Barbara Gordon: Breakout (2026-) #2

by Mariko Tamaki, Amancay Nahuelpan (Artist)

Barbara Gordon is alone, imprisoned, and outnumbered by the very criminals she put away. Without her team, she’s going to have to fight to survive on her own. Someone at Supermax has her in their crosshairs. Barbara is being hunted, but she’s about to learn that in prison, there’s nowhere to hide… Eisner Award-winning writer Mariko Tamaki and artist Amancay Nahuelpan continue to put Barbara through her paces as DC’s most surprising Next Level series continues!

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Batman, Graphic Novels Comics, Crime

Kindle Edition

Published June 10, 2026

About the author

Mariko Tamaki is a Toronto writer, playwright, activist and performer. She works and performs with fat activists Pretty Porky and Pissed Off and the theatre troupe TOA, whose recent play, A vs. B, was staged at the 2004 Rhubarb Festival at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. Her well-received novel, Cover Me (McGilligan Books) was followed by a short fiction collection, True Lies: The Book of Bad Advice (Women's Press). Mariko's third book, FAKE ID, is due out in spring 2005.

Mariko Tamaki has performed her work across Canada and through the States, recently appearing at the Calgary Folkfest 2004, Vancouver Writer's Festival 2003, Spatial III, and the Perpetual Motion/Girls Bite Back Tour, which circled though Ottawa, Montreal, Brooklyn and Chicago. She has appeared widely on radio and television including First Person Singular on CBC radio and Imprint on TVO. Mariko Tamaki is currently attending York University working a master's degree in women's studies.

[MacMIllan Books]

Reviews

[Whatslifeanyways · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is really fun and the artwork went crazy in this issue! I am not familiar with this “reaper/death” character we witness in here but they’re very mysterious and interesting! Cant wait for the next one
Next level has some top tier mini series im loving the most of them. Nice to see nightwing and gordon having a good relationship moment.

[Dean · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing happened here.
Barbara ends in the same place she started. Im not really into this series now.
It has been disappointing overall. A great idea to give Barbara some limelight again.

[Cristhian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Red Herring much

[rafaela (taylor's version) · Rating 1 out of 5]

0, 5

[Cybernex007 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this position they have put the reader in, we are just as thrown off and confused as Barbara is. I have no clue in hell who she can trust right alongside her, and I love it! We have word from Jim on the outside that he has sent someone in to help her, but we have no idea who, and it seems like the character known as “sparrow” who is Barbara’s bunk mate and nurse after being blown up by a mysterious assailant last issue is only helping her to keep Barbara drugged while working for Die the entire time. And Barbara because of this Barbara isn’t a step closer to figuring out who is behind the killings within the prison. I also have to express how much I love the art and color work, there is a lot of slurred surreal moments in this issue as Barbara is drugged and it really ties everything together. Quick read, but I can’t wait for more.

[Misse Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

damn Barb!

At the end of this issue I'm thinking there's no one she can trust. But that's how making enemies generally works, especially when you decline help from your friends and your dad who's heavily connected.

She's in the infirmary and I don't know why she'd trust a nurse when she just beat the shit out of one of the gang crew's members. She's doped up, half hallucinating, half present. It's a true shit show.

Jim Gordon is doing what any dad would do and it may be the break she needs...depending. The reality is she's badly injured and the cards are stacked against up. The appearance of the Joker only makes matters worse. I hope we can see some action and forward movement in this next issue. I'm a believer.

[Juli ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here is where this become slightly more interesting!

Barbara Gordon Breakout #2 picks up immediately one day after the events of the previous issue; Barbara is at the Supermax hospital following an assassination attempt in her cell... Are Vandal's men making their move prematurely, or is someone or something else lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike again?

If I have to give this series credit for one thing, it’s the very fluid writing. It definitely makes the pages fly by, however... Even though this issue improves upon the previous one in some aspects , it still feels like nothing is happening.

[Craig Schorling · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is good but a lot happens in this issue and the pacing was really brisk. We move from plot point to plot point without much time to flesh the ideas out. It dampens the suspense a bit. The mystery is good and there are several questions that need to be answered still.

[Xaanua · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barbara Gordon Breakout 2: Me está gustando esta estancia de pesadilla de Bárbara en la prisión. Va a tener que agudizar sus sentidos para percatarse de que las visiones y pesadillas le están siendo provocadas. Y me gusta que Dick y Gordon estén preocupados, y la ayuden

[Ally · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know the series just started but its starting to feel… a little pointless. Barbara is in prison to stop the deaths happening because she feels responsible, she has an ally that i guess is the one killing the inmates, okay.

[Jordie Novack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nightwing appearances make everything better

[Lizzy DeMarco · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many questions...who is Sparrow? Who did Dad send? Does Babs know she's being drugged....so good!

[Lilith · Rating 3 out of 5]

im confused but nightwing looked great

[Abbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting as usual, can't wait to see whatt Tamaki is cooking up. We're still firmly in the set up part.

[Ricardo Carbajal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This premise is so interesting, this really fleshes out the world of this new Batman run. I hope we get some more of Cass down the line too

[Taylor Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5⭐️

Bro Barbara better not be drugged up next issue. I want to see her kick ass 😫

[Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loving the twists and turns in this, the story is chugging along but its keeping enough away from the reader to wonder what the hell is going on, love the famous call backs too.

[Hollie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The plot thickens and the characters are interesting.

[alejandro galvez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good

I like that it has horror elements in it like the Nightwing book. Art is phenomenal. Looking up to be a great series.

[Mat · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 for story, 5 for art

[Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little bit confusing...

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another 7/10. Really wish Goodreads would let us do half stars. Anyway, more neat stuff. Barbara's really going through it. And mysterious, probably untrustworthy stranger...

[Annemarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoying this series so far. Very excited to read more. Barbara is still my favourite comic character ♥️

[RubiGiráldez RubiGiráldez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lo que me gusta a mí el horror fuel en una historia carcelaria (buenos recuerdos del Arkham Asylum Living Hell).

[mister wurlwide · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slightly disappointed felt like nothing moved forward really

[saint⋆ ˚｡୨ৎ⋆ ˚｡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Javen Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why would BG trust some stranger giving her pain meds in prison when she's there to investigate murders?

[josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[reni · Rating 2 out of 5]

nightwing cameo🤤🤤