Batgirl by Gail Simone / What is your verdict?

[shark]

Where the book is at now, if Steph were reintroduced/retconned/deaged in the current title to be a sidekick foil to Batgirl I would see Gail making Spoiler into a Misfit 2.0:



Basically being comedy relief and creating more problems for Batgirl than actually helping as she thinks she would be. At least that's how I think Gail would approach it as the book is right now, IMO.

No, thank you. I'd rather both Cass and Steph stay in limbo. Better than them being made incompetent to make Babs look better.

[Sunbird]

No, thank you. I'd rather both Cass and Steph stay in limbo. Better than them being made incompetent to make Babs look better.

Basically this. Gail has pretty much said she doesn't want to do this anyway.

[ffritts]

I have Oracle-level googling skills. Here's your Queen Lucy intro:
http://metropolisplus.com/Supergirl/Index.htm.

Oracle doesn't google... Babblegirl does BIG difference

Trivia: In 1966, ABC wanted to add a female hero to the cast of "Batman" to boost sagging ratings. Because Kathy and Betty were deeply out of favor at the DC editorial office, Schwartz and Infantno created Barbara as an attempt to keetune in with the women's liberation movement. Though the TV show inspired her creation, Batgirl appeared in the comic nine months before debuting on TV.

She appeared in the comic first because its easier to produce a comic than a tv show.

[Captain Jim]

im sorry if i wasnt clear enough
but Gail ruined TKJ to ME

My mistake. When you said "TKJ no longer exist in-continuity" I assumed you were talking about continuity.

[maximiliani]

Basically this. Gail has pretty much said she doesn't want to do this anyway.

I give it to Gail to at least state she thinks they're too good to be in Batgirl. That it would be a disservice. I also want this new Babs to be AWESOME. It's just not coming quick enough.

[mrrightnow]

I want Misfit and Black Alice to show up in the new DCU. But I am doubting it. :(

[shark]

Misfit could. Gail created her, likes her and added the "Dark Vengeance" easter egg in one of the Batgirl issues.

[sabongero]

The series is almost hitting the annual mark this September. I'm still in for the Gail Simone ride on this series. However, I would rather have Cassandra Cain at the titular role. But given, that is PAST TENSE, I would like to see how Gail expands Barbara's world in the new52. I would like to see more interaction with Commissioner Gordon and a story where the villain is The Joker.

[batGRRRl4ever]

Don't worry, Joker will be around eventually for a big throwdown, but probably not for awhile just yet. I bet Gail will just have Batgirl and Joker run into each other unexpectedly and go from there (as Joker still has no idea Barbara is Batgirl).

[net06]

Rabble! Rabble rabble rabble!

[Zak213]

Where the book is at now, if Steph were reintroduced/retconned/deaged in the current title to be a sidekick foil to Batgirl I would see Gail making Spoiler into a Misfit 2.0:



Basically being clumsy semi-competent comedy relief and creating more problems for Batgirl than actually helping as she thinks she would be. At least that's how I think Gail would approach it as the book is right now, IMO.

couldnt she just use misfit then? I rather her just use misfit than piss off what ever fanbase cass and steph have. Plus she created Misfit so she'd be easier to use.

[sabongero]

Guys just wanted to ask, is this still on your pull list? I haven't kept up with the series as I am backlogged by six issues. Is it still really good, or has Gail's work on title sort of slipped? Thanks.

[batGRRRl4ever]

Lol, where did THIS thread get dug up from? That being said, to answer your question, the Batgirl title has been in the top four bat-titles for five months now, it's been the number one female led title for six months running now, and both of the vol 1 and current vol 2 HC's have been on the New York Times Best Sellers List for Hard Back Graphic Books. Of the 17 existing bat-titles, Batgirl remains in the top tier of selling titles on a monthly basis. The book has maintained it's longterm readership and newer readers seem to be saying they were impressed with the DOTF crossover and intended to continue with the book for a while.

