Prison is a special kind of hell, and in Barbara Gordon’s case, it’s a hell that tests her mental capacity as well as her physical state. When Barbara Gordon: Breakout #2 begins, Barbara is in the infirmary after suffering a brutal beating from a mysterious presence. Given that everyone from the guards to other inmates has plenty of reasons to want her dead, she’s left to piece together the identity of her assailant. Another prisoner, Sparrow, seems to want to assist her with medicine, but what happens when Barbara starts to have vivid hallucinations in her sleep?
From the very first page, Mariko Tamaki seems hellbent on putting Barbara through…well, hell. Not only is she suffering from a concussion, but the hallucinations she’s undergoing are causing her to question her reality. Whether she’s Batgirl or Oracle, Barbara’s greatest asset has been her mind, so to see her fighting off her own mind is extremely unsettling. Tamaki also shows how life is going for Barbara’s family and friends as her father, Jim, and Nightwing discuss her decision to be imprisoned at Supermax. I do like this scene, as it shows Jim’s concern for his daughter and his desire to help her no matter what.
The hallucinations Barbara undergoes are extremely vivid, thanks to Amancay Nahuelpan’s art. When Barbara limps through the halls of Supermax, she sees a strange, shadowy version of Batman supporting her; in lieu of his traditional blue-and-gray suit, the Dark Knight is sporting a makeshift cape of a red towel and rags that form a shoddy cowl. Even more frightening is the visage of the Grim Reaper, prowling the halls and carrying a massive scythe as his bony fingers rattle the cages. The one illusion that’s hit-or-miss is that of the Joker; it works the first time, but a repeat appearance of the Clown Prince of Crime feels less jarring and more like the comic saying, “Hey, remember The Killing Joke?”
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Nahuelpan does excel at action sequences, particularly the one with Jim Gordon and Nightwing. The former Boy Wonder is displayed as being every bit as acrobatic as fans know him to be, while Gordon has nothing but a nightstick and grit to fight Gotham’s criminals. It hits just as hard as the first issue, but it’s also a reminder that Gordon doesn’t have the same cutting-edge technology that the rest of Batman’s allies do. He’s not in the same position that he was when he was a police commissioner.
I also have to point out the vibrant color work from Tamra Bonvillain, who pours a great mix of vibrant greens and dark blacks onto the page. The end result is trippy as hell, but it does place readers in Barbara’s shoes; she’s dealing with a lot, mentally and physically, and it’s starting to take its toll on her. The color art also makes the illusions feel frightening, especially those involving the Grim Reaper. Having a nightmare about Death itself coming for you is the worst kind of nightmare.
Barbara Gordon: Breakout #2 starts to test its titular heroine physically and mentally, resulting in some disturbingly trippy imagery. One thing’s for sure: the creative team is hellbent on making Barbara’s stint in prison as tough as possible.
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