Batman Beyond: Batgirl Beyond

Batman Beyond (2012)

by Adam Beechen, Adam Archer (Illustrator)

Terry McGinnis is the Batman of the future, protecting a high-tech Gotham City from threats new and old. But the battle is never-ending...and soon there might not be a Gotham left to protect!

After Terry's friend and ally, Max, is recruited by secretive Undercloud for her extraordinary computer abilities, she discovers the full extent of their mission, and it threatens to control the city!

Meanwhile, in Neo-Gotham’s slums, a new Batgirl is rising...but how will Police Commissioner Barbara Gordon feel about that?

Return to the world of hit television series BATMAN BEYOND with creators Adam Beechen (BATMAN BEYOND), Scott Peterson (BATGIRL), Adam Archer (SCRIBBLENAUTS UNMASKED) and Annie Wu ( Hawkeye )!

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics, Batman, Science Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Superheroes

168 pages, Paperback

First published April 8, 2014

About the author

For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Bee...

Writer Adam Beechen is the author of several comic books, including Robin and Justice League Unlimited . Adam also writes for tv on such shows as Teen Titans, The Batman and is the story editor on HiHi Puffy Ami Yumi for Cartoon Network.

Reviews

[Wing Kee · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's was good, except the rehash issues.

World: The art is good, especially the Annie Wu issues. The world building is actually good this arc, we get a call from the past which is always good. I also liked that the city got bigger this time around and I like that. It's good introduce Nissa.

Story: The continuation of the Max story was okay, should have been better but I enjoyed it. The stakes were higher and the world was more effected. The best issue of course is the Dana issue which was a long time coming. The Batgirl arc was great and I really like Nissa, I want more. Then there are the two recycled issues which annoys.

Characters: Terry and Dana and Bruce get huge chunks of development and I like it, this Bruce is different and it's great. Max is always great and then there's Nissa which I'm in love with immediately. The villain this time was stupid just utterly stupid. Oh and the retro golden age group we get is soooo good!!!

Retro and new was good. Not the rehash issues.

Onward to the next book!

[Ivy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good story. I enjoy reading Batman comics. Like the DC Animated Universe as well. Would have to say Batman is my favorite DC superhero and the Bat Family as well.

[Terry Mcginnis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun read that continued the main story, introduced the future Batgirl, and included two extra stories at the end, reminiscent of the animated series. Recommended.

[cauldronofevil · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not a particular fan of the ‘Batman Beyond’ universe. I saw the cartoon. It was good. But the crusty old Bruce Wayne was the best part. I’m actually surprised that it has had such an extended life in comics. And not the usually cartoon-to-comics like comics (I’m reading and enjoying several of those myself), but from what I’ve heard actual serious comics. I haven’t read any of them so I may be missing some background.

”Legends of the Dark Knight: Dana” starts with Dana Tan dancing at a disco. Remembering how good it felt. But now she is in Gotham thinking about her brother killing thousands in Gotham, including himself. Her mother and father are both in the hospital because of her brother Doug. Terry (Batman) is with her even though he is hurt as well. Bruce Wayne is also in the hospital.

She thinks back about how she loved her brother even though he became a monster.

Dana and Terry go visit her father. Then Dana wants to visit Bruce Wayne. She wants to talk to him about Batman. Terry tells her that he saw Batman earlier when trying to avoid running into the Jokerz gang.

Dana tells Terry and Bruce that she’s figured out they are both Batman. Present and former.

Bruce is going to get a liver transfer from Doug.

That was a fine setup. The art is good.

3***

Undercloud Part I-3

starts with a costumed Rebel One explaining to Max Gibson, hacker extraordinaire the she is going to bring the giant robot he has created to life. He explains that they need to tear down Gotham to rebuild it as a fairer city with everyone having an equal chance.

The giant robot will be able to change shape as well (ala Metal Men).

After helping Bruce Wayne walk in the hospital after his liver transplant, Batman takes to the air. Wondering if this is how he will end up after being Batman.

All broken and angry? If I live that long.

Commissioner Gordon (Barbara) calls Batman and tells her there’s a threat to a concert. He goes.

