Don’t Get Between A Batgirl And Their Home: Reviewing ‘Batgirls’ #17

Authoritarian figures. Serial killers. Toxic parents. The Batgirls have faced numerous dangerous threats since they moved to The Hill. As their current series of adventures is winding down, a whole new threat has emerged with them in its sights.

Friendship and character beats have been huge for this series since it began. Even in the direst of times the Batgirls have had each other and found ways to bring out the positivity to get through the days. This situation is tougher, because gun violence has come to The Hill and innocent people have been caught in the fire that turned out to be meant for them. There are bits of the usual charm of this series and the characters found within, but Michael W. Conrad and Becky Cloonan make sure to give this very painful and sadly always too prevalent topic the focus and seriousness that it needs.

This takes on a whole other dimension with what Stephanie has been through recently, chiefly the fact that she was shot and killed by her father Cluemaster a few issues ago (with Cassandra able to bring her back with the Lazarus Resin). A scar that she still carries and references in this issue as they speak about gun violence and what it does to people.

We don’t just focus on their view though. Conrad and Cloonan make sure to showcase other thoughts on the matter, whether those thoughts are right or wrong they are ones that people have. Such as the Hill’s Angels selling guns to people who are terrified, claiming it’s because they love the neighborhood but mostly are taking advantage of that fear (even if they have convinced themselves they aren’t). Or Grace O’Halloran trying to buy one of those guns because one of the suffering victims from the sniper is her friend and cameraman/producer Rodrigo “Roky” Delgado and she’s been drinking and is scared and believes she needs this gun.

Much of the artwork of this series has been just as fun and exciting as the story content, really leaning into the strangeness of their situations but capturing all the emotion as well as depth. This issue sees the return of Robbi Rodriguez, who last handled the Annual issue, who has a style that hit sort of a middle space. By that I mean there is some exaggeration to it that fits into that more outlandish vibe but also is very detailed with a depth that feels almost life-like that can capture the serious nature of things. It fits this issue that lives in that middle space too of the fun/emotional but also the very serious.

Plenty of kinetic energy is to be found as the chosen layout/panel styles really lend themselves to playing up the movement of the characters. It keeps things flowing as the panels shift and change to match the moment and keeps us bouncing around and focused on where we need to be. There are some solid uses of shadows and darkness to play into the darker serious tone.

Those darker colors mix well with the continued great color work of Rico Renzi who does such a great job of weaving the bright popping colors into places alongside the weightier darker more toned-down colors of any scene. Backgrounds that are sort of washed out in a sense in order to give the brighter characters something to play against, giving them that extra push.

In that same energetic space is the lettering work of Becca Carey, as the way the words are laid out helps with the flow of the page. Personality just oozes out of the words as Carey puts them together, dropping in all kinds of perfect changes that change the tone/volume/emotions behind words so that we can hear them in our head as they are meant to be heard. I love it when the font shifts sizes or looks in order to showcase anger or surprise or awkwardness and everything else. Whether they are serious or lighter, comic books are a fun visual medium and great varied lettering fits into that space perfectly.

Batgirls #17 is now available from DC Comics.