Batgirl: A Celebration of 50 Years

DC Anniversary Celebrations

by Gardner Francis Fox, Ed Benes (Penciller), Carmine Infantino (Artist)

Fifty years ago, Batgirl made her Million Dollar Debut taking down the nefarious Killer Moth. And ever since, the butt-kicking hero has been a vital part of Batman's team and a role model for girls everywhere, squaring off against mobsters, assassins, super-villains and more.
Though many young women have worn the cowl--from unassuming librarian Barbara Gordon to deadly mute assassin Cassandra Cain to teen vigilante Stephanie Brown--all have made their distinct mark on the DC Universe.
Now BATGIRL: A CELEBRATION OF 50 YEARS collects all the greatest triumphs and most tragic moments of the many Batgirls in one volume, offering a crash course in the character, from Babs' first appearance by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino to her modern-day adventures by Cameron Stewart, Brenden Fletcher, Babs Tarr, Gail Simone and more.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels Comics, Batman, Comic Book, Superheroes

384 pages, Hardcover

First published February 21, 2017

About the author

Gardner Francis Cooper Fox was an American writer known best for creating numerous comic book characters for DC Comics. Comic book historians estimate that he wrote more than 4,000 comics stories, including 1,500 for DC Comics.
Fox is known as the co-creator of DC Comics heroes the Flash, Hawkman, Doctor Fate and the original Sandman, and was the writer who first teamed those and other heroes as the Justice Society of America. Fox introduced the concept of the Multiverse to DC Comics in the 1961 story "Flash of Two Worlds!"

Pseudonyms: Gardner F. Fox, Jefferson Cooper, Bart Sommers, Paul Dean, Ray Gardner, Lynna Cooper, Rod Gray, Larry Dean, Robert Starr, Don Blake, Ed Blake, Warner Blake, Michael Blake, Tex Blane, Willis Blane, Ed Carlisle, Edgar Weston, Tex Slade, Eddie Duane, Simon Majors, James Kendricks, Troy Conway, Kevin Matthews, Glen Chase

Reviews

[Artemis Crescent · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Batgirl: A Celebration of 50 Years'.

So glad I finally got my hands on this! A collection of stories featuring the "best" of my favourite superheroine dating back to her debut in the early sixties all the way to her modern incarnation.

My initial thoughts on finishing this big, colourful tome are: Oh, Batgirl really does get a great number of help from men, doesn't she? Even nowadays there are a lot of men at the center of her world. And sexism is harder to combat than costumed adult criminals. But I still enjoyed most of the issues, ranging from kickass to weird and confusing. Barbara Gordon continues to be a nuanced, three-dimensional, strong and dedicated character, who has been through so much and yet never stops fighting for what's right, even when she gives up the cape and cowl of Batgirl.

Another noteworthy thought is: Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown are pretty cool, too.

I'll do mini-reviews of each of the 17 issues included in this collection, starting with:



'"Bat-Girl!" BATMAN #139 (1961)' - The first "Batgirl" was Betty Kane, the blonde niece of Batwoman, who at the time was just another of Batman's love interests, Kathy Kane. It's fun and goofy, as you'd expect from sixties superhero comics. I like that Betty was inspired by her aunt to fight crime, and she is smart, not just a pretty, young, naive student. She really does help Batman, Robin and Batwoman save the day.

'"The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl!" DETECTIVE COMICS #359 (1967)' - The first appearance of Barbara Gordon. She's a mousy librarian (I keep forgetting that detail about her, so cool!), who wants to fight crime like her father Commissioner Gordon's friend, Batman. Though she causes more harm than good, and has to be saved a lot. It's funny when Robin remarks that she makes bad puns, then three pages later he says, "It'll be a pleasure, I "moth" say!". It's as good as you could expect from a character who was originally introduced just to dispel accusations of homoerotic tension between Batman and Robin. Yep, never mind pedophilia; in the sixties, "no homo" took precedence over everything else. I cringe at Batgirl's old nicknames, "Dominoed Daredoll" and "Bat-Beauty".

'"Batgirl - Year One Part 4: Cave Dwellers" BATGIRL: YEAR ONE #4 (2003)' - Already reviewed this comic, moving on.

