Batgirl #15 – Tate Brombal, Writer; Stephen Segovia, Artist; Rain Beredo, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: Some very interesting things have been revealed about the coming subplots in Batgirl, as one of the new plots coming up will involve Cassandra Cain getting the power to control blood – a key ability of the cult she’s currently embedded with. But to get there, she’s not only going to have to fight some of the deadly enemies within the Unburied, but her own mind. This arc has made clear how haunted she still is by both her mother’s violent instincts and her father’s twisted upbringing for her, which for a long time left her believing she was nothing more than a living weapon. That leads her to react with strong negative emotions when she wakes up out of a dream, turning on Tenji and trying to drive him away. Some of the things she says – about him being a liability and not part of the family she needs – clearly hit hard, and drive him into his own quest, and possibly into some real danger.
It’s been clear for a while that Nyssa can’t exactly be trusted, and she’s finally confronted by Cass this issue about what was discovered in the village. But Nyssa is a smooth and manipulative talker, and she quickly spins a tale for Cass about how she and Ra’s were involved in a long quest for the poppies, but Ra’s was the only one who wanted to do violence. It’s believable – which was likely her exact goal – but it’s not enough to sell Cass and she plans to leave. But before she can, Tenji encounters a dangerous old enemy within the labyrinth under the city, and discovers something shocking about what’s to come. This sets up a tense final act of this plot, as Cass is going to be forced to defend a city she doesn’t quite believe in, and maybe find a new family of her own. It’s a compelling arc before she heads back to Gotham for a new adventure and a reunion with the Bat-family.
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