carriepond's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This graphic novel follows Barbara Gordon, the teenage daughter of Gotham’s Commissioner Gordon, who is paralyzed after being shot during a robbery. Before her accident, Babs spends her time solving mysteries using her hacking skills with one of her best friends. After the accident, her dad enrolls her at the Arkham Center for Independence, which offers physical and mental rehab services to people with disabilities. As Babs tries to adjust to a new normal and gets to know her fellow residents, she can’t shake the feeling that something sinister lurks beneath the Center’s veneer.
This graphic novel was a super fast read with compelling characters and a mystery that reels you in while exploring deeper themes like ableism and the ideas that people with disabilities have to be “cured” to have value. Recommend this one.
This graphic novel was a super fast read with compelling characters and a mystery that reels you in while exploring deeper themes like ableism and the ideas that people with disabilities have to be “cured” to have value. Recommend this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, and Ableism
Minor: Gun violence
blackcatkai's review against another edition
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
CW: gun violence, gaslighting, ableism, medical content, human experimentation
this was cute & had the best art. it was mysterious, though not entirely surprising for me personally, I could see it being twisty & surprising for the target audience! I had fun and it was heartwarming & had a great message of bravery, loving yourself, and how everyone is already a whole person regardless of physical ability or lack thereof. thoroughly enjoyed!!
this was cute & had the best art. it was mysterious, though not entirely surprising for me personally, I could see it being twisty & surprising for the target audience! I had fun and it was heartwarming & had a great message of bravery, loving yourself, and how everyone is already a whole person regardless of physical ability or lack thereof. thoroughly enjoyed!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Gun violence, Ableism, Gaslighting, and Medical trauma
casthefanby's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism
Minor: Gun violence, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Medical trauma
skrulls's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Child abuse, Medical content, Gun violence, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Child death, Ableism, and Confinement
saturnsreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I know the comic is already short but I personally think that the story was so slow at first but when (it became faster after the main part of the story which I personally believe should've taken more pages or a bigger part of the story).
Nevertheless, I think the story is unique. Maybe it's for younger audience that's why I didn't enjoy it that much, I had higher expectations but it's still good.
Spoiler
Barbara looked in the files and knew about the privatewward the story or the plot became much faster than the first part.Nevertheless, I think the story is unique. Maybe it's for younger audience that's why I didn't enjoy it that much, I had higher expectations but it's still good.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Gun violence, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Medical trauma, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Child death
off2explore's review
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
It’s definitely in the Batman universe, but you don’t need to know anything about the comic universe to enjoy this story about disability and finding oneself.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Medical trauma, Gun violence, and Fire/Fire injury
littlecat's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I have never read the killing joke, I dont want to, as a disabled person all I heard about it (often from other disabled comic fans) makes me want to cry in anger and pain, I like that there is an alternative now, I like the idea about kids getting this - it is a kid book and for me as an adult it could have been a bit "better" told here and there but I am not the main traget audience and I still liked it, it was a quick read, that made me happy.
It is finished in itself but I would love more from this universe, specially to get more of the side characters and the relationships.
It is finished in itself but I would love more from this universe, specially to get more of the side characters and the relationships.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Child abuse, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Child death and Death of parent
dogbuttsandbooks's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical trauma, and Medical content
Moderate: Ableism, Abandonment, Child death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, and Violence
geno's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Una entretenida novela gráfica que nos presenta un nuevo comienzo para Barbara Gordon mezclando aventura y misterio con un cuento de terror en una historia de origen. El balance es bueno y aunque no hay plot twist sorpresivos, sí logra un ambiente tenso -en gran parte gracias a la ilustración-.
Las actualizaciones a la historia original de Oracle la separan de "The killing joke" y es una buena idea, no deja de ser una situación traumática pero le da más control a Barbara de su narrativa.
Destaco el arte, en particual en los momentos que "cuentan historias" cuando el estilo cambia para enfatizar el ambiente misterioso; sin dudas la parte fuerte de todas estas novelas gráficas de DC está en la ilustración más que en las historias.
En general es una lectura rápida ideal para tener un vistazo del personaje sin profundizar demasiado. Y es una historia lo bastante genérica como para entretener incluso a aquellos que no leen comics.
---
A solid comic about Barbara Gordon.
Even if I like Oracle as a character and was expecting a little more from this book, I can tell this is a nice take on her.
The representation it's on point, there is a nice balance between showing us some limitations but making clear there is nothing to fix, and I really appreciate that approach.
Besides Barbara's personal story, the main plot revolves around a ghost tale and a mystery one, both eventually taking a very real turn. And even though the end it's far from a plot twist, it brings closure to a very tense ride.
Overall, I liked it -I didn't love it like other instances in the DC young adult world-, but this one it's fun and easy to read.
My favorite part was the art, specially when Jena is telling a story and the style change enough to give us a different vibe. A incredible way to give us more visual depth.
A nice and fast read, could be a better option for people that knows nothing about the character.
Las actualizaciones a la historia original de Oracle la separan de "The killing joke" y es una buena idea, no deja de ser una situación traumática pero le da más control a Barbara de su narrativa.
Destaco el arte, en particual en los momentos que "cuentan historias" cuando el estilo cambia para enfatizar el ambiente misterioso; sin dudas la parte fuerte de todas estas novelas gráficas de DC está en la ilustración más que en las historias.
En general es una lectura rápida ideal para tener un vistazo del personaje sin profundizar demasiado. Y es una historia lo bastante genérica como para entretener incluso a aquellos que no leen comics.
---
A solid comic about Barbara Gordon.
Even if I like Oracle as a character and was expecting a little more from this book, I can tell this is a nice take on her.
The representation it's on point, there is a nice balance between showing us some limitations but making clear there is nothing to fix, and I really appreciate that approach.
Besides Barbara's personal story, the main plot revolves around a ghost tale and a mystery one, both eventually taking a very real turn. And even though the end it's far from a plot twist, it brings closure to a very tense ride.
Overall, I liked it -I didn't love it like other instances in the DC young adult world-, but this one it's fun and easy to read.
My favorite part was the art, specially when Jena is telling a story and the style change enough to give us a different vibe. A incredible way to give us more visual depth.
A nice and fast read, could be a better option for people that knows nothing about the character.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism and Gun violence
Moderate: Child abuse and Medical trauma
mercedes's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I was super excited to read this because I love Barbara Gordon as Oracle, and this still managed to far exceed my expectations. I had no idea what the plot was going to be, and while the mystery itself was incredibly well written I loved that at its core this was just a story about the horrors of ableism and how disabled people don't need to be fixed or cured. I loved watching Barbara grow to feel confident in her wheelchair, I loved the supportive friendships, everything about this was just wonderful. Highly recommended!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Gun violence, and Ableism
More...