The white-on-purple narration saves the day and the reader of The Batgirls #5.
This DC Book has story hooks galore (written by Becky Cloonan and Michael Conrad) and is a kaleidoscope of hues (colour by Sarah Stern). Its fast pace and constant state of excitement should be enough to get our pulses pounding as we peruse through its madcap delivery. It swings, races, charges, and slams into story beats, dialogue chatter, and every other possible distraction.
To its credit, this over-the-top ‘feel’, when contrasted with other, quieter comics, delivers a complex, multilayered storyline. This one, full of honking horns and blaring sirens, puffs of smoke (art by Jorge Corona)is aggressively illuminated in mauve and blue, with aquamarine skies and marmalade sound effects (lettering by Becca Carey).
Issue five launches us at the abandoned Arkham Asylum, where maybe the Batgirls can stop Tutor from doing bad things. Meanwhile, there is the Spellbinder, and Oracle, and Batwoman, and Dante. A new reader would be at a complete loss as to what is going on here. And an occasional reader like myself is hanging on to any bit of narration that is kindly provided as a story-GPS. Blink and you’re toast, perhaps an avocado coloured toast, burnt out and ejected from the pop-up adventure!
If you’re quick to orient yourself, can pick up story threads on the fly, and love deciphering figures rendered in oddly kinetic positions, this will entrance and entertain you!
DC Comics, Batgirls #5, $3.99 for 23 pages of content. Teen
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