'"Batgirl's Costume Cut-Ups" DETECTIVE COMICS #371 (1967)' - This is just insulting, even for sexism in the sixties. It's not necessarily Batgirl being too feminine and vain to fight crime properly that's the problem, but that everything that happens here is hardly her fault or has anything to do with worrying about her appearance. Oh her mask got eschewed; maybe she is putting it right again to protect her identity! And her scream at seeing Batman and Robin nearly getting killed from behind by a crook - they should thank her for the warning and distraction! She saved their lives! In the end she proves her worth as a woman by deliberately ruining her tights and flashing her legs at some generic baddies to distract them so that Batman and Robin can better kick their butts. At least she got a punch in at the end too. Femininity has its strong points, yes, but not for the pleasures of men. How misguided of you, sixties.

'"The Unmasking of Batgirl"/"Candidate for Danger"/"Batgirl's Last Case" DETECTIVE COMICS #422-424 (1972)' - Barbara runs for congress in her father's place, when she doesn't think she is effective at stopping crime as Batgirl when she is foolishly betrayed by some guy. Her intelligence and detective skills are showcased quite a bit here, however. A little commentary on elections and politics. However once again Batgirl is outshone by men, even those we don't care about, and the ending is way too rushed for both the story and for any political climate subtext to be effective. Oh and Babs' dad knows she's Batgirl in this continuity.

'"Startling Secret of the Devilish Daughters" BATMAN FAMILY #9 (1977)' - Barbara is a congresswoman in a politician-hating world (nothing is really highlighted on her being a female politician as a reason for the backlash against her). A woman is running around pretending to be daughters of Batman's various rogues gallery - cool! But, wouldn't you know it, Batgirl herself is rather useless - she keeps letting bad guys get away in these stories - and a man, Robin, is given more of an arc and more to do. This comic talks about gender equality "these days" too, by the way. Oh and there's something about a stolen plaque that Batgirl easily recovers. Who cares?

'"He with Secrets Fears the Sound"/"When Velvet Paws Caress the Ground" DETECTIVE COMICS #518-519 (1982)' - This is much better. Batgirl gets to be as badass as Batman, while still being her own unique self. She's smart and crafty, I love it. It was written by a woman, too - awesome. But Batgirl's habit of letting the baddie get away from her easily is still prevalent. The ending is unclear and resolves nothing overall. Also what kind of name is Velvet Paws for a villain? Why do the ladies always get the short end of the stick when it comes to a rogues gallery? The expressive artwork is great, as well.

'"The Last Batgirl Story" BATGIRL SPECIAL #1 (1988)' - Like a proto-'Killing Joke' story arc for Barbara. This is her overcoming her fears and appreciating what she has in life without an identity as a caped crusader out on deadly escapades. There is a female friendship with a woman named Marcy (whoever she is). But I feel the story could have been explored a lot deeper and reached further in its potential. There is a female serial killer called Slash who is targeting men exonerated for violent crimes against women. There is something here to really highlight the treatment of women in society, perhaps become one of the earliest stories in the eighties to recognize rape culture, if unintentionally. This is especially amazing to see in a comic aimed at a male audience. But Barbara the superheroine is only concerned with the killing-is-not-justice side of the argument. Even when she is a victim of a man's violent threats, she has no sympathy for Slash the rapist killer whatsoever. I don't think the writer has any sympathy for her, either. We never even find out her true identity. But there features an abused wife enacting her revenge in the sidelines. The pacing is rushed and Batgirl gives up a little too easily in the middle of the comic. "The Last Batgirl Story" has a lot of hits when it comes to female empowerment, like female friendships, but also a lot of misses in that regard. Similar to the previous issues, Batgirl is shown fighting her own battles without any help from Batman and Robin. She even reflects how there are so many superheroes around now that she can afford to retire and return to her normal life. Hints of future Batgirls for Babs to take under her wing are on the last panel.

