How Does Summer of Lies Fit Into Nightwing Continuity

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 · 750 ratings  · 97 reviews

Start your review of Batgirl, Vol. 3: Summer of Lies

Sep 20, 2018 Chad rated it liked it

I'm glad to see this book is back on solid footing after Cameron Stewart's awful run on the book. The main story is a team-up with Nightwing. I like how the story goes back and forth between a case where they first met and now. Chris Wildgoose's art is good. There's also two one shots. The first being a detective story and the second a team-up with Catwoman. I found the Catwoman story kind of dumb. She uses alley cats to track down the scent of her lost pet. When has anyone been able to train a I'm glad to see this book is back on solid footing after Cameron Stewart's awful run on the book. The main story is a team-up with Nightwing. I like how the story goes back and forth between a case where they first met and now. Chris Wildgoose's art is good. There's also two one shots. The first being a detective story and the second a team-up with Catwoman. I found the Catwoman story kind of dumb. She uses alley cats to track down the scent of her lost pet. When has anyone been able to train a cat to do anything? It felt like it was written more for a Moon Girl level audience than the teenage audience the book normally seems to cater to. ...more

Jan 18, 2018 Wing Kee rated it really liked it

Very enjoyable and nostalgic.

World: The art is fantastic! The first two issues with the pool and then the pet were beautiful but it went to a whole new level when Chris Wildgoose game on for 'Summer of Lies'. His characters are so full of personality that it's perfect for this series. The splash pages were fantastic. The world building here is fantastic also. We've not really had a lot of development between Babs and Dick since the New52. We know there was something but we've not really had ext

Very enjoyable and nostalgic.

World: The art is fantastic! The first two issues with the pool and then the pet were beautiful but it went to a whole new level when Chris Wildgoose game on for 'Summer of Lies'. His characters are so full of personality that it's perfect for this series. The splash pages were fantastic. The world building here is fantastic also. We've not really had a lot of development between Babs and Dick since the New52. We know there was something but we've not really had extensive time for quiet moments to build their relationship. Well that all changes here, there is a huge chunk of world building that is anchored on these two and it's fantastic. Old batgirl suit was also awesome.

Story: The story is well paced and just fun. The pool ghost and the pet issues were small one and done little stories that made me smile and then there's 'Summer of Lies'. This arc with Babs and Dick and the past and present mashed together is great because it not only informs their friendship but also is topical and works for the current comic book fan. It's simple it's not difficult to understand and for the age group this book is going for it's good. Add to that the Red Queen in concept is cliché but execution was good cause of the amazing art. The art is just brilliant I can't gush enough about it. The end of the arc is beautiful and tragic and melancholy but also with a sense of hope which I enjoyed quite a bit. As I said the story was expected and didn't break new ground but the added flavor of Babs and Dick made it special.

Characters: Babs young is great, we get more development from her and it's fantastic. Add Dick and it's perfect. I love Dick and Babs together but I still don't know if I love it more than Dick and Starfire together…ahh…hard choices. I liked the character of Ainsley and what it did for the story, it was expected but it was still done well. I liked the Red Queen visually but I could have used more logic in her motivations. Overall it's a solid character arc because of the large amounts of time we get with Babs and Dick.

Very enjoyable and nostalgic.

Onward to the next book!

*read individual issues*

...more

Dec 15, 2019 Boo rated it really liked it

Dick Grayson's my fave so I'm always happy to see him 💙

May 04, 2021 Sara rated it liked it

3.5 stars.

Honestly anything with Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon is something I'm going to love. This was so cute, getting to see how Dick and Babs met/got closer. It kind of hurts to see the altering timelines, them learning to trust each other to really caring for each other to being where they are now ... kind of in limbo. I wish we got more of where they are now in present-day but there was less emotional depth there and more action. I think that's my biggest issue with this volume, it's lac

3.5 stars.

Honestly anything with Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon is something I'm going to love. This was so cute, getting to see how Dick and Babs met/got closer. It kind of hurts to see the altering timelines, them learning to trust each other to really caring for each other to being where they are now ... kind of in limbo. I wish we got more of where they are now in present-day but there was less emotional depth there and more action. I think that's my biggest issue with this volume, it's lacking depth. There's tons of plot but not enough of the other stuff I love. It doesn't help that they both suck at talking about their feelings but that bit where he asks her if she trusts him and her immediate response is "more than anyone" I just -- I love them.

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Dec 02, 2018 James DeSantis rated it really liked it

Every single time I open a comic I hope for the best. Trust me, I don't ever want to READ a bad book. So when I opened the newest Batgirl I had some hope but my expectations were super low after hating the first volume. I actually skipped volume 2 but figured I wouldn't miss much. So I jumped right into volume 3 and...WHOA! This was SUPER fun!

So what's Batgirl up to lately? The first two issues are fun small little self contained stories. One focusing on Batgirl helping figure out what happened

Every single time I open a comic I hope for the best. Trust me, I don't ever want to READ a bad book. So when I opened the newest Batgirl I had some hope but my expectations were super low after hating the first volume. I actually skipped volume 2 but figured I wouldn't miss much. So I jumped right into volume 3 and...WHOA! This was SUPER fun!

So what's Batgirl up to lately? The first two issues are fun small little self contained stories. One focusing on Batgirl helping figure out what happened to a missing girl who joined a swim team. Then we have another small story of Batgirl helping a little girl finding her doggie. Or famous doggie actually from Instagram. Then the main story comes into play which focuses on Nightwing and Batgirl tracking down a old enemy (or so they think) and at the same time getting flashbacks of their first adventures together and falling in love.

Good: I loved everything with Teen Barbara and Dick. They grew up fighting crime together, and of course starting falling for each other. So seeing that wasn't only cute but well done. Then we have them tackling more adult issues, especially after lately what Dick has been through and how he's adjusting to life with his girlfriend. This is pretty damn fun too. I also really enjoyed the storyline and the "villain" even if it was more of a backdrop to the love story here. Oh and the single issue of Batgirl helping the girl find the dog was super cute.

Bad: The very first issue was pretty crappy. It felt honky and campy and not in a good way. I mean did we need to find out why a girl is electricity and trapped inside a pool? Besides few funny moments this was meh.

Overall, SUPER big surprise. This is going to make me go back to volume 2 AND read volume 4. Batgirl just jumped up for me into the "gotta read" section from coming from "Super crappy" at the start. Nice job Hope!

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Hate the concept of a college aged Barbara (should be Steph Brown), but can't help it these stories and the art are great.

Two good lead in stories , one involves Selina and a pet search, before we get the main arc. Its darker and its a Dick / Babs teamup that is so well done and hit a few emotional points

This review is biased as I love all things Batgirl

Hate the concept of a college aged Barbara (should be Steph Brown), but can't help it these stories and the art are great.

Two good lead in stories , one involves Selina and a pet search, before we get the main arc. Its darker and its a Dick / Babs teamup that is so well done and hit a few emotional points

This review is biased as I love all things Batgirl

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[Read as single issues]
A case from Batgirl's past comes back to haunt both her and Nightwing, as flashbacks reveal what really happened during their Summer of Lies. Plus Catwoman, and a sea monster?

We open with a pair of one-shots, Troubled Waters which is a good little detective story, and The Truth About Bats & Dogs which teams Babs with Selina Kyle as they try to track down some missing pets and run afoul of a villain from the previous Batgirl Of Burnside run. These are some nice little palet

[Read as single issues]
A case from Batgirl's past comes back to haunt both her and Nightwing, as flashbacks reveal what really happened during their Summer of Lies. Plus Catwoman, and a sea monster?

We open with a pair of one-shots, Troubled Waters which is a good little detective story, and The Truth About Bats & Dogs which teams Babs with Selina Kyle as they try to track down some missing pets and run afoul of a villain from the previous Batgirl Of Burnside run. These are some nice little palette cleansers between longer arcs, and the first time we've had these since the title began.

Then we hit Summer Of Lies, which is a four part story that reminds me of Batman & Robin Eternal with the dual timeline format informing the way that the story unfolds. There are a few little surprises here, and it explores the Batgirl/Nightwing relationship in a way that DC have avoided for a while, so that's nice too.

Artwise, we get Chris Wildgoose for Summer of Lies, whose art remains as strong as it did for Son Of Penguin. Eleanora Carlini takes the Troubled Waters issue, and she's still a little unpolished but is showing a lot of growth across her DC work. Inaki Miranda has the Catwoman issue, and her sleek stylings really lend her art to superhero work.

