Rating: 4/5
It's been a while since I read the previous volume of Batgirl. I put it off because I just wasn't that impressed with the last two volumes. This one turns things around in my opinion and does a great job of bridging the various storylines together. I recommend reading the rest of the series first to get the most out of this book.
Jim Gordon is on the hunt for Batgirl after witnessing her killing a bad guy. At the same time, Barbara is struggling with the privilege of being Batgirl due to her actions. Meanwhile, Knightfall continues her battle against the criminals of Gotham City, which ultimately draws Batgirl back out.
There are some side stories here, but they don't stick out quite as much as those in the other volumes did. One features a villain called the ventriloquist. This one is pretty dark, but is put together superbly. The other looks back at Barbara's first steps toward becoming Batgirl during a disaster in Gotham. Interesting on its own. I felt like it was unnecessary for the character as a whole though.
Not surprisingly for a DC book, the art is great. There is quite a range within this book and it all works really well. This showcases Gotham at its darkest in a nice complement to where Batgirl is at throughout. I tend to focus on characterization when I'm reading, and that was done fantastically here. The struggle Batgirl goes through during this arc feels real. The other characters are interesting and help move the story along too, although the bad guys used in the big fight at the end aren't developed much.
This book moves away from the crossover events that the previous books fell into, and it is stronger for that. Batgirl takes center stage and stays there throughout.
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