'"Oracle - Year One: Born of Hope" BATMAN CHRONICLES #5 (1996)' - An end of an era, and a new one begins. This issue is about how Barbara becomes Oracle, after the tragic event of her spinal cord being shot out by the Joker in 'The Killing Joke'. It effectively invites you into the mind of this traumatized woman, and her coping with a life of never walking again. The artwork is dark, sharp, muddled and creepy, reflecting Barbara's psyche beautifully. Admittedly Batman still helps her out constantly (I like when she shuts him down over him laughing with the Joker over some private joke; she asks, "Tell me -- was it me?"), men continue to dictate her life, and the villain is a woman. Nothing is mentioned about the implied sexual assault by the Joker in Alan Moore's so-called "magnum opus" either. The message of hope in the end is nice, however, and the story is quotable to boot.

'"On Wings" BIRDS OF PREY #8 (1999)' - A sweet Barbara Gordon and Dick Grayson story. I don't even mind the "Babs' life is made easier by men" in this one, because she and Dick have great chemistry. It reminds me of their Gotham landscape dance together in Batgirl's New 52 reboot. Nightwing is incredibly hot, the sneaky so-and-so. The art is fantastic, and there are touching little details everywhere. "On Wings" is like reuniting with family and revisiting family photos after so many years. It's melancholic and bittersweet, but lovely all the same.

'"Assembly" LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #120 (1999)' - An introduction to Cassandra Cain joining the Bat family. Nothing special, just the beginning to a much bigger 'Batman' story after a previous one, 'No Man's Land'. Nothing is made clear to comic newcomers, but Barbara as Oracle is given her due as an important contribution to Batman and his team. Again, great artwork. But who the hell is Azrael? Why is this colourful out-of-place nobody a member of the Bat family?

'"(No Title)" BATGIRL #8 (2000)' - Awesome. That is all. Okay, I will mention that Cassandra is an unrelenting badass, and so is her rival, Shiva. This apparently nameless story is about their 'Mortal Kombat'-type, Mano A Mano fight, and pitting their values and wit against each other. Who will win in the end? Cassandra's strength as a character is put to the test - it's just her and Shiva, nobody else. It's so gratifying to see an Asian-American heroine be spotlighted like this.

'"Soul" BATGIRL #45 (2003)' - Another awesome Cassandra Cain story. We see her interacting with Barbara, and in her own way questioning her mentor on what it means to be Batgirl. We even see Cassie interact with Alfred. The lost girl develops an inferiority complex and starts wearing Babs' old Batgirl costume to fight crime. I love that the story shows how impractical high heels are in a superhero getup. Robin, as seems to be the tradition, can't help pointing out how hot Batgirl is, even during a fiery riot in a city. Neither the time nor the place, Boy Wonder! "Soul" is also a kind of drug PSA. Barbara as a mentor and big sister to a new Batgirl is always wonderful to see. Excellent.

'"Batgirl Rising: Field Test" BATGIRL #4 (2009)' - Now we see Stephanie Brown take the mantle, and Babs mentoring her as she fights crime. Steph is a great girl with lots of energy, quips and bad puns for a college student, and the story shows her inspiring young girls as Batgirl. I am introduced to Wendy "Proxy" Harris, and Batgirl goes up against the 'Superman' villain Livewire, winning too easily, I might add. Includes a sweet mother-daughter relationship to go with everything else.

'"Trust" BATGIRL #13 (2010)' - Yet another entertaining Batgirl issue. It's Stephanie Brown vs Clayface as he robs a bank. There's an annoying romance going on with a secretly-tortured cop (why do all these generic male love interests keep popping up in Batgirl's stories?). Proxy fills in for Oracle as Batgirl's inside-girl. On finally reading about Stephanie, I can't understand why DC would callously erase her from existence in their reboots (until much later after some backlash), and of course she'll become a victim of torture and sexual assault later on. She's a good character, but as I've said, ingrained sexism and misogyny are harder to overcome than any in-universe superhero struggles. Get your act together, DC.

'"A Fire in the Heavens" BATGIRL #0 (2012)' - Barbara Gordon's Batgirl origin is rebooted. Now instead of her attending a masquerade party, she's a student being interviewed for a job in her father's Gotham police station - all a ruse so she can eagerly find out more about the mysterious Batman. Character details about her life as a police commissioner's child in the most crime-infested city in America are added in and explored. Lots of foreshadowing (including her younger brother's very strange behaviour), and I absolutely love the artwork. Unfortunately the reboot still has Babs' life revolve solely around the men in her life, and her only being able to defend herself when men help her out before and after her change into Batgirl. (In her first outing as Batgirl she steals the replicated Batman costume from the police headquarters.) Still, it is Gail Simone, and the stakes are high and intense throughout. The last panel of this prequel says it all. It is a shame that her time as Oracle barely if at all gets an honorable mention.

