Batgirl 3: Mindfields

Comic Info

Batgirl (3) #51

Reprints Batgirl (3) #46-52 and Batgirl:  Endgame #1 (May 2015-July 2016).  Batgirl finds something is wrong.  Her perfect photographic memory is failing and she’s losing time as the danger grows.  Someone is inside of Barbara’s mind and the information she holds could be deadly.  Barbara’s got to stop the memory leech and if she does, her life as Batgirl could change forever.

Written by Cameron Stewart and Brendon Fletcher, Batgirl Volume 3:  Mindfields is the final collection of the New 52 relaunch of the Batgirl series.  Following Batgirl Volume 2:  Family Business, the volume includes the one-shot Endgame tie-in Batgirl:  Endgame #1 (May 2015).  The collection features art by Babs Tarr, John Timms, Horacio Domuingues, Rob Haynes, Ming Doyle, Eleonora Carlini, Moritat, James Harvey, Cameron Stewart, Roger Robinson, and Minkyu Jung.

Batgirl’s relaunch (without relaunch) was kind of a welcomed event.  Not only did DC do it right by not renumbering the comic, it also provided a change in direction for the character that opened up a ton of new storylines while keeping the core of the character true to the character.

The New 52 is ending, and Batgirl is the latest casualty.  The series was really fitting a niche when the New 52 was planned for deconstruction (again).  This is unfortunate in that it feels like Stewart and Fletcher had more stories to tell but also unfortunate in that it makes this collection a little ragged.

The volume kind of jumps all over with the first few stories involve Barbara’s missing memories and Fugue.  It feels like this should have been built up over more time and it could have been more shocking (like if you didn’t know the weird new friend Greg wasn’t Fugue for a number of issues before the reveal).  It does set the stage for Barbara’s financial independence, but that also feels a bit forced.

Batgirl (3) #52 Variant

The second half of the collection has Barbara deciding what to do with her future.  First, it doesn’t really seem that world traveler is really on the radar, and I wish this had been built up a bit more.  The second problem with this half is that the fight with Gladius and Gotham Academy feels so truncated and forced into the story.  It almost comes off as filler.

The volume also has a story for competionists by collecting Stewart and Fletcher’s story for the Endgame crossover.  It is a textless story and (as someone who didn’t read Endgame) a bit hard to follow despite a page setting it up.  While some like “silent” issues, I’m not a big fan and think they rarely work.

If anything, Batgirl can continue to be accused of trying “too hard” (much like the character).  The comic is so progressive that it could be offputting to some of the moderates that are on the fence on social issues…which is a shame since it is a fun read.  Unfortunately, the series was doomed by DC itself in that Batgirl was scheduled to end at #52 like all of DC’s titles with Rebirth once again rewriting DC history.  The themes were continued in the relaunched Batgirl (Volume 4), but this volume continued Batgirl’s world travels.  Batgirl 3:  Mindfields was followed by the Batgirl 1:  Beyond Burnside by Hope Larson.

Related Links:

Batgirl 1:  The Darkest Reflection

Batgirl 2:  Knightfall Descends

Batgirl 3:  Death of the Family

Batgirl 4:  Wanted

Batgirl 5:  Deadline

Batgirl 1:  Batgirl of Burnside

Batgirl 2:  Family Business