(5 Page Preview) Batgirl #1

Barbara Gordon is back as Batgirl

Next week, Batgirl #1 (along with a bunch of other relaunched #1 comics) goes on sale from DC Comics.  Unquestionably one of the most anticipated and controversial of any of the DC Comics being relaunched, Batgirl will see the return of Barbara Gordon to the role.  The controversial part of her return, of course, revolves around the fact that after being paralyzed from the waist down since 1988, Gordon will now leave her wheelchair behind.  During her time as a paraplegic heroine, known as Oracle, Gordon built up a huge fan following and was seen as a role model for her courage in the face of a devastating spinal injury.  But all that’s behind her now, as Barbara Gordon is back as Batgirl.

For its part, DC is assuring everyone that they will not be erasing Barbara’s time as Oracle.  They say that her time in a wheelchair will still be part of her origin (although this Barbara Gordon will be younger than the pre-Relaunch Gordon) and that this new book will show how she recovered from her paralysis and returned to the role of Batgirl.  And while that explanation seems a bit thin, the series (which is the first ongoing Barbara Gordon Batgirl comic ever) gains quite a bit of credibility as it’s being written by Gail Simone, one of the most respected writers in DC’s stable of talent.  And with that, here’s a five page preview of Batgirl #1, which first appeared in yesterday’s New York Post (apologies for the small size of the pages, but they’re the original size that appeared in the Post)…

This is one of the new DC Comics that I will be picking up, probably on a regular basis.  The combination of Gail Simone and Barbara Gordon as Batgirl isn’t something that I’m willing to pass up.  So after seeing these pages, what are your thoughts on the new Batgirl series?  Will it be on your buy list?  Let me know in the comments below.

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Extended Edition Blu-ray, Plus Bonus Photo Portrait Set (BD)