Barbara Gordon: Breakout #1 is our first look at what the status quo for the Batman Family after the events of Batman #9. As the name suggests, this series will feature Barbara Gordon being sent to the new Supermax prison that Vandal Savage created. Based on the events of Batman #9 why Barbara was arrested has many more layers than simply being caught for working with the Batman Family. Let’s find out what we learn about Oracle/Batgirl’s new mission in Barbara Gordon: Breakout #1.
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Mariko Tamaki
Artist: Amancay Nahuelpan
Colorist: Tamra Bonvillain
Letterer: Ariana Maher
BARBARA GORDON: BREAKOUT #1 SOLICITATION
“LEAPING FROM THE PAGES OF MAY’S BATMAN #9 INTO THE NEXT LEVEL! Framed. Outlawed. Hunted. The extralegal activities of Gotham’s vigilantes have never been more dangerous.
After Barbara Gordon is arrested for aiding the Bat-Family, she is shipped off to Supermax, GCPD Commissioner Vandal Savage’s pet-project prison for all who oppose him. She will find herself alone, surrounded by dangerous criminals and equally dangerous guards, in a place where nothing is what it seems. The true danger is just beginning…
Eisner Award-winning writer Mariko Tamaki and fan-favorite artist Amancay Nahuelpan reunite to deliver a twisty, unexpected Bat-book for DC Next Level.” – Marvel Comics
REVIEW
Barbara Gordon: Breakout #1 delivers exactly everything it needed to do to be a successful debut. Mariko Tamaki and Amancay Nahuelpan find a way to bring in readers to this narrative of Barbara Gordon finding herself locked inside a Supermax prison. With this story being reliant on the current continuity established in Matt Fraction’s Batman series this was not an easy thing to do. In finding a way to be inviting to all readers they show why this story needs its own ongoing series.
Barbara Gordon Plan with the Batman Family
Tamaki and Nahuelpan do not waste time in establishing why this series is happening. While her arrest happened in Batman #9 the details of the why that happened is told in Barbara Gordon: Breakout #1. There are many reasons why it is so effectively done. The biggest is that everything you need to know is done on one page, that is the second page of this debut.
This second page of the issue answers a lot of questions about why Barbara Gordon got arrested. As was mentioned in Batman #9, Barbara was arrested as part of a plan she came up with Bruce. Now we have the full details where we see that at least Batman, Nightwing, and Cassandra Cain’s Batgirl also are in on the plan. This does a lot for not just this series but also the current Batman, Nightwing, and Batgirl series where Barbara is a supporting character in.
The other instances we get of flashbacks sprinkled across this issue help to establish Barbara’s conviction with this plan. Barbara knows that the Batman Family can’t operate as they normally do against Vandal Savage. With his power as GCPD Commissioner and having Mayor Poison Ivy listening to him, the Batman Family need to do things differently. Which is why she needs to work from inside one of Vandal Savage’s key locations to ultimately take him down.
Barbara Gordon Pushed to her Limits
Barbara Gordon: Breakout #1 certainly emphasized why she is the best Batman Family member for this infiltration job. Especially as the public knowing her as Jim Gordon’s daughter that makes her “helping out” Batman a shock, adding to her being a major target. This puts her in a more prime position to learn more about the prison without necessarily being about being unmasked as Batgirl or Oracle. It immediately makes this story different from other stories of this type that have leaned into the hero’s unmasking being the big hook.
That being the focus makes how Barbara shows she isn’t going to sit around to let things come to her a natural part of the story. She is going to have to survive a place where she is next in line to be secretly killed. Knowing that means Babara can’t simply try to work from the shadows. As proven by how she wastes no time in going after the biggest dog in the yard.
While Barbara more than held her own there will likely be bigger challengers looking to take her out. We got glimpses of the variety of prisoners in this Supermax prison. How we see Barbara challenged herself to survive and who else we see developed will be very interesting to see.
Better Look at Vandal Savage’s Authority
One of the other things that Barbara Gordon: Breakout #1 accomplishes is highlighting the extremes Vandal Savage is going on. It is not just about taking down the Batman Family. He is using his position as GCPD Commissioner to eliminate anyone he sees as an opponent to his vision.
Seeing how things are being run in the Supermax prison is a great way to show how far Vandal Savage is taking things. Things aren’t just being contained in Gotham City. Even though his role is to police the city his reach isn’t stopping there. What else Barbara discovers here will only help to reinforce why Vandal Savage is the current big bad of the Batman franchise.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Barbara Gordon: Breakout #1 is a strong debut for the latest DC Next Level series. Answering a lot of questions about the set-up to the series goes a long way to getting the reader bought into Barbara Gordon’s new status quo. It all comes together to make this series one of the most important comic books in the current Batman Family publishing line.
Story Rating: 9 Night Girls out of 10
Art Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
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