Comic Info
Comic Name: Batgirl (Volume 1)/Batgirl: Secret Files & Origins
Publisher: Comic Public
Writer: Kelley Pucket/Scott Peterson/Chuck Dixon
Artist: Damion Scott/Vincent Giarrano/Guiseppe Camuncoli
# of Issues: 13
Release Date: 2017
Batgirl (1) #29
Reprints Batgirl (1) #26-37 and Batgirl: Secret Files & Origins #1 (May 2002-April 2003). Batgirl has defeated Lady Shiva but more challenges await her. When Bruce Wayne is accused of killing Vesper Fairchild, Batgirl and the rest of the Bat Family must find a way to prove he’s innocent without exposing his identity as Batman. A visit from the Green Arrow has Batgirl in a team-up to stop an ancient cult. Plus, Cassandra continues to deal with questions about her past as her “father” David Cain could be tied to a dangerous new killer headed to Gotham City…a man called Alpha!
Written by Kelley Pucket, Scott Peterson, and Chuck Dixon, Batgirl Volume 3: Point Blank continues DC Comics reprinting of the first Batgirl series starring Cassandra Cain. Following Batgirl Volume 2: To the Death, the collection features art by Damion Scott, Vincent Giarrano, and Guiseppe Camuncoli. Issues in this collection were also collected as part of Batgirl: Fists of Fury, Batman: Bruce Wayne—Murderer?, and Batman: Bruce Wayne—Fugitive. Also contained in this volume is a short story from Batgirl: Secret Files and Origins #1.
I always have a soft spot for the Cassandra Cain Batgirl. Like the Stephanie Brown Batgirl, the character wasn’t treated very fairly with the return of Barbara Gordon (who is a really good Batgirl), and it always feels like she is one of the forgotten Batgirls. This volume doesn’t astound, but if you like Cassandra Cain, it works.
After the build up to Batgirl’s battle with Lady Shiva, it feels like Batgirl has direction problem. This volume gets sucked into the event series of Bruce Wayne—Murderer? and Bruce Wayne—Fugitive, but fortunately, the individual issues still read decently without having to read the whole series. Unfortunately, these issues also kind of feel like filler for an attempt to try to find something for Batgirl to do.
Batgirl (1) #30
The return of Batgirl’s father David Cain doesn’t do much either. While I know that this story can never be put to bed realistically, it doesn’t feel like it brings up anything particularly new. Cassandra is still torn up about her past and she doesn’t know everything Cain knows about her…again. It feels a bit like rehash.
The other stories like the Green Arrow story and the Alpha story also are ho-hum in the big picture. I like Connor Hawke teaming up with anyone, but the story didn’t do much. The Alpha story has a decent ending by drawing parallels between Alpha and Batgirl, but it also feels like it wraps up too simply aka the day is saved.
Batgirl 3: Point Blank won’t win you over to Batgirl if you already didn’t like her, but it is another outing of a fun character that didn’t have a long enough chance to come into her own. The New 52 really messed with Cassandra, and I wish she could somehow operate as another Batgirl since she does have an interesting backstory, abilities and style. The collections of Batgirl’s original run end here, but I’d still pick up volume 4 if it was offered.
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