Birds and Bats

Slowly getting back to reading my comics. I think Dave at YACB blogged about the lackluster year for comics- there have been series I've continued to enjoy, but nothing knock my socks off in 2007.

Finally read the last Gail Simone Birds of Prey 108 (Swan Song). I have to say it was very touching with the cape friends coming as backup, Oracle's fight with the Spy Smasher - even in a wheelchair she summons Batgirl!- and the final scene with Misfit left me choked up. I'll miss Gail's writing and wit on BoP. I'll read her new Wonder Woman, but she's not the touchstone character for me that she is for others. I did have the WW underoos though.

I read much less of the Showcase Batgirl than I thought on the plane or beach- but the 3 stories I did were just a hoot! Just reached one where Supergirl and Batgirl team up to take away Superman and Batman's powers...just funny. Yes, the cover is stupid, and a lot of the dialogue is the pulp-y "dare-doll" stuff, but I like it.

Continuing the Batgirl theme here, Jim Lee's Batgirl in Batman and Robin 6 is really adorable. She's Barbara Gordon at 15, and while her 1/2 inch sliver of a mask won't hide anyone's identity, it's a cute part of the story. Black Canary has a part too, and the fishnets and bustier are a bit too revealing, it is BC. Jimmie Olson and Vicki Vale (that's 3 redheads in the book!) had a few pages too- although Vicki's part was entirely to take off her hospital gown. Does anyone get distracted by Frank Miller's capitalization? Ex.: "It's been the kind of night DREAMS are made of." or "on my way to the DOCKS.."

I will post Cali pics later - they are at home.