'"Burned" BATGIRL #35 (2014)' - =sigh= It is also a shame that this celebration collection of Batgirl's best times ends on this. The first issue of Cameron Stewart's run where Babs moves to hipster Gotham city and gets a hangover, fights with Black Canary, is obsessed with her phone, doesn't backup her computer thesis, gets a dating app profile, goes to a rave and fights a villain who literally speaks in hashtags. The lameness and pandering do not end there and only get worse, sadly. Not an impressive end to a highly interesting and emotional journey. But no Batman or Robin, or intruding male love interests (yet), and at least there is the start of beautiful female friendships.



Final Score: 3.5/5


P.S. Because this is topical and I love to date my own work, I'll say what I think of the news of Joss Whedon writing and directing an upcoming 'Batgirl' movie. First: Holy shit a 'Batgirl' film is happening in my lifetime! Second: Why oh why wasn't a woman chosen for the job? Was one even considered at all? Third: I am of the camp that thinks that Joss Whedon is overrated, or at least isn't as feminist as he is so widely thought of in popular culture. I think, like all straight white cisgender men, he seriously needs to check his own privilege and support women a lot more - behind the scenes as well as onscreen. Self-awareness is key. He definitely tries, but he also stubbornly refuses to admit to and learn from his mistakes; another typical trait of privileged men. Forth: When a common shrug and slide of this news is, "Well, at least he isn't Zack Snyder", it isn't a comfort. And Fifth: Leading to my concern of the line of botched films that DC has released in 2016. It is a reason, a defining factor, for why I am reserving no expectations for the 'Wonder Woman' movie (despite having a female director at the helm and that it is about damn time), or the 'Justice League' movie. Oh well, anything is possible, DC and Whedon can learn from criticism and redeem themselves yet, and the future can be bright.

EDIT: Upon hearing the news about Kai Cole's email, I really, really don't know if I want to go see the superheroine movie of my dreams anymore, for what I have, in a way, suspected for years has been confirmed: that Joss Whedon is scum. I'm torn about giving my money to yet another man who uses his power and privilege to abuse and manipulate others, especially women. And I know it would be too much to ask to have someone else write and direct the 'Batgirl' film, preferably a woman. As always, only time will tell what's going to happen.

On the bright side, I enjoyed the 'Wonder Woman' movie.

EDIT 2: So Whedon has left the project, and there just might be a woman to write the 'Batgirl' movie now. I've learned never to get my hopes up for these sorts of things. This will be the last time I update on this subject. In the #metoo revolution, Hollywood needs to get its shit together and fast.

[L. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Showing my age here but my only real exposure to Batgirl was from the 1960's TV show. (Not gonna talk about Alicia Silverstone. Not gonna.) This book (not so much a compilation as a sampling) gave me a general rundown on the character's history, which I appreciate. I didn't know she started off as the niece of Batwoman (another comics character I have no real knowledge of), nor that several women have played the 'dominoed daredoll' (their words, not mine).

The book is an interesting look at the changes Batgirl and comics went through as the years went by. In the beginning she battled criminals who simply wanted money. As the times got darker, the crimes got darker as rape and drug abuse are touched upon, until finally we have cybercrimes. The artwork also changes. Some of it I was okay with, some of it I wasn't a fan of. The book mainly sticks with Barbara Gordon, who has had a myriad of jobs over the years from broke college student to congresswoman in go-go boots. You do get a taste of the other Batgirls. One or two I may have grown to like if I had had more time with them. And there were a couple of them who didn't even bother to bring along a personality in their utility belt.

In the end, though, I'm only giving this 2 - 2 1/2 stars because for the most part I felt like the writers, once they had created Batgirl, didn't really know what to do with her. She seemed to have a big chip on her shoulder no matter who was portraying her. The chapters/issues I did enjoy were the ones that had Batgirl straight up fighting crime and not angsting all over the place.

