Should the name of Batgirl simply be retired?

[batGRRRl4ever]

The DC EIC is absolutely adamant that Barbara will both remain parapalegic and as 'oracle' so Bab's ain't gonna be getting her cowl back or getting out of her wheelchair anytime soon, and Cass has also moved on from the name of Batgirl and will within the next year be progressing to a new superhero identity/moniker. Both Barbara and Cass (whose version I always detested, I'm just putting it out there to be honest) versions of Batgirl had almost nothing to do with the name of 'Batgirl' and EVERYTHING with the person underneath that made the name popular for two separate fan bases.

Now we have Spoiler being placed into the Batgirl name purely as a marketing strategy, no more, no less. The comic could really have simply been called 'Spoiler' and there would be no qualitative difference. This character brings nothing unique to the table and it's the name of Batgirl that is propping HER up instead of the other way around for both Bab's and Cass.

So for those reasons I feel the name of Batgirl should be retired for a good long time. Do others agree or disagree, discuss!

[Personamanx]

I honestly don't care if they do or not. Im a Fan of Oracle, Cassandra, and Stephanie. I honestly don't care what they are called for the most part.

[Joe Acro]

Well, there's a different outlook here, I think. Though Barbara became an interesting character in her own right, with or without mask, early on I feel she was doing what Stephanie is doing now. She's dressing up like a Bat in a city that normally fears or is at least intimidated by someone dressed up as a Bat, much as Barbara originally did.

So, based on that, I don't feel a need retire it.

Cass is different in that she was practically appointed. To a certain extent, she became Batgirl and Batgirl became her. It's different than it is with the other two.

[Aiguille]

The Batgirl moniker is positioned as both a familiar "brand" (as in, can carry a book) and an entry point for young female characters to have a close connection to the bat family proper, a la the corresponding "Robin" moniker. Considering that the lone canonical female bearer of the "Robin" name was given it as part of an interest-building marketing stunt for her inevitable death, simply making the "Robin" position a gender-neutral free-for-all seems to be off the table from a marketing standpoint. Editorial likes a boy in the role. So, we turn to a corresponding entry point for young girls, and we have the "Batgirl" name. To eliminate it is to shut the door on an accessible platform to launch female characters with a close tie to the batfamily, while ensuring a built-in audience with brand recognition. If young boy characters/readers can have it in Robin, so can girls with Batgirl. Otherwise a young female vigilante Gothamite is more hamstrung for exposure.

[Vakanai]

No.
tencharacterlimit

[T Hedge Coke]

Retire it, and risk losing the trademark. Trademarks make money.

[aut0matic]

if it sells, then no. i really don't care about the bat-family except for the fact that it keeps DC in business.

[DetectiveDupin]

No, because Batgirl (the superhero ID) is one of the most prominent heroines to the general public, and c'mon, give Steph a chance.

[smoothjokes]

Honestly they screwed up Batgirl royally. It was obvious they were going to put Barbara back in costume and they bailed because the small-internet fanboy voice cried wolf. That's what I hate about DiDio, he listens to the internet message boards. It screwed up Final Crisis and other books. He has no spine and really needs to stick to his guns.

I was personally a fan of the new Batgirl book turning into "Birds of Prey, Part II". Oracle the leader with Batgirl (Cassandra Cain), Spoiler and Misfit. It would've been brilliant I think but then again someone like Gail Simone or Tony Bedard would have to right it since they know the characters voices.

The thing I hate most is that DC went resurrection happy when DiDio took over. DC Comics actually made an actual progression like Marvel with new faces behind the mask. The only resurrection I like was Hal Jordan's and the others were not necessary.

I seriously hope DC Entertainment looks into replacing DiDio and get a fresh voice in there to lead the publishing side. DiDio's blunders especially when it comes to TPB (Which should be under the same umbrella and I don't know why it isn't.)

Though I do think DiDio is going to be replaced with him taking up writing gigs right now. I think a major shake-up is coming to the publishing side.

[Joe Acro]

Honestly they screwed up Batgirl royally. It was obvious they were going to put Barbara back in costume and they bailed because the small-internet fanboy voice cried wolf.
Any evidence to back up this claim?

[batGRRRl4ever]

Any evidence to back up this claim?

The big note by Didio himself in the back of almost every DC comic this past month as well as DC Nation?

[dreyga2000]

I was under the impression that the team felt turning her into Bat-Girl was regressive... And that she gained much more popularity and respect as Oracle...

[batGRRRl4ever]

I was under the impression that the team felt turning her into Bat-Girl was regressive... And that she gained much more popularity and respect as Oracle...

Of course this is only IMO of course, but if you replace "team" with "Didio dictated to everyone else" then I think you'd be correct. I think that most within DC were ready to have the original Batgirl back but Didio has multiple articles of him expressing his clear disdain of Bab's as Batgirl and his strong preference for her to stay as a wheelchair bound computer using character. I believe that's why Gail Simone left, I'm guessing in frustrated disgust, when Didio reneged on where everyone else was ready to go with the character.

[DonC]

Retiring the name because it isn't Barbara seems kind of foolish to me. Like Dupin said, in the DCU, the name still carries weight. If Steph meets up with, say, the Flash. He's certainly going to take her more seriously if she's Batgirl instead of Spoiler.

[DonC]

Of course this is only IMO of course, but if you replace "team" with "Didio dictated to everyone else" then I think you'd be correct. I think that most within DC were ready to have the original Batgirl back but Didio has multiple articles of him expressing his clear disdain of Bab's as Batgirl and his strong preference for her to stay as a wheelchair bound computer using character. I believe that's why Gail Simone left, I'm guessing in frustrated disgust, when Didio reneged on where everyone else was ready to go with the character.


You believe that or you hope that? We can go over to YABS and ask Gail if she left in disgust.

[Joe Acro]

The big note by Didio himself in the back of almost every DC comic this past month as well as DC Nation?
I haven't been able to read comics over the last month or so, so enlighten me.

[dreyga2000]

I haven't been able to read comics over the last month or so, so enlighten me.

Here you go....

http://i706.photobucket.com/albums/ww65/dreyga2000/Batgirl2024.jpg

[Joe Acro]

Here you go....
Gratia.

Wonder how early on the change was made.

[carabas]

Gratia.

Wonder how early on the change was made.Given how Oracle's personality has drastically morphed in the last year or so, the total information blackout regarding the book, the Oracle mini titles 'The Cure', I would say they switched horses extremely late in the game.

[Aiguille]

I believe that's why Gail Simone left, I'm guessing in frustrated disgust, when Didio reneged on where everyone else was ready to go with the character.

Bedard's run was the set of issues tasked with setup for the altered status quo, giving Barbara motive to be dissatisfied with her life as a pretext for taking the mantle, so the plan was still in motion after she left the book. As carabas points out, the switch was likely a late one.

[Captain Jim]

You know, if there's one thing that really irks me, it's the "I don't like this book so nobody else should be allowed to read it either" posts.

batGRRRl4ever, you don't like anybody besides Barbara as Batgirl; we get it. We don't need a new thread every week to remind us.

And enough of the insults and groundless accusations thrown at Didio, by both you and smoothjokes.

I was tempted to simply delete this entire thread, but merely closed it out of respect for the other posters who contributed.