Solid, if not quite as groundbreaking as the first two arcs.

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Any time there's a Batgirl/Nightwing crossover I basically die from the feels, as the kids say.

So if you need me I'll be in the corner.

Any time there's a Batgirl/Nightwing crossover I basically die from the feels, as the kids say.

So if you need me I'll be in the corner.

...more

Apr 28, 2018 Robert rated it did not like it

Mix a weird time-jumping tale that confuses and doesn't really go anywhere with a seemingly pathological inability to write a character even for use in a single panel named Mike, Mary, Dave, Ann or anything else remotely common in America and this is what you end up with - a complete waste of time. Plus - the writer thinks CHICAGO is an example of a nice safe city compared to Gotham. They don't state it ironically (or if that was the goal, it failed). They think Chicago is safe. Mix a weird time-jumping tale that confuses and doesn't really go anywhere with a seemingly pathological inability to write a character even for use in a single panel named Mike, Mary, Dave, Ann or anything else remotely common in America and this is what you end up with - a complete waste of time. Plus - the writer thinks CHICAGO is an example of a nice safe city compared to Gotham. They don't state it ironically (or if that was the goal, it failed). They think Chicago is safe. ...more

Aug 05, 2018 Ivy rated it it was amazing

5 🌟

Glad to see how Barbara and Dick met. Also glad to see them together in action again. Sad about what happened to Ainsley. Wonder if Barbara and Dick will get together. Always glad to see flashbacks of the character's childhood. Hope Nightwing will show up again.

Can't wait to read Batgirl, vol 4: Rebirth!!!

5 🌟

Glad to see how Barbara and Dick met. Also glad to see them together in action again. Sad about what happened to Ainsley. Wonder if Barbara and Dick will get together. Always glad to see flashbacks of the character's childhood. Hope Nightwing will show up again.

Can't wait to read Batgirl, vol 4: Rebirth!!!

...more

Oct 21, 2018 Roman Colombo rated it it was amazing

Hope Larson brings the series really close to Gail Simone's run here. We finally get the darker Batgirl the character really is (come on, she was shot in the spine by the Joker). It's not quite there, but this was still really good. 4.5 stars. Hope Larson brings the series really close to Gail Simone's run here. We finally get the darker Batgirl the character really is (come on, she was shot in the spine by the Joker). It's not quite there, but this was still really good. 4.5 stars. ...more

Feb 21, 2020 — nova rated it it was amazing

i enjoyed this one so much more than the previous ones. maybe i'm bias because it had some of my favorite things, including an alice in wonderland type story. also. dick grayson. swoon

Sep 08, 2020 Alex E rated it liked it

I always like when Batgirl and Nightwing team up. They have a lot of history and a lot of chemistry and this book puts a spotlight on both those things in order to give us a really fun and entertaining story.

This is my first Batgirl book that I've read, and I decided to start here as I didn't really hear many good things about volume 1 and 2. This seemed like a good place to start and with the addition of Nightwing, it was an easy read for a newcomer like myself. The book starts with a bit of s

I always like when Batgirl and Nightwing team up. They have a lot of history and a lot of chemistry and this book puts a spotlight on both those things in order to give us a really fun and entertaining story.

This is my first Batgirl book that I've read, and I decided to start here as I didn't really hear many good things about volume 1 and 2. This seemed like a good place to start and with the addition of Nightwing, it was an easy read for a newcomer like myself. The book starts with a bit of subpar story about a ghost girl stuck in a pool. That was ok, but it seemed more like an all ages story as far as tone. From there, we get into the main story which deals with a new drug which isn't actually a drug at all, but are instead nano bots that give you the feeling or high that you want. Barbara has to get to the bottom of who is behind the nanobots, and Nightwing comes along to help.

Hope Larson does a great job of not only giving us a good story happening in the present, but constantly flashes back to Batgirl's and Nightwings first team up, where we see how they met and how awkward and shy they were around each other, only to go on and be a great team together (and more). So because of that, this book is full of really nice character moments between Barbara and Dick that have a real weight to them because of the history they share. Larson set a tone for the book that I think is pitch perfect for Batgirl. Not too heavy yet not too frivolous as well.

