The Stephanie Brown 'Batgirl' Appreciation Thread

[Orin]

Well, that kinda explains why neither PADs Young Justice nor his Aquaman runs are available in collected form. Or maybe that was just a good business decision, too.

[The Man From Room X]

I'm a week way of receiving "Batgirl Rising" So i'm trying to catch up on the history of Stephanie Brown.

I've just read (digitally) Detective Comic #647-649 where she first appeared as The Spoiler. But now I don't know what to read next. What is her 2nd appearance? Anyone?

I don't know the answer to that, but I think the ones with her friendship with Cassandra Cain is pretty worth getting.

They were these issues particularly Batgirl v1 #20,26,27 & 28 : http://www.comicvine.com/stephanie-b...tgirl/49-7205/

[OptimaX]

I don't know the answer to that, but I think the ones with her friendship with Cassandra Cain is pretty worth getting.

They were these issues particularly Batgirl v1 #20,26,27 & 28 : http://www.comicvine.com/stephanie-b...tgirl/49-7205/

Thanks that is helpful.

[Fenaris]

She also has frequent appearances as Spoiler in the Robin ongoing starring Tim Drake.

[OptimaX]

She also has frequent appearances as Spoiler in the Robin ongoing starring Tim Drake.

Yes I'm aware of that. But I'm specifically after her 2nd appearance...

[The Lucky One]

Yes I'm aware of that. But I'm specifically after her 2nd appearance...

It's Robin #3 (just a last-page cameo) through 5. (Collected in the out-of-print Robin: Flying Solo TPB.) Which, incidentally, is the beginning of their flirtation. Then she pops up again in Robin #15-16 and roughly once a year or so until the mid-50s, at which point she becomes a regular cast member.

I didn't create this myself, but it appears to be a pretty accurate chronology of Stephanie's appearances:
http://stephaniebrown.wikia.com/wiki/Chronology

Enjoy!

-D

[OptimaX]

It's Robin #3 (just a last-page cameo) through 5. (Collected in the out-of-print Robin: Flying Solo TPB.) Which, incidentally, is the beginning of their flirtation. Then she pops up again in Robin #15-16 and roughly once a year or so until the mid-50s, at which point she becomes a regular cast member.

I didn't create this myself, but it appears to be a pretty accurate chronology of Stephanie's appearances:
http://stephaniebrown.wikia.com/wiki/Chronology

Enjoy!

-D

YAY.

How did I miss that... Thanks a lot!

[coveredinbees]

I'm a week way of receiving "Batgirl Rising" So i'm trying to catch up on the history of Stephanie Brown.

I've just read (digitally) Detective Comic #647-649 where she first appeared as The Spoiler. But now I don't know what to read next. What is her 2nd appearance? Anyone?

I think its Robin (vol. 2) #s 3-5.
I'm not sure how accurate this is, but it's a Steph chronology. It looks solid to me, but I haven't read a lot of these issues. I have read and really enjoyed Robin 3-5, though.
http://stephaniebrown.wikia.com/wiki/Chronology

[Whip Whirlwind]

It's definitely Robin 2(lastpage) - 5. So glad I found the trade online, easily one of my favorite comics ever. Talk about a nostalgia overload.

[Blacksun]

DC seems to like to throw the word Iconic around a lot. After reading that article on the PAD fight, I can see that the whole "Iconic" thing they used for Babs makes sense, since it seems that anything that certain editors don't agree with are removed and thus the "Iconic" version of them have to be placed back in. Seriously why? If you can't use Cass and Steph as leads is it really hard to make them supporting cast?

Didio seems to be against fun characters., he doesn't like the "alternative" versions of his beloved characters. The guy use "iconic" for everything argh

[Morgenstern]

It's Robin #3 (just a last-page cameo) through 5. (Collected in the out-of-print Robin: Flying Solo TPB.) Which, incidentally, is the beginning of their flirtation. Then she pops up again in Robin #15-16 and roughly once a year or so until the mid-50s, at which point she becomes a regular cast member.

I didn't create this myself, but it appears to be a pretty accurate chronology of Stephanie's appearances:
http://stephaniebrown.wikia.com/wiki/Chronology

Enjoy!

