Batgirl #2 – Tate Brombal, Writer; Takeshi Miyazawa, Artist; Mike Spicer, Colorist
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: The first issue of this series was brilliant, but rather minimalistic – featuring only two characters in Cassandra Cain and Lady Shiva, and having them immediately set upon by an army of assassins. As exciting as it was, that’s not really sustainable for a long-term series, so I was very curious how Brombal would expand the world of the book – and so far, he’s doing an amazing job. As this issue kicks off, we find Shiva wounded, having taken a bullet, and Cass trying to get her to safety. That leads them to the restaurant/secret clinic of one of Cass’ allies, a flinty old Vietnamese woman and her grandsons. The old woman offers battlefield surgery, a skill she picked up in Vietnam decades ago, and in exchange Cass teaches her unique martial arts skills to the boys. This is a partnership they’ve had for years off-page, and it’s a great flourish on Cass’ character that works really well.
But of course, nothing good can last. There are some moments in this segment that show some of the cracks in Shiva’s armor, with this new ally getting under her skin and showing her a different side of Cass that she never got to see. But it’s not long before a mysterious new assassin, one who seems to be blind or at least seeing in a completely different way, enters the fray. Bringing the carnage to Cass’ inner sanctum and one of the few places she feels safe, it ups the emotional stakes significantly and it’s not clear if everyone makes it out alive. It’s clear from these two issues that Cass and Shiva are facing a villain here who might not be entirely natural – one that has a level of power and intimidation that’s near-impossible for them to match. Upping the stakes is always important when it comes to doing a martial arts comic, and it’s great to have a Cass book that calls back to her original run.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
