Batgirl #1 (from the new DC Universe - also known as the new 52)

Back in 1988, Alan Moore wrote a graphic novel known as Batman: The Killing Joke. This writing left the Batgirl many of us knew and loved at the time (and still do), Barbara Gordon, crippled and unable to continue as Batgirl. Go read the book if you want to know how it happened. Barbara Gordon went on to become Oracle, a savvy and superior computer hacker with the ability to find out anything about anyone, anywhere. She became the information broker for the heroes of the DC Universe
Almost a week ago (9/7/2011) with the introduction of its new 52, DC gave Barbara Gordon back the use of her legs with the rewriting of the DCU at the end of the Flashpoint limited series (go read it, the ending page was worth it if nothing else). Now, Barbara was able to recover the use of her legs after 3 years according to the new continuity, and Batgirl is once again on the prowl.
I really liked this book. I'm a fan of Gail Simone's writing who wrote the previous series of comics that featured Barbara as Oracle, Birds of Prey. The story starts off with Batgirl being Batgirl. There is an excitement in the character which is felt in the writing and the artwork by Ardian Syaf. The colors by Ulises Arreola only serve to accentuate that excitement. This is the new (old) Batgirl the way she should be, excited about life and seeking freedom after a tragic incident that has left her in a wheel chair for the last 3 years.
While the Adam Hughes cover shows us the excited Batgirl, for me it was the page 4 full page inside the book that really told you what this book was going to be about. Batgirl is swinging high above Gotham with a huge smile on her face as if she just got out of jail. It's obvious that Gail Simone loves this character as much as she has said in interviews. You can see it in how she writes the exuberance of the character. Whether the penciller is as much in love with the character or not, I don't know for real, but his pencils say he is onboard for how this book should look.
I loved the book, and I recommend you pick it up if you ever loved Barbara Gordon as Batgirl or even as Oracle. It's definitely one of the books in the new DCU that I will be looking for every month. My only regret with this book is that the previous (last new) Batgirl before the shake up of the DCU with Flashpoin was a character that I had really grown to like as well over the last year and a half; I hope she finds a place in the new DCU in time as well.
As a final comment, if you're an old line DC fan who is nay saying and insulting all of this stuff because it's not your beloved characters and continuity of the last 40 years or so, get over it already. For one thing, this book is actually one of your beloved characters with continuity almost intact other than the fact that she gets to walk again. For another thing, as evidenced by sales, you weren't reading as much as you thought you were, so give these creative teams a chance to wow you as well as new readers that couldn't get into stories that had 40 years of continuity they never read. I, for one, only came to the DarC side a couple of years ago other than an occasional Batman book, and I'm happy for a new beginning that I can start with and hopefully read through for the next 40 years as I leave the new dark side (Marvel) slowly in my rear view mirror. (Hey, I still have a soft spot for Cap and the Avengers).
Lastly, now that you went out and bought Batman: The Killing Joke to see how Barbara Gordon was crippled, I'll tell you that Batgirl #1 doesn't leave you in the dark; it gives you a one page synopsis of the events that affected her.