Batgirl: Stephanie Brown Vol. 1

Batgirl: Stephanie Brown

by Bryan Q. Miller (Writer), Lee Garbett (Artist)

Bryan Q. Miller's critically acclaimed run takes Stephanie Brown a.k.a. former Robin, a.k.a. Spoiler, to new heights as Batgirl!

Battling both inner and external demons, Stephanie must learn to balance school and crime-fighting or face the wrath of Barbara Gordon! With guest appearences from Batman and Robin and villains like Man-Bat and Clayface, Batgirl must step up to the mantle!

Batgirl must battle the Calculator and stop his plan to unleash a nanovirus upon the citizens of Gotham City that will turn them into mindless techno-zombies, enter the FLOOD!

Collecting: Batgirl 1-12

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

304 pages, Paperback

First published June 20, 2017

About the author

Bryan Q. Miller is an American television and comic writer most notable for his work on the CW’s “Smallville” and DC’s “Batgirl.” (with Stephanie Brown as Batgirl)

Reviews

[Chelsea 🏳️‍🌈 · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, this was a wonderful breath of fresh air!

Stephanie is a joy! Unlike the rest of the batkids, she is a lot more upbeat and cheerful. She isn't the best at everything but she tries her hardest and that counts. While I'm sad she gets the Batgirl suit simply because Cass said "Bruce is dead, fuck it", I do like that she made the Batgirl name her own. She doesn't do things the same way Babs or Cass did and that's okay.

I liked seeing some of her interactions with her mom. I don't know much about Stephanie, to be perfectly honest. From what I heard, Bruce was kind of a dick to her and in this book, she's the only batkid that's moderately okay with Bruce being "dead".

The batboys (except Jason) show up in this book. Dick tells Babs to shut Stephanie down because she kinda messed a few things up. He's in character. Tim shows up and he's a dick to her at first. I'm unsure if that's in character but I wanted to fight him for calling Stephanie useless. Damian was here and he was totally out of character. Is my son a jerk? Yes. But he's not a misogynist. Damian would never underestimate/belittle a woman for her gender. His mother is one of the best fighters in the world so why would he think gender has anything to do with anything? Also, he made jokes about Stephanie's boobs? Why would he do that? I think Miller just characterized Damian based on a 10 year old boy he knew in real life.

Anyway, Babs is here quite a bit and that was wonderful to see. I love her as Oracle and this book has a subplot of Babs trying to get back into the public. She's going on dates and trying to help Wendy Harris adjust to her new life in a wheelchair. I liked that Babs eventually came around to understanding that Stephanie could do the job and be great at it. They're relationship was wonderful.

So, overall, definitely a recommend. OOC Damian aside.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

After Final Crisis, Batman is dead and Cassandra Cain has (unfortunately) hung up the cowl. Spoiler takes over as Batgirl with Oracle in tow. All of the stories are light and airy without much substance. The best of the bunch was when she was in conflict with Damian Wayne. Cassandra Cain has been the only Batgirl who has ever really excited me. She's really the only unique woman to have put on the Batgirl cowl.

[Subham · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was so good!

So we pick up up with the origins of Steph as she takes on the role of Batgirl and fighting villains but when Babs tries to stop her well it gets challenging. First is to stop some new Drug called "Thrill" and then to stop Scarecrow, fighting against villains like Livewire and Diesel, the latter one was funny lol, team up with Robin (Damian) and Batman (Dick) to stop Riot, Roxy Rocket and Dr Phosphorus, being led by Roulette and its a fun survival story and I love the bonds that forge between them and all and Oracle trusting Steph more and even Dick approving!

Then the coming of Red robin and a fun team up between the ex-es and I liked that and then the big story involving Calculator and his daughter "Proxy" and just seeing how its an Oracle story but shows Steph being the hero and her evolution, I just loved it!

Its one of the best mantle taking stories and Bryan does a good job showing the evolution of the character and facing against some fun villains and really challenging the status quo and showing her evolution and I love her awkward habit to say out loud things she should monologue and she even breaks the4th wall haha! Plus the art was gorgeous and really compliments the story well!

[Amanja · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full review for volumes 1 and 2, visit here to see the reviews with pictures: https://amanjareads.com/2020/10/16/ba...

First, there was Cassandra Cain. She was an undeniable talent as Batgirl. Fighting was her life, combat was her language, she lived to be Batgirl. It was everything to her, she literally knew nothing else.

Then came Stephanie Brown. She is certainly no Cassandra Cain, and no one, NO ONE lets her forget it.

Batgirl: Stephanie Brown, is all about lesser Batgirl and she is never given a chance to become anything more. She's placed in, well, third place if we also count Barbara Gordon's run of Batgirl, and it's doubtful she'll ever rise above it.

Barbara Gordon is still present, as oracle, and is resentful of Stephanie getting to take the role she wishes she could still have. She reluctantly agrees to help in her roll of oracle before a functional friendship is formed between the two.

Stephanie Brown may have some backstory in another book, but it's not really discussed in this one why she is Batgirl. She has rudimentary skills as a fighter, she lives at home with her mother, and attends college full time. None of these things add up to being a successful vigilante crime fighter.

The only thing she really has going for her is access to Bruce Wayne's money and a supply of Bat gear. Without that she would just be every other college girl who took a self defense course.

I never understood her motivation for wanting to be a crime fighter. She has so much to loose! Heroes typically have no loved ones and are super damaged, she's too well adjusted and on a straight path to traditional success. It doesn't really make sense.

It also makes her pretty boring. Her big drama is some issue with one of the Robins that she briefly dated. Yawn. He undermines her constantly and so does that little jerk Robin Damien, you just wanna punt him!

In addition to being boring and underwritten, Batgirl: Stephanie Brown lacks a central plot. There are many completely unrelated mini stories including a very silly one involving Dracula and Supergirl. Just really childish and silly in the wrong ways.

The art is good, so there is that saving grace. I really enjoy all the purples in her color themes. But that's not nearly enough to carry this throwaway of a book. It's a shame the writer appears to have no faith in Stephanie Brown himself. He had the opportunity to give her purpose and drive and make her stand on par with her predecessors but he chose to forever leave her in third place.

I'm disappointed with Batgirl: Stephanie Brown, I hope there are other books out there where she is allowed to have her own real story and not just crouch in the shadows of others.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Everything doesn't have to be about fear. There's room in our line of work for hope too." - Bryan Q. Miller, Batgirl: Stephanie Brown Volume One

I could take or leave Barbara (before this volume, anyway) and I thought Cass was awesome, but Steph became one of my favourite female superheroes in the space of one issue, so it was a no-brainer whose Batgirl run I wanted to pick up. A nice bonus is that it was running alongside the Batman & Robin: Batman Reborn series that I've been reading, so everything matches up.

Stephanie Brown becomes Batgirl when Cassandra Cain throws the costume at her. Literally.

She's is the superhero of second chances and hope, so she basically embodies everything I love about comics. For a bat, she's surprisingly upbeat and allergic to forward-planning. Steph is an improviser. She throws things at the wall and hopes that something sticks. She's also made some pretty big mistakes in the past, so she's constantly underestimated. All new superheroes have to prove themselves, right? Well, for Steph, that never seems to stop.

Honestly though, the relationships between the characters make this.

1. It's a real girl power book, so it's only fitting that Steph and Barbara's relationship stands out the most. In the space of a couple of arcs they go from Barbara being completely against Steph being Batgirl to Barbara being as ride-or-die for Steph as Dick is for Damian. I wasn't too fussed about Barbara before this, but now I think she's brilliant. She's intelligent, feisty, and she isn't taking anyone's bull.

2. Dick's opposition to Steph being Batgirl seems to stem from the realisation that everyone's lives are now in his hands, which is fair enough. It's nice to read a genuine apology from someone wearing the Batman costume for once.

3. Damian seeking Steph out to question her motives amused me, mainly because it confirms everything I've said about his friendship with Jon. Kid just doesn't know how to make friends.

4. The issue with Steph and Tim was brilliant. There was just so much tension in it! It didn't matter that I hadn't read any of the history between them, because I could feel it anyway. Of course, now I want to read it. (I want to read it so badly.)

