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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
The concept of Cassandra Cain as Batgirl is one of the best ideas in the Batman chronology of the 90s. A teenager who was raised as an assassin who is fluent in body language but can't speak or read or understand oral languages.
There are four or five messy issues where Puckett cuts quickly between scenes and appears to be trying to tell the story with as few words as possible. It's an interesting conceit but it's not executed well. It feels badly written as opposed to artfully written, which is a shame. Telling a story with incredibly limited language is very difficult, though, and I appreciate Puckett's effort, if that's what he was trying to do.
After that, however, a psychic character is introduced who instantly scrambles her brains so that she can understand language (but still has trouble speaking it) and, to compensate, loses some of her ability to predict body movement. This happens way too early in the story and completely robs the title of its hook. Now it's just another generic bat book. Puckett attempts to walk this back a bit a few issues later but it's too late, the magic disappears before the series really got off the ground.
I can't really recommend it to anyone, even though I had high hopes for the story.
There are four or five messy issues where Puckett cuts quickly between scenes and appears to be trying to tell the story with as few words as possible. It's an interesting conceit but it's not executed well. It feels badly written as opposed to artfully written, which is a shame. Telling a story with incredibly limited language is very difficult, though, and I appreciate Puckett's effort, if that's what he was trying to do.
After that, however, a psychic character is introduced who instantly scrambles her brains so that she can understand language (but still has trouble speaking it) and, to compensate, loses some of her ability to predict body movement. This happens way too early in the story and completely robs the title of its hook. Now it's just another generic bat book. Puckett attempts to walk this back a bit a few issues later but it's too late, the magic disappears before the series really got off the ground.
I can't really recommend it to anyone, even though I had high hopes for the story.
Cassandra Cain, who was introduced during "No Man's Land", is an interesting idea for a character. Here, in her solo series, she is so limited by her lack of speech that you have nearly no feelings for the character. Then, when her situation changes it seems so random and strangely timed its weird. The art is really not a good fit for the book. Certain scenes would look much more meaningful if the art was more straight forward. Overall, not much happened. This was a very lackluster beginning to a series!
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This is my first dive into Cassandra Cain as batgirl. I knew she was a very different batgirl from Barbara Gordon or Stephanie Brown but really nothing else going into this.
This is classic fun comics. Do not expect some mind shattering narrative or life changing meaning in it, but it is solid comics written for kids and teens. You could definitely give this to me at 7-13 and I would have loved it (I still loved it at 38)
The art is definitely 90’s and stylized but I did not have a problem with it at all.
Her character has a very interesting set up and not at all what I expected. Though this is not her first appearance, volume 1 of her first series is a perfect jumping on point for anyone wanting to get into the character.
Recommend for people/kids who like solid story and fun comics.
This is classic fun comics. Do not expect some mind shattering narrative or life changing meaning in it, but it is solid comics written for kids and teens. You could definitely give this to me at 7-13 and I would have loved it (I still loved it at 38)
The art is definitely 90’s and stylized but I did not have a problem with it at all.
Her character has a very interesting set up and not at all what I expected. Though this is not her first appearance, volume 1 of her first series is a perfect jumping on point for anyone wanting to get into the character.
Recommend for people/kids who like solid story and fun comics.
Cassandra Cain may not exist in DC continuity at the moment, but Puckett's introduction to her series makes me happy she's not around for National Periodicals to screw with. Cass has a huge heart and a lot of damage, both of which she can barely express, due to being raised without speech. Her fight to redeem past violent actions gives a great showcase in these first six issues, and by immersing us in her field of vision, Puckett gets us to identify with her most in a story that includes much more familiar characters like Batman and Oracle.
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
This is written and drawn in a way that makes it super easy to see how this would look on screen. The action sequences and each panel made this one of the most entertaining and interesting books I've ever read.
And Cassandra! I am adopting her. It'd be easier to name which members of the Batfam I don't want to adopt than which ones I do because they're all special in their own way. In a way, her origin reminded me of Elektra's in Daredevil season 2. I felt sorry for her because what kind of monster trains someone from infancy to be a killer.
The most important aspect of her character to me is that she chose to not kill people. She chose to stop and that makes her a hero. Regardless of what Cain tried to make her into, she chose to save people instead.
Watching Bruce train her was a little painful. Not just when she's losing but when he's blaming her for not being "good enough" or starting to look into her past. I got a huge kick out of him kicking David Cain's ass, though. Well deserved beatdown, that was.
Cassandra and Babs' relationship was great to see. She seems to be the only one desiring to see Cassandra's humanity and treats her like a person, first. I wish we'd gotten more on how she felt about Alfred and David Cain.
The scenes between her and Shiva were probably my favorites. There's such an interesting dynamic there and I hope we get more of that later.
The art was okay. Not my favorite but you get a feel for the motions in each action scene.
For a book where the main character rarely speaks, we still got to know quite a lot about who Cassandra is. I really enjoyed this and I can't wait for the next book.
And Cassandra! I am adopting her. It'd be easier to name which members of the Batfam I don't want to adopt than which ones I do because they're all special in their own way. In a way, her origin reminded me of Elektra's in Daredevil season 2. I felt sorry for her because what kind of monster trains someone from infancy to be a killer.
The most important aspect of her character to me is that she chose to not kill people. She chose to stop and that makes her a hero. Regardless of what Cain tried to make her into, she chose to save people instead.
Watching Bruce train her was a little painful. Not just when she's losing but when he's blaming her for not being "good enough" or starting to look into her past. I got a huge kick out of him kicking David Cain's ass, though. Well deserved beatdown, that was.
Cassandra and Babs' relationship was great to see. She seems to be the only one desiring to see Cassandra's humanity and treats her like a person, first. I wish we'd gotten more on how she felt about Alfred and David Cain.
The scenes between her and Shiva were probably my favorites. There's such an interesting dynamic there and I hope we get more of that later.
The art was okay. Not my favorite but you get a feel for the motions in each action scene.
For a book where the main character rarely speaks, we still got to know quite a lot about who Cassandra is. I really enjoyed this and I can't wait for the next book.
extremely ugly art and didnt find the plot very interesting. 4/10
A one-stop shop for caring about who Cassandra Cain is and being okay with the mantle of Batgirl getting passed along.
It was interesting, but parts of it seemed really disjointed.
(Disclaimer: my only prior experience with Cassandra Cain comes from reading the novelization of No Man's Land waaaaay back in, like....high school.) So I knew the baaaaasics of where we were. But a lot of the stories/plotlines just seemed sort of random.
Like the guy who'd been fired from his job and then found out he was a super. No intro, no follow-up, just a lesson for Cassandra on "bad days."
The entire last storyline in India - it was fascinating, but Batgirl wasn't even *in* the final chapter.
So I'm not sure if there are some crossover things being included, or I just missed things, but it just wasn't terribly coherent.
(Disclaimer: my only prior experience with Cassandra Cain comes from reading the novelization of No Man's Land waaaaay back in, like....high school.) So I knew the baaaaasics of where we were. But a lot of the stories/plotlines just seemed sort of random.
Like the guy who'd been fired from his job and then found out he was a super. No intro, no follow-up, just a lesson for Cassandra on "bad days."
The entire last storyline in India - it was fascinating, but Batgirl wasn't even *in* the final chapter.
So I'm not sure if there are some crossover things being included, or I just missed things, but it just wasn't terribly coherent.
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes