Absolute Universe With First Look at New One-Shot Special ABSOLUTE EVIL #1

    September 29, 2025

    HARLEY QUINN (2021-) #54 Review

    September 24, 2025

    DC Celebrates Batman Day 2025 With New Behind-the-Scenes Video for LEGO BATMAN: LEGACY OF THE DARK KNIGHT

    September 22, 2025

    THE BAT-MAN: SECOND KNIGHT (2025) #1 Review

    September 22, 2025
    Latest

    A Serial Killer is on the Loose in International Trailer for Docu-Horror STRANGE HARVEST

    October 1, 2025

    Earth-X Continues to Cause Trouble for the Gang in Latest PEACEMAKER Episode Stills

    October 1, 2025

    Here’s Everything Coming to RAKUTEN TV in October 2025

    October 1, 2025

    Satoshi Kon’s PERFECT BLUE Following October Theatrical Run With New 4K Home Video Release

    October 1, 2025

    Guillermo Del Toro’s FRANKENSTEIN is Finally Revealed in Brand New Trailer and Artwork

    October 1, 2025
    Latest Podcasts
    News

    Join us to Visit the Warner Bros. Prop Archive for BATMAN DAY 2025 Celebrations

    By Neil VaggSeptember 20, 2025
    News

    ALIEN: EARTH and the Return of PEACEMAKER

    By Neil VaggAugust 20, 2025
    News

    Superman ’25 & the Future of the DCU

    By Neil VaggAugust 6, 2025
    News

    The Best of 2025… So Far

    By Neil VaggJuly 23, 2025
    News

    Reviewing FINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINES and Apple TV+ Series MURDERBOT

    By Neil VaggMay 21, 2025
    X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube TikTok Facebook LinkedIn
    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Community Guidelines
    • Directory
    • Pitch to Us
    • Advertise
    GetYourComicOn.co.uk is a property of Get Your Comic On Ltd. © 2025 All Rights Reserved. Images used on this website are registered trademarks of their respective companies/owners.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.