Plot-wise, this is solid. The first arc is all about personal empowerment (also, Scarecrow!), the issues with the guest-starring characters are fun, and The Flood arc brings in a villain of Oracle's with revenge on his mind. The dialogue's good too - quippy. Something I do question though is the tendency of certain Robins to talk like they're in their mid-thirties. (This isn't a serious criticism - I'm just easily exasperated with fictional characters.) Like, what younger years, Damian? You're TEN . And then there's Tim saying that he changed because he grew up. Dude, you're sixteen. This level of angst is unacceptable! Move out of Gotham to a place with therapists!

Thank God for Steph and her sarcasm.

Anyway, this is just as funny as it is action-packed, the art's great (the covers for The Flood arc are exceptionally beautiful), and Steph's a queen. Don't pass on this one.

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very good artwork but annoying characters made me skim through the pages.

OVERALL GRADE: C to C plus.

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A GREAT Start for Stephanie as Batgirl. She's bright, fun, exciting, and just a ton of heart. The team up issues, her origin, all work really well and make her a different, more fun Batgirl than the previous two. I will say the zombie storyline just okay but the rest? Loved it.

A 4 out of 5.

Did a video on her too - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN3da...

[Jessica Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this! Stephanie is such a fun, cheerful character. It's refreshing to see her in the doom and gloom of Gotham. Her and Barbara's relationship is well done. This is my first introduction to Stephanie, Damian and Dick as Batman. Damian and Dick played a smaller roll naturally, but while I love Damian (the omen child panel where he stalked Stephanie made me laugh out loud), I'm not a huge fan of Batman Dick mostly because he's trying to act more like Bruce/Batman than himself. I suppose Bruce being "dead" and Dick grieving could excuse his OOC-ness.

Back to Stephanie though - her arcs were interesting, she had fun villains, and her relationship with her mom (though briefly shown) is great. I loved seeing Stephanie grow in this as she starts off with a lot to learn. Definitely will check out more!

[Waffle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Stephanie and Babs. LOVE them. Their relationship has depth, and develops, and draws me in. This book was fun to read! But the art...I have art ISSUES that usually come out when I try to read female superhero comics and there’s too much unnaturally shaped boob. ALL. THE. TIME. And it steals the fun. If that doesn’t deter you like it deters me, this is a good ride.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted to get myself even more in the mood for the return of Young Justice, and this seemed like a good place to start.

I really like the art in this one and Steph is a delight. To date, I haven't been super into Barbara Gordon, but I liked the use of her here, and I quite like seeing a female mentor/mentee relationship. Looking forward to reading volume 2.

[Sierra Dean · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this run. Stephanie is a compelling Batgirl who doesn't get enough attention thanks to the return of the Barbara Gordon Batgirl. (I get it, Babs is the best.)

This was a fun series, though, with some decent art, especially the Phil Noto and ArtGerm variant covers.

[Marina Vidal · Rating 3 out of 5]

No sabía si me iba a gustar Stephanie como Batgirl, pero la pareja que hace con Barbara (como Oráculo) es bastante potente. Las historias no es que tengan mucha chicha pero son entretenidas. Siendo solo dos tomos a ver que tal el siguiente.

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half was better drawn than the second half but the stories in the second half were better than the first half.

I don't understand comic body geometry. it's worse than Barbie sometimes.

[Richard Wills · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was so amazing?? this comic solidified steph as one of my favorite characters oat

[Iain · Rating 3 out of 5]

I came away wanting to give this four stars because it's just fun and enjoyable and I like Stephanie Brown. After actually writing out a review of it... clearly I can't go above three, but I did enjoy it.

As I was reading it, I kept thinking about how I would rate it, which is an indication of how often it wasn't quite engaging me. Even though it's an entertaining read, it's hard not to be constantly aware of the feeling of something missing. Another reviewer mentioned that it lacks substance and that's really it, but it isn't just that they're light and insubstantial feeling stories, it just has a feel these are light stories with no consequences, lightly plotted, about a character who's taken so lightly that everything that happens feels like an elseworlds, disconnected from main continuity.

The running theme throughout is that everyone doubts Stephanie, but she never stops giving it everything and she clearly deserves more respect than she gets. Throughout this volume, the writing feels almost like an intentional attempt to parallel that in-universe perception of her, as if it's intentional that all conversations are cut off before going anywhere interesting, plots end with the impression that they were never anything more than something for Stephanie to do while engaging in buddy-cop chatter with Oracle. It's as if the creative team wants to emphasize that everyone is against her, even them.

For me, even the portrayal of food became a part of the distracting strangeness of the phoned-in feel of this. We're given the impression that the only meal anyone eats is plates covered in waffles, always flung haphazardly in a pile, regardless of who prepared them. I don't think anyone eats waffles like that. It felt cartoonish, or like a powerup in a video game: pick up piles of waffles to restore Stephanie's energy. It also felt like, again, the creative team saying, screw it, this is not an attempt at reality, this is lower on the totem pole and not firmly grounded in the main Bat-universe, nothing here matters.

And that's kind of a shame, because in spite of the shortcomings, Stephanie is a very entertaining Batgirl who deserved to be taken more seriously, in-universe and out.

The art is quite good, and the painted cover art is fantastic.

* * * S P O I L E R S * * *
I'm going to describe the big climactic ending of this volume, which is something I would normally never do, but the reason I want to is also the reason why I don't think it matters.

The big villain of the final story arc is Calculator, and he can mind control people remotely by... some digital Apokolips tech type method that makes them speak binary, it's not really explained. Batgirl and Oracle are attacked by a zombie army of Gothamites, including some familiar faces. They are overwhelmed and... Oracle is taken, but the details of how are skipped, it just jumps from her being overrun to her in a mind-invading sarcophagus device in Calculator's lair, while Stephanie continues to battle some of the more prominent zombies. Calculator's estranged daughter, Wendy, shows up in Stephanie's Batpod cycle thing, at an airport, just as Stephanie happens to be arriving there on Manbat's back. This is convenient: it goes from asking Wendy if she can fly a plane to them in a commandeered plane above the hideout where Babs is being held. How Wendy, who is wheelchair-bound was able to fly a random plane that was sitting at the airport is not addressed. Stephanie HALO jumps in, fights some lasers and stuff (which sting but don't do much when they hit her), stops the failsafe plot to mind-control kill all the zombified Gothamites, but is then faced with a second failsafe: a random giant robot thing. No problem: Wendy crashes the plane into the hideout, right onto the monster robot, and that's that. How she survived the crash without any injury... is not explained, she just rolls out of the wreckage in her chair. Now all that's left is to get Oracle out of the mind-linked trance state. No problem: Wendy's there now, and she knows computer stuff, and that's that. Why was Batgirl even there? Pretty much to act as scout before Wendy arrives, and because the high altitude jump in looks badass. And that's basically the end aside from minor wrapup stuff.

Given the degree to which it feels like this entire volume was thrown together by someone not excited about the assignment, it's amazing it's as basically entertaining as it is. It's all about what an appealing character Stephanie is, even if we don't get that far into that character beyond the basic surface pattern that's established from the outset, and all plot pretty much feels like an afterthought in service to ~300 pages of showing how Stephanie tries hard and is good enough.

But, like Stephanie, the volume seems... good enough. I hope to get the next volume at some point.

Oh one final thing I just remembered: Stephanie gets shot in the head. Not in costume, but while battling gangster thugs as Stephanie. A glancing shot to the head at close range. But it's ok, she gets a bandaid, escapes the ambulance, and that's the last we hear about how the protagonist just got shot in the head. She's fine, she's not put out of action, she's not held back by it in any way, her mom will never even find out that happened. But how did she escape the ambulance? Oracle remotely crashed it. Just rolled the ambulance to give Steph a chance to bail from the wreckage. So much of the writing seems intended to not let us forget that this is a B-picture. And none of it matters, because what does here.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable and much more entertaining and interesting compared to the Burnside Batgirl....

Completely missed this 2-volume series, in which there’s a completely different Batgirl. Oops. But while I didn’t care that much for Stephanie as Spoiler, her dynamic with Barbara really clicked.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really fun read. You don't hear a lot about Stephanie Brown as Batgirl. She's underrated in my opinion.

[Ava :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

steph and damians relationship is hilarious and i wish they interacted more in newer comics 💜💜💜 also stephs officially batgirl again so this is actually relevent✌️

[Adamsloj]

Realizm rysunków w komiksach nigdy nie był ich mocną stroną. Również w stosunku do rysunku. Może bardziej niż, niż azjatyckie rysunki, ale polemizowałbym. Sposób przerysowania wydaje się nam bardziej realistyczny, gdy jesteśmy do niego przyzwyczajeni. Tak samo Hollywood z atrakcyjnymi ludźmi nie jest realistyczny. Żadna rozrywka, która chce się sprzedać, nie może być.

Do "Robin is red" rysunek był moim zdaniem okej, mimo swoich wad (znikająca i pojawiająca się maska na usta w kostiumie Kane, czy zmieniający się kolor włosów Oracle etc.). Z kolei od tej opowieści mamy gościnnych artystów i rysunek kobiet awansował do "bitch face" z ogromnymi ustami. Na szczęście, albo właśnie dziwna jest ta niekonsekwencja, że z daleka już ich nie ma. Jak z renderowaniem w grach. Czy może to kwestia, że różne kadry lub rzeczy rysowali różni rysownicy? Bo to też nie jest konsekwentne. Lepszy efekt dawały gdyby każdy rysował jakiś typ elementu. Ale na szczęście ten rysunek tylko u gościnnych artystów chyba.

Ale o czym jest sam komiks Batgirl: Stephanie Brown? Była Spoiler i była dziewczyna Tima Drake'a (Red Robin). Została Spoiler, by sabotować ojca superzłoczyńce (Cluemastera). Zostaje Batgirl, gdy Cassandra Kane (2. Batgirl) oddaje jej swój kostium po śmierci Bruce w "Ostatecznym Kryzysie". Musiałem to przeczytać dla kontekstu.

I tak Stef musi uporać się lub przekonać do siebie swoją matkę, Barbarę Gordon (1. Bargirl i Oracle), Robina (Damian Wayne), a wreszcie nowego Batmana (Dick Grayson). A to wszystko nie dając się zabić i walcząc o sprawiedliwość, a także odrabiając pracę domową na studia. Ostatnie najważniejsze. W dodatku w mieście pojawia się nowy detektyw. Komisarz Gordon mimo bliskiej relacji z córką, idzie na dalszy plan.

Potem mamy inne teasowane historie. Szczerze Oracle jest równie ważną postacią, co Batgirl w tym komiksie. Jest tak ważna, że zostaje nawet uwięziona w karbonicie. Tak naprawdę to nie, ale tak to wygląda. Nawiązania wizualne są ewidentne. Czyli Batgirl to Luke, Oracle to Han, a Leia to detektyw Nick. I im bardziej człowiek myśli to tym bardziej pasuje. To przerażające. Nie znajcie Gwiezdnych Wojen, bo sobie zaspoilerujecie.

Ogólnie pierwsza połowa (jest jeszcze vol. 2 collected edition, czy jakoś tak) fajnie przedstawia relację między trójką najważniejszych postaci. Docierają się, uczą ze sobą pracować lub rozmawiać. I Stef spotyka nawet detektywa w cywilu. Na szczęście nie jest zbyt domyślny, jak na detektywa przystało, więc mimo usilnych prób Stephanie nie udaje się ujawnić swojej tajnej tożsamości.

Dodatkowo pod koniec pierwszej części chyba do drużyny dołącza integralnie nowa bohaterka – na ex-tytan wózku. Mamy zatem dużo pozytywnej reprezentacji osób z niepełnosprawnościami ruchowymi. Najciekawsze jest to, czy bicie się na wózku albo wyskakiwanie podczas koszykówki jest możliwe w takim zakresie. Prawdopodobnie tak, choć pewnie zależy to od stopnia kontroli swojego ciała. Raz może być lepiej raz gorzej.

Ciekawe jest też liternictwo. Trochę za dużo mamy "cedzenia przez zęby" lub gonitwy myśli w postaci braku spacji. Jest to ciekawy zabieg, ale czasami jest go za dużo. Brak odstępu między słowami jest tu bardziej irytujący niż w średniowieczu, bo wtedy serio oszczędzali miejsce. Komiksy chyba nie mają z tym problemu.

Cytat dnia "Drone termination. Terminated"

Przyjemne, interesujące i bardzo komiksowo wycięte w kontinuum, tak by Batman (którykolwiek) nie mógł przeszkadzać.

PS
Co śmieszne, opis komiksu na goodreads bardziej spoileruje ten komiks niż ja.

[Fizzgig76 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reprints Batgirl (2) #1-12 (September 2009-September 2010). Stephanie Brown hasn’t had it easy. The daughter of the Cluemaster, she started fighting crime by turning against her father as the Spoiler. When she was recruited as Robin by Batman, Stephanie was on top of the world…until she “murdered” by Black Mask. Now, Stephanie is back and setting out again as the new Batgirl. With Barbara Gordon guiding her as Oracle, Stephanie is out to reclaim her life and protect the city she loves…even if it seems like everyone is against her.

Written by Brian Q. Miller, Batgirl: Stephanie Brown—Volume 1 is a DC Comics Batman spin-off title. The collection features art by Lee Garbett, Trevor Scott, Sandra Hope, Pere Perez, Jonathan Glapion, Tim Levins, Dan Davis, Aaron Sowd, Oliver Nome, Talent Caldwell, Richard Friend, Rodney Ramos, Walden Wong, Yvel Guichet, and John Stanisci. Issues in this collection were also collected in Batgirl: Batgirl Rising and Batgirl: The Flood.

Having watched the 1960s Batman TV series in reruns all the time growing up, I liked the third season which added (and helped create) the Barbara Gordon Batgirl. While I liked the role that was developed for her as Oracle, I kind of missed the old Batgirl. Cassandra Cain wasn’t very much like Barbara, and she was her own thing. Stephanie and her personality are a bit closer to Barbara, and it was nice to kind of have some nostalgia in the series and less a less “grim” Bat title.

With Bruce Wayne dead, the Bat titles were in real flux when the new Batgirl launched. You had Dick Grayson as Batman and trying to deal with Damian. It kind of made sense for the former “Batgirl” to launch and deal with a new Batgirl. Stephanie’s character had been put through the wringer (rather unsympathetically) and this title was a chance for the character to be redeemed.

While I like Stephanie and her “go get-em” attitude, the stories of the collection are a little less than inspired. There are some odd jumps in the storytelling (a few times I felt like I missed a page), and the comic is best when it is showcasing Stephanie’s attempts to grow both as Batgirl and in her life as a college student. If the series had gone complete Peter Parker, it feels like it would have worked better.

With a title like Batgirl, you always are on the defensive when it comes to its publishing. You know that unless sales remain strong, a series like this cannot continue, but you also know that if the writing and art are good (but not great) that the comic won’t click like it needs to…and Stephanie is always in danger. Batgirl will always have a place in the DC Universe, but the world seems to always turn again Stephanie’s chances. Batgirl: Stephanie Brown—Volume 1 was followed by Batgirl: Stephanie Brown—Volume 2.

[Jeremy Bautista · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stephanie Brown's turn at being Batgirl comes at a transitional time in the DC continuity timeline. Originally published in 2009-2010, as the synopsis notes, this is after Batman R.I.P, Battle for the Cowl and Final Crisis. That said, if you were to pick this up, don't be surprised to see Tim Drake dressed as Dr. Mid-Nite, Damien as Robin, and Dick operating as Batman with Barabara swapping weekends on coms for Alfred. But don't let that dissuade you from diving into this short time of Stephanie taking up the mantle of Batgirl.

Stephanie Brown, in some ways, is similar to Barbara Gordon (the first Batgirl) in that she doesn't simply follow rules or the wishes of others blindly. But there is a playfulness she seems to have about her in this writing that I didn't notice before when I've read her character. It is almost like a Spider-Man banter she has with Barbara (on coms) and bad guys she's beating down on the street. But with that, she seems to have a lightheartedness to her to balance the gravity of the situations she finds herself in. A reluctant partner at first to Barbara, their relationship grows into a strong crimefighting team. When she deals with Batman (Dick Grayson) and Robin (Damien Wayne), there's a spunk in her that won't let herself be sidelined, but willingness to do what's best for the greater good. And then there's her introspection when crossing paths again with Tim Drake. An all-too-serious take on Stephanie would have made the dynamic between exes all too cold. Instead, their spark stays alive--if only to be dealt with later.

I think the biggest surprise to me is how much we learn about Barbara Gordon in this story. If we saw her less, I'd accuse the story of trying to hide the elephant in the room. The first and former Batgirl surely has something to contribute to the current mantle-bearer. And here, Barbara does. It's a personal look for sure, but to be honest, in this part of the timeline, does Barbara's story as Oracle get told elsewhere? Possibly not. Maybe this should have been called Batgirls? Regardless, spending time with Barbara Gordon is a welcome surprise and hopefully, there's more to her story as well.

I would recommend this volume for someone who wants a Bat story that has a more lighthearted approach. Again, don't be expecting Bruce Wayne as Batman or Dick Grayson as Robin, which hopefully will open up your mind to exploring things like, how would crimefighting exes like Oracle (Barbara) and Batman (Dick) or Batgirl (Stephanie) and Red Robin (Tim) get along if they had a mission together? This is not essential reading, but a nice detour and character exploration of Stephanie and Barbara.

[Ian Morales · Rating 4 out of 5]

While perusing the graphic novel section of my local library, I came across this Batgirl trade from a few years ago that I somehow missed. It grabbed my attention because it was the first time I have come across a Batgirl where Barbara Gordon was not Batgirl. While that upset the nerd in me, my curiosity was sparked enough to read it.

After reading the first few pages, I picked up on a few important character details. First, there is a back story I missed that included something happening to Bruce Wayne to where he is not Batman in this series. Also in the backstory, something happened to Stephanie Brown as Spoiler, and somewhere down the line she was also Robin. No big deal though, as I was able to follow the story without any confusion.

The storyline was interesting throughout the trade (graphic novel). Fresh off of her stint as Spoiler, Brown begins her freshman year at Gotham U. She is guided as Batgirl by Barbara Gordon, who in turn is works at Gotham U and as the secret tech support for Batgirl under the moniker, "The Oracle." Together they work to solve and fight crime that includes everything from new drugs on the street from the likes of Scarecrow to trying to out think criminal mastermind, "The Calculator."

While Brown goes through all the aforementioned events, Brown goes through a great amount of personal growth. This was what made the book for me.Brown struggled with how and when to operate as Batgirl, made mistakes along the way, and finally opened herself up to learn from Gordon and Batman himself. Remember, in this story Batman is Dick Grayson. This is what I feel writer Bryan Miller got right, developing Brown from an overly anxious young adult with no clue as to what her role as Batgirl should entail to being someone ready for the responsibility that comes with the Batgirl suit.

The trade concluded with a great cliffhanger that left me with a curiosity and interest to continue the series. Not bad for a series that I began with reading with low expectations. I hope Volume II does not disappoint.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me say that before reading this comic, I had no knowledge of there ever being another Batgirl besides Barbara Gordon. I admit that I have limited knowledge of the DC Universe and comics in general (but, I'll also attribute it to DC's choice to anoint Barbara as "the Batgirl" in the New 52 and the Rebirth runs...not that I'm knocking their decision). Barbara has an compelling story to tell and a harrowing background. So, it makes sense. Still, Stephanie has her own complicated and quite interesting background.
In this volume, we see Stephanie assume the role of Batgirl at a very critical time. And, to say that taking on this role is tough would be an understatement. Batman, Robin, and Oracle have major misgivings about her abilities. Yet, eventually Oracle decides to accept Stephanie and prepare her for her role as a kick-ass member of Gotham's crime fighting team. Stephanie is determined, loyal, and funny. You can't help but love her. If you haven't experienced Stephanie Brown as Batgirl, you are missing out. Seriously, go read it now.

[Ronan The Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25

Liked this a lot more than I expected to. For whatever reason, I was somewhat skeptical of Stephanie Brown taking the mantle of Batgirl. I’d never really been a fan of Spoiler, so what could she really bring that’s new to the Batgirl table? Turns out she brings a lot of charm, humor, and overall like-ability. So I stand corrected.

I breezed through this and kept wanting more. Stephanie’s dynamic with everyone (including herself, but mainly Babs/Oracle) was great. She’s relatable, quirky, etc., Bryan Miller’s writing felt effortless and spot on for the character. The actual story arcs themselves were good as well, specifically the one with Calculator. She also got Scarecrow, Roulette, and a team-up with Red Robin. The art, at first, felt whatever to me, but as I read it quickly became pretty good actually, and works well with the story. And it’s consistent! So that’s always a plus.

Overall, I really enjoyed this volume, even more than I expected. I would highly recommend.

[Songbird · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favourite comic series I've read so far. Steph really goes through it in the first two issues where the venn diagram of people who want her to stop being Batgirl and the characters that show up are practically a circle. But she doesn't back down and one by one the others start to warm up to her.

I love the interactions of between Barbra and Steph, and the interactions between Steph and Damian are peak sibling behaviour. I love how Damian and Steph got banished to another room while mom and dad (Dick and Barbra) argued too, the conversations they had were hilarious. I even liked the Red Robin crossover issue, which I was worried I wouldn't like with Tim and Steph reuniting again after breaking up, but it was delightfully enjoyable.

I defiantly recommend this run to anyone that wants to try it out, but fair warning that parts of it would work better with knowledge of previous + outside comics.

[Viola · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Steph and this volume had good moments but wasn't always that interesting. I liked seeing Barbara (as Oracle) help Steph on her journey to become Batgirl but she was basically the co-lead of the book and this is supposed to be Stephanie's story.

Also, I could have done without Batman showing up because most of the time Dick (this comic is from the time Bruce was "dead") was what his name means when it's used as an adjective. Apparently being Batman means you have to be mean and patronizing?
Of course, Barbara and Steph don't put up with his behaviour and he apologizes later but I wasn't a fan. It's possible the whole thing was supposed to be subverting the trope of female characters being told by male heroes to quit superheroics because of how dangerous it is, but it didn't work all that well in my opinion.

[Omar Mondigo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't expect a lot coming in, but after this, not only am I certain this series would make it in my top 10 comics of the year, it also made me fall in love with Stephanie Brown HARD. She's already, in just 12 issues, one of my all-time favorite comic book characters.

Steph is HILARIOUS, like legit one of the the funniest fictional characters I've ever come across to. She's brave, thinks on her feet, and never gives up no matter what. She's a hero that can bring a smile to just about anyone.

The art for this book is visual storytelling gold. Lot of neat ideas are pulled off with simple, yet so effective panelling and sequencing. The characters' emotions and reactions are also really well conveyed. Overall a really solid read that I can easily recommend to anybody. Excited for the next volume!

[Adam Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book collects the entire first year of Stephanie Brown's run as Batgirl and the multi-story arch, Batgirl Rising which highlight her taking up the Batgirl mantle from Cassandra Cain.

While I don't think she's nearly as interesting a Batgirl as either Cassandra Cain or Barbara Gordon, she does win me over by the end with a combination of dedication and a desire to help people. In addition, Barbara Gordon is a bit of a secondary lead in here. The story was released after Batman Beyond and does have that kind of vibe of her training her successor. However, unlike Bruce in Batman Beyond, she has her own life and storyline.

Overall, this was a well-written book that sold me on a character and a concept I wasn't sure what I'd feel about it. Overall, nicely done.

[Hunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun origin story of the second (third?) Batgirl.

Batman is gone, Dick is Batman now, Damian is Robin, and Barbara is Oracle.

Stephanie Brown has a past as Spoiler (that I don’t know much about), and a daytime life as a new college student. At night, she tries to be Batgirl, and pretty much everyone is against it. Soon enough she gets an ally in Oracle, the first Batgirl, and they take on crime while fighting their own demons, and of course having some fun banter the whole time.

It’s not gonna make me go read every Stephanie Brown Batgirl comic out there, but it was an entertaining story.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars, rounded up.

I'd heard that Stephanie was the "fun" Batgirl, but I was also surprised by how serious the characterization managed to be, not only for her but also for Babs and Wendy. The Bat Family guest stars were also fun, especially Damian. He's one of my favorite comic characters in general, but he especially makes a great contrast to Steph.

Overall the stories were good (and pretty dark, especially in the last arc), so I'm looking forward to more. Admittedly I wish I knew more about Stephanie's history, since a big theme is people doubting her and it's not explained why. But that's comics, I guess.