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Batgirl (2024)
Batgirl, Vol. 1: Mother
Hold on to your seats, clutch your pearls, and rejoice in celebration becauseCassandra Cain is taking center stage as Batgirl—part of DC’s bestsellingAll In initiative! When the Unburied, a deadly group of assassins, shows upto kill Cassandra, her mother Lady Shiva—the deadliest assassin in the DCUniverse—comes to her aid, and they must put their complicated past asideand work together as mother and daughter to ensure they make it out alive.Unfortunately, things are never as easy as they seem, and Cass must embarkon a jaw-dropping, martial-arts-filled adventure in her quest for truth,justice…and revenge?!It’s a Batgirl story like never before as writer Tate Brombal (House ofSlaughter) and artist Takeshi Miyazawa (Mech Cadet Yu) dive into the psycheof one of Gotham’s fiercest fighters while exploring her deep and complexrelationship with her mother.This volume collects Batgirl #1-6.
136 pages, Paperback
First published August 19, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
January 26, 2026
I loved this book. It is almost everything I wanted in a Batgirl book. I wanted to give it 4.5 stars but I could not round it down. In fact, the only reason I could think of to take half a star off is that the story moved a bit slower than I expected, however, this is the start of the series they can't do everything in the first book.
Cassandra Cain's mother, Lady Shiva, is back in Gotham. What could worry or shake the unshakeable most lethal woman in the world? Concern for her daughter? A new enemy, unexpected allies and a possible new side of her mother are going to force Cassandra/Batgirl back into a world she had left behind.
Great and lots of ninja action. Cassandra is already the best and most feared fighter in the Bat family, with the threat that is going to force her to improve is scary. I can't wait to see what is next in this series. Cass is my favourite bat, apart from the man himself, I am so happy she has her own series.
Cassandra Cain's mother, Lady Shiva, is back in Gotham. What could worry or shake the unshakeable most lethal woman in the world? Concern for her daughter? A new enemy, unexpected allies and a possible new side of her mother are going to force Cassandra/Batgirl back into a world she had left behind.
Great and lots of ninja action. Cassandra is already the best and most feared fighter in the Bat family, with the threat that is going to force her to improve is scary. I can't wait to see what is next in this series. Cass is my favourite bat, apart from the man himself, I am so happy she has her own series.
April 10, 2025
A fantastic exploration into the complexities of a mother / daughter relationship that utilises Cass and Shiva’s strained kinship to tell an action packed and heart felt story. It follows the pair as they try an evade a group called the Unburied that not only pack a heavy punch but also have a point. There are a lot of comparisons between the two leads sprinkled in that are expressed through the visual presentation and writing. Whilst most of the parallels hit, and it is nice to see daughter echo mother, Brombal’s overreliance on the same repetitive dialogue can grow tiresome. However, it is still a treat to read and look at, and it ends on a note that leaves you wanting more.
November 8, 2025
Loved it!
October 18, 2025
I was really looking forward to this one, as I’ve loved Brombal’s work in the past, but found myself more than a little disappointed.
One of the reasons for this was the complete lack of any kind of introduction to this Batgirl. Being more of a Marvel guy, I only had a very vague idea of who this version of Batgirl is and, six issues later, I still only have a very vague idea of who this version of Batgirl is. This book seems to be one for existing fans only.
Also, holding three blades between the fingers of your fist is a really, really stupid way to fight with blades… Leave the Wolverine impressions to twelve-year-olds with butter knives, folks…
One of the reasons for this was the complete lack of any kind of introduction to this Batgirl. Being more of a Marvel guy, I only had a very vague idea of who this version of Batgirl is and, six issues later, I still only have a very vague idea of who this version of Batgirl is. This book seems to be one for existing fans only.
Also, holding three blades between the fingers of your fist is a really, really stupid way to fight with blades… Leave the Wolverine impressions to twelve-year-olds with butter knives, folks…
August 17, 2025
If you're writing a Cass Cain book, you have to do a Lady Shiva story. It's like writing a Teen Titans book and not doing a Raven getting possessed story, or writing Batman and not doing a Joker story. It's just a DC rite of passage at this point, I think. Thankfully, Tate Brombal a) gets the Shiva story out of the way first, and b) does a pretty good job with it as well.
The care for the character is clear. Cass Cain's had some ups and downs over the years, and it's hard to see a character like her constantly being regressed back to the same basic traits. Brombal tries to show that everything Cass has been through has formed her, from her OG series back in the early 2000s right up through Batman & Robin Eternal and Batgirls. While not everyone likes all of her canon, it all happened, and it's all part of who she is.
