No more secrets. No more hiding. The first issue of Batgirl (written by Bryan Q. Miller) reveals the new Batgirl in Gotham and explains what happened to Cassandra Cain. So does the Bat-family have a new professional crime-fighter on their hands, ready to help clean up Gotham, or is the gig already blown?

Batgirl #1SPOILERS!

How do you safe-guard a review when the warning is a spoiler in itself? That’s right, the latest Batgirl is none other than Spoiler, aka Stephanie Brown. Brown may have hung up the hood of the Spoiler, but that black and yellow symbol has an allure she just can’t resist. Living a normal life and going to college like people her age are expected to doesn’t exactly appeal to a girl who knows the thrill of flying high above Gotham and punching some thugs where it hurts.

Batman and Robin first notice they’re not the only ones taking up a different mantle when Brown makes a mess out of stopping a street racing group that’s been leaving tire marks on the pavement for weeks. Stephanie’s not the best at covering her tracks, and she knows it’s only a matter of time before she’s busted—either by her mom, the cops … or Gotham’s other costumed heroes. And what Batgirl-themed title would be complete without the inclusion of the iconic Batgirl, Barbara Gordon? Oracle has sunk into a dark place, and when Dick Grayson alerts her about the newest Bat on the Gotham scene, she’s not about to stand idly—especially after Brown haphazardly saves one of GPD’s rookies.

I wasn’t terribly impressed with Batgirl #1. Although I like the character—she does share my first name, after all, and therefore is cool in my book—it’s hard to get behind someone as reckless as her, especially when Brown’s nightly activities endanger others. Lee Garbett’s pencils, Trevor Scott’s inks, and Guy Major’s colors make a good combination for the comic, though. The almost simplistic, adventurous art style reflects the story well, and the shift to the flashback with Spoiler and Batgirl (Cassandra)—which I particularly enjoyed—acts as a well-illustrated contrast against the book’s present events. However, at this point it’s unclear where the comic will be going, and or if the character will take a perhaps much-needed change of pace.

3 Bombs Up!

Recommendation: Chow down on some waffles while you read this. It might make the book a little more substantial.