The Stephanie Brown 'Batgirl' Appreciation Thread

[GoldStarz]

In theory, sure. In execution I expect her to either revert to what she was before all her character development or become unrecognizable, You know, like the rest of the DCnU.

Why would you think that would happen? Any competent writer wouldn't revert Steph to prior to the New 52. The only person who's skills got really got downgraded in the reboot was Babs, and she actually has an excuse for it... Somewhat.

[Master X]

Making her Spoiler again is only a step back if they erase her Spoiler/Batgirl history. It was her own unique identity.

[Aprillis]

I don't see how her returning to the Spoiler identity is a step back, now she's just the new-and-improved Spoiler rather than the one she was before she became Batgirl.

This. I don't see what's wrong with her being Spoiler, just upgrade her skills.

[Beacon]

Why would you think that would happen?

History.

Any competent writer wouldn't revert Steph to prior to the New 52.

Even the best writer is at the mercy of their editor and DC’s editorial seems to think having Steph and Cass come back will undermine Barbara. If they do come back then I expect they’ll be made incompetent and evil respectively.

The only person who's skills got really got downgraded in the reboot was Babs,

Superman is a reimagining of the character as he was introduced.

Characters like the Flash lost so much of their backstory that they’ve effectively become blank slates.

They took the worst characterization for Roy Harper in recent years and made it the basis of the new Arsenal.

There’s nothing I can say about the Starfire trainwreak that hasn’t already been said.

Dick Grayson got demoted.

Alan Scott is a young, childless, gay man living in an alternate reality.

They’re retelling the same Blue Beetle origin they told only a few years ago.

Amanda Waller, Harley Quinn, and probably a number of others don’t even look like themselves anymore.

[Orin]

I think the bigger problem with Steph going back to her old identity would be the fact that a Comic Book titled Spoiler would be a very tough sell, as it couldn't benefit from being tied to Batman name as much as her Batgirl series did.

Btw, even through i hope he dosn't, if Grant really plans to kill of Damian at the end of Batman Incorporated, like it has been implied several times, personally, i think it would be really cool to give Steph another shot at being Robin.

[shark]

I think the bigger with Steph going back to her old identity would be the fact that a Comic Book titled Spoiler would be a very tough sell, as it couldn't benefit from being tied to Batman name as much as her Batgirl series did.

Btw, even through i hope he dosn't, if Grant really plans to kill of Damian at the end of Batman Incorporated, like it has been implied several times, personally, i think it would be really cool to give Steph another shot at being Robin.

Good Lord, no.

With how popular Damian is? People would detest her.

And Steph getting a solo is practically impossible. She should be re-introduced in a team book.

[neoblackdragon]

If Damien dies then Tim would just take back the mantle of Robin. Batman and Robin is a "father & son" duo. Given how Batgirl and Batwoman both exist........why would we need a female robin?

[Beacon]

Given a lot of the decisions made in the reboot, I’m a little surprised they didn’t make Dick into Robin again and get rid of Damien, Tim, and Jason entirely.

[Orin]

Well, personally, i always though changing the established Batman and Robin partnership to a father/daughter dynamic would bring a lot of potenital for interesting storytelling. And the Batman/Batgirl or Batman/Batwoman relashionships aren't really as tight as the one between Batman and his Robin. They usually just don't work togehter as closely.

As far as i'm concenred, at this point, Tim going back to being just Robin again would really be a step back for the character.

But yeah, Damian is a really popular character, whom i'd also prefer to stay around. And if he dosn't, anyone but Tim following him as Robin would most likely get a lot of hate from his fans.

[shark]

Given a lot of the decisions made in the reboot, I’m a little surprised they didn’t make Dick into Robin again and get rid of Damien, Tim, and Jason entirely.

That's because 1) Damian is Morrison's pet and 2) they weren't going to revert a boy back to being Robin.

[godisawesome]

I also think that Batman actually works well as a veteran campaigner and writers love tackling the relationships with the Robins- all four of them. We'd have to wait until somebody decided they'd run out of stories for Dick as Nightwing (the only sidekick graduation still enduring at this moment and responsible for a 100-plus issue solo run), Jason Todd as Red Hood (the main antagonist from one of the most acclaimed DTV movies of Batman and one of the few deaths in comics to still have impact even though he's back), Tim Drake (The first Robin to prove a solo series was a reliable idea and in many ways the first modern Robin), and Damian (Father and son dynamic reversed from normal and written by Grant Morrison). Not that it's impossible. The writers had no problem with a Lois and Clark marriage and the Man of Steel as the origin story until an editor tried to take them back to the silver age. I think the Robins have history on their side-Dick's been Nightwing almost as long as he was Robin, Jason bridged the gap between the Silver Age and the Modern one, and Tim successfully ran a solo title for almost twenty years, even after loosing the Robin moniker. And Batman still largely looks to Year One for the Origin.

No one really seems to have a problem with the male members of the Batman family. But everyone has a different idea for the females...

[The Lucky One]

Given a lot of the decisions made in the reboot, I’m a little surprised they didn’t make Dick into Robin again and get rid of Damien, Tim, and Jason entirely.

I'm sure it was considered. But it all comes down to economics. Dick has proven he can support an ongoing comic as Nightwing. Tim has proven he can anchor an ongoing title as Robin or Red Robin (or in this case, as the headliner of Teen Titans). Jason hasn't proven that, but they must have felt there was at least a chance. As for Damian, he gives more of a justification for the comic "Batman and Robin" to exist and is wildly popular, so it would piss off fans if he was eliminated; plus Grant Morrison isn't done telling his Batman story and Damian is necessary for it. Between B&R and Batman Inc., Damian has to stay.

Given all that, if you make Dick Robin again, you eliminate two or three characters with at least a decent chance of carrying solo books. In that case, economics wins out over the desire to streamline continuity. Sadly, Steph and Cass either don't or are not thought to be capable of selling books in the same way.

-D

[Master X]

Just make the title "Batman: Gotham Knights". It ain't rocket science. The only problem I could see is if they dropped the "Batman" from the title. People buy it if it has Batman in the title.

[ffritts]

Just make the title "Batman: Gotham Knights". It ain't rocket science. The only problem I could see is if they dropped the "Batman" from the title. People buy it if it has Batman in the title.

I would buy it with or without batman

[Captain Jim]

Steph getting a solo is practically impossible.

I agree with this.