Review: Batgirl Vol. 3- Summer of Lies

Quick Summary

Pros: The main narrative centers around an interesting mystery that urges fans to keep reading and plays out in a satisfying way. The focus on Barbara and Dick is heartwarming and compelling on its own. Another character’s story is well-written and emotional. The artwork looks nice and suits the story.

Cons: The book’s final battle is a bit disappointing.

Overall: This is an awesome comic that is packed full of reasons to read. The volume combines mystery, action, romance, trauma, and generally entertaining writing all into one storyline. This plus some good-looking artwork and meaningful themes makes the whole read worthwhile. Fans of Batgirl, Nightwing, and especially fans of these two together should absolutely read this book.

Story

Batgirl Vol. 3: Summer of Lies, by Hope Larson, is probably the best Batgirl volume I’ve read in years. It starts with a tantalizing mystery that hooks readers in from the start. Then, it escalates this mystery by revealing unexpected truths and ramping up the action. While all of this is going on, two deeply personal stories also play out. One focuses on Batgirl and Nightwing, as individuals and as a pair, and the other focuses on how addiction can impact someone. The only significant downside is that the book’s final battle is a little lackluster, though the book’s positives easily make up for this one misstep. Overall, this is a highly enjoyable read that is easily worthwhile.

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The action and tension in Summer of Lies comes from Batgirl and Nightwing’s battle against the Red Queen, a mysterious new villain with ties to the Mad Hatter and their own past. This battle starts with a tantalizing mystery, as the readers are left wondering about the Red Queen’s real identity, the nature of her objectives, and her connections to Batgirl and Nightwing. All of this plays out in a way that is both satisfying and exciting.

My only complaint is that the final battle is pretty lackluster. Batgirl heals Nightwing by somehow connecting him to her cybernetic implant and then the two execute one martial arts move to defeat the Red Queen. It is a bit anticlimactic after a whole volume of buildup.

Summer of Lies also incorporates two wonderfully written personal stories, which were easily my favorite part of the read. The first is a love story between Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon. It shows how the two began their romance in the distant past and shows how deeply they care about each other in the present, even if their current life situations don’t lend themselves to a continuation of this romance. It also views them as individuals and shows how their past experiences have shaped them into the people they are today.

The second personal story is of loss and addiction. Ainsley is teased as the collection’s villain but, in a great twist, is one of its biggest victims. Her story shows how awful addiction can be and how it can bring multiple people down through the actions of a single addict.

(spoilers end here)

Art

Like its predecessor, Summer of Lies contains artwork that looks nice on its own but looks even better when paired with the storytelling and themes found within this particular volumes. Chris Wildgoose’s work brings a bold, bright, and stylized aesthetic to Batgirl’s world. It makes the characters look great and does a particularly noteworthy job in making sure the new villain gets a creative look. When combined with Mat Lopes’ colors, it also is able to shift between tones with ease, allowing the story to jump from energetic action scenes to more emotional scenes without encountering any problems. The overall effect is highly positive and produces artwork that complements the quality of the storytelling.

Continuity

Batgirl Vol. 3: Summer of Lies continues the story from Batgirl Vol. 2: Son of Penguin (Review).

The story here continues in Batgirl Vol. 4: Strange Loop (Review).

This volume also references other comic books, detailed below:

• Nightwing recently underwent a breakup in Nightwing #25, collected in Nightwing Vol. 4: Blockbuster (Review).