Max is told by Rebel One that she is going to help him or he will kill everyone she cares about.

Batman is sneaking around in the rafters at a concert in stealth-mode. He finds explosives rigged to the stage projectors. Then he is attacked by Shriek. They fight.

Max is being blackmailed to work on Responsometers for Rebel One. She hasn’t figured out a way to get hold of Terry or escape.

Shriek explains to Batman that his new partner has reconfigured his gear to make it a pinpoint destructive weapon.

Max ‘accidentially’ triggers a blackout in the batcave. Batman knows only she could do that.

Rebel One sets the giant robot they’ve been working on loose to go and tear up Gotham. It does. Max and Rebel One are in a hovercar watching the destruction. Max tries to talk him out of it. He explains.

Petitions and demonstrations and media stunts don’t change anything. To change, you’ve got to tear down and start over.

Can’t say I disagree.

Batman arrives in his batmobile (bat-hover-car) and fights the giant robot.

Max punches Rebel One.

The giant robot explodes the batmobile. Batman tries to glide down but the robot catches him.

This was okay. Norm Breyfogle did the art, but somehow it didn’t seem to be up to his usually high standards.

There appeared to be a cameo by Dick Grayson, but it didn’t add up to much.

2** from me.

”Undercloud Parts 4-6” starts in the park with Batman and Max fighting the giant shapeshifting robot. Batman runs away from it while Max jumps into the skimmer that has Rebel One knocked out in it.

Commissioner Barbara Gordon and Dick Grayson are at the hospital in Reed Tower the robot thrashed helping get everyone out. Grayson has played local businessman but wants to help the kid the Old Man has in the suit.

Batman tries to electrocute the robot which breaks it up for a second. Maxine tells him that Rebel’s control device sent out six signals and that if he shocks them again, they may stay separated. It works! They break up into the Metal Men.

The Metal Men are themselves again and grateful to Batman. But where is Doc Magnus?

Reed Tower is starting to collapse and Batman and the Metal Men go to help.

Rebel One and Max fighting. Rebel One wins and flies the skimmer towards Reed Tower.

The Metal Men split up, some to keep the tower from collapsing, some to rescue Max and punch Rebel One. Every else is surprised to see the Metal Men.

”How come everyone knows these guys but me? ”

Later the Metal Men meet with Bruce and he tells them that Doc Magnus is missing and presumed dead. Bruce comes up with a plan for what they should do next.

That’s an awesome plan!

That was a neat story. Of course, bringing back the Metal Men is a good way to tug at my nostalgia bone and a neat way to keep them in this world.

I also like the collapsing building thing. It’s neat when superheroes have to solve problems where punching won’t work.

Is this considered an ‘elsewhere’ world? Or the ‘true’ story of what will happen? I don’t know and really who cares. I’m only dipping my toe into the world.

Though I do wonder why they don’t just put Max into a Robin suit and be done with it. A black female Robin in the future? I’d check out those issues. It’s seems more like they are turning her into an Oracle however.

4****

”Batgirl Beyond” as Commissioner Gordon (Barbara) jumping off a bridge. Her car has just been blown up.

There’s a full scale riot going on in the streets. Gordon fights as long as she can, but goes down. Until Batgirl (?) shows up and rescues her. They fight.

After the fight they talk. Batgirl’s not going to tell Gordon her identity and not really a fan of the police anyway. Batgirl tells her this isn’t an ordinary gang war. Someone is poisoning Crown Point. Because they aren’t rich, the police don’t care.

Gordon investigates at the coroners and finds that lots of victims from Crown Point have had some sort of chemical substance in them.

”Never seen anything quite like it before. Have you.”

She has. Bane.

Gordon checks the water sources and they haven’t been contaminated. Then she finds a corporation who has been supplying food and water to the schools, and fast food restaurants. She goes to straight to the boss. He tells her to talk to his lawyers.

Later she finds herself surrounded by five huge bruisers who want her to come with them. They fight. She loses. Then Batgirl shows up. The more goons arrive. They fight more.

The police show up and Batgirl leaves.

Well, that is one terrible Batgirl costume, but it was an okay story. A little predictable though. The art was better than the rest of the book.

