Fans of every incarnation of Batgirl will want to pick this book up. Yet it will also appeal to new readers who might not be familiar with these heroes who are seeking an entry point into the new Gotham City. Either way, this is one book you won't want to miss! Read Full Review

Batgirls #1 superbly kicks off a long-anticipated series with a creative team that is doing outstanding work on all levels. Whether youre a longtime devotee of the Batgirls or simply intrigued by the hype, this comic is a must-read. Read Full Review

It's clear that this creative team deeply loves these three characters, and this first issue makes it feel like the start of something great. Read Full Review

So, when all is said and done, Batgirls #1 gets this new series off to a great start. With the next issue set up in the book's final pages, I look forward to seeing where this story will take our colorful trio next. Read Full Review

Batgirls #1 is a fun entry into a lighter side of Gotham with some of the city's most balanced heroes both in fighting and personality. If you like lots of action with some laughter mixed in, or if you're just a huge Batgirl stan, this is a book you're gonna want to check out. Read Full Review

At long last, the Batgirls are soaring high in their own series, taking to the streets of Gotham in their own way for their own line of adventures. There is a lot of care and love clearly showcased on each page alongside a lot of colorful bright and popping fun energy that gives the book a unique personality among the line. There are a lot of building blocks being set here that has the potential to create a very solid foundation for hopefully years to come. Read Full Review

Batgirls #1 is a brilliant read, with Barabara, Cassandra, and Stephanie's personalities shining bright " both through the writing and the artwork. Read Full Review

Overall, I like this first issue much more than I expected. The material and characters are probably most relatable to a tween girl audience with a tone and style reminiscent of DC's Super Hero Girls. Still, the story and character work are no less engaging. As a result, I'm interested in reading more. Read Full Review

Overall the issue is a fun, wild trip. The humor and action are well balanced with both the story and art. The visual gags are balanced and well placed throughout the issue. Read Full Review

This is a book that has some growing pains, but is ultimately a fun experience that promises a lot, and I think it's gonna deliver. I look forward to see how this team irons things out as months go by, and I can't wait to see this come into it's own. As a longstanding fan of these characters, it gets a pass from me. Good work. Read Full Review

Batgirls #1 is a great balance of action, humor, and mystery. While it continues the back-up shorts, the first issue is a “fresh start” that new readers can easily pick up and enjoy and long time readers will want to see what's next. There's so much packed in a comic that knows what it is from the start and makes its vision and voice clear. One hell of a debut and great start to help wrap up DC's year. Read Full Review

Conrad, Cloonan, and Corona put together a remarkably sharp first issue. Theres a good connection between what editorial seems to be looking for with the series, what the writers are putting together, and the visual style of Corona. The series would be served much better by a slightly tighter look with more of a solid definition, but that will likely come in time as the creative team becomes more familiar with the team adventuring around on-page and panel. Read Full Review

Batgirls #1 is a fantastic start to the series, and I love practically everything about this issue. From the art and colors to the little sight gags (like Barbara's mug that says "world's greatest dad" and her book on teenagers) to Stephanie's fearlessness, Cassandra's steadfastness, and Barbara's tired mom vibe, the issue provides a lot of ground for the series to build off of, and I'm really excited for more. Read Full Review

Do not sleep on this series. It's not too late, it's only just come out. You can pick this up and be one of the cool kids. Do it. DO IT NOW… WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? I will never not be excited when I see that I have the Batgirls series to read and review. I love Cass, Steph, and Babs, and I cannot wait to spend more time with them and figure out what is happening with the creepy people and the evil Seer. Read Full Review

Really fun, really stylish start to this new series. Not as much out-of-costume stuff as I would like to see, but the superheroics are in a league of their own. Read Full Review

Batgirls #1 establishes a new location and mostly sets aside any plot to give Cassandra and Stephanie time to shine. It's not an explosive premiere, but it puts all the pieces in place, and I hope we get to see more of this area of Gotham, along with improved handling of Barbara Gordon, in future issues. Read Full Review

As an opening issue, Batgirls hits many of the right notes. It's a fun and exciting story featuring three characters I've been dying to see more of for a really long time now. The aesthetic is gorgeous, the story is funny, and sets a strong foundation for the rest of this series with a variety of mysteries and character moments. Despite some of my reservations about the whole context of the narrative, it's still something I'd heartily recommend to any Batgirl fan out there. Read Full Review

Written by Becky Cloonan and Michael W. Conrad, with art by Jorge Corona, the new comic quickly establishes a new status quo spun from of the "Fear State" crossover event, but struggles to provide a central story hook separate from the event. Read Full Review

The Batgirls are back in action, and you love to see it. Read Full Review

This is a very fun read. It focuses on the charecter's relationships with one another while still providing some action. The writing is great as it really makes you feel like you know the charecters and their quirks by the end. On a personal note as a huge fan of Cassandra Cain I am very happy they are making this and look forward to the next issue. This is a very good start

Pretty decent debut. Art is really cool and characterization is correct. Hope that it will remain that way

Enjoyed this quite a bit, and it was sooooo much better than the Fear State/Nightwing stories, maybe because finally they get to exist in their own space as opposed to taking over another title's.
Jorge Corona gives the book a fun animated look that comes alive combined with Conrad and Cloonan's writing. (I haven't read anything with Becky Cloonan since AMERICAN VIRGIN way back in the late 2000s, its kinda crazy to see her writing stuff now - I do wanna read The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys).
On the comic, it's fun and I'm interested to see where this goes. Welcome to The Hill, girls!

Thought this was solid/decent first issue. I mainly checked this out as I've been enjoying Cloonan and Conrad's WW work. Barbara's the only Batgirl I really have any attachment to due to pop culture but thought Steph and Cass come off interesting here.

