BARBARA GORDON: BREAKOUT #1: Kangaroo Court.

Vandal Savage’s reign of terror across Gotham has set his sights on the Bat Family. Throwing all of his enemies in Supermax, Barbara has gotten herself arrested to be the man on the inside, helping out anyone wrongfully imprisoned. Unfortunately, Barbara’s worst enemies are also in the prison, and she is on her own with no mask and no backup and a giant target on her back. How long can she survive on her own?

Creative Team: Mariko Tamaki, Amancay Nahuelpan, Tamra Bonvillain, Ariana Maher, and Karl Kerschl.

This is a joint review by Matt of Hops ‘Geek’ News and Megan of Vigilante Vibes Podcast!

SPOILERS AHEAD

The Story:

Megan: Following the intense story of Batman #9 by Matt Fraction, we now see Barbara’s point of view from inside Supermax. Barbara already has a target on her back with being the new girl, but once the other inmates find out who her dad is, that adds a whole new layer of danger. Barbara shows the others pretty quickly that she isn’t one to be messed with, but it seems that the other inmates aren’t the only ones she has to worry about. The guards are made up of ex cons that her dad personally arrested. With no way for the Bat-Family to rescue her from the prison, Barbara has to figure out how to keep herself safe all on her own.

There’s so much in this comic to enjoy. Seeing Barbara, who’s an iconic character in her own right, being put in this position is terrifying, but seeing how she handles herself is powerful. Mariko Tamaki does a beautiful job as nailing the intensity of the story and continuing Barbara’s story from Batman #9.

Matt: I am loving this take on Barbara, who has always been a strong and amazing character in the Bat Family. Mariko sets her up to be in prison, and there are familiar faces off the bat, such as Die, the daughter of Two-Face, who has immediately set her sights on Barbara. The way her inner monologue is written gives us insight into her plan and showcases how fearless and badass Gordon is. There are some intense fight sequences as Barbara shows off her skills, and you cannot help but cheer in the moment. The cheers are short-lived because the final page of the issue casts a massive shadow, and it’s the first time we see her truly terrified since being thrown into prison. I love how this first issue played out and am sold on this run already.

The Art and Letters:

Megan: Amancay Nahuelpan, Tamra Bonvillain, Ariana Maher perfectly capture the grittiness of the story which I think pushes the depths even harder. Nahuelpan brings excellently detailed drawings mixed with abstract backgrounds that allow the characters to be the perfect focal points. Bonvillain is able to capture the loneliness of prison with the darker colors, but still have a beautiful array of vibrancy throughout the comics. Maher keeps a very tense and even inner dialogue of Barbara, even when there’s heightened energies all around her. All in all, the artists really knocked this out of the park!

Matt: The artwork is extremely well colored, as Bonvillain paints the prison in such a desolate and helpless setting. The sands are lifeless, and the orange jumpsuits jump out from the panels. Amancay draws up beautiful fight sequences with a swiftness and just enough of a punch to each hit that leap from the panels. I love how fierce Barbara is drawn, and you can see how determined she is. It makes the final page stand out that much more when she sees something in her cell that strikes fear into her. Maher’s letters take us into Barbara’s mind and show us how confident she is when entering this unknown.

Final Thoughts:

Megan: 9.1/10. I found Barbara Gordon: Breakout #1 to be a breath of fresh air when it comes to Bat-stories. Seeing all of this from Barbara’s perspective was fasicanting, but to also see how truly alone she was in a place that’s full of people who are working against her was impactful.

Matt: 9.5/10. Barbara Gordon: Breakout #1 is an excellent first issue that shows us how far members of the Bat Family are willing to go in order to protect their city. The team sets the tone instantly with this first issue, and I am really excited to keep reading!

Overall Grade – 9.3/10

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!