Shadow of the Batgirl

by Sarah Kuhn, Nicole Goux

Overview

Cassandra Cain, teenage assassin, isn't exactly Batgirl material...not yet, at least. But with Batgirl missing from Gotham City, can Cassandra defy her destiny and take on a heroic mantle of her very own? She'll have to go through an identity crisis of epic proportions to find out. After a soul-shattering moment that sends Cass reeling, she'll attempt to answer this question the only way she knows how: learning everything she possibly can about her favorite hero-Batgirl. But Batgirl hasn't been seen in Gotham for years, and when Cass's father threatens the world she has grown to love, she'll have to step out of the shadows and overcome her greatest obstacle-that voice inside her head telling her she can never be a hero. Sarah Kuhn, author of Heroine Complex and I Love You So Mochi, takes on one of her favorite heroes for a new audience of readers. Featuring the edgy art style of Nicole Goux, Shadow of the Batgirl tells the harrowing story of a girl who overcomes the odds to find her unique identity.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781779502414
Publisher:	DC
Publication date:	02/04/2020
Sold by:	DC Comics
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	534,116
File size:	121 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	12 Years

About the Author

Sarah Kuhn is the author of the popular Heroine Complex novels—a series starring Asian American superheroines. The first book is a Locus bestseller, an RT Reviewers' Choice Award nominee, and one of the Barnes & Noble Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog's Best Books of 2016. Her YA debut, the Japan-set romantic comedy I Love You So Mochi, comes out in June 2019. Sarah also wrote "The Ruby Equation" for the Eisner-nominated comics anthology Fresh Romance and the novella One Con Glory, which is in development as a feature film. Other projects include a comic book continuation of the cult classic movie Clueless, a series of Barbie comics, and a story in the Jem and the Holograms anthology series Dimensions. Additionally, Sarah is a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer.

Nicole Goux is a freelance illustrator and cartoonist living and working in Southern California. She earned her BFA in illustration at Cal State University Long Beach. She has been published by such companies as IDW, Black Crown, Image, and Lion Forge. She likes to incorporate color, pattern, and the human form in her work.

Editorial Reviews

02/03/2020

After a botched job, teenage assassin Cassandra Cain is on the run in Gotham City with no resources, little spoken language, and extremely limited knowledge of the world. Luckily, she finds a safe haven in gruff-yet-kind restaurant owner Jacqueline “Jackie” Fujikawa Yoneyama, as well as the Gotham Public Library. Teaching herself to speak and read, Cassandra observes librarian Barbara Gordon’s story times and learns about the mysterious Batgirl, who once protected the city before vanishing years ago. Modeling herself on Batgirl, Cassandra decides to become a hero and defend the library and the city—but first, she must break free of her past. Cassandra’s deadly skill set and hyperintuitive awareness of her surroundings, juxtaposed against her emotional naïveté, create an immediately endearing character. The diverse supporting cast presents compelling models of confidence and kindness, drawn with detailed individuality by Goux, who also depicts the main setting, the library, with grandeur and personality. While the plot is slight and the world is disconnected from other tales within the Batman universe, the collaborators’ intimate scale ultimately benefits this character-driven story. Ages 13–17. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

01/01/2020

Gr 6 Up—Teenage assassin Cassandra Cain can't remember anything—who she is, where she came from, even how to speak. As she finishes off a man in the alleys of Gotham City, her dying victim's last words, about his daughter, trigger something in her. Overwhelmed, she finds refuge in the public library. Spying on a librarian's storytime, she learns to talk again and discovers that Gotham's hero Batgirl has gone missing and a crime wave has broken out. But the librarian's tales of Batgirl motivate Cassandra to take her past—and future—into her own hands and become the hero she was meant to be. Kuhn's reinterpretation of Batgirl is a tender, moving addition to DC's series of superhero origin stories. Sympathetic characters, such as children's librarian Barbara and local ramen chef Jackie, soften the sinister, Jason Bourne–inspired plot. While Cassandra's romance with the library intern feels tacked on, kind and literary Erik is a gentle foil for the skilled warrior. Goux's frenetic, jagged art depicts a gritty, menacing Gotham, though the vast library is a soothing sanctuary. Scenes of Cassandra leaping around the stacks and kicking over piles of books joyfully subvert the idea that a library should be a quiet, orderly place. VERDICT Kuhn's winning tale of a budding superhero attempting to forge a path ahead will resonate with teens wrestling with their own identities.—Anna Murphy, Berkeley Carroll School, Brooklyn

School Library Journal

2019-10-28
The story behind Batgirl.

Cassandra Cain is trained to kill. Raised by a criminal mastermind, she knows only how to fight and execute. One day she freezes in the face of one victim's desperation for her to pass on a message to his daughter. Not wanting to return home, she is found on the streets by noodle shop owner Jackie Fujikawa Yoneyama, who gives her a free meal. Cassandra also finds solace in the Gotham Public Library, where, having been raised with little conversation, she learns to comprehend language by listening to librarian Barbara's storytimes about Batgirl. Fascinated, Cassandra begins to understand her life before, with her villain of a father, and to envision the life she wants to lead in the future, as a hero. This is an excellent introduction to Cassandra's backstory and her journey to becoming Batgirl. The detailed illustrations and meticulous coloring add emotion and effectively convey movement. Dark memories and moments are shrouded in blue and purple while Cassandra's safe, comforting spells are brightened by shades of yellow and orange. Cassandra's sweet, touching story includes themes of self-discovery, relationships, family, and personal choices, and there's enough action to keep readers interested. The cast of characters is diverse in race and ability; Cassandra has mutism, she and Jackie are Asian, and red-haired Barbara uses a wheelchair.

Without a shadow of a doubt, readers will enjoy this hero's backstory. (Graphic novel. 12-17)

Kirkus Reviews