Some thoughts about Batgirl #25

A new era begins for Batgirl.

Barbara is trying to protect her city in every way possible but she must realize that she can't stop the inevitable.

This issue works as an anniversary special and at the same time, is the beginning of Mairghread Scott's work on the title and thankfully, it seems pretty decent so far.

The first story is written by Scott appropriately and is surprisingly focused on a little plot-point from Tom King's ill-fated Joker on the Church story. The plot is about how even if Batgirl saves someone, they're not forever safe due to the violent nature of Gotham City. The themes the story explores are pretty realistic and show Barbara in a sympathetic light. Tom Derenick handles the art and is really good looking thanks to his expressive characters and clear storytelling.

Then comes Marguerite Bennett with a segment about the relationship between Babs and Dick and it works fine enough, pretty simple but serviceable. Dan Panosian's art is a bit rough but the storytelling is precise.

Weirdly enough, there's another story written by Scott that serves as a proper set-up for her upcoming run focusing on Grotesque, one of the forgotten villains that Gail Simone created during her run, and all seems interesting enough. Paul Pelletier's artwork is solid as always thanks to his expressive characters.

Finally, Paul Dini arrives with one of his classic stories heavily based on Batman: The Animated Series with a cartoony villain that ultimately shows more complexity than how she initially appears. Emanuella Lupacchino's style is perfect for the story thanks to her vibrant tone.

Pretty solid special overall, hope Scott's run following run is just as good.