It also looks like the rest of the books is just Batman Beyond stories. This was the only Batgirl story, so I’m not positive I’ll continue reading. But I might.

3***

There’s no more Batgirl in this book and I’m not particularly interested in the Batman Beyond stories left in this book.

And the Batgirl story wasn’t that great anyway.

So far, overall, it was 3*** book, nothing special, but an okay read. I don’t think it really adds anything to the Batgirl mythos.

Did Not Finish.

[Sam Poole · Rating 3 out of 5]

In some ways this is more in line with my own tastes than the last volumes, mostly made up of one issue arcs. Overall better than the last but weirdly problematic at points in ways incongruous to the overall thematic, defining elements of the series. Example: rebel from undercloud SHOULD be a fascinating chAracter, not just a "crazy" class warrior. And yet she is reduced to just a stereotype even though the ideology and theory behind her class warfare is wholly rational- neo Gotham is horribly stratified by class! It's cool that Max becomes "oracle beyond" im a way, but who to heck is nissa? Why is her story the title of the trade when she is a character in exactly one story? Whil the diversity and some Themes are still powerful, and this collection succeeds in further establishing the nostalgiA/Peter Parker as batman aesthetic, this is overall somewhat incoherent. Stronger than 10,000 clowns and has two great issues- terry vs Bruce and the plastique issue, with the title chapter also standing out in spite of it feeling random. BarbAra Gordon is good but why is every former bat family member sooo mad? And why is the new catwoman banging a VERY old dick Grayson? Blech I still love this series but this was just not the strongest Ya feel?

[Rachel H · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay. There wasn't much of an arc or theme tying the stories together. I enjoyed the glimpse into the poorer neighborhoods of Gotham and the focus on Max, but I felt it was missing something.

Now I haven't read the previous arc "10,000 clowns", but I'm not sure that I'd much of it because of Dana. I can't bring myself to care about that character and the revelations about her character in this book made me roll my eyes. I'm not sure what it is that rubs me the wrong way. In the cartoon she was barely a character, mostly serving as a part of Terry's "normal" teenage life in an attempt to make him more relatable. Her empathy was the only thing that made an impression on me, but I didn't really understand why she and Terry were even together. Now they go and try to give her some tragic family drama and some detective skills out of no where, which nulls her as Terry's "normal" life. She's not an escape for him anymore. There really was no need to make her family drama fall so deeply into Batman territory aside from saving a few pages to attempt to develop her character and have Batman in the same panels. It was a little too daytime soap to swallow.

[Des Fox · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't even finish it. The story was all nonsense, bogged down by endless redundant captions. This is the worst kind of spoon-fed pandering in comics, and it made for an absolutely unreadable environment. The Metal Men show up for a cameo that falls flat on its face, Max's long gestating arc comes to an embarrassing close, and all of Terry's internal conflict born out of the story prior vanishes in a puff of smoke as things return to a villain of the week slog, full of unnecessary beats and overwritten dialogue.

The one bright spot here is Annie Wu's awesome art in the Batgirl Beyond issue. (It's only one issue though, despite the book being titled after it, so don't trick yourself into expecting any more from the talented Ms. Wu here.)

This was such a disappointment after the 10,000 Clowns story, which looked like it might have been a turning point for the series. Bummer.

[The Sapphic Nerd · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are 5 different and completely unrelated story arcs in this book and all of them are boring - some are even painful to push through because I wanted to put it down - EXCEPT the "Batgirl Beyond" arc... and maybe "Legends of the Dark Knight: Dana".

In "Legends of the Dark Knight: Dana", the art style is cool and the story seems to conclude a previous arc (the should have just bound it in the same trade as wherever the rest of the story is). The best part is Bruce admitting that maybe it isn't so wise to keep so many secrets and including Dana into their "family".

"Batgirl Beyond" is the real star arc of the book. If the rest were written and drawn like this, the book would have gotten 4 or potentially 4.5 stars. Barbara Gordon (now commissioner) has bionic legs and can walk again, and she comes face-to-face with a new Batgirl. I really enjoy their interactions and how Babs tests the new Batgirl to see what kind of person she is. The themes of class struggle and the elite being protected more by the police than the lower class are relevant now too. Give me this and the developing relationship between the old and new Batgirls as a series, please!

