Comics / Comic Reviews / DC Comics

Batgirl #15 Review

By J. Skyler
December 14, 2012 - 21:29

Everyone loves Barbara Gordon. Everyone. People who loved her in her early publication history as Batgirl found a greater sense of reverence for her following her recreation as Oracle. Those who found rapport with her accomplishments in spite of her disability as Oracle continue to find solace in her character's recovery by empathizing with Simone's depiction of a woman overcoming not only posttraumatic stress disorder, but survivor guilt, as the character attempts to find her footing once again as Batgirl in DC Comics' New 52. Readers from all walks of life—male and female, gay and straight, transgender and cisgender, disabled and able-bodied—have fought for the right to claim her as their own personal icon or beacon of hope. That being said, it should come as no surprise that the Joker also has an overwhelming obsession with her.

Reading the various solicitations, I had assumed Simone's vision of a wedding from Hell would have been yet another over-dramatic projection of the Joker's twisted worldview—and it is—but it's so much deeper than that. The Joker actually does want to marry Barbara Gordon, because she meets his "exact qualifications for [a] life partner" and "soul mate," (I wonder if he's bothered to mention that to Harley Quinn?), but that's not the creepy part. It's how he intends to keep his blushing bride from leaving him that now has Batgirl in league with Saw.

At varying points, Batman have been confronted with the decision on whether or not to simply kill the Joker and be done with him for good. This time, it's Batgirl's turn to play judge, jury and executioner and she holds little reservation about ending his life. As our own Koppy McFad wrote in DC Comics: Life after 52, the no-kill rule that was once hallowed by DC characters has since eroded and Batgirl herself admits "I'm not Batman, Joker. The rules no longer apply here." Granted, she doesn't have an inherent blood-lust like Jason Todd or Damien Wayne, but out of all the members of the Batman Family, only she and Batwoman would understand arguments in favor of the death penalty from a law enforcement perspective. Batwoman still holds to the ideal that justice can be achieved without death, but Batgirl's personal violation(s) at the hands of the Joker skew that perception for her. She is willing to sacrifice everything to get her revenge. The question is, will she find her golden opportunity to take it?

Rating: 7 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12