TBU Review: Barbara Gordon: Breakout #1

In this review of Barbara Gordon: Breakout #1, the former Oracle finds herself imprisoned. But it’s all a part of a plan — until it isn’t.

BARBARA GORDON: BREAKOUT #1
Written by MARIKO TAMAKI
Art by AMANCAY NAHUELPAN
Main Cover: KARL KERSCHL
Variant Covers: DAVID NAKAYAMA, YANICK PAQUETTE, AMANCAY NAHUELPAN, JORGE CORONA
Page Count: 32 pages
Release Date: 5/13/26

This review contains spoilers

Barbara Gordon: Breakout #1 begins as everyone’s favorite computer hacker is channeling Akon as she’s locked up but we shall see if they let her out.

Vandal Savage has taken over the city with his new Supermax prison. He is locking up former cops and lawyers in the prison along with the criminals. Savage’s big plan is to catch Batman and lock him away. Recently, Barbara was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder so now she will be heading towards some forced vacation time in the prison.

A former assistant district attorney who knew Jim Gordon was sent away but was later found killed in her cell. It was called a suicide but Babs knows better.

Barbara has been investigating the prison since it was built so she looks at it as her responsibility.  Babs stops one of the inmates from being attacked and fights the villain Die who believes she is Two-Face’s daughter. Die swears revenge against Babs.

It was her idea to go into the prison alone. Batman and the Bat-Family tried to tell her how dangerous it was going to be but Babs said she had to do it. They help people no matter what so for now she is going to be alone on the inside.

Die and some cronies jump Babs during lunch and Barbara is able to kick butt and make quick work of them. One of the guards, who Jim Gordon locked away years ago, puts Babs Gordon into her cell. 

As she is washing up she hears some ticking sounds, some fight sounds, and then someone sneaking behind her going “shhhhhh”. The camera cuts to black as Barbara thinks “NO!”

Analysis

Barbara Gordon: Breakout #1 was all set up by Tamaki. I was a fan of her run on Detective so I have no doubt that she will bring a great story in this series. I like the premise. A member of the Bat-Family alone and in prison and all they have to survive is the wits and their fists.

One thing that I think I am really going to like in this series is the Barbara Gordon fight scenes. She does not get enough credit for her fighting ability. She can hack any computer in the world all day long but she can open some cans of whoop ass if necessary. We see her handle business with gadgets but Babs can handle herself just fine hand to hand and I hope this series highlights for people who may not know.

I am also a little shocked we didn’t get a scene of Nightwing talking to Barbara about this and showing a little more concern than he did in the flashback, Maybe we will get some “last night together” type scene but it seems like a big issue that Dick Grayson’s love is going to a very dangerous and sketchy prison.

Amancay Nahuelpan’s art is very solid. I got some Greg Capullo vibes from him. We got a little taste of how he draws fight scenes in that cafeteria fight and I look forward to more. I wonder if this series will be like DC’s version of the Netflix show  Orange is the New Black. Following the main character, you come across the fellow inmates who are either friends and enemies or enemies that could become friends. There’s a greater conspiracy going on in Vandal Savage’s Supermax and we know our girl will figure it out.

BJ Shea

BJ has had two passions in his life: sports and comic books. Specifically Batman and Robin. Not a day has gone by where BJ hasn’t watched or read something Batman-related. Currently, his goal is to collect as many Dick Grayson (his favorite character) issues as he can. Doesn’t matter if he’s Robin or Nightwing or Agent 37, he wants them. Another goal he has is to collect the complete Robin run of Tim Drake’s classic series. Raised on reruns of Adam West and was there for the animated series, BJ is down for any version of Batman. The Dark Knight is his favorite movie ever. On any day, BJ is most likely watching sports, watching anything Batman, or The Office.