[Aidan · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some wonderful Batgirl stories in this anthology, including some dark tales of PTSD from the 1970s and an excellent example of Gail Simone's take on Barbara. The 1960s comics are entertaining for historical reasons (distracting a criminal with a run in her stockings? Really?) but haven't aged particularly well.

[M.L.D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great sampling of Batgirl comics over the years...I really need to dig out my Cassandra Cain floppies. She was great.

[Haley The Caffeinated Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute anthology. It wasn’t just Barbara, it included her predecessor Bat-Girl (Kane’a niece) and it included Cass and Steph! A solid collection and I was happy to see so many different aspects of Batgirl. If you’re a fan of her or want to start somewhere, this is a good book to go for! Again just a collection of various Batgirl and Oracle stories, so it goes all over the timeline(s).

[Tyler Zamora · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great collection of Batgirl comics. I really enjoyed basically everything in this book. From her first appearance to the New 52. The only comic I had to roll my eyes at was the one where she distracts the villains with a run in her tights. But what would a good anniversary collection be without the one or two absolutely ludicrous storylines. They’re campy and fun. On a serious note I think this collection really gets to the heart of who Batgirl is. The issue where Nightwing takes Oracle on the flying trapeze is touching and shows a lot of the character’s amazing spirit which has allowed her to endure through everything, including a bullet to the spine. I also like how most of her storylines (excluding some of the earlier years) have captured her in a very intelligent and persistent manner. Babs is celebrating 50 years and here’s to 50 more + infinity!

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Batgirl: A Celebration of 50 Years is a compilation of some of the most notable Batgirl stories over the years to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary debut of one of the most famous part of the Bat Family (2017). Over the years, there were only four main Batgirls in the main continuity, prior to the Universal Reboot. Each Batgirl is very distinctive and lovable.

This anthology is divided into four sections, separate in part by Comic Era and Identity. The first part is the most massive with ten issues, one focusing on Bette Kane the first Batgirl and the rest on Barbara Gordon in the New Earth Universe. The second and third parts are dedicated to Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown as Batgirl and the final part reintroduces Barbara Gordon as Batgirl again, during the New 52 run. Each section is given a short blurb of each Batgirl before the selected issues the editors thought best emphasize that particular Batgirl. For the most part, the issues selected for each character was great and exemplifies what makes each Batgirl great.

The compilation seems really unbalanced of the seventeen stories featured; over half were dedicated to Barbara Gordon with nine – eleven if we count the New 52 stories in the tally. Cassandra Cain had three stories with Stephanie Brown with two stories and Bette Kane, the progenitor of the line, with only one. Granted, when the populace thinks of Batgirl – they think of Barbara Gordon, but as an anthology and pseudo-reference book, I think it would have fared better with the anthology being more even.

All in all, despite of the imbalanced of the anthology, it was in the end, a wonderful collection of most things Batgirl.

[Sleepseeker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fantastic read. It's perfect for anybody who wants to see the early years of Batgirl, especially Barbara Gordon. It has a few stories of other Batgirls throughout the the 50 years, but has mostly Barbara Gordon Batgirl featured here.

The early years of Batgirl does show the age of when the comics were made, especially how they talked about her as a girl. However it didn't take away from my reading experience. Even back then, Barbara was a strong minded individual.

I liked the few stories we got of Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown. I've read New 52 and onward comics, so I know who they are. I have picked up a few TPB's of those two as Batgirl and I can't wait to read them. The few stories in this volume do well to show the stark difference of how each handled being Batgirl. I liked those two as Batgirl as well.

The love reading the couple of stories we got of the early years as Oracle. I started reading DC at the start of New 52, so I haven't read much Oracle comics, but I do know the basics of her backstory. Those story just highlighted the strong willed of Barbara and how she doesn't give up, even when her whole world gets shaken up.

Overall, this book show what it's about, in showing the history of Batgirl. Yes the comics can be dated, especially about woman in general and hard to read if you've never read old comics. But it is the history of Batgirl and I loved reading the origins since I've always loved Batgirl, especially Barbara Gordon and her strength of will.

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up when I was collecting different Bat family related books.

I adore Babs, even if she wasn't my favorite as Bat girl. Still, this book shows the history of her time as Batgirl primarily, with some highlights on the other Bat girls over the years.

