Batgirl #18 Review
Writer: Tate Brombal
Penciller & Inker: Takeshi Miyazawa
Inker: Juan Castro
Colorist: Mike Spicer
Letterer: Tom Napolitano
Cover Artists: David Talaski & Christian Ward
Things To Come Variant Cover Artist: Takeshi Miyazawa with
Mike Spicer
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $3.99/$4.99 Card Stock
Release Date: April 1, 2026
Her parents made her a monster. When Cassandra rejected a
life of hurting and killing others, she found the belonging and purpose she
sought in her Bat family. Then her mother burst into her life in Gotham. In her
resultant journey around the world, Cassandra discovered a brother. In addition
to Tenji Turner, Cassandra also befriended Jaya Jayesh.
Tenji forges a link between her past and her future. Jaya's
healing helps Cassandra face her past. But when she brings Tenji and Jaya to
Gotham, Cassandra's Blood heritage activates. Can she restrain her magical
Blood powers? And can Cassandra Cain avoid once again feeling like a monster?
Let's leap into Batgirl #18 and see!
Story
Cassandra Cain traveled around the world seeking justice for
her mother. Instead, she found only blood, betrayal, and death. Yet along the
way, she discovered Tenji and Jaya, new additions to her found family.
Cassandra looked forward to resuming life in Gotham and integrating them into
her Bat family. Instead, her heritage took over her life once again. Cassandra
judged that her best hope of escape lay in Wu Lin, her mother’s cousin. But
just as Cassandra, Tenji, and Jaya found him, his assistant, Wu Zhi, killed
him.
In Batgirl #18, Cassandra, Tenji, and Jaya travel to the
Spirit World. In this realm hostile to life, where the dead crave their life
energy while awaiting reincarnation, the trio finally meets Wu Lin. But while
Tenji welcomes him as an uncle, Cassandra keeps her distance. She may need his
help to return to her Bat family. Still, Wu Lin represents the past she has
fought so hard to escape.
In Tate Brombal's story, Cassandra undertakes a journey
through the Spirit World. Like Lady Shiva's sudden appearance in Gotham, the
Blood of Wu has derailed her chosen path. Cassandra cannot understand why they
manifested. When Wu Lin sent his emissary, Cassandra refused to join the Blood
of Wu and learn how to activate them. But even if she didn't want them,
Cassandra now wields the powers of a god.
Just as Batman helped steer her in a more positive
direction, Wu Lin once again offers to help Cassandra control her Blood powers.
If she wishes to escape the Spirit World, Cassandra cannot refuse. Still,
whether she can use her Blood powers without sinking deeper into her heritage
and further away from the family she loves remains to be seen.
Art
Stephanie Brown yearned to speak with Cassandra when she
traveled around the world. Once again, while their family awaits Cassandra at
the dinner table, Stephanie's texts to her Bat sister go unanswered. In Wucorp
Tower, Wu Lin kneels surrounded by red notepaper. Instead of facing a mirror,
his blood flows into a portal behind him. While Jaya kneels to study the
writing, Cassandra Cain leaps into the swirling void in Batgirl #18. Jaya
follows her as Wu Lin's people barge in. Tenji regards the women and the hail
of bullets with wide eyes. But his features transform from shock to fright, as
he falls toward a street bordered by traditional Chinese buildings. The trio
forms a circle facing outward and raises their weapons as revenants and
monsters draw near.
As Takeshi Miyazawa and Juan Castro pack panels with
eye-catching characters, furious action, and menacing monsters, Mike Spicer
unleashes a vivid spectrum of colors on Batgirl #18. After Stephanie's blouse
ushers readers into the purple book-lined tower office at Wucorp, the red note
papers seem invitations to another realm. As red lines of energy swirl around
Cassandra, she stands upon red symbols. Red tinges foreground characters. Jaya
fights while wearing a red mask. And swords slice red lines through bodies.
Tom Napolitano places Cassandra’s white uppercase thoughts
in black narrative boxes, while spirits speak white letters into black dialogue
balloons. As Cassandra, Jaya, and Tenji speak black uppercase letters in white
dialogue balloons, a red border surrounds Cassandra’s words. The letters grow
bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and shrink for lowered voices. Unlike
many of the other spirits, a man Cassandra distrusts speaks black letters into
white balloons. Yet, the scars covering his arms bespeak a similarly traumatic
history. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.
Final Thoughts
Life forged Cassandra Cain into a weapon. Despite her skills
in the martial arts, she dislikes inflicting harm on others. Yet as Cassandra
navigates the Spirit World, she ponders the qualities that make a person worthy
of life in Batgirl #18.
Rating: 9.8/10
For what happened last time, see my preview of Batgirl #17.
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