Batgirl Annual #3 - Part 1

Since this issue of Batgirl is a bit long, I'll be splitting it up into 4 parts. I was only expecting there to be one crossover with one other book, which is Grayson, but it actually crosses over with 3 other issues that DC comics has. Seeing all the writers and artist from every issue, that are featured in Batgirl, working together and creating a very special issue of Batgirl is amazing. It's something new to me that I haven't seen before in any of the comic books I've read before.

At first, the only reason I picked up Batgirl Annual #3 was because Dick Grayson, the first boy wonder now turned spy, was going to make an appearance. I knew it was going to be a good issue but once I read it, I couldn't stop reading it over and over again. It was that good.

The story starts out with Barbara aka Batgirl saving someone from getting ran over. It turned out that the guy she saved had lost his memory. Babs (Barbara) then took a picture of the man and sent it to Frankie, Babs friend who helps her when she's out fighting crime. Frankie finds out that the man went missing a couple of days ago and is the president of the U.N. Economic and Social Council. He, along with four other diplomats went missing. Frankie found video of him wandering around the Gotham Docklands so Babs decided to check it out to see if she can find the other missing diplomats. Once she arrives, she is shot by an arrow that almost hits her. The person who almost shot her turns out to be an agent of Spyral who told Babs to call her Director. They both went there with there for different reasons but soon figure out that they could be related. They decide to team up and help each other out. We then see the Director communicating with Dick Grayson. Now a little background story about Grayson. Everyone in the Bat Family (Batman, Barbara, etc.) found out that Grayson aka Nightwing was murdered after his enemies found out his real identity. Turns out, he's not really dead. Dick faked his death and then decided to work behind the shadows and work with Spyral, a covert intelligence agency.The Director tells Dick that he's ex-girlfriend is here (Long story about how that happened). Since he's supposed to be dead, he can't let Babs see him. He decides to stay ahead of them and keep away from Babs.

Grayson beat up the enemy before the girls got to them

 Babs asks the Director if she brought someone with her and she admits to having back up. The girls continue to fight their way through when Babs and Dick almost have a close encounter.

But is cut short when the Director yells out to Babs and they continue on their mission.
The Director tells Babs to go on ahead because she wants to talk to Dick so Babs goes on to find where the diplomats were hidden. The Director meets up with Dick who is upset that he lost his lead to keep away from Babs.
Babs opens the door to where the diplomats are hidden and finds them hooked up to some sort of machine but they aren't alone. There's a woman with white hair behind some sort of control panel. The woman then turns around to find Babs at the door way and proceeds to type something into the computer before running away. She had planted a bomb. Babs catches her and the woman tells Babs that she can either save the diplomats or capture her. Babs then makes the decision to save the diplomats until she is interrupted.

A man with white hair and beard shows up and calls himself Christian Kröger or also "Agent Backup" as Babs calls him. The Director tries to stop the bomb but she can't so all three of them grab the diplomats and jump.
After saving the diplomats, a helicopter shows up for the mysterious Christian guy and the Director.
After exchanging information, they both hop in the helicopter when Babs notices something.

Inside joke 

Once on the plane the mysterious guy turns out to be Dick Grayson turns off the device that gave him the disguise. The panel above is an on going joke about Grayson's butt (long story). When Babs sees that, she starts to think about Dick (Reminder that she believes he is dead.)

And with that, the Grayson part of the story ends and next starts the Catwoman part of the issue.