This
is where I was introduced to the ret-conned Bat-universe. The story is partly
told in flashback, to when Barbara Gordon was still in high school, and she and
her father had just moved to Gotham. Dick Grayson is also a teenager; still
Robin the Boy Wonder. But wait – Commissoner Gordon pre-dates Bruce Wayne’s
career as Batman, which in turn pre-dates Dick Grayson’s time as Robin. So did
Jim Gordon arrive in Gotham long after the advent of the Dynamic duo?
Also,
Dick Grayson isn’t wearing his Robin costume. You know, the green briefs,
yellow cape and pixie boots. Instead he’s wearing what appears to be a
variation on the Tim Drake version. It’s as if DC Comics has completely
discarded 60+ years of its history.
Batgirl
and Nightwing investigation into the peculiar deaths of two teenage girls leads
them to the Mad Hatter, who has been hospitalized with multiple injuries. All
of this is told in between flashbacks of Barbara’s initial arrival in Gotham
City, and her adjustment to life at a new school, where she encounters the
original Robin the Boy Wonder.
The
story seems intent on introducing a new villain, and signals suggest it may be
someone from Barbara’s past. It’s tricky to insert flashbacks in on ongoing
narrative, but Larson does it smoothly and judiciously. The artwork is simple
without being cartoony; a classic case of less is more.
The story is good, but points taken off for the ret-con. Rating: 7/10