I remember Cassandra going by Kasumi in JL Elite and having a different costume. Why dont they return to it? Surely it beats Orphan.
Batfamily Elite(from another big cass fan, she has the batsymbol):
Attachment 73620
First of all because Kasumi is the protagonist of the Dead or Alive games and DC was obviously copying that character, including the costume, when the name was applied to Cassandra. Secondly Kasumi is a Japanese name and Cassandra is Chinese American. Both caused a great deal of well deserved outrage at DC.
For someone who has never read anything with Cass in it, what are the trades fans would recommend for someone who wants to get into the character?
I dont recall Shiva's race ever being specified. Infact during the O'Neal years she was drawn as more Indian than anything.
I get the first argument but the second one is hokey as hell.
There is no evidence confirming Shiva as Chinese beyond typical stereotypes which imo is more insulting.
Lady Shiva's real name being "Sandra Wu-San", and being labeled as "Chinese" here;
http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Sandra_Wu-San_(New_Earth)
Is rather supportive of Cass being Chinese American.
Kasumi is a weird hero codename anyway. It's just a normal first name.
(...Am I the only one that likes the name Orphan? lol)
Yes, but much like 'Lance' is a normal guy's name but also evokes meaning as a weapon, Kasumi (Mist/haze) evokes extra meaning to Japanese speakers and has a history of being given to several female ninja/fighter characters (Kasumi from Dead or Alive wasn't even close to the first - I vaguely remember a ninja girl called Kasumi from The Samurai tv series that was made in the 60s, for example.)