Stephanie Brown: Spoiler, Robin, Batgirl Appreciation 2020

[ohfellow]

Also - whose Robin costume is she wearing? Is it identifiable as Dick's, Jason's or Todd's?

Oops. You know I meant Tim's.

[sifighter]

For self protection, I'm assuming Steph is going to die. I hope that it's a good one, like Mister Miracle and Barda. Have Jason, Cass, and Ravager shown up in Dead Planet?



She IS a Robin, and they learned from the best at speedy changes - Batman!



Well, I choose to believe this is in the world of the Robin 80th Anniversary Special, where Steph has her own changing room, and being smart, she installed lead lined drapes.

Jason and Ravager/Rose were seen in a preview for the second issue with Constantine, Zatanna, and surprisingly the Blue Devil. No sign of Cassandra though. They did not show up in the first issue.

[Konja7]

For self protection, I'm assuming Steph is going to die. I hope that it's a good one, like Mister Miracle and Barda. Have Jason, Cass, and Ravager shown up in Dead Planet?

No. They still don't appear, but there isn't contact with Ivy's forest yet.

As Stephanie is Robin, she should be along Damian/Batman (unless she stays on earth for some reason). So, it is not a good sign that she does not appear in Dead Planet.


As you say, for self protection, we should assume Stephanie is going to die.

[millernumber1]

I thought that was pretty cool.

While as Spoiler, Steph is considerably taller than Damian, as Robin doesn't it appear that she truly TOWERS above him? It's definitely not how Nguyen drew them in #1. Probably done for effect here. I keep checking to see if she's standing on something, but only on her Spoiler cape (I guess that's what she's dragging along the ground).

You guys are funny! I thought maybe she had the Robin costume already on underneath, but the timing of that preparation wouldn't make any sense, for several reasons. Plus imagine how hot that would be. One costume is already one too many. Also - whose Robin costume is she wearing? Is it identifiable as Dick's, Jason's or Todd's? Or did she have one at the Batcave, putting her previous time as Robin into the DCeased continuity?

As for dying, against ALL odds she made it this far on her own, outlasting Batman, Dick and Tim. And now she has some super-powered allies that we know will survive. Taylor may be too original to kill Steph "again." But then again -- as with his Suicide Squad, nobody is safe.

Oops. You know I meant Tim's.

I personally think that her costume is still in the cave, in her changing room, as previously mentioned. I have no clue whatsoever if Taylor was thinking about that or is even aware of that, but it makes sense to me. If it is one of the other's costumes, it's Tim's, because it has the bumps on the arms and the elbow guards. But I think it's actually hers, because it looks too much like her own costume design.

Jason and Ravager/Rose were seen in a preview for the second issue with Constantine, Zatanna, and surprisingly the Blue Devil. No sign of Cassandra though. They did not show up in the first issue.

We shall have to see, as always!

[sunofdarkchild]

Robin is now older and taller than Batman. They better keep that status quo up for a while.

[millernumber1]

Robin is now older and taller than Batman. They better keep that status quo up for a while.

Well, there's only 9 more issues in this miniseries.

[Konja7]

Well, there's only 9 more issues in this miniseries.

Yeah.

Even if Steph survives and appear as Robin again, I am pretty sure Damian will be the taller one for Death Planet.

[Katana500]

For self protection, I'm assuming Steph is going to die. I hope that it's a good one, like Mister Miracle and Barda. Have Jason, Cass, and Ravager shown up in Dead Planet?

Jason and Ravager showed up in the preview to issue 2 of dead planet.

Well, there's only 9 more issues in this miniseries.

Only 9 more of hope at worlds end? thats a bummer!

[CrimsonEchidna]

For self protection, I'm assuming Steph is going to die. I hope that it's a good one, like Mister Miracle and Barda. Have Jason, Cass, and Ravager shown up in Dead Planet?

I don't think so. Weird how they seem to keep missing each other though. I'm assuming this doesn't take place long after Jason had originally created those grave markers too.

[millernumber1]

Welcome to the Batgirl: Stephanie Brown reread, Week 16! (Schedule starts here: https://community.cbr.com/showthread...=1#post4916669) Today, we're on Batgirl #15, "The Lesson: Grass Before the Scythe, one of two", written by Bryan Q. Miller, pencilled by Dustin Nguyen, inked by Derek Fridolfs, colored by Guy Major, cover by Dustin Nguyen.



Notes: This is the start of the second year, even though it’s technically three or four months past that. There are a lot of nice “signposts” - the chibi history of the Batfamily, Steph’s moment with her mother where we see her grades (a “B” hive ) and you get a sense of the sweetness as well as the uneasiness of that relationship. There’s a lot of threads woven together from the past year, too - the murder victim was the scientist from the Dracula issue, Grey Ghost was from The Flood, Gage’s plot continues to develop dark hints - as well as greater DC lore - the return of the Birds of Prey, Batman’s return. All in all, a lot going on with the issue, and BQM and new artist to the title Dustin Nguyen handle it beautifully.

