Stephanie Brown: Spoiler, Robin, Batgirl Appreciation 2020

[Chickfighter]

Steph and Bette would be iconic

I'll write their team-up comic, "Blonde Justice."

One is doing it to get Robin's attention. One just wants to do good. One has Robin's attention. One doesn't. One has flair. One has determination. They fight like sisters until the chips are down. Then they're a sisterhood.

[millernumber1]

I'll write their team-up comic, "Blonde Justice."

One is doing it to get Robin's attention. One just wants to do good. One has Robin's attention. One doesn't. One has flair. One has determination. They fight like sisters until the chips are down. Then they're a sisterhood.

Would be great!

[Tsukiakari1203]

I'll write their team-up comic, "Blonde Justice."

One is doing it to get Robin's attention. One just wants to do good. One has Robin's attention. One doesn't. One has flair. One has determination. They fight like sisters until the chips are down. Then they're a sisterhood.

I've never liked the idea that Bette's starts being a crimefighter because she likes Dick. She started because she wanted to help her aunt. But yeah they are a sisterhood

[millernumber1]

I've never liked the idea that Bette's starts being a crimefighter because she likes Dick. She started because she wanted to help her aunt. But yeah they are a sisterhood

When we get to Batgirl #23, we'll have a LOT of blonde justicing.

[Chickfighter]

I've never liked the idea that Bette's starts being a crimefighter because she likes Dick. She started because she wanted to help her aunt. But yeah they are a sisterhood

I know a lot of comic fans feel that way, but I think it's great. You see I get really tired of every character having to have some gut-rending traumatic past that has driven them to become a dark grim avenger. Obviously that reason isn't going to be why Bette stays with it but I think it makes her unique from all the other grim dark types which, yes, I know are popular. Obviously her motivation will have to morph, perhaps as she sees how what she is doing can positively affect other people's lives.

[Dataweaver]

Has to morph, and has morphed; twice. The problem with Bette is that she keeps on getting reset to the “lacks any long-term motivation” status quo and needs to “grow up”. At least the first go at it, all that was needed was for Nightwing to reject her; when they took another stab at it the second time around, well… the pun wasn't intended, but is appropriate.

While I hate her Hawkfire identity, I'd much prefer that if and when they return to the character, they do so from there instead of regressing her yet again.

This being a Stephanie thread, let me contrast that with how Stephanie has been handled. On the one hand, Stephanie wasn't motivated to become a vigilante because of a crush; but on the other hand, she would likely have faced into obscurity had she not become Tim's girlfriend; so “I have a crush on Robin” was an instrumental part of her success as a character. And like Bette, she's an essentially upbeat character — though in her case, it's somewhat surprising considering her upbringing and the implied abuse she had to cope with. And while Bette had to get put in a hospital to get where she is now (or was, before she dropped back into limbo), Stephanie had to die before she started getting taken seriously.

[millernumber1]

Has to morph, and has morphed; twice. The problem with Bette is that she keeps on getting reset to the “lacks any long-term motivation” status quo and needs to “grow up”. At least the first go at it, all that was needed was for Nightwing to reject her; when they took another stab at it the second time around, well… the pun wasn't intended, but is appropriate.

While I hate her Hawkfire identity, I'd much prefer that if and when they return to the character, they do so from there instead of regressing her yet again.

This being a Stephanie thread, let me contrast that with how Stephanie has been handled. On the one hand, Stephanie wasn't motivated to become a vigilante because of a crush; but on the other hand, she would likely have faced into obscurity had she not become Tim's girlfriend; so “I have a crush on Robin” was an instrumental part of her success as a character. And like Bette, she's an essentially upbeat character — though in her case, it's somewhat surprising considering her upbringing and the implied abuse she had to cope with. And while Bette had to get put in a hospital to get where she is now (or was, before she dropped back into limbo), Stephanie had to die before she started getting taken seriously.

Good thoughts. I do think that it's a big part of why Steph became Batgirl that she was killed "as Robin" (no, she wasn't technically Robin at the time, but they published a cover with her dead in the Robin costume).

[Dataweaver]

True. She was already being fixed up prior to Batgirl, and had basically been brought back to where she had been prior to Wargames; so if Wargames had never happened, she might still have gotten the shoot at becoming Batgirl.

[Digifiend]

The difference is that for Bette, neither one stuck. She keeps on getting shoved into Limbo just after attaining her cred, them coming back afterwards having been reset to the incompetent wannabe portrayal.

Incompetent wannabe? They don't need another of those. Let Misfit be that and have everyone else be competent badasses.

[Aahz]

I've never liked the idea that Bette's starts being a crimefighter because she likes Dick. She started because she wanted to help her aunt.

Becoming a crime fighter to get close to Robin was actually the motivation for "Roberta the Girl Wonder" and not for Bette. At least in her first appearance Bette's main motivation seems to be, that she wants to be like Batwoman.
But Bette became of course quite interest in later appearances.

[Dataweaver]

Incompetent wannabe? They don't need another of those. Let Misfit be that and have everyone else be competent badasses.

Agreed. I was describing what I've seen happen, not what I want to happen.

[adrikito]

I saw this in Batman 99 spoilers. Steph is here:

Batman-99-Spoilers.jpg

[DropOfSaturn]

Yep. And the previews for #100 show Cass becoming Batgirl again.

[Konja7]

Yep. And the previews for #100 show Cass becoming Batgirl again.

And Steph has Batsymbol. There is a theory Stephanie could be Batgirl too, since Joker War Zone seems to mention both as Batgirls.

Although it is also possible Stephanie and Cassandra are still Spoiler and Orphan. Tim uses the Robin suit in Nightwing #73, but he is still Drake.

[scary harpy]

Becoming a crime fighter to get close to Robin was actually the motivation for "Roberta the Girl Wonder" and not for Bette. At least in her first appearance Bette's main motivation seems to be, that she wants to be like Batwoman.
But Bette became of course quite interest in later appearances.

I am so happy someone else remembered Roberta!

She had a great costume... and Robin did her wrong!