DC Comics has intrigued me with Rafael Albuquerque. To cross promote here, Albuquerque is the artist on Huck, which is neck and neck with Superman: American Alien as my most treasured comics series of 2016. That he will be drawing Batgirl starting in July has to get my attention. As a reader, though, beautiful art has to be supported by good writing.
At the Rebirth event at WonderCon yesterday, DC Comics announced that creator Hope Larson would be writing the book, and though it’s intriguing, for me it’s strictly by reputation. Her name rang a bell because of an adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time, but though she’s done some well-received work, I haven’t read any of it.
My suspicion is that Larson will inject new energy, perhaps, but with the same feeling as Batgirl has had for the past couple of years. After all, last June’s DC relaunch was allegedly spurred by that title’s success. Mainstream superhero books are flailing a little bit among new readers, but Batgirl struck a chord. Larson brings alternative cred, and Albuquerque (who also drew American Vampire with Scott Snyder writing) brings a consistent smooth style in which people look like regular people. It’s graceful and engrossing and somehow feels like 1960s commercial illustration with a modern edge. I dig it. But will it get me to pick up Batgirl? We’ll see what the budget looks like.