The art is handled, from what I can tell, by three artists: Chris Wildgoose, Eleonora Carlini, and Inaki Miranda. They all have a fun and semi cartoony look to their art which matches the tone of the plot really well. Great job overall on the art side.

A really fun foray into not only what is happening with Batgirl presently, but also a lot of history that is visited as well. Highly recommended for Batgirl fans.

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This volume has a few shorter stories that are a bit cute and then a longer story that showcases Batgirl and Nightwing's relationship and past. (view spoiler)[ok, the pet story was cute and all...BUT when Catwoman tells them that her cat is the equivalent of Instagram famous wouldn't that give away her identity? All you would have to do is get batgirl to hack into that social media and get the profile information? I'm overthinking it, it was just suppose to be a cute one shot story. (hide spoil This volume has a few shorter stories that are a bit cute and then a longer story that showcases Batgirl and Nightwing's relationship and past. (view spoiler)[ok, the pet story was cute and all...BUT when Catwoman tells them that her cat is the equivalent of Instagram famous wouldn't that give away her identity? All you would have to do is get batgirl to hack into that social media and get the profile information? I'm overthinking it, it was just suppose to be a cute one shot story. (hide spoiler)]

There has been some character tension between Batgirl and Nightwing for a while, I liked that they brought a mystery in that they both had worked on in the past and had some flash backs that helped build the story and relationship. I wish the flash backs were done a little more smoothly, I could always tell because of the costumes which time they we're in, otherwise took me a sec.

Very nice art, I'm looking forward to the next volume. ~Ashley

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More joyful than vol. 1 (where did vol. 2 go? how did I miss it?). A couple of cute one-shots at the beginning, followed by a short arc with Batgirl teaming up with Robin (in flashbacks) and Nightwing (in the present). I enjoyed the story format, and largely the interaction between the two of them.
I quite liked the art in the main arc.

Jun 21, 2019 Adan rated it it was amazing

This was really good! Two short stories about a teleportation ghost (featuring a ridiculous YouTube ghost hunter) and a lost dog and cat (featuring Catwoman and an adorable little girl named Esme), both of which were sweet and short, followed up by a more sobering story about drug use and addiction from Babs and Dick's past. Hope Larson is a fantastic writer, and Chris Wildgoose's pencils on the addiction story we're really good. More Hope Larson Batgirl comics please!

Feb 13, 2021 Erik Stern rated it it was amazing

A quick read that is a fun book. Nothing groundbreaking but I love Barbra Gordon and the way she's portrayed here.

Dec 16, 2018 Jenny Clark rated it really liked it

Good art and plot. No hipster vibes here. It was cool to see Nightwing and Batgirl, both in the past and the present. Hooefully the libary has volume 4 by now!

Hehe, "Dick" Grayson. Never gets old.

Apr 04, 2018 Kate rated it it was amazing

Genuinely cannot get enough of Hope Larson's run on Batgirl at the moment. Her Barbara is full of substance, strength and wisdom, but at the same time vulnerable and naïve.
Summer of Lies delves deeper into her relationship with Dick Grayson - in both his incarnations as Robin and now Nightwing - against the backdrop of an incident involving an old friend that Barbara never really achieved closure with.

The art here is strong, with some really fantastic one-panel pages, and the slightly differing

Genuinely cannot get enough of Hope Larson's run on Batgirl at the moment. Her Barbara is full of substance, strength and wisdom, but at the same time vulnerable and naïve.
Summer of Lies delves deeper into her relationship with Dick Grayson - in both his incarnations as Robin and now Nightwing - against the backdrop of an incident involving an old friend that Barbara never really achieved closure with.

The art here is strong, with some really fantastic one-panel pages, and the slightly differing colour palettes help differentiate between the past and present.

Regular DC readers know that eventually Rebirth will come to an end, followed by the inevitable retcon, but I really hope that whatever they do they extend Larson's tenure and allow her to keep this iteration of Batgirl.

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May 05, 2019 Ben Truong rated it really liked it

Batgirl: Summer of Lies picks up where the previous volume left off, collecting the next six issues (Batgirl #12–17) of the 2016 on-going series and collects three stories: "Troubled Waters", "The Truth About Bats and Dogs" and "Summer of Lies".

