Batgirl #31 is here! This story was originally supposed to happen in issue #30, but here we are and we find that Batgirl is being torn apart by RAGDOLL! THIS WILL BE A SPOILER FREE Review!
So here’s the thing….. I wasn’t reading comics BEFORE The New 52 relaunch. I have no idea what Secret Six is all about. I’m not unwilling to go back and find out though. However issue #31 of Batgirl advertises and hinges on the fact that the twisted freak Ragdoll is back. Because I was unaware of this character… there were several moments where I honestly though Ragdoll was a NEw female villain for BG. Obviously I was wrong with that thought, but I can roll with the bendy twisty villain!
Writing:
The central plot is that Babs’s roommate Alysia and her activist friends. They are on an adventure to set of a “stink bomb” inside some big corporate skyscraper. The bad thing is the corporation found out, and hired someone to kill them! It honestly feels like FOREVER since I’ve rad Simone’s writing on Batgirl… granted it’s only been a two months since issue #29 was out. Even though I love Bennett writing the book… this is Gail’s baby, and honestly it felt like a long television summer of repeats, before being able to read the main writer’s style and story again. I’m not in any way saying that Bennett’s story in #30 was bad, it wasn’t. I think this is why I’m so screwed up when it comes to creatve team changes as far as writers. I get used to, and like ONE style…. then they go and change it up.
I still love Simone’s way of writing the characters in Babs-Batgirl’s world. The writing honestly has never been better. But this feels like Iron Man 2… I LOVE Iron Man 2, but we all agree that film is world building for setting up The Avengers! The sad thing is that BG #31 doesn’t world build that much. Babs comes to her roommate and friend’s aid as a good friend should, however that’s really all this issue is. There’s nothing mentioned in the way of whoever is watching Barbara Gordon, and there is no setup of a new villain. Actually the reveal of who set everything in motion this issue was kinda anticlimactic. It’s like THAT is the only villain in BG’s rogues gallery.
Art:
Pasarin, Glapion, and Blond the Colorist! YES the Team is back together. The art, inks, and colors in this issue are all very well done. I like how the majority of the issue is all dark colors, with a few bright spots in between them all. The designs of Ragdoll are impressive, and the way the story is structured through the art is very well done. There’s not much if anything negative about this art. I’ve been a fan of Glapion for awhile now, and anything he inks or does colors for gets a positive vote from me.
Final Thoughts:
I have to say that this felt like Gail needed to remind us of what happened in the WANTED arc, and it kinda sets up whomever is watching Babs…. It gives us Ragdoll one more time, for those of you that read Secret Six, however I’m more excited for the upcoming issues. #31 was good, but it wasn’t mind blowing, heart wrenching stuff. What shatters my heart is that I think this might be the first time EVER since writing my BG reviews that I can’t give the issue a perfect! I very much liked it, but I wanted more. I THINK THE MAIN PROBLEM WITH THIS ISSUE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE WRITING…. it has to do with the fact that DC took 5 PAGES of the 32 page book and gave us a Superman Issue #32 preview….. SEROUSLY DC….. REALLY? REALLY? Thankfully there was no Channel 52, but only having the main story of the BG series be ONLY 27 pages…… that is EFFED UP!!!!!!!! And it hurts the story’s evolution. Batgirl #31 is a nice setup issue for what will come. Go get Batgirl #31 now!!!!
Final Rating:
