What do you think?
Rate this book
Legends of the DC Universe (Single Issues) #10-11
Batgirl: The Greatest Stories Ever Told
Batgirl takes center stage in this collection, which includes her 1967 debut and various stories through the 1990s. "The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl" - Detective Comics #359 "The Orchid-Crusher" - Detective Comics #396 "A Burial for Batgirl" - Detective Comics #400 "The Unmasking of Batgirl" - Detective Comics #422 "Candidate for Danger" - Detective Comics #423 "Batgirl's Last Case" - Detective Comics #424 "The Invader from Hell" - Batman Family #1 "Startling Secret of the Devilish Daughters" - Batman Family #9 "Folie a Deux Part One" - Legends of the DC Universe #10 "Folie a Deux Part Two" - Legends of the DC Universe #10 "Photo Finish" - Batman Chronicles #9
160 pages, Paperback
First published December 21, 2010
5 people are currently reading
1172 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
September 14, 2018
⭐⭐⭐ 1/2
March 9, 2015
Enjoyed more stories about Batgirl.
July 18, 2019
Some spoilers:
Good compilation of early Batgirl stories. The stories are taken from from different eras from the late 60's through the 90's but they all cover what she was doing in that first year or so of being Batgirl. None of them are amazing but I will go story by story :
Million Dollar Debut - This is the Batgirl's origin and focuses on her taking on Killer Moth. It's a bit cheesy (it is from 1967 after all) and it was given a modern retelling in Batgirl: Year One which is my personal preferred version of this story.
The Orchid Crusher & The Hollow Man (2 issues)- This is my favorite story in the book. It is 2 issues and it tells an interesting tale about a serial killer who focuses on "thin red-heads." The killer take on different identities and finds the women through a dating service (mail-in service in those days) to murder them. Barbara uses some detective skills, and herself as bait, to catch The Orchid Killer and uncover his reason for the murders. The "why" of it all is a tad underwhelming but I can't help but think this would make for a great Batgirl movie, especially if we give it a modern update and since dating services are still so widely used.
Unmasking of Batgirl, Candidate for Danger, Batgirl's Last Case, & Invader from Hell (4 issues) - These four issues basically lead into each other and that's why I'm including it together here. The basic premise is that Batgirl decides she isn't doing enough as Batgirl and decides to run for congress instead (boring). To do so, she unveils herself to her father, Gordon, and while it could of been interesting he's just like "I knew all along" (boring). The mob is so scared of having a cop's daughter in congress (and a woman in power, frankly) that they try to assassinate her during her campaign. Obviously it fails, and she ends up being elected anyways. Once she gets to DC, sh*t get's weird. While she is in congress, Dick is working for her during the summer (as an intern I guess?) She needs all the help she can get because the ghost of Benedict Arnold starts trying to kill her. Yes, you read that right. But it doesn't end there because that ghost is actually a demon who wants to kill superheroes so he and his master Satan can better torment the earth.... Once Robin and Batgirl retreat into a church they are able to defeat the demon (Thank you, Jesus.) Whew. Now I'm a good christian boy myself but even I thought this turn of events was ridiculous. The whole grand story was squandered because the idea of Batgirl unmasking herself in front of her Dad, and the idea of her working in congress have a lot of potential for great storytelling. Instead we get this. It's unfortunate.
Photo Finish - This is a short Robin/Batgirl team-up from the 90's but it's very forgettable sadly. It's obviously the second part to an interesting story with Batman and Catwoman but without that first half collected here there is no context and Robin and Batgirl just annoy each other. The art is good, and it's nothing ridiculous like that demon ghost stuff, but nothing here worthwhile.
Folie a Deux Pt. I & II - This is one of the many stories that retcons the earlier fact that Batgirl had told her Dad (or in this story her uncle/step-dad) her identity. This is a better version of that idea in my opinion, but not the best version (we will get to that another time). This story is told in a non linear way and I kinda like that. It flashes backwards and forwards and times but tries (and usually succeeds) to get to the heart of the relationship between Barbara and Gordon. He doesn't like her leaving for college, he's worried about what she's been doing at night (cause again, he doesn't know she's Batgirl in the beginning of this story), and he wants to talk to her about these things but can't find the words. It's sweet, really. She, in turn, is considering telling him her crime-fighting identity but their heart-to-heart is ruined due to a bank robbery where both of them are tied up. Gordon helps her escape, and she comes back as Batgirl to save him. It's during this, that he realizes that his daughter is the one under the mask. Later, at the hospital, he attempts to bring this up and tell her he knows, but she stops him and they have a mundane, but sweet, banter instead. I enjoy this story for the subtlety. That is one thing missing from the silver age stories in this same book. I love that it implies that everything is now out in the open between these 2 characters even though they were never able to really talk about it. It's great.
All in all, I'm giving this book a favorable review, even though half of it isn't good. The reason I still recommend it is because some of these stories are hard to find anywhere else, and I think everyone should read the Orchid Killer and Folie a Deux 2-parters. The other stories have their ups and downs but they do give some insight into the character. That's my 2 cents.
Good compilation of early Batgirl stories. The stories are taken from from different eras from the late 60's through the 90's but they all cover what she was doing in that first year or so of being Batgirl. None of them are amazing but I will go story by story :
Million Dollar Debut - This is the Batgirl's origin and focuses on her taking on Killer Moth. It's a bit cheesy (it is from 1967 after all) and it was given a modern retelling in Batgirl: Year One which is my personal preferred version of this story.
The Orchid Crusher & The Hollow Man (2 issues)- This is my favorite story in the book. It is 2 issues and it tells an interesting tale about a serial killer who focuses on "thin red-heads." The killer take on different identities and finds the women through a dating service (mail-in service in those days) to murder them. Barbara uses some detective skills, and herself as bait, to catch The Orchid Killer and uncover his reason for the murders. The "why" of it all is a tad underwhelming but I can't help but think this would make for a great Batgirl movie, especially if we give it a modern update and since dating services are still so widely used.
Unmasking of Batgirl, Candidate for Danger, Batgirl's Last Case, & Invader from Hell (4 issues) - These four issues basically lead into each other and that's why I'm including it together here. The basic premise is that Batgirl decides she isn't doing enough as Batgirl and decides to run for congress instead (boring). To do so, she unveils herself to her father, Gordon, and while it could of been interesting he's just like "I knew all along" (boring). The mob is so scared of having a cop's daughter in congress (and a woman in power, frankly) that they try to assassinate her during her campaign. Obviously it fails, and she ends up being elected anyways. Once she gets to DC, sh*t get's weird. While she is in congress, Dick is working for her during the summer (as an intern I guess?) She needs all the help she can get because the ghost of Benedict Arnold starts trying to kill her. Yes, you read that right. But it doesn't end there because that ghost is actually a demon who wants to kill superheroes so he and his master Satan can better torment the earth.... Once Robin and Batgirl retreat into a church they are able to defeat the demon (Thank you, Jesus.) Whew. Now I'm a good christian boy myself but even I thought this turn of events was ridiculous. The whole grand story was squandered because the idea of Batgirl unmasking herself in front of her Dad, and the idea of her working in congress have a lot of potential for great storytelling. Instead we get this. It's unfortunate.
Photo Finish - This is a short Robin/Batgirl team-up from the 90's but it's very forgettable sadly. It's obviously the second part to an interesting story with Batman and Catwoman but without that first half collected here there is no context and Robin and Batgirl just annoy each other. The art is good, and it's nothing ridiculous like that demon ghost stuff, but nothing here worthwhile.
Folie a Deux Pt. I & II - This is one of the many stories that retcons the earlier fact that Batgirl had told her Dad (or in this story her uncle/step-dad) her identity. This is a better version of that idea in my opinion, but not the best version (we will get to that another time). This story is told in a non linear way and I kinda like that. It flashes backwards and forwards and times but tries (and usually succeeds) to get to the heart of the relationship between Barbara and Gordon. He doesn't like her leaving for college, he's worried about what she's been doing at night (cause again, he doesn't know she's Batgirl in the beginning of this story), and he wants to talk to her about these things but can't find the words. It's sweet, really. She, in turn, is considering telling him her crime-fighting identity but their heart-to-heart is ruined due to a bank robbery where both of them are tied up. Gordon helps her escape, and she comes back as Batgirl to save him. It's during this, that he realizes that his daughter is the one under the mask. Later, at the hospital, he attempts to bring this up and tell her he knows, but she stops him and they have a mundane, but sweet, banter instead. I enjoy this story for the subtlety. That is one thing missing from the silver age stories in this same book. I love that it implies that everything is now out in the open between these 2 characters even though they were never able to really talk about it. It's great.
All in all, I'm giving this book a favorable review, even though half of it isn't good. The reason I still recommend it is because some of these stories are hard to find anywhere else, and I think everyone should read the Orchid Killer and Folie a Deux 2-parters. The other stories have their ups and downs but they do give some insight into the character. That's my 2 cents.
November 14, 2013
This is an odd book in DC's 21st century "Greatest Stories Ever Told" books. It stands at 160 pages which is 32 pages less than the other books in the series. The book also lacks an introduction. While Batgirl is a wonderful hero, the way the book is published wreaks of an affirmative action decision after only one of the books published between 2004-08 featured a female hero rather than someone DC believes actually merited a book. And to be fair, Batgirl is not on the same level as the previous characters featured.
The book features exclusively Barbara Gordon as Batgirl though others have held the name. It begins with her mid-Silver Age origin in, "The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl" with Batman which is decent origin story, though it does seem to demean most of her heroic acts as either unnecessary or counterproductive.
Next up are five of her 8-9 page solo stories from Detectives in the 1970s. The first two tell the tale of Batgirl on the hunt for a serial killer. This is a decent story, typical of the series. I could think of some I liked better, but they're fair enough picks.
Then there's the final three stories which tell of Barbara Gordon deciding to run for Congress and leaving Gotham City once she wins. It's an essential story for the pre-Crisis Batgirl, and again solidly written even if its a bit dated.
The big reason to pick up the book though are the reprints of two Batgirl and Robin stories from the Batman Family comics. These comics haven't reprinted and are very expensive. The story in Batman Family #1, "The Invader from Hell," has the new dynamic duo battling the powerful ghost of Benedict Arnold and the Devil himself in a story with a good patriotic message prior to America's bicentennial. The story from Batman Family #9 is a little more disappointing. While it's a good story, the book is really more of a Robin/Teen Titans story and as this book is about Batgirl she should have featured more prominently.
We're then offered three post-Crisis Batgirl stories, all of these were post Barbara Gordon being crippled in, "The Killing Joke" so were basically flashback stories thought not told that way. "Photo Finish" is a cute 1997 story about a precocious Batgirl and Robin meeting up. Again, it's cute, but the greatest?
The book concluded with a 40-page story that appeared in two issues of Legends of the DC Universe in 1998. The story isn't bad, but it is really padded. There's really twenty pages of story padded to two issues with a lot of half page columns. And once you come down to it, the story is more okay rather than all that great.
Overall, the book isn't bad particularly if you like Batgirl. The problem is that the term, "Greatest Stories ever told" leaves us expecting something grand and epic. This book doesn't deliver with the exception of, "The Invader from Hell." Had this book been called, "The Best of Batgirl Volume 1" or something like that, I'd have been okay with it. However, it just doesn't live up to its name. We have some good stories and no real horrible stories, but we have a book that's 32 pages shorter than predecessor volumes with no introduction. This book just doesn't measure up.
The book features exclusively Barbara Gordon as Batgirl though others have held the name. It begins with her mid-Silver Age origin in, "The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl" with Batman which is decent origin story, though it does seem to demean most of her heroic acts as either unnecessary or counterproductive.
Next up are five of her 8-9 page solo stories from Detectives in the 1970s. The first two tell the tale of Batgirl on the hunt for a serial killer. This is a decent story, typical of the series. I could think of some I liked better, but they're fair enough picks.
Then there's the final three stories which tell of Barbara Gordon deciding to run for Congress and leaving Gotham City once she wins. It's an essential story for the pre-Crisis Batgirl, and again solidly written even if its a bit dated.
The big reason to pick up the book though are the reprints of two Batgirl and Robin stories from the Batman Family comics. These comics haven't reprinted and are very expensive. The story in Batman Family #1, "The Invader from Hell," has the new dynamic duo battling the powerful ghost of Benedict Arnold and the Devil himself in a story with a good patriotic message prior to America's bicentennial. The story from Batman Family #9 is a little more disappointing. While it's a good story, the book is really more of a Robin/Teen Titans story and as this book is about Batgirl she should have featured more prominently.
We're then offered three post-Crisis Batgirl stories, all of these were post Barbara Gordon being crippled in, "The Killing Joke" so were basically flashback stories thought not told that way. "Photo Finish" is a cute 1997 story about a precocious Batgirl and Robin meeting up. Again, it's cute, but the greatest?
The book concluded with a 40-page story that appeared in two issues of Legends of the DC Universe in 1998. The story isn't bad, but it is really padded. There's really twenty pages of story padded to two issues with a lot of half page columns. And once you come down to it, the story is more okay rather than all that great.
Overall, the book isn't bad particularly if you like Batgirl. The problem is that the term, "Greatest Stories ever told" leaves us expecting something grand and epic. This book doesn't deliver with the exception of, "The Invader from Hell." Had this book been called, "The Best of Batgirl Volume 1" or something like that, I'd have been okay with it. However, it just doesn't live up to its name. We have some good stories and no real horrible stories, but we have a book that's 32 pages shorter than predecessor volumes with no introduction. This book just doesn't measure up.
April 11, 2011
Starting with her very first story, “The Million-Dollar Debut of Batgirl,” The Greatest Batgirl Stories Ever Told showcases how Batgirl’s resourcefulness, courage and determination make her one of DC’s best. Even though she’s a stereotypical librarian by day, Princess Leia hairdo and all.
These comics were before my time. I can’t compare the stories they chose against the larger whole, but the collection as a whole is extremely disappointing. The stories are lackluster and forgettable; either Babs goes up against common criminals, or laughable villains like a female Joker, Benedict Arnold, Killer Moth and…Satan? Really, DC?
And most of the time Babs shares the spotlight with Batman and Robin, instead of highlighting those stories from her own title. I don’t understand why an issue from Batgirl: Year One was left out.
In fact, I don't understand why DC shortchanges a heroine with not only a small but loyal fanbase, but also a hero who’s been shortchanged in the biggest way possible (you can thank Alan Moore for that). As usual, Batman and Superman get the star treatment in anthologies, but heroines like Wonder Woman, Batgirl and Supergirl get either one good volume, or one crappy volume, or nothing at all.
But Batgirl is still different: unlike every other superhero who's recovered from major injuries (even death), she’s never been freed from her wheelchair. Batgirl has a finite number of stories to choose from, yet DC won't give her the time of day. And they have done multiple volumes for heroes in the “Greatest Stories” series, but I doubt Batgirl will get another shot; if anything, it’ll be an Oracle collection.
Okay, done with the rant.
2/5
(and honestly, those two stars are for the first issue, and just the fact that it's Babs.)
see the review on my blog!
These comics were before my time. I can’t compare the stories they chose against the larger whole, but the collection as a whole is extremely disappointing. The stories are lackluster and forgettable; either Babs goes up against common criminals, or laughable villains like a female Joker, Benedict Arnold, Killer Moth and…Satan? Really, DC?
And most of the time Babs shares the spotlight with Batman and Robin, instead of highlighting those stories from her own title. I don’t understand why an issue from Batgirl: Year One was left out.
In fact, I don't understand why DC shortchanges a heroine with not only a small but loyal fanbase, but also a hero who’s been shortchanged in the biggest way possible (you can thank Alan Moore for that). As usual, Batman and Superman get the star treatment in anthologies, but heroines like Wonder Woman, Batgirl and Supergirl get either one good volume, or one crappy volume, or nothing at all.
But Batgirl is still different: unlike every other superhero who's recovered from major injuries (even death), she’s never been freed from her wheelchair. Batgirl has a finite number of stories to choose from, yet DC won't give her the time of day. And they have done multiple volumes for heroes in the “Greatest Stories” series, but I doubt Batgirl will get another shot; if anything, it’ll be an Oracle collection.
Okay, done with the rant.
2/5
(and honestly, those two stars are for the first issue, and just the fact that it's Babs.)
see the review on my blog!
June 17, 2018
If these are the greatest Batgirl stories that were ever told, I'd hate to see what are considered the worst. In one story (published in time to cash in on the 1976 Bicentennial), Robin and Batgirl fight not only the Devil himself, but the British army led by Benedict Arnold -- and is he PISSED. So, right away, you can see that the stores are just too silly for words.
But you kind of expect that in a Batworld comic. It's a COMIC BOOK, after all. The real world and reality usually just get in the way of telling a good story.
The stories chosen clash against each other, though. Batgirl is forever introducing herself to Batman and Robin. I guess the Dynamic Duo have short memories. Batgirl also never seems to age, despite the changing world around her. We have here stories from three (or is four?) decades and Batgirl is still about eighteen to 21. And she's a redhead. In this aspect, the campy TV show got it right by making the long red hair part of her disguise. I mean -- how could anyone NOT figure out who Batgirl really is with that flaming red hair showing?
I was really sorry to see that Batgirl went into politics. One more hero bubble burst.
But you kind of expect that in a Batworld comic. It's a COMIC BOOK, after all. The real world and reality usually just get in the way of telling a good story.
The stories chosen clash against each other, though. Batgirl is forever introducing herself to Batman and Robin. I guess the Dynamic Duo have short memories. Batgirl also never seems to age, despite the changing world around her. We have here stories from three (or is four?) decades and Batgirl is still about eighteen to 21. And she's a redhead. In this aspect, the campy TV show got it right by making the long red hair part of her disguise. I mean -- how could anyone NOT figure out who Batgirl really is with that flaming red hair showing?
I was really sorry to see that Batgirl went into politics. One more hero bubble burst.
February 3, 2015
The title of this collection is really misleading, but I suppose they didn't want to call it "Some Random Pre-Oracle Batgirl Stories." None of the stories are especially good, and the framework would have really benefitted from having an essay or introduction explaining the historical context. It starts with the origin story of Barbara Gordon-as-Batgirl (there was an earlier version of the character, introduced as a female-of-interest for Robin to help offset the homo-erotic subtext that crazy Dr. Wertham discussed), and includes nine other tales, all but two from the '70s. The stories haven't aged well and despite some cool bits and pieces (such as Barbara was a congresswoman for a while; I didn't remember that), it's really not worthwhile. Considering the names of the writers and artists, including Gardner Fox, Carmine Infantino, Don Heck, Gil Kane, Eliot S! Maggin, Mike Grell, etc., I expected something really memorable. In one especially silly story, for example, Satan sends back Benedict Arnold to face off against Robin and Batgirl. The art is generally superior to the narratives; it's also fun to look at the old styles and fashions.
November 25, 2015
I definitely enjoyed the comics from the 60s-70s considerably more than the ones from the 90s which were included. In the 60s/70s, Barbara "Babs" Gordon, daughter of Commissioner Gordon, and aka Batgirl, was very empowered, skilled in a martial art, and able to hold her own against bad guys - both intellectually and physically - without any help from Batman or Robin. She was even elected to Congress! But in the 90s, she was a rebellious 18-year-old with little/no training, and made a deal with Batman that if he trained her, she wouldn't fight crime on her own until he said she was ready. It felt like a completely backwards few steps from who she was in the 60s/70s. This book would have gotten 4 stars if not for those 90s stories.
April 1, 2014
So I can't say this was a good collection, but it was good to read some key issues in Batgirl's history that I'm unlikely to own for many years yet. That said, it's really tough to read comics from the "great scot, Batman" era, especially when they clearly call women inferior. Batgirl is fascinating in that she was created in the comics at the request of the Adam West TV show. To have her be so smart, educated, and athletic are all awesome achievements for the era. The later issues were a little confusing. The art wasn't bad, but it was very difficult to know where they fell in the general timeline.
August 1, 2018
A collection of Batgirl stories from her very first story in 1967 to the 1990s.
I confess: I don’t really know much about Batgirl. She was in some of the Batman cartoons but that’s about it. I’m far more familiar with Barbara Gordon as the wheel-chair bound Oracle. I think these stories are set in another continuity than the one I’m most familiar with. They’re all new to me.
While the collection starts with wacky and fun stories, the last two aren’t so good.
The collection starts, appropriately enough with Batgirl’s debut in “The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl": Detective Comics #359 in 1967. Barbara is the head librarian of Gotham library, wearing Princess Leia hairdo. 😊 She’s going to the policemen’s ball and has made a Batgirl costume for that. However, on the way she sees none other than Bruce Wayne attacked by Killer Moth and his Moth men. Barbara goes for the rescue and finds that she likes being a superhero, so she continues. She kind of helps Batman and Robin to capture the Killer Moth who is blackmailing millionaires.
She doesn’t have a tragic origin and I think that’s very appropriate for her. With nothing more than her Judo training and enthusiasm she’s just as capable of catching bad guys as Batman and Robin. Well, except that the males keep telling her to stop.
"The Orchid-Crusher" - Detective Comics #396 and "The Hollow Man" - Detective Comics #396 in 1970 is a two-part story where
Barbara hunts down a serial killer who kills young, redheaded girls.
This is pretty straight-forward story where we’re introduced to Jason Bard, a man who wants to be Babs’ boyfriend.
"The Unmasking of Batgirl" - Detective Comics #422, "Candidate for Danger" - Detective Comics #423, and "Batgirl's Last Case" - Detective Comics #424 1972
Now this goes deep into the wacky country. In the first story, the “dominoed daredoll” encounters an ex-con who cons her again. At the same time, her dad is reluctantly running for congress. Babs becomes so disillusioned about her work as Batgirl that she decides to run for Congress instead of her dad, so that she can really make a difference. She also tells him that she’s Batgirl. The next two stories center around her campaign.
"The Invader from Hell" - Batman Family #1 1975
Barbara was elected into Congress and Dick comes to meet her there, just in time, too, because none other than Benedict Arnold seems to have come back from the dead.
"Startling Secret of the Devilish Daughters" - Batman Family #9 1977
Batgirl and Robin versus the daughters of Scarecrow, Joker, the Riddler, and the Penguin!
"Photo Finish" - Batman Chronicles #9 1997: This story jumps to a different continuity. Batgirl meets Batman and Robin for the first time (again). While Batman is, er, busy with Catwoman (and yeah, the sexuality is almost dripping from the page, ew) he sends Robin to find evidence of her burglary. Batgirl tags along. They find the real burglar and managed to first get into each other’s way but finally bring him down.
"Folie a Deux Part One" - Legends of the DC Universe #10 "Folie a Deux Part Two" - Legends of the DC Universe #10 1998: The last story in the collection has gorgeous art by Terry Dodson, but the story is… not good. It again returns to the roots of Batgirl being a hero. This story reboots her as Commissioner Gordon’s niece whose parents died young and the Commissioner then raised her. Babs is an angry rebel teenager who convinces Batman to help her train. Gordon spies on her and finds out that she’s the Batgirl.
Interestingly enough, while Dick and Barbara have long been an off-again on-again couple, they’re not together in these stories. In fact, in Photo Finish, Dick (as Robin) is drawn quite a bit younger than Babs. In “Invader from Hell” Dick is still trying to persuade Batgirl to stop being a hero and they don’t know each other’s secret identities. But in the next story "Startling Secret of the Devilish Daughters", they work together comfortably and know each other’s secret identities. But Dick has a girlfriend.
The problem here is that, especially in comparison to Batman, Batgirl doesn’t get to shine on her own. She doesn’t have a rogue’s gallery. She’s intelligent and skilled but battles ordinary criminals. This isn’t the Babs I know from Birds of Prey and I find it hard to believe these are really her best stories.
I confess: I don’t really know much about Batgirl. She was in some of the Batman cartoons but that’s about it. I’m far more familiar with Barbara Gordon as the wheel-chair bound Oracle. I think these stories are set in another continuity than the one I’m most familiar with. They’re all new to me.
While the collection starts with wacky and fun stories, the last two aren’t so good.
The collection starts, appropriately enough with Batgirl’s debut in “The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl": Detective Comics #359 in 1967. Barbara is the head librarian of Gotham library, wearing Princess Leia hairdo. 😊 She’s going to the policemen’s ball and has made a Batgirl costume for that. However, on the way she sees none other than Bruce Wayne attacked by Killer Moth and his Moth men. Barbara goes for the rescue and finds that she likes being a superhero, so she continues. She kind of helps Batman and Robin to capture the Killer Moth who is blackmailing millionaires.
She doesn’t have a tragic origin and I think that’s very appropriate for her. With nothing more than her Judo training and enthusiasm she’s just as capable of catching bad guys as Batman and Robin. Well, except that the males keep telling her to stop.
"The Orchid-Crusher" - Detective Comics #396 and "The Hollow Man" - Detective Comics #396 in 1970 is a two-part story where
Barbara hunts down a serial killer who kills young, redheaded girls.
This is pretty straight-forward story where we’re introduced to Jason Bard, a man who wants to be Babs’ boyfriend.
"The Unmasking of Batgirl" - Detective Comics #422, "Candidate for Danger" - Detective Comics #423, and "Batgirl's Last Case" - Detective Comics #424 1972
Now this goes deep into the wacky country. In the first story, the “dominoed daredoll” encounters an ex-con who cons her again. At the same time, her dad is reluctantly running for congress. Babs becomes so disillusioned about her work as Batgirl that she decides to run for Congress instead of her dad, so that she can really make a difference. She also tells him that she’s Batgirl. The next two stories center around her campaign.
"The Invader from Hell" - Batman Family #1 1975
Barbara was elected into Congress and Dick comes to meet her there, just in time, too, because none other than Benedict Arnold seems to have come back from the dead.
"Startling Secret of the Devilish Daughters" - Batman Family #9 1977
Batgirl and Robin versus the daughters of Scarecrow, Joker, the Riddler, and the Penguin!
"Photo Finish" - Batman Chronicles #9 1997: This story jumps to a different continuity. Batgirl meets Batman and Robin for the first time (again). While Batman is, er, busy with Catwoman (and yeah, the sexuality is almost dripping from the page, ew) he sends Robin to find evidence of her burglary. Batgirl tags along. They find the real burglar and managed to first get into each other’s way but finally bring him down.
"Folie a Deux Part One" - Legends of the DC Universe #10 "Folie a Deux Part Two" - Legends of the DC Universe #10 1998: The last story in the collection has gorgeous art by Terry Dodson, but the story is… not good. It again returns to the roots of Batgirl being a hero. This story reboots her as Commissioner Gordon’s niece whose parents died young and the Commissioner then raised her. Babs is an angry rebel teenager who convinces Batman to help her train. Gordon spies on her and finds out that she’s the Batgirl.
Interestingly enough, while Dick and Barbara have long been an off-again on-again couple, they’re not together in these stories. In fact, in Photo Finish, Dick (as Robin) is drawn quite a bit younger than Babs. In “Invader from Hell” Dick is still trying to persuade Batgirl to stop being a hero and they don’t know each other’s secret identities. But in the next story "Startling Secret of the Devilish Daughters", they work together comfortably and know each other’s secret identities. But Dick has a girlfriend.
The problem here is that, especially in comparison to Batman, Batgirl doesn’t get to shine on her own. She doesn’t have a rogue’s gallery. She’s intelligent and skilled but battles ordinary criminals. This isn’t the Babs I know from Birds of Prey and I find it hard to believe these are really her best stories.
February 25, 2018
The problem with this collection of stories about Batgirl that it represents both the best and worse of the DC treatment of this character.
You start with what is perhaps the best known origin story of Batgirl as Barbara Gordon. This was created in the late 60s, is representative of its time but there is hope for Batgirl as character. I mean I did not mind that Barbara Gordon becomes a crime fighter because she likes the excitement and thrill of getting into a scrape with some baddies. From these humble beginnings you could see the possibility of a really interesting character arc in the making. However, that slowly unravels as you read through the decades. It was great that Barbara, runs for Congress but the motive was appalling. The further you travel through the decades the more Batgirl becomes tepid and almost ineffective as a crime fighter. The Batgirl and Robin adventures provided some redemption to this collection.
This collection teases you with how wonderful Batgirl could have been. Yet, the character is never fully developed in this collection and you see what could have been.
I understand that Batgirl was rebooted in the last couple of years and I have not read those. It will be interesting to see where Batgirl is now.
You start with what is perhaps the best known origin story of Batgirl as Barbara Gordon. This was created in the late 60s, is representative of its time but there is hope for Batgirl as character. I mean I did not mind that Barbara Gordon becomes a crime fighter because she likes the excitement and thrill of getting into a scrape with some baddies. From these humble beginnings you could see the possibility of a really interesting character arc in the making. However, that slowly unravels as you read through the decades. It was great that Barbara, runs for Congress but the motive was appalling. The further you travel through the decades the more Batgirl becomes tepid and almost ineffective as a crime fighter. The Batgirl and Robin adventures provided some redemption to this collection.
This collection teases you with how wonderful Batgirl could have been. Yet, the character is never fully developed in this collection and you see what could have been.
I understand that Batgirl was rebooted in the last couple of years and I have not read those. It will be interesting to see where Batgirl is now.
January 8, 2019
Like the 70's stuff better than the 90's
January 16, 2022
Not uncommon for an anthology, the quality was all over the place.
July 13, 2023
Batgirl's greatest adventures collected together in one volume. Barbara Gordon is a demure librarian at Gotahm City Library. She decides to surprise her father by dressing up as a female version of Batman for the Policeman's Masquerade Ball, but on her way there she interrupts an attack by Killer Moth on the playboy Bruce Wayne and decides to take the villains on. Wayne takes the opportunity to escape, change into his Batman alter ego and assist the overwhelmed Batgirl. It is the beginning of a great partnership, in which Batgirl defies Batman and her father and teams up with Robin to fight crime.
11 stories, moving from Gardner Fox's debut of Batgirl in DC comics in 1967, all bright colours and slapstick punching, kicking and bad puns, think Adam West and Burt Ward, to three darker late 1990s stories. Photo Finish features the strange angles and beautifully fluid style of Duncan Fegrado (Enigma). The two part disturbing Folie a Deux ('shared psychosis') written by Kelley Puckett follows the treand of the 90s in exploring the darker sides and twisted psychologies of Gotham legends and villians.
An excellent collection and introduction to one of the lesser known but most endearing comic legends. The only addition I would have like to have seen is reference to Barbara Gordon's career as Oracle after being critically injured by the Joker and having to rebuild her life (The Killing Joke)
11 stories, moving from Gardner Fox's debut of Batgirl in DC comics in 1967, all bright colours and slapstick punching, kicking and bad puns, think Adam West and Burt Ward, to three darker late 1990s stories. Photo Finish features the strange angles and beautifully fluid style of Duncan Fegrado (Enigma). The two part disturbing Folie a Deux ('shared psychosis') written by Kelley Puckett follows the treand of the 90s in exploring the darker sides and twisted psychologies of Gotham legends and villians.
An excellent collection and introduction to one of the lesser known but most endearing comic legends. The only addition I would have like to have seen is reference to Barbara Gordon's career as Oracle after being critically injured by the Joker and having to rebuild her life (The Killing Joke)
May 16, 2011
Part of my ongoing attempt to understand why people get so nostalgic for DC's Silver Age.
My only non-Oracle exposure to Babs prior to this was Yvonne Craig in the Batman TV show, so I don't have much frame of reference as to whether or not these represent the 'best' Batgirl stories. They do seem pretty bland, on the whole, though, so I hope they're not?
Batgirl's origin, as told here, is almost childishly simple - she was going to a party, and made a Batgirl costume for herself. Then she sees Bruce Wayne being attacked by a villain, and decides to try to save him. Finding it fun, she keeps being a vigilante. That's it. That's the entire motivation for the character.
The character shows a little more depth later on, but the stories are pure American cheese. Barbara becomes a Congresswoman, fighting for the ERA (apparently no one notices that Batgirl moves from Gotham to DC at the same time as Barbara Gordon does) and fighting the likes of Benedict Arnold and Two-Face's daughter.
Reading new (Stephanie Brown) Batgirl issues, I can tell that they're going for a similar feel with the character now, but it's much better told that anything in this volume.
My only non-Oracle exposure to Babs prior to this was Yvonne Craig in the Batman TV show, so I don't have much frame of reference as to whether or not these represent the 'best' Batgirl stories. They do seem pretty bland, on the whole, though, so I hope they're not?
Batgirl's origin, as told here, is almost childishly simple - she was going to a party, and made a Batgirl costume for herself. Then she sees Bruce Wayne being attacked by a villain, and decides to try to save him. Finding it fun, she keeps being a vigilante. That's it. That's the entire motivation for the character.
The character shows a little more depth later on, but the stories are pure American cheese. Barbara becomes a Congresswoman, fighting for the ERA (apparently no one notices that Batgirl moves from Gotham to DC at the same time as Barbara Gordon does) and fighting the likes of Benedict Arnold and Two-Face's daughter.