"Troubled Waters" is a one-issue storyline (Batgirl #12), which has Barbara Gordon as Batgirl in an investigation story about a series of alleged haunting in Burnside Y – a swimming school. A weird, pinky, swirling shade has been seen in one of the pools

Batgirl: Summer of Lies picks up where the previous volume left off, collecting the next six issues (Batgirl #12–17) of the 2016 on-going series and collects three stories: "Troubled Waters", "The Truth About Bats and Dogs" and "Summer of Lies".

"Troubled Waters" is a one-issue storyline (Batgirl #12), which has Barbara Gordon as Batgirl in an investigation story about a series of alleged haunting in Burnside Y – a swimming school. A weird, pinky, swirling shade has been seen in one of the pools by several witnesses. It hasn't hurt anybody, but it's scaring the patrons away. It's gotten so bad even a ghost-finder news station is looking into the case.

"The Truth About Bats and Dogs" is a one-issue storyline (Batgirl #13) with has Barbara Gordon as Batgirl and Selina Kyle as Catwoman teaming up to find Isis, Catwoman's cat, and other pets in Gotham City, who uses the app Pixtagraph. Their investigation eventually leads them to an aparatment in Burnside with the missing pets and the perpetrator – Lani Gilbert as Velvet Tiger.

"Summer of Lies" is a four-issue storyline (Batgirl#14–17) which has Barbara Gordon as Batgirl and Dick Grayson as Nightwing teaming up together to face a villain that is connected to a case when they were both younger, when Dick Grayson was Robin and Barbara Gordon just started out as Batgirl. The case involves the Jervis Tetch as the Mad Hatter and the mysterious Red Queen.

Hope Larson penned the entire trade paperback. As a Robin aficionado, I always look forward to reading a story between Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon, especially since Dick/Babs is one of my first ships and every time they have a story together, I wonder if these two crazy kids would get together, but always knowing that they won't, and this storyline isn't an exception. I really liked that the story involved a case in their past – one of their first cases together, and showcase the relationship between these two characters.

Chris Wildgoose (Batgirl #14–17) and Eleonora Carlini (Batgirl #12–13) are the pencilers for the trade paperback. For the most part, the penciling styles complement each other rather well, making the artistic flow of the trade paperback rather smoothly for the most part. The art is still too cartoonish and less realistic for my taste, but it is more apropos for the current direction of the Batgirl series.

All in all, Batgirl: Summer of Lies is a wonderful continuation and a new direction to what would hopefully be an equally wonderful series.

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3.5 Stars.
This Volume starts off with 2 short tales.
1) Batgirl investigates a energy spirit infesting the YMCA pool. Turns into a missing persons case from a stolen scientific idea, given the supernatural twist when the spirit is brought back to life.
2) Helping a little girl Esme to find a dog, Batgirl crosses paths with Catwoman who is looking for her cat. Both were stolen by Velvet Tiger (looks like a bad 70's villain) and Bat and Cat save the day.

"Summer of Lies" is the main story, but feels

3.5 Stars.
This Volume starts off with 2 short tales.
1) Batgirl investigates a energy spirit infesting the YMCA pool. Turns into a missing persons case from a stolen scientific idea, given the supernatural twist when the spirit is brought back to life.
2) Helping a little girl Esme to find a dog, Batgirl crosses paths with Catwoman who is looking for her cat. Both were stolen by Velvet Tiger (looks like a bad 70's villain) and Bat and Cat save the day.

"Summer of Lies" is the main story, but feels sort of like a story crafted to help modernize the relationship between Barbara and Dick Grayson. Bouncing back and forth between current day and the past, it only becomes completely coherent by the end of the tale.

Past: Batgirl and Robin are working together to save Barbara's friend Ainsley from drug addiction, as well as working for the Mad Hatter on a project involving nanobots. They begin their on again / off again romance here.

Present: A villain known as the Red Queen is hunting Batgirl and Nightwing. She blames them for something they did in the past, leading them to believe it revolves around Ainsley. It turns out that the drug addiction caused Ainsley to die years ago, homeless in the streets. Her younger sister. Edith, began taking the drugs with the Hatter, finished the nanobot research Ainsley started, and became The Red Queen.