Other than those arcs, the rest were forgettable and I skimmed through them to get to the end. Some were very cartoony and felt like Saturday morning kids cartoons, and that's not what I want from a Batman Beyond title. Overall, disappointing, but if you want to borrow it from a library or something just for the "Batgirl Beyond" arc, it's worth it.

[Jacqueline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Batman Beyond was an excellent animated television series produced by Bruce Timm and Paul Dini, with voice direction by Andrea Romano. Bruce Wayne has, amazingly, lived to a ripe old age, so much so that he has to give up the cape and cowl due to his physical limitations. But Terry McGinnis ends up as the New Batman in a tech savvy suit - saving Neo Gotham from a new breed of super villains. Although Terry's father was murdered (by Amanda Waller it later turns out), Terry's mother and younger brother survive. Terry is also dating Dana Tan, and his best friend Max(ine) is a computer expert who knows Terry is Batman. And Bruce has a dog, Ace.
This is the second Batman Beyond graphic novel I've read (the other being Batman Beyond: Hush Beyond) and I really enjoyed this book. I thought that in Batman Beyond: Batgirl Beyond the characterization was excellent. We see the familiar characters from the TV series, even the Bat-dog Ace makes an appearance, and they are all in character. The world of Neo Gotham also seems very familiar and true to the animated series. Even little details that were confusing, such as Barbara Gordon not only being the police commissioner but being able to walk are explained. Dick Grayson, a character completely ignored in the series and the follow-up movie, makes an appearance that begins to explain what happened to him.
The story starts with the aftermath of a disaster, the street gang the Jokerz are blowing themselves up all over Neo Gotham - causing chaos, destruction, and death. But rather than focusing on this disaster - the story starts in a hospital waiting room. Present are Dana Tan, her mother, Terry, and his mother. Dana's father is in intensive care, Dana's brother is also in emergency and dying and the one behind the Jokerz bombings, Bruce Wayne is also in the hospital, dying of liver failure. A doctor tells those gathered that Dana's brother has died. Dana asks Terry to come with her to see Bruce Wayne, as they make there way there, Terry makes up a story about being saved by Batman but being knocked out (he's beaten-up and has a concussion).
When they see Bruce however, Dana tells them both she's realized that Terry is the new Batman, and that Bruce was once Batman. Bruce welcomes her to the family and stresses the need for secrecy. Terry tells Dana he loves her. A doctor comes in and tells Bruce they've found a compatible liver for him - Bruce realizes it was Dana's brother's liver, but allows the transplant to take place.
Meanwhile, Max has gone on a mission on her own to investigate the Undercloud, a secretive hacker group, lead by Rebel. She's forced to work with some old superhero tech to create a giant robot to destroy the upper levels of Neo Gotham that are home to the rich and powerful. Max struggles to find a way to send a message to Terry secretly.
Max finally sends an SOS, and Terry arrives but not before the robot is released on Neo Gotham. Yet Rebel's control box doesn't work. Terry tries to lead the robot away and minimize damage. Max knocks out Rebel and tries to decode the box. Terry shocks the robot as a defense mechanism - and the different metals start to pull apart. Max realizes that the six metals need to be separated and urges Terry to "do it again". He does - and what emerges is the Metal Men.
Terry and the Metal Men work to prevent further damage in Gotham and to safely bring down Reed Tower in a more controlled fashion, as well as evacuating the restoration crews inside. Max angerly condemns Rebel's selfish "point" of mass destruction -telling her she could have made her hacker army a force for good.
With the success of Terry and the Metal Men, and Max getting rescued and Rebel turned over to the police - everyone meets up at Wayne Manor. Bruce mentions the hundreds of space junk satellites in Earth orbit, and suggests that the Metal Men take up residence in one as Watchmen for Earth, to respond to any disaster, natural or man-made, immediately and world-wide. He adds Max and Dana to his bat-family (Max already knew about Terry) and Max comes up with the idea to secretly focus the Undercloud into a force for change and for good (moving it away from the destructive model that Rebel had set-up). Finally, Bruce tells Terry he has to decide if he wants to continue to be Batman (Terry has doubts) but that he will support him no matter what.
Commissioner Barbara Gordon, meanwhile, walks through Crown Point - a less than good neighborhood in Neo Gotham that's in the middle of a gang war. She's able to take care of herself, but when the odds are overwhelming she's rescued by a new Batgirl. This Batgirl tells her the violence isn't just a co-incidence - there's literally something in the water. Gordon goes to the ME's office and is told one of the dead from Crown Point is soaked in chemicals and has very low serotonin levels. Gordon remembers Bane. She also takes her officers and a search warrant and goes after a businessman for his "super steroid". The businessman attacks in a rage. Gordon's cops arrest him. Barbara looks up Batgirl and offers her a type of partnership - but insists Batgirl not go to far. At first, Batgirl thinks she can ignore this - but she learns she can't.
In a story drawn to look very much like the animation style of the Batman Beyond and featuring Ace, Terry's mom, and Terry's brother - Bruce and Terry go up against Spellbinder, who puts Bruce in a hallucination using television signals.
Finally, Terry goes up again Inque - a unique character also from the series.
I loved this book - again, it's very in keeping with the television series and everyone is in character. The only negative comment I have is that for a book entitled, "Batgirl Beyond" - there really wasn't much of Batgirl. And we didn't see the new Batgirl meet Terry, or Bruce or anyone in the cast. I liked seeing Commissioner Barbara Gordon being given her own story, and watching Batgirl meet a new Batgirl was fun, but considering the volume title it needed more "oomph". Maybe other volumes will include more of this new Batgirl.
Highly recommended.

