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Heyo there folks, Crooker back again with another Batgirl review from DC Comics. This is issue #8, by Tate Brombal and Isaac Goodheart. We continue our look into the revised origin of Lady Shiva, bringing in many more familiar elements long time fans will recognize. So then, allow me to get right down into it.
As I said above, a lot of familiar elements are re-introduced here, such as the names of “Sandra” and “Carolyne” with the last name “Wu-San” for Shiva and her sister, respectively. We also get the Bronze Tiger and Richard Dragon, names that are probably not too well known even to most fans of Cassandra Cain’s character history, since they’ve been more and more on the obscure side for decades now. Both are important figures in the “martial arts” swath of DC canon, with Bronze Tiger even being something of a rival to Batman in certain stories.
More importantly as far as Cass stories are concerned though, is David Cain, her biological father. It’s been a hot minute since he’s been in a story, even longer since he’s shown up with his original appearance, characterization and history (seemingly almost entirely paving over his New 52 self). This is the Cain from the ’90s, a creepy sadistic weirdo who’s way too good at his job: being a creepy sadistic weirdo who kills people. It’s refreshing to see though, since a lot of early character drama for Cass came from Cain’s twisted fixation on her, and we’ve hardly ever explored what he and Shiva’s history was outside a couple throwaway lines over the years.
DC
This version does keep the post-crisis aspect of David killing Carolyn to drive Shiva into his arms to help with his “experiment,” further mixing ideas from pre and post-crisis together with a pinch of something new. I appreciate both the refresher and the subtle updates – it helps firmly establish which stories and ideas we can still refer back to in this very strange era of DC canon where not a lot feels very set in stone. It’s also a good help for new fans of the characters, since I realize these are aspects that haven’t been brought up in well over a decade. David Cain is also just immensely funny to me whenever he shows up. For one of the most objectionable, genuinely awful fathers in probably all of DC’s long storied canon, he does it with such a pathetic swagger that makes it really fun to watch him get beat up. And get beat up he shall, if Brombal knows his stuff as well as I think he does.
DC
In the art department, I’m really enjoying Goodheart’s work on this title thus far. It’s got a really appealing style to it that’s executed well by Mike Spicer’s colors, reminiscent of the bright popping colors of Silver and Bronze Age comics. It’s a tonally appropriate shift from the last arc’s art, which while good, suited the story that was trying to be more than it would have suited this. So I think it’s a good lateral movement creatively to keep the book feeling fresh without sacrificing quality.
DC
Overall, Batgirl #8 is solid. I enjoyed seeing the return of David Cain, a classically pathetic, terrible person who I find immensely entertaining to watch be his creepy freak self. The little glimpses of Cass herself we get, y’know, to remind us who’s book this is, are really cute, and I think that taking this time to get all the canonical ducks in a row is a fun side-story to follow while she moves from plot point A to plot point B. I’m excited to see this Shiva origin continue, because an aside it may be, it’s an enjoyable one.
“]] We finally get to the world’s funniest terrible, awful, no good, father: David Cain. Read More