We see the book touch on different characters, including Betty Kane. The 'first' Bat girl. While she's not considered really the first batgirl anymore, and that role generally is handed to Babs, it's important to acknowledge this start in the 60s

We cover the first appearance of Babs, as the daughter of Gordon. Her year one comic, some other horrific sexist stories, thanks to the history of comics. We see Babs move on from the role of Batgirl, and try to tackle crime outside the vigilante life style.

A lot of Babs stories are frustrating "she's smart and clever" but constantly ends up either needing rescuing or men stepping in.

While The Killing Joke isn't in this one, we get.... something similar... blech.

We also get her start as Oracle, which is just as important as her years at Batgirl. Oracle does so much for Bab's characterization that her time as Batgirl never could. Even when she's rebooted back in to being Batgirl in 2011.

We cover the intro of Cassandra Cain, who is a fantastic Batgirl. I miss her time as Batgirl, honestly.

and Finally, Stephanie Brown. Who got done dirty by DC time and time again. All of them were. Still, Steph's batgirl series being born of hope. Of love for the genre and the batgirl title. Before being cut tragically short by DC.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a huge Batgirl fan, I love love loved this! It was fun to see her evolution through history from the 60s to batgirl of burnside, and of course I loved seeing all of the different batgirls! All of the stories chosen showed different aspects and elements to the character which I loved to see highlighted in the anthology (expect for some of the older ones, the costume cut ups one was something else lmao). One I really loved was when Babs decided to run for congress because she wanted to help stop the cycle of crime which she felt she couldn’t do as Batgirl. I also loved the On Wings story, and of course all of the Cass and Steph issues. And I was super happy Bette was included in this!

As an added note I just also really love Babs’s first origin aka her Million Dollar Debut (ik that’s right). I love how she’s determined and capable while also still learning the ropes and not necessarily doing everything right. I also think the sentiment of feeling overlooked and like people see you as “nothing special” while having a lot going on inside of you is something a lot of people can relate to. Also I think it’s cool that’s she’s a librarian. I love librarians!

[Maurice Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Batgirl. Most people think Barbara Gordon when they see the name Batgirl, but there have been others to carry the name, both before and after.

In the pre-Crisis days, Kathy Kane was Batwoman, and her niece Bette emulated her by making a costume and joining her as Bat-Girl. I enjoyed the story of Bette's exploits that led off this collection.

Barbara Gordon is Batgirl, no matter who else uses the title, and the stories of her long career were nice to see. I'd hoped to see the one where she battled the assassin Cormorant, but the story where she faced him again was good enough. Her reinvention of herself as Oracle following being crippled by the Joker, and then her subsequent healing and return to being Batgirl was also a good journey to follow.

Cassandra Cain was interesting. Assassin trained, but not willing to kill. Batman took her on and added her to the Bat-family. Good choice,

Stephanie Brown was the Spoiler and briefly Robin before Barbara Gordon entrusted her with the mantle of Batgirl. She put her own spin on the identity, and Gotham was better for it.

[Nathan Dehoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't really know that much about Batgirl, part of the tradition of female superheroes modeled after male characters, although she did have her own personality and motivations. The name Bat-Girl was first used for Betty Kane, niece of Batwoman Kathy Kane, back in 1961. The better-known Batgirl, Barbara Gordon, debuted in 1967 largely so she could be used on the Adam West television show. She's the daughter of Police Commissioner Gordon and a librarian who is also skilled in martial arts. In 1988, she became paralyzed after being shot by the Joker, and took on the name Oracle, allowing other women to take the Batgirl moniker. I don't know if Cassandra Cain, the daughter of assassins, was purposely named after the earlier Kathy and Betty Kane, although I suspect all of them reference Batman co-creator Bob Kane. Anyway, the book is a pretty good overview of the character, including both more serious and kind of silly stories.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet another beautifully designed edition, which marks the anniversary of some iconic DC superheroes. This issue is dedicated to Batgirl and is one great way to track the character development over the years and to see how she has changed, both physically and mentally. There are some really good stories gathered here, but unfortunately there are also some very absurd ones too, such as the one in which Barbara decides to discard her Batgirl's suit and to pursue a career as politician. (WTF!?)
I love Babs and according to me she is the only one worthy to call herself Batgirl, and the others are just meaningless. I have always hated what the writers had done with her character after The Killing Joke and turning her into the Oracle. So, I was extremely pleased when The New 52 came out and the new writers decided to completely throw off that storyline and just continue with Barbara being the one and only Batgirl.