-D

Seems like there is much more Steph in the Pre-FP-DCU than i expected (though to be fair, the amount of Bat-related title can make this quite confusing). Is there also a list of "essentials" Steph stories? I would like to read a few of her stories I missed the first time, but would prefer not to get a comic just because she shows up for 2 panels. Of course I could simply go through the chronology but I would prefer not to spoil every "new" story. (I had to rewrite the last part several times, to avoid making it sound like a bad pun)

[Darkspellmaster]

Which makes absolultely no sense in the least.

Iconic means :1. Of, relating to, or having the character of an icon.
2. Having a conventional formulaic style. Used of certain memorial statues and busts.

and Icon itself is: 2.A person or thing regarded as a representative symbol of something: "icon of manhood".

So what excatly is LOBO the icon of? I can see Superman being Iconic in that he represents the best that a person can be, to a point, clark Kent on the other hand is not iconic because he is a person.

Batman is Iconic in a way, representing fear and guilt in those that are criminal, or at least that's what he's supposed to be. Batgirl's outfit the idea is iconic not Babs herself. Babs is a person. Steph has every right to wear that costume as much as Cass, or Babs, or even Betty Kane did. The bat costume is the iconic thing, the symbol. Heck an icon is also defined as something to be upheld or worshiped, ala regligon paintings.

So honestly his "Iconic" comments don't hold water.

[Darkspellmaster]

Seems like there is much more Steph in the Pre-FP-DCU than i expected (though to be fair, the amount of Bat-related title can make this quite confusing). Is there also a list of "essentials" Steph stories? I would like to read a few of her stories I missed the first time, but would prefer not to get a comic just because she shows up for 2 panels. Of course I could simply go through the chronology but I would prefer not to spoil every "new" story. (I had to rewrite the last part several times, to avoid making it sound like a bad pun)

Wow that's a hard one, Well her intro in tec is one of those essentials, because it sets up her intro into the bat world.

http://fuckyeahbatgirls.tumblr.com/p...tephanie-brown

This one's a good one, it gives you reasons why it's seen as a main stay in her story.

[Morgenstern]

Ah perfect. Will see if I can get my hand on any of those issues. At least for the Robins I'll should try to find trades.

[The Lucky One]

Seems like there is much more Steph in the Pre-FP-DCU than i expected (though to be fair, the amount of Bat-related title can make this quite confusing). Is there also a list of "essentials" Steph stories? I would like to read a few of her stories I missed the first time, but would prefer not to get a comic just because she shows up for 2 panels. Of course I could simply go through the chronology but I would prefer not to spoil every "new" story. (I had to rewrite the last part several times, to avoid making it sound like a bad pun)

Sure! As far as I know no one's put together any kind of "official" essentials list, but I can tell you what I consider some of the best/most important issues.

The first three 'Tec issues would probably qualify, though if you can't get your hands on them, her origin is recapped in the Secret Origins 80-Page Giant.

Robin #3-5 is a must in my opinion, as the first really meaningful interaction between Tim and Steph. Robin #15-16 is slightly less so, but still a fun story if you can get your hands on it.

I'd consider Robin #35 a big one in terms of character development, in helping Steph sand down the massive chip she initially had on her shoulders. Also, Steph hits on Tim like a drunken prom date, which is always fun.

Robin #54 basically begins the end of Tim's relationship with Ariana, and he officially decides to dump her and date Steph in #56. Then there's a long-running Stephanie story arc running through Robin #57-62 and 64-65. On the off chance you don't know what it is, I won't spoil it, but while you don't need to read every issue, issues 57-58 and 65 are pretty critical, at least.

There are plenty of other good stories after that, but probably the biggest things to happen to the character after that are her time as Robin (Robin #126-128, 'Tec #796, Teen Titans #13, Batgirl #53), her death in the War Games crossover (don't bother, it's terrible), and her return in Robin #170-174 and the Robin/Spoiler Special.

Then after that is her solo series as Batgirl, 24 issues, which I would just read all of. (It's worth it.)

Again, by no means is that a definitive list, but those are some of the real highlights. Have fun looking!

-D