The Stop Button

The point, to me, of a Barbara Gordon Batgirl comic is Barbara Gordon.

And on some level, Gail Simone is with me. The comic comes (albeit slowly) to life when Barbara shows up in her civilian life. It also perks up when Batgirl, the cheeriest (traditionally) of the Batman Family, is out in the daylight.

But Simone doesn’t have a lot of Barbara or daytime in the comic. Instead, there’s more protracted “unsure Batgirl in action” sequences. I was hesitantly onboard with the book last issue and the first half of this issue had me ready to shred it.

The second half slightly recovers, not fully, but enough to show there’s still the possibility of good content. Just not much of a chance an issue will be completely good….

The most disappointing aspect has to be the discovery Syaf has trouble drawing regular people. His Commissioner Gordon’s about four foot.

CREDITS

Cut Short, Cut Deep; writer, Gail Simone; penciller, Ardian Syaf; inker, Vicente Cifuentes; colorist, Ulises Arreola; letterer, Dave Sharpe; editors, Katie Kubert and Bobbie Chase; publisher, DC Comics.