Post #2: Batgirl
My exposure to the comic book superhero genre is through movies like The Dark Knight and Spiderman. I really enjoyed those movies and they sparked an interest for me in superheroes. This interest in superheroes then got me curious about superheroines. So this week I picked up the first issue of Batgirl (Oct. 2009, published by DC created by Bryan Q. Miller, Lee Garbett, and Trevor Scott) partially due to my desire to read about a superheroine and also because I like the Batman “genre.”
Overall, I was pretty impressed. Batgirl is a strong, humorous, and sympathetic character. I appreciated that Batgirl seems as powerful as any other superhero and yet still has a human side to her. For example, although she can beat up men at least three times her size, she also has to deal with her life as Stephanie Brown, with a distant mother and a pressing identity crisis. Batgirl also struggles with the fact that Stephanie Brown is a college student with homework. Being a college student is a simple identity, but it is one I can relate to and sympathize with. I think my favorite parts about this comic book are the funny side comments Batgirl makes throughout the issue, especially when she is striking criminals. I was not expecting her to be so funny and ironic. I was a little confused by some character appearances that I think an experienced Batgirl reader would understand (Wikipedia told me that Stephanie Brown is actually the fifth Batgirl). Despite my confusion, the Stephanie Brown Batgirl still proved to be a cool character.
Honestly, I was surprised that I enjoyed Batgirl as much as I did. My surprise is mostly because I judged this comic book by its cover. The cover emphasizes Batgirl’s femininity rather than her potential as a superheroine. In reading the comic, however, Batgirl proved to be an admirable character (and much less curvy than the cover suggests). I was pleasantly surprised by Batgirl and although I am curious in reading different comics for the next weeks, I am glad I picked up this comic book.
Nice to read such a positive review of the new Batgirl series, especially from a reletively new comic book reader.
Stephanie Brown has one of the weirdest cult followings out there. Detailed wikia, fan sites, live-action videos. It may not be a rich history but it is an important one in the eyes of her fans. You lucked out if Batgirl is the first comic you picked up, imo.
and yeah, that wasn’t the best thought out cover out there
Cheers and I hope you continue to enjoy the book.