Batman and Batgirl #21 Review

In Batman and Robin (or Batgirl) #21, Bruce Wayne continues to move through the five stages of grief following the death of his son and Robin, Damian Wayne. This month, we’re on bargaining, and who better to counsel (or attempt to counsel) Bruce through this stage than the ever reasonable Barbara Gordon. But Bruce being Bruce, things don’t go as smoothly as Batgirl plans. Of course.

Tomasi’s post-Damian exploration of Batman’s psyche has had its ups and downs. There have been moments of brilliant poignancy, as in Batman and Robin #18, and there have been more befuddling chapters, like Batman and Red Robin, but it’s difficult to truthfully categorize any of these individual issues as wildly out of character. While Batman is known for his stubborn grit, the almost petulant obstinacy the character displays in this issue feels like a stranger.

That being said, grief has the ability to render even the toughest soul unrecognizable. Tomasi’s take on Batman’s bargaining stage – as he carelessly throws himself into danger and picks his battles unwisely, as he does with Bullock in one particular scene – shows a man who’s a shadow of his former self. Perhaps that’s a meta-explanation of Batman’s state of mind as he clashes with Batgirl’s reasonable arguments about how to navigate his mourning. .

Though this collection of issues is meant to explore Batman’s grief in the wake of loss, what we’re really getting is Tomasi’s interpretation of the extended Bat-family. Tomasi’s Babs is immediately recognizable as the same one who exists in Gail Simone’s Batgirl, and the continuity of characterization pays off. Her inner monologue is the issue’s strongest element, and it makes her confrontation with Batman that much more moving.

Patrick Gleason’s art sends Babs flying across the page with all her trademark grace and gusto, and the explosions of emotion he conveys are as violent as any fight scene. Stillness is another place where Gleason excels, and the ability to wield it as well as he does action make the book’s visuals stand out amongst standard superhero fare.

This issue is arguably the strongest of the grief series thus far, and that’s perhaps due to Tomasi’s expert handling as Barbara Gordon as the voice of bargaining, both with herself and Batman. After the steady, simmering rage of the previous three issues, it’ll be interesting to see Tomasi tackle depression in next month’s installment.

Melissa Grey is a lover of all things cats, comics, and outer space. She can be found on MyIGN at MelissaGrey or lurking on Twitter @meligrey.

Source : ign[dot]com