[Sylvester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Max's storyline sort of began during the previous arc, which led to a bit of a confusion in the beginning as the previous arc was closing. It was good to see Dana Tan growing up from being an unlikeable character to something respectable. Max had her time to shine as well in her own character focused arc where she helps Terry to defeat a Metamopho/Amazo-like entity, with a twist of course. Dick Grayson's storyline was a little bit concerning. The villain of focus this issue is none other than a crazed, dyed red haired, SJW hellbent on destroying Neo-Gotham to bring down the "System". The 3-issue arc focused on Barbara Gordon was quite a fun read too. This volume really redeemed the franchise once again.

[Gabe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Misleading title aside, the arc taking up the larger chunk of this collection is an underwhelming conclusion to the slow burn of Max's storyline-- a storyline that before now has been slowly going on as a B-plot of earlier issues. I don't know what's up with modern villains bringing up legitimately valid critiques on society online to go about changing these critiques in the most unrelated braindead way possible.

On top of this, the volume throws in two completely unrelated issues from an earlier Batman Beyond comic run from 1999, which only reminds me that the rest of that 1999 run has yet to get a proper re-release. Such an odd mishmash of issues that really ends this run of the comics with a whimper. Hoping the 2.0 series steps things up.

[Sarah Morgan Sandquist · Rating 1 out of 5]

Honestly, not worth the effort to finish. The art ranges from flat-out ugly to kind of decent., The rethoric is jammed down your throat with the assumption that you're still likely too stupid to catch it. (At one point a visual 'metaphor' - really more like a thematic depiction - is pointed out at the reader.) Max, a character with vast potential falls flat, Dana as well, to a lesser extent. The cameo by the Metal Men is super-hyped with no payoff. The dialog is amateurish and non-engrossing with zero distinctiveness from person to person. It's like a satire of classic comic dialog. There is a complete lack of cohesion and flow between both the plot and the themes of both stories.

[kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, I only read this for Nissa (how did I not know there was another Batgirl?!). The little there was of her I loved. I also loved her partnering up with Babs. The possible parallels between them working together to Jim and Bruce were awesome. Unfortunately, this is all we get of them, which really is a shame. There was so much potential there it's criminal DC didn't take advantage of this. I have so many questions about Nissa. Who is she? How did she learn to fight? How did she become Batgirl?

Alas, it looks like I'll never get my answers to these questions.