Lady Shiva herself is as expected - a manipulative bitch whose small flickers of affection may or may not be genuine, to the point that even Cass has no idea any more. The idea of the Unburied is solid enough, and even if the inevitable betrayal is...inevitable, the journey to get there is well done, and even manages to rope in some fun, unexpected characters along the way.
Takeshi Miyazawa's artwork fits the kinetic fight scenes really well too. There's a sequence in one issue that's set across a train, and you could lay six or seven pages end-to-end and get a complete panel, it's really clever. The colours are a little more muted than usual for Miyazawa's pencils, but that seems like a good choice given that most of the story takes place at night, and it's pretty dark subject matter at times too.
Cass is back for All-In, and I'm all-in too. Bring on the pain.
The care for the character is clear. Cass Cain's had some ups and downs over the years, and it's hard to see a character like her constantly being regressed back to the same basic traits. Brombal tries to show that everything Cass has been through has formed her, from her OG series back in the early 2000s right up through Batman & Robin Eternal and Batgirls. While not everyone likes all of her canon, it all happened, and it's all part of who she is.
Lady Shiva herself is as expected - a manipulative bitch whose small flickers of affection may or may not be genuine, to the point that even Cass has no idea any more. The idea of the Unburied is solid enough, and even if the inevitable betrayal is...inevitable, the journey to get there is well done, and even manages to rope in some fun, unexpected characters along the way.
Takeshi Miyazawa's artwork fits the kinetic fight scenes really well too. There's a sequence in one issue that's set across a train, and you could lay six or seven pages end-to-end and get a complete panel, it's really clever. The colours are a little more muted than usual for Miyazawa's pencils, but that seems like a good choice given that most of the story takes place at night, and it's pretty dark subject matter at times too.
Cass is back for All-In, and I'm all-in too. Bring on the pain.
January 20, 2026
This was wonderful!
It's been a long time since I've read a DC comic that was this well written and compelling. There are quite a few fight scenes - it wouldn't be a comic with Lady Shiva if there weren't tons of fight scenes - but they don't take away from the emotional arc guiding the story. I really loved the art and it was the perfect style for Cassandra Cain. The scenes are clear and interesting to read and I thought the emotions were drawn very well, too.
I am a bit lost as to how Cass returned to being Batgirl. After dear old Alfie shuffled off this mortal coil, I took a really big step back from DC comics. I'm super glad she's back to being Batgirl. I hated her going by the name Orphan. This felt almost like a story that pretended none of the Orphan storyline existed. We got the good bits from that time (her relationship with Duke mainly) and she's back to being Batgirl, where she belongs.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this mother/daughter mission. The development of their interactions from Cass being extremely reluctant to help Shiva in any way to the end result was paced very well. I enjoyed the cast of characters we meet here (Bá Bao especially!) and I loved how Cass ended up seeing more of her mother's world. The angst and emotional weight of Cass wanting to love her mother while she was the very embodiment of the what Cass sees as the worst parts of herself was just an A plus source of parental angst. Sure, all the batkids have parental issues (even Damian - especially Damian), but they're all unique to each kid. I really liked the 90s Shiva v. Cass story and this was a very good sequel to that.
A very strong recommend from me which feels so strange to say. This and the Phillip Kennedy Johnson Batman & Robin series have been luring me back to DC.
It's been a long time since I've read a DC comic that was this well written and compelling. There are quite a few fight scenes - it wouldn't be a comic with Lady Shiva if there weren't tons of fight scenes - but they don't take away from the emotional arc guiding the story. I really loved the art and it was the perfect style for Cassandra Cain. The scenes are clear and interesting to read and I thought the emotions were drawn very well, too.
I am a bit lost as to how Cass returned to being Batgirl. After dear old Alfie shuffled off this mortal coil, I took a really big step back from DC comics. I'm super glad she's back to being Batgirl. I hated her going by the name Orphan. This felt almost like a story that pretended none of the Orphan storyline existed. We got the good bits from that time (her relationship with Duke mainly) and she's back to being Batgirl, where she belongs.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this mother/daughter mission. The development of their interactions from Cass being extremely reluctant to help Shiva in any way to the end result was paced very well. I enjoyed the cast of characters we meet here (Bá Bao especially!) and I loved how Cass ended up seeing more of her mother's world. The angst and emotional weight of Cass wanting to love her mother while she was the very embodiment of the what Cass sees as the worst parts of herself was just an A plus source of parental angst. Sure, all the batkids have parental issues (even Damian - especially Damian), but they're all unique to each kid. I really liked the 90s Shiva v. Cass story and this was a very good sequel to that.
A very strong recommend from me which feels so strange to say. This and the Phillip Kennedy Johnson Batman & Robin series have been luring me back to DC.
"I am Barbara’s will. Stephanie’s heart. Tim’s wit. Jason’s grit. Damian’s guts. Alfred’s care. Duke’s hope. I am Bruce’s pride. I am batgirl. I am all of that and so much more.”
November 7, 2025
I’m amazed at how much I enjoyed this story, despite knowing very little about any of the two main characters. Cassandra Cain may be a character I’m finding myself enjoying reading about more and more but I still don’t know a lot about her. And even less about Lady Shiva outside of what I learned when I played Arkham Origins years ago.
But this was a fast paced comic that felt like the characters were under threat and barely had time to focus and regroup. Yet when it needed a slow moment it didn’t feel forced in and the artist and writer did an excellent job at not always needing dialogue or narration boxes to help move the story along.
Knowing the next volume isn’t published until next year now is a little disappointing but if it lives up to this volume it should be worth the wait.
But this was a fast paced comic that felt like the characters were under threat and barely had time to focus and regroup. Yet when it needed a slow moment it didn’t feel forced in and the artist and writer did an excellent job at not always needing dialogue or narration boxes to help move the story along.
Knowing the next volume isn’t published until next year now is a little disappointing but if it lives up to this volume it should be worth the wait.
August 25, 2025
'Batgirl Vol. 1: Mother' - a most fitting subtitle to such a simple, short and straightforward Batgirl/Cassandra Cain comic.
The 2024 DC All In brand comic is about Cassandra very reluctantly and begrudgingly teaming up with her mother, Lady Shiva, the world's deadliest assassin, and all the complex and complicated feelings and experiences that go with that premise (while showing a truncated history).
That's all you need to know about 'Mother'.
Short as the series is, it is still nice to read a new Cassandra Cain comic. Herein lies action, drama, girl power, women power, tragedy (but not really, as it's a DC comic so you know it won't last and won't matter), and Cass as Batgirl not always being successful, but is continuously learning so much. She is a great character, and she is in character in 'Mother'.
The comic remembers to add plenty of human moments and elements to go with its action.
It carries a lot from other contemporary era DC comics. Cass's bestie Stephanie Brown, the other Batgirl, even sort of cameos! (Spoiler avoiding.)
'Batgirl Vol. 1: Mother' - mummy issues have never been stranger and grittier.
Go Cass!
Final Score: 3.5/5
The 2024 DC All In brand comic is about Cassandra very reluctantly and begrudgingly teaming up with her mother, Lady Shiva, the world's deadliest assassin, and all the complex and complicated feelings and experiences that go with that premise (while showing a truncated history).
That's all you need to know about 'Mother'.
Short as the series is, it is still nice to read a new Cassandra Cain comic. Herein lies action, drama, girl power, women power, tragedy (but not really, as it's a DC comic so you know it won't last and won't matter), and Cass as Batgirl not always being successful, but is continuously learning so much. She is a great character, and she is in character in 'Mother'.
The comic remembers to add plenty of human moments and elements to go with its action.
It carries a lot from other contemporary era DC comics. Cass's bestie Stephanie Brown, the other Batgirl, even sort of cameos! (Spoiler avoiding.)
'Batgirl Vol. 1: Mother' - mummy issues have never been stranger and grittier.
Go Cass!
Final Score: 3.5/5
July 12, 2025
"Because I am Cassandra Cain. Weapon. Orphan. Batgirl. Hero. And tonight, I am a daughter. Tonight, this is my mom..
Batgirl: Mother was my introduction to Cassandra Cain, and I am so glad I met her. Her character is so beloved to me: a girl trained to be a weapon, finally finding peace and a home after a myriad of pain. Kuddos to the artist and writer because the dialogue might've been my favorite part. It was easily readable—everything exact and precise—and the art just edible.
"Make me bleed all you want... it will still be your blood."
For some reason, I read all of Lady Shiva's dialogue in Bojack's mom's voice. I have not read Cassandra Cains origin yet, but what I learned from this comic is enough to know Cassandra has every right to be and feel the way she does. "You took all my soft, daughter."
Also Stephcass mention yumyum
Batgirl: Mother was my introduction to Cassandra Cain, and I am so glad I met her. Her character is so beloved to me: a girl trained to be a weapon, finally finding peace and a home after a myriad of pain. Kuddos to the artist and writer because the dialogue might've been my favorite part. It was easily readable—everything exact and precise—and the art just edible.
"Make me bleed all you want... it will still be your blood."
For some reason, I read all of Lady Shiva's dialogue in Bojack's mom's voice. I have not read Cassandra Cains origin yet, but what I learned from this comic is enough to know Cassandra has every right to be and feel the way she does. "You took all my soft, daughter."
Also Stephcass mention yumyum
November 2, 2025
Yay Cassandra Cain is back! And she's finally got her own solo run as Batgirl! After really enjoying her 2000s run, I was excited to see what direction Brombal was going to take her. Overall I think this was a great story at fleshing out her and Shiva. While the antagonists being a century old immortal ninja clan hasn't particularly grabbed me yet; the part of the story with Cassandra and Shiva was easily the best part. I love how much Brombal fleshes out Shiva, and her feelings towards Cassandra. Yes, this is a very complicated relationship between mother and daughter. However, it's nuanced, and Brombal made it incredibly compelling in my opinion. It's clear that he understands Cassandra, and wants new readers to see how compelling she is as a character.
The art in this book is also really good, and has some of the best fight chorography. This was a excellent start, and the final issue of this volume has me excited for where Brombal will take the story next.
The art in this book is also really good, and has some of the best fight chorography. This was a excellent start, and the final issue of this volume has me excited for where Brombal will take the story next.
September 6, 2025
This volume focuses solely on BatCass and her... troubled... relationship with her mother, Shiva. An ancient order of monks have returned and they're on the hunt for Cass, Shiva, and several other underworld figures. Tone-wise, this is more of a moody title. A lot of Cass's recent stories have been more focused on fun, while this has a lot of the angry parental issues of being raised and abused to be a living weapon, with some of those hints of her buried anger and mad dog vibes seen in her earlier Pluckett run (Batgirl ((2000)).
It helps if you're familiar with Cassandra's character, though there isn't much of her recent stories like Batgirls, Birds of Prey (2023), Spirit World, or Bat Family. There's some name drops and BatSteph gets a cameo sort of, but no outside knowledge is needed. I'd still recommend reading Kelley Pluckett's run... but that could be just be fangirling on my part. I mean, she's easily my favorite Batgirl, if not Batperson. Tell me you have a kickass, neurodivergent heroine with no interest in romance (she may be the longest running heroine not required to have a romance at this point, barring the non-canon DC Ink title) and I'll be there for it, Stanning away. I won't lie, I'll be disappointed when she isn't allowed to be chronic platonic anymore.
It helps if you're familiar with Cassandra's character, though there isn't much of her recent stories like Batgirls, Birds of Prey (2023), Spirit World, or Bat Family. There's some name drops and BatSteph gets a cameo sort of, but no outside knowledge is needed. I'd still recommend reading Kelley Pluckett's run... but that could be just be fangirling on my part. I mean, she's easily my favorite Batgirl, if not Batperson. Tell me you have a kickass, neurodivergent heroine with no interest in romance (she may be the longest running heroine not required to have a romance at this point, barring the non-canon DC Ink title) and I'll be there for it, Stanning away. I won't lie, I'll be disappointed when she isn't allowed to be chronic platonic anymore.
May 7, 2025
I love this so much! This is by far the best comic I have ever read. I love Cass and Shiva's relationship in this so much. The ending hit me in the feels.
September 17, 2025
went into this with absolutely zero expectations but I loved this! had me genuinely misty-eyed at times. sincerely great, can't wait to keep reading this series
October 18, 2025
4.5 , Got this because of the recent Birds of Prey run
Peak mommy issues. The dynamic is wonderful and instantly recognizable for a new reader to Cass Cain with little background knowledge. You can tell the writer really tried to show how Batgirl is her own individual distanced purposefully from her Mom yet she still has similarities to her. It's a nice writing touch showing how she was raised but also how she's tried to change.
This is a thriller from start to finish with Cassandra struggling to work with her Mom and vice versa from mystical monks. The art of Takeshi Miyazawa sells the action and cutthroat nature Cass and her Mom as well as the more reserved and hesitant softer moments as well. The two serve as a wonderful emotional core as well. Tate Brombal really sells you on how these two do not get along with Cassandra uneasy towards her Mom and her Mom struggling to really let down those Assassin walls and get to her child. Cassandra's internal monologues were a great addition. They're often curt and focused on picking apart details that mean something more. It's fitting to her character as a trained assassin who's never been a big talker and also helps keep the internal dialogue short and in with the thematic.
The ending is great as well. Too often so many comics end an arc each trade making storylines lack length and development but this feels like an ending of part one. The core issue still remains. It just had a major development by the end with Cassandra still hurting from her Mother but embracing her as her origin and wanting to help her with her running away to regroup to finally come back and save her Mom and defeat these mystical monks.
Peak mommy issues. The dynamic is wonderful and instantly recognizable for a new reader to Cass Cain with little background knowledge. You can tell the writer really tried to show how Batgirl is her own individual distanced purposefully from her Mom yet she still has similarities to her. It's a nice writing touch showing how she was raised but also how she's tried to change.
This is a thriller from start to finish with Cassandra struggling to work with her Mom and vice versa from mystical monks. The art of Takeshi Miyazawa sells the action and cutthroat nature Cass and her Mom as well as the more reserved and hesitant softer moments as well. The two serve as a wonderful emotional core as well. Tate Brombal really sells you on how these two do not get along with Cassandra uneasy towards her Mom and her Mom struggling to really let down those Assassin walls and get to her child. Cassandra's internal monologues were a great addition. They're often curt and focused on picking apart details that mean something more. It's fitting to her character as a trained assassin who's never been a big talker and also helps keep the internal dialogue short and in with the thematic.
The ending is great as well. Too often so many comics end an arc each trade making storylines lack length and development but this feels like an ending of part one. The core issue still remains. It just had a major development by the end with Cassandra still hurting from her Mother but embracing her as her origin and wanting to help her with her running away to regroup to finally come back and save her Mom and defeat these mystical monks.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 13, 2026
Having read many (if not most) books in the Batfamily line for years now, I've been aware of/known Cassandra Cain for sometime. I knew her basic backstory--daughter of Shiva, raised as an assassin/weapon by evil parental figures, saved by/"adopted" by Batman, etc.--and that she was really quiet, and a heck of hand-to-hand fighter, but essentially nothing else.
Given that she was almost always a supporting character whose job was to beat on someone without being the POV character, and also given that she hardly speaks, and modern comics now rarely indulge in putting the characters thoughts on the page as thoughts, she's a hard one to get to know. Despite the maxim "show don't tell," if a character barely speaks, and we can't access her thoughts her behavior, no matter how beautifully depicted, can't show us everything that's going on inside. Especially when said character is generally drawn with a full-face-covering cowl when in costume.
This volume then, is my first trip inside Cassandra Cain's head, as Brombal uses a spare rendition of Cassandra's supremely efficient reading of facial expressions, body language etc. along with the barest use of narrative thought boxes to show us her silent world. When left to imagine Cass's interior monologue, I'll bet most readers put more in than Brombal does here--I know I did. And so, if anything, having this version of her interior monologue in such a spare effective rendering makes her even more silent. I mean how often do we hear the cliche of the physically quiet but mentally/imaginatively super-lively and active character? And then of course Miyazawa's work, and the choice to have Cassandra spend the majority of the book outside her cowl also does a great job of rendering her emotions, her feelings, her reactions, etc. In all I feel like I know at least this creative team's version of Cassandra Cain in way that I've never known her before and it made for great comics.
The story here--Shiva turns up and with her comes a broad-natured new threat not only to her but to Cassandra herself and many others, also Mom turns out not to fit neatly into the "just-a-psycho-killer" mold Cassandra had for her--is a complex examination of what family means, and in particular the mother-daughter relationship. Done before? Sure. With these characters? Not that I've read, though that isn't important to me. What matters is that this take is specific enough to these creators' take on these characters to ring true in way generic less-detailed story-telling can't manage.
This a wonderful start to what looks to be a very strong book.
Given that she was almost always a supporting character whose job was to beat on someone without being the POV character, and also given that she hardly speaks, and modern comics now rarely indulge in putting the characters thoughts on the page as thoughts, she's a hard one to get to know. Despite the maxim "show don't tell," if a character barely speaks, and we can't access her thoughts her behavior, no matter how beautifully depicted, can't show us everything that's going on inside. Especially when said character is generally drawn with a full-face-covering cowl when in costume.
This volume then, is my first trip inside Cassandra Cain's head, as Brombal uses a spare rendition of Cassandra's supremely efficient reading of facial expressions, body language etc. along with the barest use of narrative thought boxes to show us her silent world. When left to imagine Cass's interior monologue, I'll bet most readers put more in than Brombal does here--I know I did. And so, if anything, having this version of her interior monologue in such a spare effective rendering makes her even more silent. I mean how often do we hear the cliche of the physically quiet but mentally/imaginatively super-lively and active character? And then of course Miyazawa's work, and the choice to have Cassandra spend the majority of the book outside her cowl also does a great job of rendering her emotions, her feelings, her reactions, etc. In all I feel like I know at least this creative team's version of Cassandra Cain in way that I've never known her before and it made for great comics.
The story here--Shiva turns up and with her comes a broad-natured new threat not only to her but to Cassandra herself and many others, also Mom turns out not to fit neatly into the "just-a-psycho-killer" mold Cassandra had for her--is a complex examination of what family means, and in particular the mother-daughter relationship. Done before? Sure. With these characters? Not that I've read, though that isn't important to me. What matters is that this take is specific enough to these creators' take on these characters to ring true in way generic less-detailed story-telling can't manage.
This a wonderful start to what looks to be a very strong book.
September 30, 2025
Disappointed!! This was the first time I had read a Cassandra Cain solo series and I had large hopes when I heard Lady Shiva featured in this first volume. However...
What really didn't work for me was Cass' narration, over the top of her numerous fight scenes. Who has time to go over their internal struggles while fighting, EVERY TIME. I got sick of it, and each issue was exactly the same: fight generic ninjas, tell us again about not killing and spout affirmations about who you are. It's as though every fight is about her being the adopted daughter of Batman (or, would end with a revelation close to that). If this were a Spider-man comics, it's akin to every issue Spider-man exclaiming 'I can't give up!' and getting out of the bind he's in. EVERY ISSUE. Boring!
I enjoyed Cass in James Tynion's Detective Comics, with that title's focus on the bat-family. There, Cass is a silent deadly-formidable fighter respected for that by the others. Here in this title, having access to her internal thoughts, in the way it is written, isn't a bonus that it could be. Where is a more deep and meaningful exploration of who a young girl like Cass is and wants to be? Instead we just get fighting and self-affirmation. I get that Cass is trained as a weapon, but there has to be more.
There is an ongoing conversation with Shiva as Cass' mother throughout the six issues, but I didn't care about it because the fighting/narration combo ticked me off so much. The drawing talents of Takeshi Miyazawa, who did great work on Marvel's girl-centric Spider-man Loves Mary-Jane and Ms titles (with great interiority in each if these books), is wasted on this book. It's a change-up for Miyazawa, and it's great to see him on a book again, but it's unfortunate I dislike this book so much.
I purchased the DC Finest collection of Cass' first solo title and I hope what I find there is better than this most recent outing. I can't give Brombal's and Miyazawa's Batgirl a high rating, more's the pity.
What really didn't work for me was Cass' narration, over the top of her numerous fight scenes. Who has time to go over their internal struggles while fighting, EVERY TIME. I got sick of it, and each issue was exactly the same: fight generic ninjas, tell us again about not killing and spout affirmations about who you are. It's as though every fight is about her being the adopted daughter of Batman (or, would end with a revelation close to that). If this were a Spider-man comics, it's akin to every issue Spider-man exclaiming 'I can't give up!' and getting out of the bind he's in. EVERY ISSUE. Boring!
I enjoyed Cass in James Tynion's Detective Comics, with that title's focus on the bat-family. There, Cass is a silent deadly-formidable fighter respected for that by the others. Here in this title, having access to her internal thoughts, in the way it is written, isn't a bonus that it could be. Where is a more deep and meaningful exploration of who a young girl like Cass is and wants to be? Instead we just get fighting and self-affirmation. I get that Cass is trained as a weapon, but there has to be more.
There is an ongoing conversation with Shiva as Cass' mother throughout the six issues, but I didn't care about it because the fighting/narration combo ticked me off so much. The drawing talents of Takeshi Miyazawa, who did great work on Marvel's girl-centric Spider-man Loves Mary-Jane and Ms titles (with great interiority in each if these books), is wasted on this book. It's a change-up for Miyazawa, and it's great to see him on a book again, but it's unfortunate I dislike this book so much.
I purchased the DC Finest collection of Cass' first solo title and I hope what I find there is better than this most recent outing. I can't give Brombal's and Miyazawa's Batgirl a high rating, more's the pity.
January 16, 2026
4.5/5
There were a few moments of cringey dialogue that really threatened to take me out of it, but the heart of the arc and some genuinely breathtaking moments kept me pulled in. I've not seen much of Cassandra Cain before, but I've always been curious about her character ever since I saw the incredible costume, and I didn't feel like I was lost with this. I picked up on her nuances and traits pretty quickly, and found myself a lot more invested in the relationship between Cass and Shiva than I was expecting to be. It hit notes that resonated with me, and by the end I was honestly quite sad to be done.
The art is amazing, and reminds me of the dynamic, striking art that came from Batwoman's run from Elegy into the earliest volumes of the N52. Batgirl herself jumps out of every frame, highlighted in a glow and detail that makes her pop every time she appears. There's a sequence on a train that had me grinning from ear to ear as I pored over every detail in it, it was that good.
Had all of the dialogue and the setup been on the level of the emotional core and the artwork I would be nailing a 5 onto this, but I think 4.5 is fair, and I'm excited to read more.
There were a few moments of cringey dialogue that really threatened to take me out of it, but the heart of the arc and some genuinely breathtaking moments kept me pulled in. I've not seen much of Cassandra Cain before, but I've always been curious about her character ever since I saw the incredible costume, and I didn't feel like I was lost with this. I picked up on her nuances and traits pretty quickly, and found myself a lot more invested in the relationship between Cass and Shiva than I was expecting to be. It hit notes that resonated with me, and by the end I was honestly quite sad to be done.
The art is amazing, and reminds me of the dynamic, striking art that came from Batwoman's run from Elegy into the earliest volumes of the N52. Batgirl herself jumps out of every frame, highlighted in a glow and detail that makes her pop every time she appears. There's a sequence on a train that had me grinning from ear to ear as I pored over every detail in it, it was that good.
Had all of the dialogue and the setup been on the level of the emotional core and the artwork I would be nailing a 5 onto this, but I think 4.5 is fair, and I'm excited to read more.
September 11, 2025
3.5 stars
I really enjoyed Cassandra Cain’s subplots in Tynion’s late 2010s detective comics run, so the premise of a Cain solo series (plus David Talaski’s appealing cover art) drew me into reading this. And it’s pretty solid! The al Ghul-y Batman comic plots usually aren’t my favorite, and this is certainly in that vein, but Brombal really uses that as a jump off point to tell a story about a daughter’s strained relationship with a dysfunctional mother. Amid a lot of martial arts beat downs, Cassandra fights a tougher battle navigating her identity torn between who she wants to be with her new found family versus the pull of who her birth family expects her to be.
“Peace only serves those who prosper from it, and my people have been denied the sun for far too long.”
“I want to trust you. To choose you. But every single time…there is pain.”
I really enjoyed Cassandra Cain’s subplots in Tynion’s late 2010s detective comics run, so the premise of a Cain solo series (plus David Talaski’s appealing cover art) drew me into reading this. And it’s pretty solid! The al Ghul-y Batman comic plots usually aren’t my favorite, and this is certainly in that vein, but Brombal really uses that as a jump off point to tell a story about a daughter’s strained relationship with a dysfunctional mother. Amid a lot of martial arts beat downs, Cassandra fights a tougher battle navigating her identity torn between who she wants to be with her new found family versus the pull of who her birth family expects her to be.
“Peace only serves those who prosper from it, and my people have been denied the sun for far too long.”
“I want to trust you. To choose you. But every single time…there is pain.”
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September 27, 2025It's hard to rate this because I did enjoy it, but mostly I can't stop thinking about the things it could have done slightly differently to REALLY have been a stellar story. Overall, it needed more time to breath. More time to move from one fight set up to the next, to establish our cast beyond Cass and Shiva, to establish our antagonists' morals. It needed to not throw around death quite so easily so that the deaths of side characters had more emotional weight (or at least, let us see Cass express that emotional weight) and establish the morals and values of our antagonists more clearly.
It had some amazing pages and panels though
I'm glad this series is popular enough that it seems it'll be sticking around for awhile, because that's the exact thing it needs to become great
It had some amazing pages and panels though
I'm glad this series is popular enough that it seems it'll be sticking around for awhile, because that's the exact thing it needs to become great
May 30, 2025
I love the character of Cassandra Cain, but good stories about her are rare. This one almost manages it at times: The author seems to truly love her, and it looks at her relationship with Lady Shiva with some depth. But too much of it feels like disposable comic book stuff with a mandate to fill shelves and leave the status quo unthreatened. There's lots of fighting, arguing, powerful new characters who won't matter, and revelations about the past. It's also clear that a few of these characters are important and protected by Plot Armor, while the rest are there to be tragic sacrifices or demonstrations of the stakes.
September 29, 2025
Batgirl Vol. 1: Mother delivers a kinetic, emotionally layered take on Cassandra Cain’s story. Tate Brombal leans into Cass’s unique perspective as a fighter shaped by violence yet striving for her own identity, while the presence of Lady Shiva forces a raw and intimate exploration of mother-daughter ties tangled in blood, betrayal, and survival. Takeshi Miyazawa’s art balances sharp, fluid action sequences with expressive character work, making every fight feel both brutal and personal. Equal parts martial arts spectacle and family drama, this volume is a must for fans who want a Batgirl story with heart, grit, and real emotional stakes.
December 5, 2025
I absolutely adore Cassandra Cain (she's easily in my top five DC characters) and I also love Lady Shiva, and I LOVE a good, angsty mother-daughter dynamic, especially one as...murderously charged...as Cass and Shiva's. It really digs into the heart of who Cassandra Cain is as a character, and her desire to separate herself from Shiva and mold herself into the woman she wants to be. Loved the staccato writing and how it plays with Cass's struggles talking/expressing her feelings, as well as her body language knowledge. It's hard to put into words how much this one resonated with me, especially since I have my own complicated relationship with my mother.