Obviously, they work together and fight her, making it very predictable, but I did enjoy it overall. Still not 100% sure about Batgirl, but I do like that they are making strides to remove the young adult attitude from her. Recommend.

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Jun 28, 2018 M rated it it was ok

The Batgirl of Burnside continues the DC Rebirth world with her third volume. This collection is a mixed bag of varied stories, each one ranging in length. The opener is a one-issue hunt for a "ghost" plaguing the local YMCA. Batgirl is able to suss out that the spectre is actually a former PhD student trapped in an alternate dimension, just looking for a way home. The next case sees a young girl looking for her favorite online celebrity - a missing firehouse mascot. When the trail causes Batgir The Batgirl of Burnside continues the DC Rebirth world with her third volume. This collection is a mixed bag of varied stories, each one ranging in length. The opener is a one-issue hunt for a "ghost" plaguing the local YMCA. Batgirl is able to suss out that the spectre is actually a former PhD student trapped in an alternate dimension, just looking for a way home. The next case sees a young girl looking for her favorite online celebrity - a missing firehouse mascot. When the trail causes Batgirl and her young friend to cross paths with Catwoman, the ladies discover they have stumbled upon a pet-snatching ring run by Velvet Tiger. The final arc brings in Nightwing (and classic flashback techniques) in order to solve a mystery. Unable to prevent two red-costumes individuals from leaping to their deaths, the heroes seek answers from the Mad Hatter. Realizing the villain was not behind this mental manipulation, Gordon and Grayson recall a case from their early career that centered around a nanotechnology genius. Forced to confront a deadly technodrug and a vengeful Red Queen, Batgirl and Nightwing must overcome sins of the past to survive. Hope Larson presents very little for readers to explore in this volume, and seems to be waiting out the eventual shift back to Gotham for her heroine. The tales are rudimentary and non-compelling, failing to offer any challenge to either Batgirl or the readers. The multitude of artists does not aid the book's banality, only serving as a reminder that Batgirl can be so much more. Batgirl: Summer of Lies fits this title perfectly; readers are best served waiting for a new fall collection for entertainment. ...more

Mar 24, 2019 Sarah rated it really liked it

I've really been enjoying Batgirl Rebirth so far. The stories have high stakes, but also still manage to be fun. In short: These comics have perfect balance. But what was even better.... NIGHTWING WAS WRITTEN IN A WAY THAT WAS LIKABLE. So many times I read Nightwing and he just seems... off. I can't put my finger on it, but there's something about him in so many stories I come across that just isn't right. (Namely in the New 52, but... it's the New 52, I guess.) I've only read one volume of him I've really been enjoying Batgirl Rebirth so far. The stories have high stakes, but also still manage to be fun. In short: These comics have perfect balance. But what was even better.... NIGHTWING WAS WRITTEN IN A WAY THAT WAS LIKABLE. So many times I read Nightwing and he just seems... off. I can't put my finger on it, but there's something about him in so many stories I come across that just isn't right. (Namely in the New 52, but... it's the New 52, I guess.) I've only read one volume of him in Rebirth, and that one actually felt like Dick Grayson. And so did this. And he also has in the "Titans" volumes I've read.... So.... high hopes for future Rebirth stories? (I've come across some things online--despite trying to avoid spoilers--that give me doubts, but I refuse to pass judgment until I read it myself. Maybe the writers make it work....?????) I also really enjoyed the flashbacks between Robin and Batgirl. That dynamic also felt very real and perfect for these two characters. I love parallel story lines, and Hope Larson handled these perfectly. If I'm being honest though... my favorite story was probably the second one--with Batgirl and Catwoman teaming up with the little girl who was trying to save a dog. It was just so sweet and pure! In short... this was an excellent read for Batgirl fans and Nightwing fans, and if you're enjoying Rebirth as much as I am (please keep being good! *crosses fingers*), then it's definitely worth a read. ...more

