Batgirl, Batman and "Batgirl Volume 1"

"We weren't always close Batman and I. Not always. He didn't want a partner, and I didn't want to be another partner. Similar name and wardrobe, sure. But I stood apart, I was Batgirl." - Batgirl Issue 6

Upon recommendation, I recently bought "Batgirl Volume 1: The Darkest Reflection", written by Gail Simone. It is wonderful to read. It delivers all you could want in a superhero comic. It is intelligent, plays on grand themes, has great artwork and kick-ass fight scenes. However, it is also notably different to what I expected of a "Bat-"  comic and hugely different to Batman. It isn't dark, but playful and humourous whenever appropriate. The grand themes it kisses aren't ones such as fear or sanity, but miracles and forgiveness. In the mean, dark streets of Gotham, this is delightfully refreshing.

Barbara Gordon (Batgirl) has re-donned her cowl and cape, having miraculously recovered from the paralysis of the legs caused by a gunshot wound in the spine (see Alan Moore's "The Killing Joke", which is also highly recommended). Within a few pages, she's fighting a well-armed zealot who believes that miracles are God's errors, taking upon himself to "fix" these "mistakes." Within a few pages, the urge to support Batgirl in her fight against this villain, and the survivor's guilt he is symbolic of, is overwhelming.

Why? Because Batgirl quickly becomes an incredibly human character. The narration is quick and constant. The reader is constantly updated with what Barbara is thinking. We know when she doubts herself, when she's happy, sad or angry at herself. She has emotions we all relate to and empathise with.  This is a sharp contrast to Batman, who is aloof, brooding and closed off. Batman doesn't talk about his feelings, not even to his closest allies. He fires off stories and facts relevant to the case at hand, but never talks about the emotionally neglected Bruce Wayne that lies (maybe?) beneath the Bat. Batman guards himself with constant, vigilant cynicism whereas Batgirl's response to life is eternal, bright optimism. This attitude fits wonderfully with her origin story as the plucky go-getter determined to fight crime, with or without Batman's approval.

This return to Batgirl's roots after the miraculous re-birth is maintained throughout the novel. She moves into a small apartment in a bad neighbourhood, the opposite to the luxury of Wayne Manor. Batgirl receives information through text alerts and researches using a laptop, not through a super-computer. Her kept company is a firebrand political activist, not swanning socialites. Simone's Batgirl makes it very clear she wants to be alone and independent. She want's to be a friend of, not a member of, the Bat-family. As a result, Batgirl feels vibrant and new, freed of the looming goliath that is Batman, and is better because of it.

Aided by detailed, up-close art, Simone creates a Batgirl that the reader empathises with and understands, but never pities. Batgirl is a character so open and honest, that the resulting comic feels almost liberating. In the dark and often claustrophobic world of the Batman, "Batgirl Volume 1: The Darkest Reflection" It is an emotional tour de force and a great collection of comics.