Take a photo of a barcode or cover
348 reviews for:
Batgirl, Volume 1: Batgirl of Burnside
Brenden Fletcher, Irene Koh, Babs Tarr, Cameron Stewart
348 reviews for:
Batgirl, Volume 1: Batgirl of Burnside
Brenden Fletcher, Irene Koh, Babs Tarr, Cameron Stewart
Overall, I didn't hate it. It certainly wasn't as good as I was expecting and as other people said it did read like a very odd kids comic mixed with some adult things that initially surprised me.
What I did like was the inclusion of lots of different types of characters and people. Not something you always see in anything pop culturally. So that was nice.
Unfortunately, Barbara was downright unlikable at times and I didn't like what they did to Dinah at all. I'm not usually one for reviews, but I wanted to explain why I gave this 3 stars even though I wasn't a huge fan of it. Basically it has 3 instead of 2 because at the end I'm not upset that I read it. It wasn't as good as I hoped for and it read a bit weirdly. But the art was great and once I got a handle on the story line it was ok and ok to me makes it a 3.
What I did like was the inclusion of lots of different types of characters and people. Not something you always see in anything pop culturally. So that was nice.
Unfortunately, Barbara was downright unlikable at times and I didn't like what they did to Dinah at all. I'm not usually one for reviews, but I wanted to explain why I gave this 3 stars even though I wasn't a huge fan of it. Basically it has 3 instead of 2 because at the end I'm not upset that I read it. It wasn't as good as I hoped for and it read a bit weirdly. But the art was great and once I got a handle on the story line it was ok and ok to me makes it a 3.
Such a fun comic! Even though it made me so sad when Gordon asked Barbara if her Doctorate in Library Science was no longer in her academic plans. Say it ain't so, Babs! You're an awesome librarian! Use your hero powers for good in the stacks!
Anyways, I loved the artwork, the redesign of her Batgirl suit, the modern updates bringing everything into the 21st century, and especially Barbara getting to be a young adult and do fun things (if sometimes unwise things) all while being an awesome superhero. I loved the twists and the mystery of who was out to sabotage Batgirl and all the fun and diverse characters that were introduced throughout the story. I'm definitely going to check out Vol. 2 when it's available.
Anyways, I loved the artwork, the redesign of her Batgirl suit, the modern updates bringing everything into the 21st century, and especially Barbara getting to be a young adult and do fun things (if sometimes unwise things) all while being an awesome superhero. I loved the twists and the mystery of who was out to sabotage Batgirl and all the fun and diverse characters that were introduced throughout the story. I'm definitely going to check out Vol. 2 when it's available.
I'll be honest, I don't know a lot about Batgirl. There were some moments where I was totally confused about the backstory, and there was minimal explanation. Obviously, I need to go back and read the older stuff, but I was super excited for the new costume!
The story line was a little all over the place, but it tied together at the end. In reading some of the other reviews, I have to agree that Batgirl was stuck somewhere between tween and adult without much of an actual college-aged character development. The whole selfie thing was also quite disappointing. Even if her mentor wasn't Batman, that was just too much self-aggrandizing for a hero.
The artwork was beautiful, and had me vacillating between 3 and 4 stars, but ultimately the story line was too weak to give it 4. I'm hoping vol. 2 will offer better stories and characters (and definitely villains).
The story line was a little all over the place, but it tied together at the end. In reading some of the other reviews, I have to agree that Batgirl was stuck somewhere between tween and adult without much of an actual college-aged character development. The whole selfie thing was also quite disappointing. Even if her mentor wasn't Batman, that was just too much self-aggrandizing for a hero.
The artwork was beautiful, and had me vacillating between 3 and 4 stars, but ultimately the story line was too weak to give it 4. I'm hoping vol. 2 will offer better stories and characters (and definitely villains).
Incredible reboot! love Batgirl's style and attitude. love that she educated. what a great representation of young women and young people in general.
I’ve always been a big fan of superhero stories, but it was only in the past year or two that I started reading Marvel comic books properly, and now I feel quite well-versed in the various arcs and characters. But, until now, I hadn’t read a single DC comic. I saw this on Netgalley and thought the start of a brand new series would be a good place to start, plus Batgirl was a character I was also vaguely familiar with.
The Batgirl of Burnside follows Batgirl as she struggles with balancing life as a graduate student and her secret identity. Hackers are targeting a popular dating/friend app, which pretty much everyone in the city uses, and to add to this someone is impersonating Batgirl and trying to ruin her reputation.
Barbara Gordon as Batgirl first appeared in 1967, so it is understandable that some of her comics would appear to feel dated. This new series very much brings Batgirl into the present day – smartphones, social media, online dating – but this could also serve to isolate some of Batgirl’s older fans, those who have been following her for a long time. For me, as a new reader and someone used to such technology, it wasn’t an issue, but I could see how it could be for some fans. What I did like was that the technology wasn’t just throw in to appeal to a certain demographic – it was an integral part of the story.
My main issues with this volume were the odd mix of made up and real pop culture, the cliche of a cop/authority figure boyfriend who disapproves of our protagonists secret identity without realising who it really is, and one particular villain who talks in hashtags… That last one seemed a bit too much.
But the art was gorgeous, the colour palettes a wonderful blend, the story fun and fast-paced, and every character looked unique. The action scenes flowed seamlessly from one frame to the next. Taking a brief glance at reviews of this book on Goodreads shows that the previous DC readers don’t seem to be quite so impressed with this addition to the series, but for me, as a new reader of DC comics, this was a great introduction to its universe. One or two characters were familiar from the television series Arrow, but almost everything was new to me, and at no point did I feel at a disadvantage.
A fun, fresh update on the Batgirl story, definitely a great entry point for those wanting to get into DC Comics but unsure where to start.
I received a copy of this book for free from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. Originally posted on my former blog, Rinn Reads.
The Batgirl of Burnside follows Batgirl as she struggles with balancing life as a graduate student and her secret identity. Hackers are targeting a popular dating/friend app, which pretty much everyone in the city uses, and to add to this someone is impersonating Batgirl and trying to ruin her reputation.
Barbara Gordon as Batgirl first appeared in 1967, so it is understandable that some of her comics would appear to feel dated. This new series very much brings Batgirl into the present day – smartphones, social media, online dating – but this could also serve to isolate some of Batgirl’s older fans, those who have been following her for a long time. For me, as a new reader and someone used to such technology, it wasn’t an issue, but I could see how it could be for some fans. What I did like was that the technology wasn’t just throw in to appeal to a certain demographic – it was an integral part of the story.
My main issues with this volume were the odd mix of made up and real pop culture, the cliche of a cop/authority figure boyfriend who disapproves of our protagonists secret identity without realising who it really is, and one particular villain who talks in hashtags… That last one seemed a bit too much.
But the art was gorgeous, the colour palettes a wonderful blend, the story fun and fast-paced, and every character looked unique. The action scenes flowed seamlessly from one frame to the next. Taking a brief glance at reviews of this book on Goodreads shows that the previous DC readers don’t seem to be quite so impressed with this addition to the series, but for me, as a new reader of DC comics, this was a great introduction to its universe. One or two characters were familiar from the television series Arrow, but almost everything was new to me, and at no point did I feel at a disadvantage.
A fun, fresh update on the Batgirl story, definitely a great entry point for those wanting to get into DC Comics but unsure where to start.
I received a copy of this book for free from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. Originally posted on my former blog, Rinn Reads.
Man. this was a gas. Bright, poppy, fizzy story of young Batgirl in hipster Brooklyn. Plowed through it.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
Sigh. I had low expectations to begin with because I love Gail Simone's Batgirl so much, I knew this wouldn't be as good. And it isn't. But it isn't an atrocity, either. That said, there are a number of... awkward moments. So it's kind of a weird book. I mean, the art's really nice. I like the new costume design (not as much as the old one, to be honest), and the colours are pretty. There's more of a focus on Barbara being a genius - which is great (it's one of the things that makes her stand out) - except that she doesn't seem to use that genius properly a lot of the time? And I'm getting this sort-of-for-teenagers vibe, but sometimes it feels like it's for kids who are younger, and other times it looks like it's trying to be for adults. Confusing. I know.
Anyone know what happened to Black Canary? Seems like the new Black Canary series modeled DD after this Dinah. She's grumpy and angry, and so out of character. Oh, and she's the lead singer of a band.
The more I think about it, the more awkward this book feels. There's some good stuff, like the LGBTQ representation, but then there's really awkward, badly handled stuff, like unmasking Batgirl's impersonator. The villains are very... simple. They're child's play compared to what Babs can take on, so why are they almost ruining her? Don't even get me started on that lost algorithm. But at least the art's pretty?
Anyone know what happened to Black Canary? Seems like the new Black Canary series modeled DD after this Dinah. She's grumpy and angry, and so out of character. Oh, and she's the lead singer of a band.
The more I think about it, the more awkward this book feels. There's some good stuff, like the LGBTQ representation, but then there's really awkward, badly handled stuff, like unmasking Batgirl's impersonator. The villains are very... simple. They're child's play compared to what Babs can take on, so why are they almost ruining her? Don't even get me started on that lost algorithm. But at least the art's pretty?
I really wanted to like this. I'm pretty much a Marvel girl, but I thought if anyone could convert me to DC, it would be Batgirl. I love the artwork, but I found Barbara to be irritatingly arrogant and the villains to be....simple. Her behavior got on my nerves partly because I'm just not the party-til-I-can't-remember-what-I've-done type. It's fine for people to act that way, but I feel like super-intelligent, dedicated, crime-fighting Barbara Gordon should be beyond that. I might pick up another volume eventually to see if I still feel this way as the story progresses, but it will probably be a while.