Only have that barest clue of an idea of what "The Magistrate" is since I've not been following any of the other Bat books going on.

Art style won't be for many (I've been in that boat too) but I'm digging Corona's work here.

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SloboSOY - Mar 9, 2023 (edited)

I love Cassandra since her first ongoing. Even if she never had to face any bats vilain (‘cause Bruce forbids it). Became more interesting with Lady Shiva appearances. I prefer her black bat identity than all the orphan era. And for Stephany I really suggest you to take the Tpbs of her time as batgirl. I was not convinced when they launch & look the other way. Until a issue with Damian (I believe). It was so strong that I take the first tpb and followed the ongoing (until flashpoint).

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I liked this more than the backups. Which I think further validates my sentiment of hating DC's backup strategy. This was fun. I think the tone fits much better here when there's not a need to rush through as much information as possible. Really not feeling a continued use of the Magistrate, or the Seer for that matter. The sooner that's done with, the sooner Fear State leaves my mind.

Its not bad, its just fine thats all.

Overall decent story. Art is not my cup of tea. To cartoony and sloppy looking. The girls sometimes act out of character to further the plot but it is nice to see the Bat girls get their own book. Overall it may be light reading but it’s not tedious.

This is a difficult review to write. I really wanted to like this issue, but I had issues. I have been a huge fan of Stephanie Brown for years. I never really got Cassandra Cain, but I enjoyed the Cain/Brown friendship and a book built around that has huge potential to be great.

But this first issue didn't do what a first issue is supposed to do - set up the world and characters so that we know what the book's mission statement is.

Let me break it down using the classic "Who, what, where when, why and sometimes how" paradigm of explaining a story.

Who and what- Steph and Cass plus Babs all move in together. Where - in a semi-seedy Gotham neighborhood. When- after yet another tedious Gotham crossover event that "changes" everything. Why - that's the killer question. This book doesn't tell me why. It may have been explained in other previous Bat books, but I haven't read them. DC has to assume that others haven't either, which is why it's important to set that all up in the first issue. We are left without an explanation as to why a grown woman would bunk with two teenagers. Is she their guardian, their mentor, their friend? What is the group's common goal? Fight crime? Teach the kids the tricks of the trade? Save on rent? Hide out together? We, or at least I, don't know.

Who is the main antagonist? It's Seer, but again, I don't know anything about her from previous issues. What's her deal? How is she a threat? Don't know.

The art. Now we're getting more into the realm of personal tastes. I have always been a fan of the more realistic Neal Adams type of art, especially for the Bat family. This issue features an artist that's more, let's say cartoony, in style. You may like that, and fair enough, that's why they make chocolate and vanilla. But it's not to my taste, so that affects my score.

I will say that the artist does things like write in an actual panel "sad trombone" music plays. No, that doesn't work. I also don't like how the faces are drawn. When Babs shows off her Bat scooters to Steph and Cass, her face is demented. She looks like a 40 year old mom trying to be hip with her 15 year old daughters. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Babs only a few years older than these girls. How long was it that she was young enough to be called "Batgirl." She is not some soccer mom trying to connect with the younger generation. She'd know that the scooters are, while well-intentioned, lame to teenagers.

Plot. Hard to say. I'll give this one a pass. Characterization. This is where the issue really falls down. This plot is only moving forward because the characters act stupid. The girls are told to stay put because they group is in hiding and Seer might track them down. What do the girls do? They immediately disobey Babs' orders. Steph and Cass have experience. They know the value of keeping a low profile. understand the dangers of hidden villains. They aren't reckless teens is what I am saying. Whatever continuity counts for now, they've both been around the block. Stop writing them like 13-year-olds. It's tougher for the writer to write them as young and a little reckless while remembering they're experienced too, but that's why the writer gets the big bucks.

Then there is Babs. She is written like the parent that doesn't listen while the kids explain that old man Smith is behind the haunting of the abandoned amusement park. When two experienced heroes say that someone is putting construction workers in a trance, Babs is the kind of person who listens because she knows these aren't 8-year-olds with too-vivid imaginations. They're experienced fighters, albeit young, who have trained under Batman. And don't get me started on the whole "Rear Window" scenario. (Rear Window is a classic Alfred Hitchcock film from the 1950s. It's worth a watch).

Back to art. The villain Seer is shown, but the way the artist draws her, I can't tell if her face is covered with crumbs or acne or whatever. I also don't get that great a sense of her age. I know she's supposed to be young. But how young? 15? 20? 25? These are important details.

I bought three copies of the book. The standard cover and two rare covers. So they've got my money. But I just have problems with the book. I want this to succeed, but now I really have my doubts.

Of course, when DC next reboots continuity, this might not matter. (They are going to bring back Alfred. I don't know that for a fact, but come on, we all know it's true. So a continuity reboot isn't always a bad thing.)

So I give the book a 5. More for its potential than for its actual merits.

Or I could be wrong. more

Cass and Steph's characterization was fine and even fun, but the story made Babs act and feel like a 40+ mother, a characterization that came out of nowhere and doesn't remotely resemble what we've seen of Babs in recent years.

Since I like Babs, I don't think I'll continue reading this series.

Bad art, and a very bland story.

And this they are hitting the new target? art is ugly and what follows. I don't understand why putting everyone with freckles, is it to make them look more childish? well we all know that DC thinks that making all books homogenized for readers of thirteen will be bought for all. The story is very random, personally I got bored.

Utter crap but it's to be expected from Cloonan and Conrad.

The art wasn’t for me, but the story, or lack of one was a bit annoying. This feels like cloonan and Conrad trying to tap into the Batgirl of Burnside vibe from 2016-ish, but that ended up getting old fast so I don’t know why they would go there.

Awful art and an uninteresting story.