If you were thrown off by the events of last issue featuring one rather eventful kiss between Jason and Babs, Batgirl #43 addresses your worries directly with a heartfelt look at the internal impacts of love torn across worlds and the true power it may hold.

There isn’t much I can say after this issue except, WOW.

This issue captures the imagination remarkably well but stays focused intently on the tumultuous landscape of love in Babs life. With the arrival of a new villain The Maker bringing his fantasy writings to life in Gotham in search of reclaiming his lost love, we find villainous parallels to the emotional struggles that Babs is going through. What better way to dive into these problems than mirroring them through the superhero/villain lens?

On its surface level, we have an epic action fantasy with a sword wielding Batgirl fighting for Gotham in the vein of The Chronicles of Narnia. It makes for a really exciting read with all of the high fantasy elements and rapid pacing. However, the real success remains the narrative’s ability to take all these magnificent storytelling devices and ground them with Babs internal conflict. She is who we as readers care for and it’s her plight that pulls us into this strange new arc.

Is Jason really who she should be with, even when there are pangs for Dick still? That question lies at the heart of Batgirl #43 and no amount of high fantasy epic turmoil pulls the attention away from that core foundation. It’s solid storytelling, and in my opinion, a nearly perfect follow up on the shocking events of Batgirl #42. I don’t want to see Babs rushing into anything right now just for the sake of being in a relationship, but even though I have my doubts about Jason, this still feels like a natural progression for her character growth.

With a new team of creators involved for this issue, the visuals stand out as both unique and quite impressive. I’m always excited for a fantasy story mixed into the superhero elements because it allows for the creative team to shine. From the Realm of Unearth to the Castle of Shalock, we see magnificent high fantasy artwork that helps to sell the dual worlds that have become entangled thanks to The Maker. Hopefully these artists are on board for the entire arc because their work together really is enjoyable.

Ultimately, Batgirl #43 is an exciting follow-up on the YOTV mandated tie in arc featuring Oracle. It plays off the emotional shock waves sent out at the end of last issue while introducing a thrilling new character and conflict ahead. It’s not revolutionary, but it’s great superhero comic work that shows this series can consistently pull you as a reader in to care about the complicated life of Batgirl.