For February 2013, here is Batgirl's ranking amongst the other bat-titles:

1. Batman: 150,684
2. Detective Comics: 85,824
3. Batgirl: 65,791 (back up to 3rd place!)
4. Nightwing: 62,107
5. Batman And Robin: 60,988
6. Batman The Dark Knight: 55,990
7. Batman Incorporated: 55,414
8. Red Hood And The Outlaws: 53,076
9. Teen Titans: 39,186
10. Batwoman: 32,041
11. Catwoman: 30,194
12: Talon: 28,003
13: Birds Of Prey: 22,112
14: Legends Of The Dark Knight: 21,041
15: Batman Beyond Unlimited: 17,025
16: Batman Arkham Unhinged: 15,703
17: Batwing: 12,595

Also for February 2013, here is Batgirl's ranking for female led titles:

1. Batgirl: 65,791 (6th consecutive month in a row at #1!)
2. Hit-Girl: 39,569
3. Wonder Woman: 39,110
4. Batwoman: 32,041
5. Catwoman: 30,194
6. Supergirl: 30,146
7. Worlds' Finest: 28,332
8. Katana: 27,021
9. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9 Freefall: 22,530
10: Birds Of Prey: 22,112
11. Adventure Time Fionna & Cake: 20,810
12. Captain Marvel: 18,359
13. Fatale: 17,999
14. Red She-Hulk: 17,766

Gail has woven a solid narrative that just keeps building upon itself. She started the character of Barbara Gordon at an unsure moment in her life with issue #1, but as Batgirl she has continually built herself up into a more and more formidible crime fighter. Where some books a year and a half later are only finishing their FIRST story arc, Batgirl has gone through a good pace of over EIGHT distinctive villian arcs with Mirror, Gretel, Grotesque, Talon Mary, Knightfall and her meta-henchmen, Harry X, the Joker, and currently Barbara's insane brother James Jr. along with Firebug. If one can separate events that occurred before this new narrative from before the reboot when Barbara was years older and somewhat different, and just take the book from the New 52 onwards, it's a solid read.

[Brave Sir Robbin]

As much as Simone has been a lightning rod for criticism from people who don't like her take on Batgirl, the book has been an unqualified success, as batGRRRl4ever demonstrates above.

What this has me thinking is that Simone should be used as a model for how to invigorate DC's flailing franchises not named Batman. Rather than churning out the same by the numbers Superhero assembly line books, DC could use more writers like Simone that make more human characters with interesting stories and struggles and victories that are personal as much as kicking a villains butt. Looking at her success, it is amazing that a writer that has gotten so much abuse still has taken a middling character and made her a star. This has to be from the unconventional style of the book. This is more evidence to me that DC needs more Simone's, not more Batman clones. Batman has a huge fan base, but the new books will need their own voices. It can work. Johns' has made JL sort of like Superhero Glee and Aquaman the great guy caught between worlds trying to be true to both and getting no respect. Both are very different but come off well. DC needs more craziness, more bizarre stuff, more chaos, and more heroes like Batgirl and Nightwing that are just good people trying to do the right thing.

[hunter_peterson]

Guys just wanted to ask, is this still on your pull list? I haven't kept up with the series as I am backlogged by six issues. Is it still really good, or has Gail's work on title sort of slipped? Thanks.

To more usefully answer your question (because quality is not quantity), I would say that the last six issues are where Batgirl moved from a three star book to a high-four star book. The zero issue was really good, the Knightfall arc had a good ending with some interesting developments and the Joker tie-in was one of the stronger ones (despite some random/pointless stuff included in it). I'd say they were worth a look if you're already interested, or you could just wait until the awesome-looking Ventriloquist arc starts up and go on from there.

Simone seems to be edging closer and closer to her Secret Six level of work, which I am thrilled about. The weird creative break happening at the moment aside, I look forward to seeing what she does with the character in the future. And without the interfece of the Batman book, which I'm SO GLAD won't be touching other books for the next year.