Cassandra "Batgirl" Cain Appreciation Thread

[Netherith]

Ah good then. I never play the game but that looks like a really detailed thing to have on ones desk. Though what about the Batman Chess piece of her? Any word on that?

She is part of the DC Batman Chess collection as a pawn in her Black Bat persona. However, aside from a representative image from the comics no image has appeared of the actual piece, which is meant to be released into the collection early 2013.

And for those of you wondering, these are Cass' two previous HeroClix figures.

[Blight]

Hints of Cassandra's return? =D



That doesn't sound right... Tim has been abandoned by the Bat Family for the most part and Cassandra still isn't around, right? Or did they give her title away? =O



Sounds strange, BlackBat... Black Bat.... Huh. Which is right? I've seen both used.

Probably not, but a nice Easter Egg for her fanbase. I figure if DC ever does bring back Cassandra it'll be back to square one. The question is will she become Black Bat? Or will it be heel turn 2.0?

She is part of the DC Batman Chess collection as a pawn in her Black Bat persona. However, aside from a representative image from the comics no image has appeared of the actual piece, which is meant to be released into the collection early 2013.

Ah, I was wondering when the release date for that was. Thanks. I've seen so many pawns release, I was wondering when they get to that particular one.

[Blight]

Sketch design of DC Collectible Black Bat Pawn for Batman Chess

http://kevhopgood.deviantart.com/art...-Bat-330299954




Thoughts?

[maxpower00044]

Ok, while following up on Nyssa Al Ghul's story (Just recently read Death of the Maidens for the first time), it brought me to some Robin issues where Cass turned villain and heads the League. Uh, what??? When did she become a Hero again?? I was actually pretty shocked.

[Statham]

Ok, while following up on Nyssa Al Ghul's story (Just recently read Death of the Maidens for the first time), it brought me to some Robin issues where Cass turned villain and heads the League. Uh, what??? When did she become a Hero again?? I was actually pretty shocked.

Hooboy. Are you in for some fun. Basically, Cass has been drugged up by Deathstroke. This is never hinted at ONCE during the Robin issues or any other appearances where Cass fronts the League, but eventually, Cass appears as part of Slade's Titans East group, and Slade explains it all in a ridiculously Bond Villain-esque fashion - actively SHOWING Tim Drake that he has her under the influence of the same drug they later retconned him as using on Rose Wilson, his own daughter. Tim SOMEHOW has a magical antidote on hand that removes Slade's influence. Cut to the Batgirl miniseries - disastrously written by the same schmuck who wrote the issues of Robin where Cass is a villain, and... She goes AWOL again, finding out that Slade and her own father were in cahoots the whole time, and that David Cain actually trained other kids after Cass in the same fashion as her.

Ask yourself what's wrong with that concept when Destruction's Daughter states that the only other result of Cain's project besides Cass is completely insane and homicidal, and that Cain never once hinted about these other kids he had brewing. Cass' mini ends with Batman/Bruce adopting her, so she's full-hero again, basically.

None of it's material worth reading. You could go from Cass' last appearance in her own series to her appearance in Steph's Batgirl series and then her Red Robin/Batman Inc appearances and be none the wiser about the complete crap that she endured for about four years or so.

[maxpower00044]

What are some good Cass as Batgirl trades?

[carabas]

Ok, while following up on Nyssa Al Ghul's story (Just recently read Death of the Maidens for the first time), it brought me to some Robin issues where Cass turned villain and heads the League. Uh, what??? When did she become a Hero again?? I was actually pretty shocked.

Shorter version: DC thought it would be a swell idea to have Batgirl and Robin as antagonists. And the big problem with that is that they didn't say how this was to be done, and let that be decided by Adam Beechen, the new Robin writer, who had never heard of Cass, and apparently couldn't even be bothered to look up her Wikipedia page for research.

The Deathstroke mind-control serum was a saving throw from Teen Titans writer Geoff Johns, an effort to explain away the bad Robin story. But Beechen then took over Teen Titans the very next issue and the very first thing he did on the book was confirm that Cassandra Cain indeed is a murderous psychopath, even without Deathstroke's influence.

What are some good Cass as Batgirl trades?

All those that aren't written by Adam Beechen.
Seriously, there were only ever three writers on her ongoing series, and the least good one of those never had his issues traded.