[Will Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

4 out of 10

The Undercloud arc closes out with a whimper, but admittedly has a very fun nod to the past. We only get 2 issues exploring the new Batgirl. Not much to the character at the moment, but she does leave a much better first impression than Terry did in his debut as Batman. I think this is the first new character Beechen's added that I don't hate so that's a nice change of pace. Not terrible, but not a must read either. If you're looking for a good Batman Beyond story I suggest you keep looking.

[Ming · Rating 2 out of 5]

Begins with a wrap up of the 10000 Clowns storyline, and the bulk of it is devoted to the Max story, which seemed intriguing when it was a subplot but didn't play out so well. I don't know why the collection is titled Batgirl Beyond when she only appears in one small story. Boo to the random inclusion of two issues of the original ongoing series just to pad up the volume – the tone is too different and the plots dull.

[Kelly Lynn Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume was a bit confusing. It picks up right after 10,000 Clowns, but then also includes some material from the original 1999 run when the show was still airing. This is the last volume in this run, and unfortunately it leaves a lot of loose ends before Future's End blew it up. We at least get closure with Max's side story, and get to see Barbara being awesome.

[Wolverinefactor · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first story finishes up the Jokers plot line. Then we get 3 different tales. The introduction of anew Batgirl (YAS!) and the return of two old enemies (inque!)

This is easily one of my favorite comic runs.

[Olivia Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much more of an amalgam of stories rather than one cohesive plot. Also, not enough Batgirl to warrant being the headline, sadly. I want more Nissa and Babs!!!!

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bringing back the Metal Men? Could've done without them.

[Wayne McCracken · Rating 1 out of 5]

Possibly the worst graphic novel I've ever read. This contains one issue of the new Batgirl and the rest is incoherent or irrelevant. Awful art.

[শুভঙ্কর শুভ · Rating 3 out of 5]

ফান রাইড।

[Jess (GJ) · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING. Can't recommend it more.

[Carly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I WANT MORE NISSA

[The_J · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nice juxtaposition of Barbara as chief, but otherwise eh.

[Elise · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Batgirl story illustrated by Annie Wu was stellar - definitely five stars. The rest of the collection is decent but not particularly memorable.

[Czarina at captainz · Rating 5 out of 5]

These were so fun and I want more Batgirl! I didn't think she'd be so cool!

[A.E. Chandler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining stories for sure, though most of them had nothing to do with Batgirl.

[Mohan Vemulapalli · Rating 2 out of 5]

Uggghhhhh!. There is only one Batgirl story in this collection. The book does contain a number of stories wth strong female protagonists, which is nice, but the title really comes down to false advertising so I am rating this as two stars. Do better next time DC !

[Nat · Rating 2 out of 5]

May Wrap Up 2020

2.5 stars

This didn't really feature much of the futuristic Batgirl to go alongside Terry's Batman, which was disappointing. I would be excited to see more of her in the future, but this wasn't really what I was promised, based on the cover. I also didn't like the shifting art styles here, because it really highlighted the lack of continuity through the issues.

[Chris Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adam Beechen’s Batman Beyond era ends sadly with more of a whimper than a bang.

His final arc concludes the Undercloud hacker group arc that has been going on with Max in the background. The reveal of Rebel One’s identity is an underwhelming cliche. The main bulk of the plot is an uninspiring fight against the combined form of the Metal Men before freeing them to introduce them to the Beyond world. I’m sorry but I didn’t care at all.

What I did like though was the development for Dana, as she moves from whiny neglected girlfriend to actually knowing and supporting Terry’s Batman identity. The Mary-Jane shift helps her. I also liked the ending Beechen leaves us on with Bruce ready to build and expand his Batfamily and Terry ready to have to make a decision about his future as Batman.

Scott Peterson then steps in for a Commissioner Barbara Gordon focus arc where she encounters new street level hero Batgirl and the two stubborn heroes have to learn to work together. Peterson’s writing is spot on. I’m not 100% sold on the caricature of a villain, but he writes Gordon very well and the new Batgirl Beyond is fantastic character. Annie Wu’s art is phenomenal and the Batgirl design is definitely stand out. More of her please.