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Suit Up: Hip To Be Foursquared If You're Batgirl

Article ImageShe's hip, she's about to leave Burnside, and she's at a crossroads in her life. Many know her as Barbara Gordon. You know her as Batgirl. We know her as this month's focus for "Suit Up," where we look at Batgirl appearing  throughout the May PREVIEWS catalog!

With the launch of DC Rebirth, Batgirl is part of the mix, and like for many of the heroes in the DC Universe, things are a little bit different. In the case of Barbara Gordon, yeah, she's still a costumed hero. That much hasn't changed. She's also the star of her own book again. Check out how Eisner Award Winner Hope Larson is driving the train on the newly launched Batgirl #1 (MAY160214), and you'll see that Barbara is on the way to being "beyond Burnside." Yes, all things come to an end, and it looks like Burnside is one of the latest casualties in the young crimefighter's life.

In order to take her game to the next level, Babs goes to the land of the rising sun (Japan) on a journey to train with the most elite modern combat masters of the East. A surprise is waiting in the wings, however, and when confronted with an old friend, Babs has a new target on her back. So what was supposed to be simple has now become complicated. And, of course, the turn of events goes sideways, and Barbara is now waist deep in a baffling deadly mystery.

Article ImageThe month's itinerary of obstacles is not limited to just the Batgirl book, as Babs also has her hands full appearing in a new title for DC called Batgirl And The Birds Of Prey Rebirth #1 (MAY160212). This series kicks off with Batgirl and Black Canary together again, but the partnership may be short-lived, and quite uncomfortable. Barbara's time as Oracle is coming back to haunt her, and someone wants the world to know that she was once the most powerful hacker on the planet. It's a reputation that Barbara would care to have kept in the closet. Or buried. Or erased from existence. Time has a habit of making you think differently. But Barbara may not have the time she needs to sort things out as whoever knows her secret is using her name to sell dangerous information to criminals. Making things even more complicated is how the Huntress is making mafia blood run in the streets!

All of this too much for you to handle at one time? Barbara Gordon's life is not what you call "normal." Or maybe you're just not up to speed with what's keeping her busy these days because you haven't had time to visit the comic shop lately? If what you need is a quick refresher course in the life and times of Barbara Gordon, look no further than the Batgirl Volume 3: Mindfields TP (MAY160302).

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This trade will help put you on the same page as Babs, who's been a little out of her mind lately. In fact, her alter-ego is in big, big trouble as its about to lose the greatest weapon in her arsenal: her mind!

Article ImageIt's Black Canary to the rescue, and thus you have the bridge being built that will tie into the events that will unfold in the soon-to-be-released Batgirl And The Birds Of Prey series. This trade paperback collects Batgirl issues #46-52. But if this doesn't go back far enough for you, earlier events are recapped in the Batgirl Volume 1: The Batgirl Of Burnside HC (JAN150364), which collects Batgirl issues #35-40.

So there's your required reading. Now there's no excuse for not knowing where Batgirl is on DC's radar these days. In between all of these adventures, though, it appears that the costumed crimefighter did some modeling. Seriously. She's looking her best as the Batgirl Of Burnside Deluxe Action Figure (MAY160364), so she had to be striking the pose for some lucky sculptor. This figure comes with plenty of accessories, including extra hands (one with grappling gun), a spare head with wind-blown hair, cell phone, and her motorcycle!

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You may have caught word that this isn't the first time that Batgirl has been preserved as plastic, and you would be right. So we brought back for all of you late shoppers the Batman Arkham Knight Play Arts Kai Batgirl (MAY162767) figure that comes with gadgets unique to her character, and a variety of interchangeable hand parts. Not to mention, the detail that's been paid to her cape, seaming, rivets, and belt make the costume construction nothing short of fantastic.

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Look for all of these books, figures, and the Batgirl Bombshells 3D Art (JAN168688) ready for framing in the May issue of the PREVIEWS catalog!

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