If you read many of my reviews, you’ll know I’m a big fan of the Bat-family. The Dark Knight is my all-time favorite hero, with most of the rest of the group among my favorites in comics.

How do you solve a problem like Batgirl? If the current creative team is any indication, they still don’t know exactly what to do with the “Domino Daredoll.”

BATGIRL #29

Writer: Mairghread Scott
Penciller: Paul Pelletier
Inker: Norm Rapmund
Colors: Jordie Bellaire
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: November 28, 2018
Cover price: $3.99

SOLICITATION: In the finale of “Art of the Crime,” Batgirl may have uncovered Grotesque’s real plot, but that only means she knows the real danger that faces Jim Gordon and the GCPD! Can Barbara take down Grotesque before he pulls off a massive heist and ruins the GCPD’s rep in the process? Maybe, but it won’t be a paint-by-numbers job!

GORDONS HERE, GORDONS THERE, GORDONS GORDONS EVERYWHERE

There are certain staples in comics. For instance, Batman versus the Joker is always a big seller. Or Superman/Luthor. Even Captain America and the Red Skull do well, not to mention the Fantastic Four and Doctor Doom.

But Batgirl’s biggest story hook tends to be with her father, Commissioner Gordon. I mean, Jim interacts with Batgirl so much that he HAS to know the heroine is his very own daughter, Barbara. And yet he seems oblivious to it all even though Barbara is always around when the Commissioner interacts with Batgirl. Funny that!

The current storyline, concluding in this issue, has some of those same elements in it. Barbara goes to a ball/dance with her father, which has been something of a tradition with them. However, when things go bad, his daughter is nowhere to be found, and Batgirl is on the case! Oh, well!

I’m a big believer in female creators working on woman superheroes, which is what’s happening in this title. Yet Ms. Scott took a multi-part story to really end up where we always d0—with Commissioner injured and in the hospital, and Barbara having to decide whether she will lie to him or not. I’m kind of underwhelmed.

Still, I did think the main characters were well done and true to their roots. The antagonist, Grotesque, did have an interesting reveal or two this issue, but I don’t think he’ll be back as a serious baddie in the DCU. He just was less than interesting to me. And they always say that the villain makes the hero (or heroine), right?

I should say that I’m not much for Batgirl’s new “threads.” Perhaps I’m still intrigued by the previous costume. I mean, I don’t dislike the new one, but it’s not as cool as the big yellow boots and all. Maybe it will grow on me in time!

ART THAT’S THE BEST PART OF THE BOOK

Paul Pelletier has been a favorite artist of mine for year. His expressions and action sequences are so clear and easy to understand, unlike some other artists around these days. Hey, you guys should take note of how Pelletier shows how it should be done!

I’d really be interested in seeing Pelletier on Batman once in a while. I think it would be a good fit!

BOTTOM LINE: The Girl or the Bat?

I mean, I get that Batgirl’s relationship to Commissioner Gordon is important. However, that doesn’t mean I want to read it in this many Batgirl comics! I’m jaded at this point. I wish I knew what to suggest, but hey, I’m not a comics writer!

Batgirl needs her very own rogues’ gallery, and it should be populated with new and different villains, but Grotesque just didn’t work for me. And please, no more second- to fifth tier villains, okay?

I’ll continue to buy this book, but please—no more Jim Gordon stories, okay?