Current location:	in bed
Current mood:	worried
Current music:	James snoring
Entry tags:	books

Batgirl Rising - Writer: Bryan Q. Miller. Pencillers: Tim Levins, Trevor Scott & Lee Garbett. Inkers: Trevor Scott, Dan Davis, Aaron Sowd, Sandra Hope, & Oliver Nome. Colorist: Guy Major. Letterer: John J Hill. Covers: Phil Moto

Jeez, you can't just say "by" with a comic book, can you? I have been inactive in Batfandom for a while now - since the Long Halloween, really - although I've kept up with some of the important stuff via Debi. So I knew there was doing to be a new Batgirl, and I knew that she was going to be ex-Spoiler and one-time Robin, Stephanie Brown.

What I didn't really expect was how important original Batgirl (and one of my all-time favourite characters) Barbara Gordon was going to be in this story arc. I am loving the interaction between Steph and O, and the way they behave towards Dick Grayson Batman and the most annoying Robin ever, Damian. And, you know, first important villain was Scarecrow, who is also one of my faves, although I have to say he was a bit underused... The scene where Steph is almost beaten by him and then rises and fights back is beautiful, though. Beautifully written, beautifully drawn, and Barbara finally referring to her as Batgirl was earned, and well done.

Props for having a barely-commented-upon gay couple in this paperback too. I enjoyed this very much, and hope to keep up with how Steph is getting on. 9/10


Ghost Stories of an Antiquary - Montague Rhodes James

This is comfort reading for me. I am up very late tonight due to anxiety over something I can do nothing about, so I am reading a book I know backwards to take my mind off things. The Ash Tree. Lost Hearts. The Treasure of Abbot Thomas. And, of course, the amazing Oh Whistle and I'll Come To You, My Lad... I could probably recite them, if I tried.

Hopefully the anxiousness-causing-thing will be cleared up tomorrow, but until it is getting lost in Monty's dry, dusty, academic prose style will alleviate things a bit. You know how HP Lovecraft has an instantly recognisable style, and Poe? Well so does Monty, and it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy, even though it's all about unknown and unknowable horrors from the beyond.

10/10

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