Broken Frontier

THE COVER:

Another fantastic Noto cover.  This cover (as well as the covers to #1 and #3) were all created before I turned in my first script – hence the glaring lack of anyone wearing yellow Batgirl boots in Issue #2.  What’s extra-special fantastic about them is that they all speak to the “spirit” of Batgirl, that regardless of the costume, you know there’s a Batgirl underneath.  Super-promotional bonus: “Who’s that behind the mask?”

The cover to #4 (as has been released online) is our first official look at Lee’s wonderful design, and the cover to #5 (also currently online) is an even better look at our heroine’s new duds.  You can get an even better-better look at the raw concept design on Lee’s blog: http://leegarbett.blogspot.com/.

PAGE ONE:

In a thinly-veiled attempt to use narration to track self-realization, it should be noted that Steph only refers to herself as “Stephanie” in her head-voice.  Babs can’t quite bring herself to call Steph “Batgirl” in the outside world, either.  “You are who you choose to be” is a pretty big theme in these first three.

Stephanie’s launched an attack on our friendly gangbangers (from #1) chop shop.  Though Jeff’s knee was kicked in last issue, he’s fine here.  Or at least it looks like he’s fine.  He probably didn’t even go to the hospital.  Gangbanger Jeff’s got a lot goin’ on, you know?

PAGE TWO:

Don’t know if Jeff’s gang is self-incorporated, or if they have any kind of insurance to help them start up again tomorrow.  Have to wonder if “force majeure” clauses in Gotham cover act of vigilantism…

PAGE THREE:

This cross between Steph and Babs was the actual open to the issue when I broke the story.  Once I get in there and started scripting, there just wasn’t enough “oompf” at the top.  The chop-shop fight didn’t exist at first.

Babs goes in with the double gut-punch about “War Games” and “Misfit.”  The big subsection of “You are who you choose to be” plays on how sometimes we’re only defined by our mistakes.  People remember the bad way more than they remember the good.  And yes, Babs is going hard on Stephanie, but she has every right to be.

PAGE FOUR:

Babs draws a line in the sand with that Batarang – this is her world Stephanie’s stumbling around in.  And even though she can’t follow Steph upstairs to continue the argument, she proves she can still get to Stephanie wherever, whenever she wants.

These two women are trying to figure each other out, testing boundaries, etc.  In the end, they may learn a little something from one another.

COMING SOON:

Once our heroes finish out Issue #3, they’ll each face a trying night in Issue #4, “Field Test.”  Batgirl comes to blows with a Metropolis rogue, and Barbara has to reach out to a potential friend in need.  Then on to the three-part “Core Requirements” story.  In Issue #5, the new Dynamic Duo of Dick and Damien will literally drop in on Batgirl during a volatile situation with a new villain, and her reaction to their reaction sends us down the road through Issue #6 and #7.