[Samuel Goldberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked getting a look back into one of my favorite hero’s pasts! The repetition of Killer Moth in her origin stories was fun, and I can’t believe I never knew she ran for Congress and won before?

I do think, for the middle entries, more historical context would have been helpful/nice, akin to the Carl Barks Donald Duck collections? The initial few stories and the latter revivals have them, but some paragraphs on her run for Congress, context for that very weird Cormorant story, and her life in publishing in general would have been much appreciated (Casandra got the first solo Batgirl book and that was over a decade after Babs was paralyzed, what was she up to in the interim? Just back up stories? Largely forgotten?).

[Kole · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great selection of Batgirl throughout the times. From the incredibly hilariously sexist 1960s to Oracle to the three others to take up the cowl and back to the original again in the "modern" Batgirl (2012-2014).

Nearly all of the comics included were worth a read. I think the only one I actively disliked was the modern Batgirl of Burnside comic. However, there are more than a couple of excellent ones in here too, Batgirl Year One, Oracle Year One, Birds of Prey/Nightwing and the Cassandra Cain selections. The rest included are at least solid.

A great introduction to Batgirl for newcomers.

4/5

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice overview of the Batgirl character in various comic series over the decades. Lots of Barbara Gordon is in there, but they include stories from other women that have worn the outfit over the years, as well. I had read many of these stories before in other places, but some were new to me. All told, a good survey of the character's history (up to 2016, anyway) for those interested in such things.

[Autumn Kearney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I watched Batman, the TV series with Adam West and Burt Ward in reruns for many years. My family thought that I was a huge fan of theirs. I liked them, but I watched the show for my favorite crimefighter, Batgirl. I wanted to be her, more than anyone else in the world. She was a librarian by day and a motorcycle riding crime fighting red-head by night. Long live Yvonne Craig!

This is either an uneven collection, it annoys me that they are not in chronological order, or both.

[Angie Dahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great way to get a feel for Batgirl’s history. It was really interesting to see the shift from a more sexist story about her in the 60s to a more empowering one in the early 70s (thus following the trajectory of the second wave feminist movement). I also really enjoyed the Cassandra Cain comics — I’ll have to read more of her for sure!

[Ashton Herrod · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was awesome, showing the history of batgirl, and how she has changed throughout the years! The only comic I didn’t like included in it was the final one, and it just made her out to be too much of a stereotypical American college student. I felt like that she was skirting the edge of what was OK in her personal life, but maybe that’s just me. Regardless, I loved reading this book!

[paul thomson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent collection of stories

This collection includes the first appearance of Batgirl to the modern version. All are solid stories with varying quality of artwork. It shows that dramatic changes female sidekicks have undertaken in society.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this, but I did skip the end couple of stories because it has new52 and rebirth Babs as Batgirl again and I hate that <3 Otherwise this was a really good collection of the different Batgirls’ stories.

[Troy Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some excellent Batgirl stories included in this anthology. There have been some I prize more highly, but it is an excellent selection from many different time periods.

[Helby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good issue picks as a study of Batgirl's evolution. But I wish there was a little more history or perspectives written between stories

[Yosef Shapiro · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of Batgirl stories from the various versions of her from the last 50+ years.

[Valerie R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some information on the video game art work would have been nice. My favorite BG look (other than the 60s tv icon) is the Arkham incarnation.

[Shaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked the selection of comics the curators put in this collection. I had an issue with one of Barbara’s earlier adventures regarding her looks, but all the other comics were fun reads.

[Francis S. Poesy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun and interesting survey of Batgirl's life in comics. From the pun-tastic early days to her many modern incarnations, including Oracle and those who donned the cowl after Babs.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic overview of Batgirl/Barbara Gordon from her first appearance to her rebirths over the years with some cool artwork. Check this out if you want to know more about Batman's female apprentice!

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the silver age Batgirl stories. 2000’s stuff? Meh

[Chuck · Rating 4 out of 5]

The older stuff is so bad but it gets better thankfully.