May 10, 2025
Read this as individual issues, inspired by my brother's review of #7. It's been a while, last I knew of this character she wasn't speaking. The story is ostensibly about mother-daughter relationships, but is really just a load of battles between different ninja clans: the Unburied, the Blood, the League of Assassins (seems Talia al Ghul has a sister now), Old Uncle Tom Cobley, well, you get the idea. All a bit uninspired and probably intended for True Believers.
July 18, 2025
Will this be the year that Batgirl finally uses her words?
We've seen similar themes thrown at us with Cheshire(assassin mother)/Cheshire Cat (Arsenal's daughter). A lot of this is going to feel reallllly familiar. This series does manage to rejigger the Batman rogues gallery and bring some Demon's head family back to life. Freshen up the supporting cast, I guess?
Maybe, twenty years after her resurrection, she can put the 'mommy issues' aside.
We've seen similar themes thrown at us with Cheshire(assassin mother)/Cheshire Cat (Arsenal's daughter). A lot of this is going to feel reallllly familiar. This series does manage to rejigger the Batman rogues gallery and bring some Demon's head family back to life. Freshen up the supporting cast, I guess?
Maybe, twenty years after her resurrection, she can put the 'mommy issues' aside.
August 22, 2025
La nada misma. Vayan a leer la serie de Kelley Puckett. Puro diálogo repetitivo tratando de parecer profundo pero que repite lo mismo una y otra y otra vez. Ya entendimos que Cassandra no quiere seguir a la madre y que la madre igual quiere que la siga, no necesito siete mil millones de globos de diálogo repitiendo eso todo el bendito tiempo. Y en el medio machaca, con secuencias muy flojas de Miyazawa. No es el tipo de historia para que se luzca. Una pena.
May 8, 2025
that first issue was so good. everything since then has been a big let down.
lady Shiva is being hunted by blue flower users/unburied. inspired by batman begins .
Shiva lies to Cassandra about their motivations the truth comes out abd people die. innocents and not alike.
the images of Cassandra unmasked are so beautiful. and the few full pages of Batgirl with a del luca effect are great.
lady Shiva is being hunted by blue flower users/unburied. inspired by batman begins .
Shiva lies to Cassandra about their motivations the truth comes out abd people die. innocents and not alike.
the images of Cassandra unmasked are so beautiful. and the few full pages of Batgirl with a del luca effect are great.
July 11, 2025
My review for this will be shorter than most as this book can be summed up very simply; it's a perfectly solid story, it simply isn't really about Batgirl.
Rather, it's Batgirl's mother - Lady Shiva - whose story takes primary focus, which Batgirl seems like little more than the reader's vantage point into Lady Shiva's world.
Given it's the start of a relatively "B-tier" ongoing, the art is passable but unremarkable. There's nothing that should dissuade you from reading it, as long as you're comfortable with reading a story that isn't particularly about its titular character.
Rather, it's Batgirl's mother - Lady Shiva - whose story takes primary focus, which Batgirl seems like little more than the reader's vantage point into Lady Shiva's world.
Given it's the start of a relatively "B-tier" ongoing, the art is passable but unremarkable. There's nothing that should dissuade you from reading it, as long as you're comfortable with reading a story that isn't particularly about its titular character.
August 8, 2025
up to #10 (somehow im up-to-date lol)
i felt like this was such a strong start into understanding cass' connection to family and the way she perceives herself as an orphan despite having a mother. she choose who she gives her love to, and hopes they give back that love in return. i felt like it did depend a lot on lady shiva, which is to be expected but in batgirl 2000 lady shiva was not characterised the same. (which is a good thing because we now truly understand her motives and the way she is BECAUSE it is the way she was)
i felt like this was such a strong start into understanding cass' connection to family and the way she perceives herself as an orphan despite having a mother. she choose who she gives her love to, and hopes they give back that love in return. i felt like it did depend a lot on lady shiva, which is to be expected but in batgirl 2000 lady shiva was not characterised the same. (which is a good thing because we now truly understand her motives and the way she is BECAUSE it is the way she was)
November 12, 2025
very nice to see Cass in a solo spotlight after all this time. Good amount of building on existing lore, while jumping into a fresh story that surprisingly stands completely separate from the typical Gotham/Bat-Family stuff. Definitely continuing this run.
January 13, 2026
Decisamente positiva
Cassandra Cain è un personaggio profondo e ben costruito
I villain principali sono stati presentati un po banalmente all'inizio ma con la storia hanno ripreso abbastanza bene
Applausi per Lady Shiva, la femme fatale più cazzuta del mondo
Cassandra Cain è un personaggio profondo e ben costruito
I villain principali sono stati presentati un po banalmente all'inizio ma con la storia hanno ripreso abbastanza bene
Applausi per Lady Shiva, la femme fatale più cazzuta del mondo
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