#Robi Rodriguez

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Buffalo Zine shot by Robi Rodriguez and Tati Cotliar

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Yves Tumor

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“Twelve”. Photographed by Robi Rodriguez for Alla Carta #3 Fall 2013

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Salma Badeh

for Purple Magazine | Sep 2023

shot by Robi Rodriguez

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Mary Alexandridi, photographed by Robi Rodriguez for D la Repubblica, December 2022

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Robi Rodriguez - dazeddigital.com @maryjopeace

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honestly blanca evangelista's outfits from pose are so valerie to me like cmon

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Nyanderi Deng by Robi Rodriguez for Balmain Pre Fall 2024

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Lara Menezes, Pedro Angelino by Robi Rodriguez for AnOther Magazine September 2023

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Buffalo Zine shot by Robi Rodriguez and Tati Cotliar

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Robi Rodriguez

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Alla Kostromichova By Robi Rodriguez

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Celeste Romero

for Double Magazine | March 2021

shot by Robi Rodriguez

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photo by robi rodriguez for another magazine sept 2023

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Batgirls 2022 Annual Review

Batgirls Annual 2022 begins the series' fourth arc and clearly has ramifications being teased that'll change the Batgirls forever. But was it good? And what of the changes that pertain to Cass?

I'll start off with the negative. I found the issue to be pretty-- meh. For an annual, the story felt like a breeze to read. Compared to say Nightwing (which also came out) and had so many stories to it.

Also, the concept of the issue itself I just don't feel like was used to the full extent it could've been. I mean we still have an issue left. But.. there are possibilities here that are teased in the issue. Steph seeing the world thru Cass's eyes. Maybe even having her body reading abilities. It's teased in the issue, and it is also kind of obvious Cass (while in Steph) is oblivious to the trap that's sprung.

But man oh man. Cass really takes a stupid pill by the issue's end. Just a few pages ago she and Steph were fighting the Hill's Angels. Suddenly, she's cool with them? EVEN UNMASKING?! What the heck Cass?!

The whole scene just feels so very rushed to begin with. I'd just had Cluemaster get the better of her, given well Cass is in Steph's body and can't see body language. Aka what actually befell her in a certain infamous Tec issue.

It also just feels so unCass. And it's just gnawing at me how stupid the scene was.

But it isn't what unsettles me Cass/Steph investigating a double murder which leads too-- League of Assasins. Oh, joy. Lady Shiva is appearing in this issue and she's not even part of them but STILL feels tied to the hip with the group.

It doesn't help that it appears she's also the prime suspect in the case. But I digress we're only part one in this arc.

I'm just more haunted at the past stories with Asian female characters at DC and them dropping all characterization at the drop of a hat. So they can be coldly evil to their children.

It's just that Shiva feels distant here to Cass. Even with the crossroads, the two made in Batman & the Outsiders two years back.

I'm getting an awful bad flashback to Shado did to Emi (Percy's Green Arrow they were on good terms. Teen Titans Shado decides to try and kill Emi 🙃) so far with Shiva's appearance here. I really hope writers Conrad and Cloonan don't be predictable with the outcome here.

But I digress. The wild card being Jervis Tetch aka the Mad Hatter hanging around the place has me to believe someone put him up to this with the Batgirls in this issue.

There was also one tiny nitpick as well I had with the issue. Namely, Robi Rodriguez draws Cass with such long hair. It just feels jarring to see Cass with these long locks.  A little copy/paste of looking like Steph this issue BEFORE the body swap.

So with all these gripes I'll get to what I did enjoy about the issue. Like I said prior the opening with Cass at the art museum was *chef's kiss*. Likewise, I'm glad the series is continuing on with Rebirth Cass wanting to overcome her reading disability.

It's just.. I wish we saw it more in the book itself. Save well four issues out of thirteen at this point.

We might be getting just that. As this issue teases a big new status quo.  Babs is leaving the Hill and moving back into the Clocktower (so this links up with the current Batman comic).

Honestly, from beginning to end this was the best written Barbara Gordon in the entire series so far. We finally get to see a layer of Babs' character peeled back this issue. It was really good.

Likewise, she has her own snooping to have in this arc trying to fix the pair's body swap issue. I'm really curious how this subplot will end and where this goes for Babs on the book now. Is Batman and Nightwing her only main books now?

I also like the little moments of Cass sprinkled prior to the body swap too. Freaking out over the League of Assassins (given well she has dealt with them, Steph hasn't). My question does this subplot relate to the goings on in Detective Comics?

The other BIG thing is the Cass/Steph bonding this issue. It's cute. Probably the big highlight as they cope with Babs going, but also being there for one another.

Then there's the time capsule plot introduced in the issue. You know this is gonna be used in #15. It just SCREAMS it'll be.

More so when it is even teased later in the issue just what Steph's letter might be for Cass.

Wait-- is this happening? Are we getting something here or being baited again? Cause I feel like I heard this story before in Future State Batgirls but never them fully going with it only allusions.

So yeah this was a setback in some areas but a step forward in some. I'm anxious for the next two issues because A.) the art teased so far looks absolutely stunning. B.) utterly fearful if predictably occurs.

But I'll keep myself going into this with an open mind and hopeful that Conrad and Cloonan avoid the past mistakes other writers have done with the murder moms.

I seriously just wish maybe someone can purchase a walkie-talkie sets and get Ram V to constantly say thru them, "AVOID THESE CLICHES! These characters deserve better! They deserve to be fully dimensional characters! FULLY DIMENSIONAL!"