Power Girl's doing it, time for another New 52 costume redesign with Batgirl?

**batGRRRl4ever** · 02-10-2013, 01:30 PM

Well in issue #7 I believe of the current title they switched that purple cape that had been placed on a whim of Jim Lee onto Batgirl back to her more traditional yellow (at least in terms of the Alex Ross look). My main issue for this thread is that Jim Lee also for the New 52 admitted that he used a throwaway from an unused design of Green Lantern's gloves for the New 52 and switched them onto Batgirl, thus giving her her current exoskeleton look.

Frankly I really don't like her in her current exoskeleton armor. Take away the red hair and yellow accents and I'm reminded of this:

It's too busy in terms of the art. I saw how she was depicted in Young Romance #1 and it looked practically insect-like, IMO. I propose to keep the current look but subtract the exoskeleton:

It looks SO much better in my opinion, and allows artists to be able to draw her character in a more feminine way. Power Girl is soon to get all the unpopular added stuff taken out of her outfit and go back to her more classic look, why not also Batgirl? What do others think?

**FHIZ** · 02-10-2013, 01:35 PM

It's not going to change because it doesn't look like complete ass the way Power Girl's new 52 pajamas did.

**Pixie_Solanas** · 02-10-2013, 01:38 PM

The only acceptable option:

**DarkKnghtJared** · 02-10-2013, 01:39 PM

I think she'll just look weird at this point if she doesn't have some sort of armored look to her. I wouldn't say no to some of the lines being subtracted, but the one suggested just looks plain at this point.

**batGRRRl4ever** · 02-10-2013, 01:46 PM

I don't mind some armor, say like Nightwing:

But the current New 52 Batgirl armor design is the most overdone of all the bat-family and the exoskeleton is just so unnattractive with all that underribbing and exoskeletal look in the gloves, IMO. I guess I agree with you that some of the extra lines, particularly the underribbing, needs to get subtracted to make the overall design better. As is, it's just too busy right now in detail. Comic characters looks should be easily streamlined, again IMO.

**Pixie_Solanas** · 02-10-2013, 01:58 PM

I'd like to think that Babs is a bit more fashionable than the rest of the "family". No armored accoutrements, thx

**batGRRRl4ever** · 02-10-2013, 02:05 PM

Originally Posted by Pixie_Solanas

I'd like to think that Babs is a bit more fashionable than the rest of the "family". No armored accoutrements, thx

Yes, I think that sometimes SIMPLE is just better:

Technically that look above is pretty simple, yet it is HIGHLY dynamic and dramatic to look at. All that underribbing on her current outfit is so distracting, IMO. Although I guess we should be grateful that Jim Lee didn't add his penchant for dozens of extra straps and zippers onto the current New 52 outfit as well!

**Godlike13** · 02-10-2013, 02:16 PM

Batgirl is fine. Its Nightwing now that needs to go back to blue.

**Quinnhop** · 02-10-2013, 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by pixie_solanas

the only acceptable option:

thank you.

I accidentally voted yes b/c I assumed the poll question would be the same as the thread's title question.

**nike13** · 02-10-2013, 03:53 PM

I don't mind her current exoskeleton and it makes sense to me that she would be more armored than the other bats considering what's she recovered from. If I got back use of my legs, I'd make sure I had a bit more protection when I put myself into danger.

**Namtab** · 02-10-2013, 04:06 PM

I don't really like the exoskeleton texture either, but beyond that, the look isn't a big enough departure from the norm to want the change.

As it is now, I could see it slowly changing over time, to something that didn't look like the xenomorph's skin, but it doesn't need a quick, drastic change, as much as PG did.

**Godlike13** · 02-10-2013, 04:14 PM

I like the new suit with the yellow ribbing

I know its just a common coloring mistake, but i wouldn't mind if they made it a legit part of the the new costume.

**sidekick77** · 02-10-2013, 04:29 PM

Originally Posted by Quinnhop

thank you.

I accidentally voted yes b/c I assumed the poll question would be the same as the thread's title question.

I accidentally voted no because of the same thing. The whole thread question being opposite of the poll is confusing.

That said, yes, Batgirl should keep her exoskeleton. Decrease some of the lines if you must, but she has to keep an illustration of having armor. You can blame Gail for that, because she prefaced Barbara's return to the field under the idea that her miracle cure is not permanent and is vulnerable to being destabilized. I already find that a silly thing to add the book, since Barbara is going out of her way to endanger herself physically, but what's done is done. However, the armor brings a needed sensibility to what Bab's is doing.

Plus, she has been inactive for a couple years and not as experienced. Among the Batfam, its reasonable for her have protection. Comparing it to Powergirl's costume change is not the same, and if you noticed across the nu52, almost all the human fighters/non-meta heroes have been given more external gear.

**Bluebow** · 02-10-2013, 04:44 PM

Yes, because it makes sense that a non-powered person would surely use such things if they were available to them, given the dangers that they would face. There is also the possiblity that it is aiding or augmenting her movement which might not be what it was before TKJ. Regarding Power Girl's costume I am surprised that I have not seen any comments on the Ame-comi version of her which featured a belly window as well as the more famous one.