[Blight]

Hooboy. Are you in for some fun. Basically, Cass has been drugged up by Deathstroke. This is never hinted at ONCE during the Robin issues or any other appearances where Cass fronts the League, but eventually, Cass appears as part of Slade's Titans East group, and Slade explains it all in a ridiculously Bond Villain-esque fashion - actively SHOWING Tim Drake that he has her under the influence of the same drug they later retconned him as using on Rose Wilson, his own daughter. Tim SOMEHOW has a magical antidote on hand that removes Slade's influence. Cut to the Batgirl miniseries - disastrously written by the same schmuck who wrote the issues of Robin where Cass is a villain, and... She goes AWOL again, finding out that Slade and her own father were in cahoots the whole time, and that David Cain actually trained other kids after Cass in the same fashion as her.

Ask yourself what's wrong with that concept when Destruction's Daughter states that the only other result of Cain's project besides Cass is completely insane and homicidal, and that Cain never once hinted about these other kids he had brewing. Cass' mini ends with Batman/Bruce adopting her, so she's full-hero again, basically.

None of it's material worth reading. You could go from Cass' last appearance in her own series to her appearance in Steph's Batgirl series and then her Red Robin/Batman Inc appearances and be none the wiser about the complete crap that she endured for about four years or so.

Actually, the same week Titans East was going on and Cass was "cured" she also showed up in Robin again working with a mysterious man in shadow on a drug sold to them by then Robin arch foe Dodge. She showed up again the next issue putting a bullet into the corrupt and quite evil designer of said drug since Tim couldn't get any evidence on him.

Of Cass's trades?

Only Puckett/Scott's run has been almost all been collected in trade. The only portion not is the final arc and story of their run involving Alpha and David Cain's gift for Cass on her birthday. Pretty much #30-56 are not collected in any form of trade format. There MIGHT have been some collection of the War Games part, but I doubt it.

Pretty much just get these selected trades of Cass:

Batgirl: Silent Running
Batgirl: A Knight Alone
Batgirl: Death Wish
Batgirl: Fists of Fury
Batgirl/Robin: Fresh Blood
Batgirl: Kicking Assassins
Batgirl: Destruction's Daughter
Justice League: Elite vol. 1
Justice League: Elite vol. 2
No Man's Land vol. 2-4 (the new edition)
Bruce Wayne Murderer?
Bruce Wayne Fugitive vol. 1-4
Batgirl: Batgirl Rising
Batman Inc vol. 1 HC
Red Robin: Hit List
Red Robin: Seven Days of Death
Batman: Gates of Gotham
Batman & the Outsiders: The Chrysalis

She next appeared in Batman & the Outsiders vol. 2 #3 at the very end busting Thunder through a window and saying she was, "invited." She had appearances throughout the book and they're alright appearances. Just know they don't go nowhere since Chuck Dixon left the book at #11. #12-14 is pretty much a second Cass mini with Frank Tieri using the character to clean up the book for Pete Tomasi and set up some stuff involving Cassandra/Dick for Battle for the Cowl. Then Tomasi run starts and ignores Cass. So you should ignore his run too.

[darthnat]

I wouldn't recommend Batgirl Rising to a Cass fan, unless they wanted to continue reading the adventures of Steph as Batgirl. Cass's only appearance in that trade is somewhat less than satisfactory. And with stuff like Batman, Inc. and Red Robin, it's probably cheaper to just get the individual issues she appeared in if you're only buying them for her.

[Blight]

I wouldn't recommend Batgirl Rising to a Cass fan, unless they wanted to continue reading the adventures of Steph as Batgirl. Cass's only appearance in that trade is somewhat less than satisfactory. And with stuff like Batman, Inc. and Red Robin, it's probably cheaper to just get the individual issues she appeared in if you're only buying them for her.

True, but it's a better "end" to her Batgirl career than reading Robin OYL or anything EVIL Cass related isn't it?

[Whip Whirlwind]

True, but it's a better "end" to her Batgirl career than reading Robin OYL or anything EVIL Cass related isn't it?

This.

Also, doesn't Road Home kinda retcon that into part of Bruce's "force steph to step up" plot?

[Blight]

This.

Also, doesn't Road Home kinda retcon that into part of Bruce's "force steph to step up" plot?

Yeah pretty much. Though was that ever collected to trade?

[GoldStarz]

This.

Also, doesn't Road Home kinda retcon that into part of Bruce's "force steph to step up" plot?

Personally, I think that Cass wanted Steph to get stronger and become Batgirl because Cass never follows orders she doesn't like.

[Whip Whirlwind]

Personally, I think that Cass wanted Steph to get stronger and become Batgirl because Cass never follows orders she doesn't like.

Oh most definitely.

[Blight]

Personally, I think that Cass wanted Steph to get stronger and become Batgirl because Cass never follows orders she doesn't like.

Yeah plus maybe she knew Tim gave her a raw deal with the whole fiasco near the end of Robin ongoing too. This was her way of making Steph the hero Cass knew she could become.