Apart from the zero issue, this the first Convergence book I have read. Despite the talents on show, I can't help but thing that the two issue stories will be thrown away in the grand scheme of things, once the DC office move is completed. I hope I am wrong as this would mean that, from a certain point of view DC is taking advantage of its fans. That said, I enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the last part of Steph's Love Song. Read Full Review

Alisa Kwitney and Rick Leonardi's outing here is mostly stellar for the excellent character work at play here. Kwitney's grasp on the voices of Stephanie, Tim Drake, and Cassandra Cain is fantastic and immensely natural. Less excellent is her interactions between Batgirl and Catman, which has an uncomfortable edge to it that comes across as more clumsy than menacing. Read Full Review

What Convergence: Batgirl lacks in a strong plot, it makes up for with great characterization. I may be the only one on this boat, but I'd take strong characters in an average plot, over a plot that tries too hard and relies on shock value any day. Read Full Review

In conclusion, this is a pretty solid book. The writing is strong and really brings these characters back from now dead DC history. Yet, the hardest part to swallow is the art and while it hurts the book, it doesn't ruin it and Convergence: Batgirl #1 can still be enjoyed. This book is a must read for fans of these characters and it is promising to imagine what comes next. Read Full Review

The artwork accompanies the story well and they work in a fairly strong harmony where neither is more important or distracts from the other. All in all, it's a fun first issue with a great sense of character that leaves a couple questions unanswered. But that's all the more incentive to stay interestedin this title as it unfolds. Read Full Review

The story flows at a really nice pace and the art is solid, but the book just feels a little all over the place. It's a fun read for sure, but it fails to make fans of Stephanie Brown happy and will leave new readers of the New 52 era lost beyond belief. Still, this isn't a bad book, especially if you are a fan of some Stephanie Brown action. Let's hope part two ramps up the action now that the needed, but flimsy, backstory is out of the way. It's not perfect, but Batgirl #1 still gets my recommendation. Read Full Review

All in all, I think time is going to be what makes or breaks this entireConvergence event. These teams have two issues to orient the reader and tell a solid story, which makes their job more difficult than usual. InConvergence: Batgirl #1, too much time is spent orienting us to who Stephanie is when it could be done more efficiently elsewhere. Conversely, too little time is often spent addressing and/or establishing what I assume are the bigger plot elements that will come into play in issue #2. I have higher hopes for the second issue, as most of the backstory has been covered in issue #1 but these flaws, combined with the artistic missteps, made Stephanie and Cass' return less illustrious than I would have liked. Read Full Review

Overall, this was a rather disappointing comic. The artwork let it down big time, and while I applaud Buccellato and Kwitney for their hard work, it simply isn't enough to save this. The current Batgirl series is fantastic" beyond fantastic even, but this simply doesn't do justice to the Batgirl name. Stephanie Brown is awesome, don't get me wrong, but if you're going to bring her back as Batgirl, even if it is just for two comics, you need to give her something better than this. It makes her seem incompetent, and she is anything but. Hopefully the next issue will be better, not just for our sakes, but for hers. Read Full Review

I actually feared I was going to hate this a lot more than I did, and Im still keen to see the second issue. But in the realm of asking if its better to have a character back or to have them be written well, the latter must always be the better choice. This isnt horrible by any means, but its a bit disappointing and lacking in sufficient foresight when it comes to delivering fan favorite characters back from limbo after so long. If youre going to do it, dont do it absent-mindedly. Read Full Review

This is my least favorite Convergence tie-in so far.  The story has a pacing problem and while I liked seeing Stephanie Brown, it just felt off.  The art didn't help me feel any different and I was left with an empty feeling when I was done reading it.  I can't recommend it and can't say I'm looking forward to next month's finale. Read Full Review

There are lots of fun ideas that live up to the spirit of the dearly departed Stephanie Brown Batgirl, but, ultimately, it isn't enough. Alisa Kwitney's character work is promising but her story structure is lacking and the art from Leonardi and Pennington is too harried to make up the difference, rather needing a brilliant story to cover up its own notable deficiencies. Convergence: Batgirl raises a wry brow at modern heroics, but its structural shortcomings, narrative and artistic, are more than its humor and charm can overcome. Read Full Review

Its difficult to tell who this coming is for. If its for fans of the Bat-Family from before the New-52 began, it spends too much time recounting where the characters were in the intervening time and also doesnt make it clear that thats who were dealing with. If its for new readers, theyll be completely baffled by this cavalcade of new faces and masks. While the pacing is good and the flow is great, and there are some stand-out character moments in the writing and concept, the whole experience falls flat and feels muddled. Read Full Review

It also doesn't help that Convergence: Batgirl #1 might be the worst drawn mainstream super-hero comic I've ever read. The characters are ill-defined looking more lack slap-dashed artist sketches than a finished product, and the inking and coloring is haphazard resulting in numerous panels that appear out of focus. What the hell, DC? Pass. Read Full Review

"Batgirl: Convergence" #1 is a conventional story about self-confidence and self-discovery told with an unconventional approach. Kwitney doesn't make it easy for the reader to follow her. She doesn't use any time-stamp indicators, nor does she leave cues or set up a frame that would foreshadow the structure. The offbeat humor clashes with earnest characterization. The forward momentum is poor and the story keeps going off the different directions in order to give the reader a sense of Stephanie's character and where's she's been. It does partially succeed in these goals, but the blurriness of tone and choppiness of action are barriers to entry. Read Full Review

This comic has it all - if by "all" you mean "mammary gland"-punching, surprise tackles mid-potty break, and a hamster that may or may not be eaten by Cassandra Cain. Despite the deep fanbase that Stephanie Brown, Cassandra Cain and Tim Drake might have, Alisa Kwitney and Rick Leonardi's story's only real appeal is its unintentional humor value. Read Full Review