For many people, duty and family go hand-in-hand. But what does it mean to rebuke restrictive ties of family by choice? What is the meaning of “daughter” without loyalties and responsibilities owed by birth? In a time of desperation, the ties we thought severed may reach out stronger than before, and the decisions, once final, demand visitation again. In Batgirl, the makings of a mother and daughter is a matter of survival.
Batgirl by Tate Brombal, Takeshi Miyazawa, Mike Spicer, and Tom Napolitano is the latest entry in the DC All-In Initiative. Cassandra Cain, A.K.A. Batgirl (II) has had numerous recent appearances, having shared a duo role in Batgirls (2022) by Becky Cloonan and co., this new series marks the beginning of her first solo run since Batgirl (2001) concluded in 2006. Opening with an intense and stylistic martial arts thriller, this issue is a worthy continuation of its predecessor.
“You know, I’ve never wanted a daughter”, remarks Lady Shiva. It’s less of a jab to hurt (although she has little reservation for pain) than it is to test the thickness of Cassandra’s skin. When Cassandra replies, “You talk…like I wanted a mother”, it’s a mutual acknowledgment of the emotional gulf that separates this mother and daughter. However, as Cassandra uses her body-language reading abilities to try and deduce her mother’s intentions, the results seem more complicated than she first thought.
Conflict between Lady Shiva and Cassandra Cain is nothing new for their relationship. Brombal calls back to the earlier days of Cassandra’s career, in which the duo fought in Shiva’s temple years ago. Back when Cassandra was driven nearly to her death in pursuit of absolution, when Sandra “Lady Shiva” Wu-San, known as the best martial artist in the world, commanded death for all except her own…and Cassandra’s. Circumstances have since changed: As assailants chase after Shiva, she has only one potential ally to help her defeat the mysterious threat that has upended her peace. For Cassandra, to uphold the values that ever separated her relationship with Shiva, she must now team up with her maligned mother and reclaim her duties as a daughter—as a protector honor-bound to the blood of her mother.
Not much is known about this team of assassins, known as the Unburied, but what unites Lady Shiva and Batgirl are the instincts they have to fight adversaries of any kind. This first issue gives a small glimpse into Takeshi Miyazawa’s ability to balance the emotional core of the issue with fast-paced action scenes. Moments of high tension are peppered with small moments of Shiva sneaking a proud look at Cassandra, despite their ongoing bickering. We’re treated to a lively double-page spread of Shiva and Batgirl working in harmony to defeat their surrounding enemies. Miyazawa provides a variety of dynamic angles and poses, with Cassandra frequently flying out from the panel borders and jumping back into the center of action. Still, some of Miyazawa’s framing of space feels too conservative; A combination of noticeably sparse backgrounds and an over-reliance on action speed lines, the momentum falters slightly in an otherwise electric action drama.
Luckily, colorist Mike Spicer fortifies each page with a palette of intimately warm red-orange tones set against a watercolor blue-violet to provide some needed atmosphere and contrast. What began as a dark and moody confrontation between Shiva and Cassandra has been engulfed in fiery conflict. By the time we arrive at the last segment of the issue, Shiva and Cassandra are now deeply entrenched together in this drama. As fire rises up the columns of Shiva’s temple, the Unburied attack once more, as hostile to our protagonists as their cerulean uniforms are to the red temple marking Shiva’s territory.
In the end, neither the role of killer nor hero alone can adequately qualify Shiva and Cassandra’s relationship. As Cassandra repeatedly attempts to read her mother’s body language, she begins to see the signs that point toward a different side of Lady Shiva. When Cassandra argues with Shiva over not killing, she yields. When Cassandra asks why Shiva means to protect her, Shiva simply says, “Because I am your mother.” Glance. Touch. Heartbeat. Smile. Just as a child may be a hero or weapon, so too can a mother be a killer and yet love her child in one mind. For now, this mother-daughter bond may be a tie that keeps them whole.
A moving start for the run, this issue treads along a sturdy path laid in by the foundations of the previous series. Shiva’s reintroduction into Cass’ life, paired with a healthy dose of martial arts action is a near-sure way to launch a successful first arc. There’s familiarity here, but I’m looking forward to whatever freshness and creativity this team can bring in the next bout of adventures to come.