What Would Batman Do? — Reviewing ‘Batgirl’ #4

Each of us is the product of many influences within life. From parents or guardians to those who came later. Each encounter in life — be they good or bad — helps build who we are through time. Either by accepting or rejecting what that influence is trying to bring upon us.

Born of two killers, but raised by one of the greatest vigilante heroes, Cassandra Cain has been many things in her short life. With the threat of the Unburied falling upon a train of tenuous allies, Batgirl #4 puts the young heroine in a tight spot.

It’s quite an engaging fourth chapter of this run from Tate Brombal, Takeshi Miyazawa, Wayne Faucher, Mike Spicer, and Tom Napolitano.

Superhero comics are full of big bold heroic beats and moments. One of the slices of the pie that makes up superhero comics, though, is the soap-opera-like drama. Oh yeah, did I eat up the tension-filled drama here.

Tons of character depth and moments are built here. Opening with Cassandra calling Batman her father had me give a big giant clap. Exactly the way it should be. Lady Shiva and David Cain might have been her birth parents, but Batman is the parent that was there. It’s through him and Barbara Gordon that she gained her true legit family.

Brombal just knows all the right strings to pull in this series — really speaking the language of Cassandra and really giving us plenty to chew on with the overall plot. All the back-and-forth between Cassandra and Nyssa, as well as the rest of the gathered council, was delicious. Plenty of sharp words and quips and double-edged tension.

Artistically, Miyazawa, with assistance from Faucher, captures all of this perfectly. There is such fluidity in the art style that really works in both the loud and quiet beats. I love the fight scenes we’ve received in the past two issues. Using the space, both confined and open, in such interesting ways. And having the faded multiple images of Batgirl to showcase her movement is so brilliant.

It gives the scene far more weight and energy than being spread across panels.

A sprinkle of whimsy is always present, mixed in with the sharper rougher textures. It gives everything the right amount of depth and presence. Emotions are crystal clear even when characters are playing things closer to the chest.

There is a darkness to the overall story just by the nature of those involved. It is naturally showing up in the artwork, boosted by the color palette. Where Spicer taps into the heavier color tones and uses the more vibrant ones sparingly. Because this is not a run of the mill hero story, but still has need of those colors. Overall, there is a more subtle nature to it, giving it that grittier closer to reality sort of feeling.

So much emotion is felt in words, both implicitly and subtly.

Napolitano is so good at finding the ways to bring the most out of words. Taking them as scripted and giving it a little more. Even the captions speak loudly how Cassandra is feeling, matching her voice and mannerisms perfectly. Allowing the letters to shift in style, size, or position to best get the meaning and overall feeling across. As it all flows across the page smoothly and as gracefully as Batgirl herself.

Batgirl #4 is now available from DC Comics.