Published by DC Comics, Batgirls #2 is written by Becky Cloonan & Michael W. Conrad with art by Jorge Corona. Colours are from Sarah Stern and letters by Becca Carey. Corona and Stern also provide the main cover art (left).
Batgirls #2 is available to purchase in print and on digital now where all good comics are sold. Grab your digital copy from Comixology right here.
Synopsis
Bondo! Bondo! Bondo! With their new secret muscle car and their new secret patrol route, Batgirls Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown find moving to their new neighborhood-thanks to Oracle instructing them to “lay low”-that much easier to bear because they have each other. Steph begins witnessing some strange actions through the window of the building across the street and can’t help but investigate if the recent murders are connected to them! Meanwhile, Oracle realizes the most effective way for the girls to wear her newly upgraded comms is by piercing their ears, and Cass freaks out!
Review
Flying out of the gate at the end of 2021, Batgirls is one of DC’s hottest new titles going in to 2022. Starting as a backup story in Batman, Batgirls was able to launch fully formed and ready for action.
Following up last month’s full, introductory issue, writers Becky Cloonan and Michael W. Conrad use this month’s second issue to focus on setting up the villains of this first arc. Tarsus, Valentine and Assisi all represent ties to the Magistrate and recent events within Gotham. They also represent new, original foes for the titular team to battle. The trio of villains bring a strong sense of jeopardy without being an insurmountable challenge.
The difficulty with setting a story in Gotham is the accessibility of Batman, Robin or any number of Bat-family members. Cloonan and Conrad has so far demonstrated their commitment to keeping Cass and Steph the central focus. That focus galvanises the series in much the same way moving Barbara to Burnside did for Batgirl in 2014. The change in location, albeit subtle, shifts the readers perspective, reducing hankering for guest appearances.
It’s also clear that both writers understand these characters have a ravenous fanbase crying out for new material. The character’s personalities shine through in both the series action scenes and in more comedic moments. Tapping in to their youthful energy also helps set Batgirls apart from other Gotham-set books. A running joke between the two about their MIA Bat-bikes feels like an in-joke only a Gotham vigilante would understand.
Once again the team of Jorge Corona and Sarah Stern is lightning in a bottle. The visuals of Batgirls are razor sharp and have an anarchic attitude. The frenetic colour palette Stern uses brings every panel to life with playful bravado, perfectly reflecting the character’s youthful energy.
Verdict
Batgirls #2 deftly moves along the series’ plot, adding further context to the titular teams relationship and setting an intriguing new group of villains. Dynamite visuals and a sizzling story make Batgirls one to watch in 2022.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
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