Finally Larson!! After a lackluster start, one of my favorite DC characters finally gets a great Rebirth story. The first issue in this one off could be called forgettable by some, but I thought it was a great warm up for this great collection, and high lighted some of what Batgirl does best, which is solve cases by using the detective skills that she honed under Batman's mentor-ship. The remainder of the book has her teamed up with Nightwing in a story that moves back and forth in time as they Finally Larson!! After a lackluster start, one of my favorite DC characters finally gets a great Rebirth story. The first issue in this one off could be called forgettable by some, but I thought it was a great warm up for this great collection, and high lighted some of what Batgirl does best, which is solve cases by using the detective skills that she honed under Batman's mentor-ship. The remainder of the book has her teamed up with Nightwing in a story that moves back and forth in time as they remember the first case they ever worked together. The story is character driven, relying on the rich history of these two characters, and the action is great as it weaves in both a familiar villain, Mad Hatter, and introduces a new one, The Red Queen. I loved reading these two characters teaming up for an extended run and would love if the powers that be at DC would consider doing this on a more permanent bases. Of course, this volume is a year old and Nightwing currently has amnesia.... ...more

The volume starts with a couple standalone stories about Batgirl taking on smaller cases of the sort that probably wouldn't get on Batman's radar. I half like it because it isn't so dark and over the top the way Batman usually is, and I'm half bothered that the female member of the team is being stuck with fluffy cases the guys wouldn't take on.

The main story is a team up with Nightwing where a case they dealt with in the past comes back to haunt them. There's another Alice in Wonderland themed

The volume starts with a couple standalone stories about Batgirl taking on smaller cases of the sort that probably wouldn't get on Batman's radar. I half like it because it isn't so dark and over the top the way Batman usually is, and I'm half bothered that the female member of the team is being stuck with fluffy cases the guys wouldn't take on.

The main story is a team up with Nightwing where a case they dealt with in the past comes back to haunt them. There's another Alice in Wonderland themed villain who had a decent look, but I'm not sure the Batman universe needs another Alice character. Mostly, the story serves as a backdrop for some will they/won't they Batgirl/Nightwing romance, which is fine but I have no real feelings about it.

The art is overall, pretty good and gets better further into the book.

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Summer of Lies is composed of a couple one-shots and a longer series that reveals how the Batgirl/Nightwing dynamic in the past has caused trouble in the present. It's a solid love-ish story in a universe where only Batman seems to find "love." So that's nice. The time travel can be a tad hard to follow since young Batgirl pretty much looks like current Batgirl. And the villain is...meh. She played her part, but the big hero vs villain battle at the end isn't as exciting as the Batgirl/Nightwing Summer of Lies is composed of a couple one-shots and a longer series that reveals how the Batgirl/Nightwing dynamic in the past has caused trouble in the present. It's a solid love-ish story in a universe where only Batman seems to find "love." So that's nice. The time travel can be a tad hard to follow since young Batgirl pretty much looks like current Batgirl. And the villain is...meh. She played her part, but the big hero vs villain battle at the end isn't as exciting as the Batgirl/Nightwing bonding.

The one-shots were palette cleansing, but nothing to write home about. Good little mystery and a good little team-up with Catwoman. The art for the longer arc was particularly excellent, great character work, but all Batgirl art has been consistently well done.

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The primary story, "Summer of Lies," is probably a four star story, if it stood alone. It's a nice look at Dick and Barbara working together, and it's told with a dual past/present timeline that I think is well balanced, and easily justified by how tightly interrelated the two stories are. The art is solid throughout, and it's one of the first times I've seen Dick and Barbara drawn as young teens who actually look like young teens. Usually (with the exception of Damian) a young robin looks about The primary story, "Summer of Lies," is probably a four star story, if it stood alone. It's a nice look at Dick and Barbara working together, and it's told with a dual past/present timeline that I think is well balanced, and easily justified by how tightly interrelated the two stories are. The art is solid throughout, and it's one of the first times I've seen Dick and Barbara drawn as young teens who actually look like young teens. Usually (with the exception of Damian) a young robin looks about as much like a teenager as Tom Welling did a freshman in high school back in the first season of Smallville.

The other two stand-alone stories try too hard to be cute in my opinion, and don't work as well.

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Hope Larson is an American illustrator and comics artist. Hope Larson is the author of Salamander Dream, Gray Horses, Chiggers, and Mercury. She won a 2007 Eisner Award. She lives in Los Angeles, California.

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