Reading new (Stephanie Brown) Batgirl issues, I can tell that they're going for a similar feel with the character now, but it's much better told that anything in this volume.
July 26, 2012
So if not for the awesome of Barbara Gordon, this book would have gotten two stars. I'm not really a fan of older comics, I know they're classic, but most of them are just so incredibly hokey. And the majority of this book is older Batgirl stories. So tons of bad jokes and even worse villains. Seriously bad. In one story Satan resurrects Benedict Arnold in order to defeat Batgirl and Robin and thereby crush the American spirit but they win the day by hiding in a church. What did I just read? In a later story, Two-Face's daughter dresses up as other supervillains' daughters and creates chaos in order to get Robin's attention so she can join the Teen Titans. Because committing crimes and creating chaos is a great application for joining an elite crime fighting group. Uh, but on the positive side, I learned that Barbara Gordon became a congresswoman at one point.
Also, Batman is a major asshole the first time Batgirl meets Batman and Robin.
Also, Batman is a major asshole the first time Batgirl meets Batman and Robin.
July 29, 2016
As I ease my way into the world of comics, I think this is my favorite that I've read so far. It was cool to get a 3-decade glance at the highlights of the evolution of a character; it felt like both a history lesson and a fun read at the same time. These are the comics that lead to the blockbuster superhero industry we know today, the comics of my father's childhood. I think that in order to better appreciate the superhero stories of today, it is very helpful to read comics from the past. Plus, being a visual medium, you get to see all the fashion of the era when it was written. Seeing Barbara Gordon in those 1970's mini-dresses and tall boots, surrounded by others dressed as hippies or in groovy kaleidoscopic colors definitely made me giggle.
September 18, 2015
I'm giving this two stars because the last two stories were pretty good and the million dollar debut was ok albeit extremely cheesy. But the Joker's daughter story where she masquerades as the daughter of other criminals just to be unmasked as the joker's daughter each time was pretty awful and let's not forget the Babs runs for representative story which was also not good. But the best of the worst was Batgirl and Robin Vs Benedict Arnold! This is why it took me so long to start reading DC Comics, because that is just terrible horrible no good very bad storytelling.
August 1, 2012
A trip down memory lane with Barbara Gordon's Batgirl. The stories are definitely a reflection of the time, and a good mix, although there was one in there that ignored the continuity of the others, which didn't do it any favours.
Nice to see several with Batgirl and Robin working together especially considering the how the relationship grows between them in later years.
Nice to see several with Batgirl and Robin working together especially considering the how the relationship grows between them in later years.
September 9, 2013
It is really hard to rate a collection of comics that are all very different. There were some comics that I loved, some that were okay, and one arc that I hated. Seriously, Batgirl? You're surprised that the Ex-con that you showed the priceless artifact would turn around and steal it when you're not looking?
January 25, 2013
batfam books from the '60s/'70s are amaaaaaaazing. in one of them, babs is a congresswoman, dick is her aide, and satan has benedict arnold try to kill them. !!!! IT IS ALL THE BEST.
the last story (folie a deux) was weird and not in the fun way, but the rest were super-entertaining.
the last story (folie a deux) was weird and not in the fun way, but the rest were super-entertaining.
June 4, 2013
"The Million Dollar Debut Of Batgirl" (a sentimental favourite indeed), "The Orchid-Crusher", and "The Hollow Man" get this collection off to a pleasantly lightweight start, but most of what follows is too hokey even for this nostalgist.
May 20, 2014
It's really great to watch Barbara's character evolve, her age change and her secret identity be known or unknown from story to story.
-Barbara Gordon in Congress? Babs referring to a relationship that ended 10 years ago... So old!
-Duela Dent! Teen Titans mentioned!
-Batfam fun!
-Barbara Gordon in Congress? Babs referring to a relationship that ended 10 years ago... So old!
-Duela Dent! Teen Titans mentioned!
-Batfam fun!
June 17, 2015
This was an airport read. Beyond keeping me from looking at my phone, it didn't do a whole lot for me. I may give another graphic novel a try down the road but for now this will suffice to fulfill my reading challenge.
February 2, 2020
I maybe be biased bc I was born in 2004, but older comics are less exciting and obviously the art isint very good, why I read this, oh yah I was in this phase when I would only read stuff related to Batman when I was younger
January 2, 2011
It's weird that this is the best of Batgirl, because none of the stories were particularly good.
February 21, 2011
Some of the best Babs out there. Good stuff.
September 18, 2011
i didn't know that Babs was once a member of Congress. Not that any of this matters with the recent New 52 wipe.
October 2, 2011
A better title would have been: The History of Sexism in Comics, 1967-1997. This made me angry. Find a newer story to read, this retrospective romp has no good tales.
August 18, 2017
A few good stories
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews