Batgirl: Batgirl of Burnside

Gr 9 Up—In this soft reboot of DC's "Batgirl" series, Barbara Gordon has packed up and joined her fellow twentysomethings in Gotham's hip city of Burnside, hoping for a fresh start. Of course, peace never goes as planned for superheroes, and Batgirl once again finds herself battling a host of baddies, including an online gossipmonger with a cybernetic flash implant, anime-obsessed twin assassins, and a glittery, glamorous "evil" Batgirl impostor. But all of these villains prove mere henchmen to an omnipotent, unreachable adversary that no one saw coming. Fletcher and Stewart's take on Batgirl is certainly a departure; when she's not fighting crime as her alter ego, Barbara exhibits typical co-ed behavior such as partying, and using social media (to the point of dependence). Tarr's bold artwork brings a youthful brightness to the comic, showcasing dynamic action sequences and a diverse cast of new characters.