Batgirl #1 - DC

Ok! By now everybody has read the 'spoilers'. That coined phrase is an ironic coincidence. Everybody should know by now that the new Batgirl is indeed . . . Stephanie Brown. No real big surprise there. But . . after reading this issue . . I have to say, I don't think this is going to be a solo book. Barbara seems to be playing a big part in this story. After the break-up of her Birds of Prey, she really seems to be full of a lot of anger. Anger that she seems to be only able to release by taking unwarranted risks . . like riding the subway, alone . . at night. She's approached by 3 guys, and as she's leaving the car . . alone . . she's thinking, "I don't know what I need. But whatever it is . . that felt good. Which is what worries me . ." She really seems to enjoy a good smack-down. Anyways, I also think that Wendy Harris, the Calculator's daughter who is now also crippled, is going to be part of the equation here as well. As will Cassandra, I'm sure. In a flash-back scene we see that Cass just gave up being Batgirl a few weeks ago. One night when her and the Spoiler were out on the docks mopping up some gang or another . . when it's all over, and she's perusing their 'work-out', she takes off her costume and tells Stephanie, "It's funny, he's dead, yet they reuse to believe . . that symbol . . his crest, his fight . . I fought for him. But no more. Now, the fight is yours . . ." Which is how Steph ended up with her costume, and the idea of becoming Batgirl. I'm sure Leslie has a thing or two to say to Steph also, but most of her time this issue is spent trying to crack Barbara's hardened exterior. Steph even has the logic worked out for her promise to Tim . . "I promised Tim that I would give it up. Well, technically I promised to stop being Spoiler . ." But she's realistic also. She knows that she doesn't want to end up dead, and she knows that most things she does don't end well. So she wants to quit, but . . she keeps getting drawn back in by the calls for help. As strong as her survival instinct is, she also can't turn her back. However, I think that her and Barbara are going to come to some kind of understanding, or relationship. At the end of the issue . . after an exhausting day of school and crime-fighting . . Steph wakes to find Babs waiting in her kitchen to talk to her. For the first issue of this book . . I thought Bryan Q Miller did an exemplary job. I thought the 'reveal' was a little quick. However . . without it, it would've been hard to explain, or work out the logistics of everything that came after. Quite simply, we don't have all the answers yet. There's a whole lot of stuff going on with these characters . . we're just seeing the tip of the iceberg. Which backs up my point . . I don't think this is going to be a solo book. So, I was a little concerned when we learned that Steph was in the costume on the 6th page, but . . . the set-up for this issue . . this series . . by the end of the book it all made sense. I also enjoyed Lee Garbett and Trevor Scott's artwork. I don't think Lee has a complete grasp of this character yet, but . . he's a quick study. I don't think it'll be long before he makes this book his own. I'm thrilled with the momentum of this book. It's taking off . . right out of the gate.