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After several years of inconsistent continuity, Batgirl is back in her own series.  Unfortunately, a good story gets weighted down by talking heads that attempt to explain why the continuity is inconsistent.  Hopefully, now that the baggage is checked, the story can continue next month.

This week Batgirl gets a new limited series. As you can see from the cover, this is not the Barbara Gordon Batgirl that first appeared in Detective Comics # 359 and has been featured in recent issues of Batman Confidential.  Instead, this limited series star Cassandra Cain, daughter of two assassins (David Cain and Lady Shiva) and trained to be the perfect killing machine. Cassandra first appeared in Batman # 567 as part of the No Man’s Land storyline as an agent of Oracle, the identity assumed by Barbara Gordon after the Joker shot and paralyzed her in The Killing Joke.  At the time, a new Batgirl appeared, who turned out to be the Huntress in disguise.  After a dispute with Batman, Huntress abandoned the Batgirl persona and Cassandra, under the tutelage of Batman took up the mantle.  Completionists will note that there was an earlier Batgirl (Betty Kane) and a recent Batgirl (Misfit), but neither of these girls is related to the current character.

Cassandra received her own series appropriately titled Batgirl.  Over the course of 73 issues, Cassandra became a hero, learned to speak and read by Oracle and developed a sisterly relationship with Spoiler. She was even part of the short-lived Justice League Elite team.

Then she died.  But, this is comics so one Lazarus pit later, and Cassandra Cain walked off into the sunset—finally happy.  But this comics, so her happiness did not last.  Cassandra’s next appearance, in DC’s One Year Later event, presented a very different character.  Cassandra had taken on her destiny as head of a League of Assassins cell and become a cold-blooded killer. She took on Robin, Supergirl and eventually the Teen Titans as part of Deathstroke’s rogue Titans East team.  It turned out that Deathstroke had been controlling her mind with drugs.  Robin freed her mind and she was again on the side of the angels, or so everyone thought.  Instead, she returned to the League of Assassins, this time with her father and several other girls who were also raised to be assassins by Cain.  Eventually, she broke free of Cain’s control and is now an active member of Batman’s new covert team, the Outsiders.

Which brings us to the current series.  Cassandra has returned to Wayne Manor and the Batman Family.  Batgirl has taken an oath never to kill again.  However, It is an oath she intends to break by killing Deathstroke and her father. First, she must find them.  The issue presents her quest.

Adam Beechen writes the story. It is interesting in that this is the first time I can recall that readers are given insight into the mind of the usually silent and enigmatic Batgirl mind through the use of wordy first person narrative.  Not surprisingly, She thinks in terms of honor, duty and respect.  At times, she appeared a little too vigilante sounding, but perhaps that is a reflection of what she has been through.  Beechen also gives a glimpse into her world, in which the Batman Family has accepted her, but no one really trusts her.  This becomes very apparent through an altercation with Nightwing, in which he condemns her as a traitor and refuses to give even her a chance at redemption.  Given that Nightwing is the big brother of the Bat Family and by far most sensitive member of the team, I initially thought this confrontation was out of character.  After further thought, Nightwing’s behavior makes perfect sense since he perceives Cassandra as a threat to his family; this feeling may be enhanced because of his feelings for Barbara Gordon, the original Batgirl.

Unfortunately, as described above, Cassandra has a long and confusing history (and I’m not entirely sure that her slip back to the dark side was not the result of poor continuity, rather than layered characterization).  So, Beechen must take two pages of awkward dialogue and nearly 700 words to bring the reader up to date.  What makes matters worse, there is not a single footnote that explains in what issues the events that took place occurred.  There were also some continuity glitches.  Like the fact that Cassandra had decided not to kill long before she met Batman, or the fact that she is living with her fellow Outsiders in that title.  But, these are minor and could be easily explained away.

The art tells the story clearly and was not too cartoony.  Although there has been inconsistency as to Cassandra’s true age and ethnicity, Calafiore has decided on making her an adult with very Asian features, which works for her origin and the story.  I do hate Batgirl’s stitched mask, but can’t complain since it has been the same mask since her first appearance (although arguably the purpose of the full face mask was to ensure that Huntress could hide her identity).  Over the years, several stories have toyed with removing the lower half of the mask and I would be in favor of that.

The issue ends with a bang and next issue promises a fight. With the confusion back-story told, Beechen can focus on the action.

Batgirl #1
Redemption Road
Chapter One/Square One
Adam Beechen Writer
J. Calafiore Penciller
Mark McKenna/Jonathan Glapian inkers
Nathan Eyring Colorist
Travis Lanham Letterer
Mike Marts Editor

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