Batgirl: A Knight Alone (2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

After being given back the gift of speech and literacy, Cassandra Cain discovers that she's lost her near metahuman ability to predict a person's moves during combat. It has put Cassandra in a bit of a funk and made her lose her confidence. Being unexpectedly shot will do that to a person. Originally, Cassandra was allowed to be Batgirl without formal martial arts training because of her ability to know when her foes were going to strike before they did. Now the Batman has benched her until she can master the art of defense.

Endless nights of research and practice has become boring for the young women. Cassandra is just itching to get back out on the streets and dispense some vigilante justice. Thus she will make a literal deal with the devil, in the form of Lady Shiva, just for a taste of being a hero again. Batgirl had better enjoy it because in return for regaining her sixth sense in battle, Cassandra Cain must agree to combat Shiva in a year's time in a battle to the death. 

Cassandra is the daughter of David Cain and a woman named Sandra. Cassandra was raised to become the perfect bodyguard and assassin for Ra's al Ghul. Cassandra is not taught to read or read; only how to interpret the body language of others. Her training by David is abusive and callous. But deep down, David loves her and seeks to repent from his wicked ways in hopes of one day rekindling a relationship with the daughter he never really had. As for Sandra, she leaves Cassandra almost immediately after the child's birth. But mother and daughter will be reunited because Sandra will one day become Lady Shiva.

The character of Cassandra Cain was created by Kelley Puckett and Daimon Smith. Her debut in comics was Batman #567 (July, 1999). A month later, she would become the next Batgirl in the pages of Legends of the Dark Knight #120, during the 'No Man's Land storyline that saw Gotham devastated by an earthquake. A fan favorite character, she became the first Batgirl to star in her own title just a year later. 

Cassandra's journey to restore her abilities to understand human behavior and body language precognitively were chronicled in issues #7-11 and collected in the trade paperback Batgirl: A Knight Alone.  Also included in this collection is a fateful meeting between Father and daughter, Cassandra gets tangled up in a CIA mission gone awry and a new Bat Cave is christened. 

Kelley Puckett pens all of the stories contained in this trade. Daimon Smith pencils with some assists by Coy Turnbull (Koi Turnbull). Along with Smith, covers are penciled by Robert Campanella, Aaron Dowd and John Lowe. 

All 7 issues would be reissued in a 2025 omnibus edition titled DC Finest: Batgirl- Nobody Dies Tonight.

Completing this review completes Task #33 (Book Begins with the Letter B) of the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Robin: Unmasked

A few months back, I read the Batman War Games trilogy. Okay, it was a 4-volume set with one book being a prequel (War Drums.) But it was still a trilogy. In War Games, Tim Drake was no longer Robin. The reason why was a mystery to me. But not anymore.

Robin: Unmasked explains the reason's behind Tim having to step down from that role. But that's not the only change for Tim. Fables scribe, Bill Willingham takes over the series beginning in this volume from 2004. Along with having to stop being the Boy wonder, Tim is placed in a new school, with new friends, potential new loves, and much more. Tim also has to struggle with the fact that he may have killed a man while flying solo as Robin.

The art was 50/50. The first couple of issues are drawn by Kabuki's Rick Mays. Those issues are visually stunning and I love the color palette. For the last couple of chapters, Robin is illustrated by Aaron Sowd. He's slightly Manga-style was still was good. But when you compare it to those amazing first segments by Rick Mays, it's like asking for Ham and getting SPAM instead.

Robin: Unmasked was a great read. It answered quite a few questions about segments in War Games that I didn't understand, like why there was this assassin all of a sudden trying to kill all the teen boys in Gotham aged 14-16. I probably would've have enjoyed this book better had I read this first. But that doesn't always happen when collecting comic books.

Worth Consuming!

8.5 out of 10 stars.