Nguyen’s first issue on art - chibi style, only did 4 issues, but those combined with the 10 covers he did really cemented him as one of the key Steph artists, so much so that he was selected by Snyder and editorial to design her new suit in Batman Eternal. He also continues the trend of the covers really echoing or mirroring the interiors - the final page of the issue is nearly identical to the cover of the next issue, and since covers are solicited months before the interiors are finished, I’ve no doubt that Nguyen and Miller worked together to achieve that really fun effect.

Cover: Dustin Nguyen did all the covers from #15-24, 10 in total, nearly a full year. Something he’s mentioned is that BQM emphasized that he thought Steph should be smiling as much as possible on covers, and I think that’s a really telling note. This cover shows Steph sitting contentedly at the top of a wall, with a slight smirk - fitting that the next 10 issues would take her from perhaps her highest point down a series of brutal tests, through which she will emerge triumphant, but worn.

Discussion Questions: What do you think of Nguyen’s art? How do all the callbacks and tie-ins with the greater DC universe work - are they distracting, or do they make the world feel like more is happening than just this title? Does the death of Newton bum you out because of his part in Batgirl #14?



Bonus Comic: Batman: The Return - a one-shot that bridges the gap between The Return of Bruce Wayne, Batman and Robin, and Batman Incorporated, the parts of Grant Morrison’s Bat-Epic coming together into its final stage. Steph gets a quick appearance as one of Batman’s core troops, and discovers Bruce has enrolled her in an English finishing school (to be continued!)

[ohfellow]

Batgirl #15:

Questions: Why does Steph ask Barbara "Is THIS why everyone hated Spoiler?" What is she referring to? That Grey Ghost got away? Or, does she mean that Spoiler also made over-the-top grand exits like Grey Ghost does here, holding his cape dramatically and yelling "Beware!" (You almost expect him to say "Muhahaha!") Or does Grey Ghost's crush on her and the way he is trying to force a partnership with Steph remind her of her own background with Tim?

It looks like he got away by blinding everyone, but can't really tell for sure. Steph appears to be squinting and I guess all the question marks above the reapers suggest they are dazed.

I don't have strong feelings for Newton one way or another, but think the death was unnecessary.

Dustin Nguyen's covers are fantastic, and he does a fine job with all of the costumed figures. I don't love the way he draws faces, though, but that's his trademark look. I like his water colors best, like the work he did recently for "Batman: Once Upon a Crime," and his very recent variant cover for "Batman: The Adventures Continue" #2. I suppose his set of Batgirl covers are also done with water colors, and they are all extraordinary. And he shines on the water-colored pages in the Klarion story (which we'll be getting to in a few weeks).

[millernumber1]

Batgirl #15:

Questions: Why does Steph ask Barbara "Is THIS why everyone hated Spoiler?" What is she referring to? That Grey Ghost got away? Or, does she mean that Spoiler also made over-the-top grand exits like Grey Ghost does here, holding his cape dramatically and yelling "Beware!" (You almost expect him to say "Muhahaha!") Or does Grey Ghost's crush on her and the way he is trying to force a partnership with Steph remind her of her own background with Tim?

It looks like he got away by blinding everyone, but can't really tell for sure. Steph appears to be squinting and I guess all the question marks above the reapers suggest they are dazed.

I don't have strong feelings for Newton one way or another, but think the death was unnecessary.

Dustin Nguyen's covers are fantastic, and he does a fine job with all of the costumed figures. I don't love the way he draws faces, though, but that's his trademark look. I like his water colors best, like the work he did recently for "Batman: Once Upon a Crime," and his very recent variant cover for "Batman: The Adventures Continue" #2. I suppose his set of Batgirl covers are also done with water colors, and they are all extraordinary. And he shines on the water-colored pages in the Klarion story (which we'll be getting to in a few weeks).

I wonder about that line, too. I personally chalk it up to Steph's continued insecurity, which comes out much more strongly in the next issue. I don't think Steph was being really detailed in her self comparison to Grey Ghost, so I'd say she was just expressing her, "so that's what that is like" without thinking through it too carefully.

I am just kinda bummed that Newton, who helped Steph and Kara save the day in #14, gets killed here one (technically two, with the Road Home issue) issue later.

Once Upon A Crime was really lovely, especially the last story. And he included Steph in the wacky middle story.

[Chickfighter]

Batgirl #15:

Questions: Why does Steph ask Barbara "Is THIS why everyone hated Spoiler?" What is she referring to? That Grey Ghost got away? Or, does she mean that Spoiler also made over-the-top grand exits like Grey Ghost does here, holding his cape dramatically and yelling "Beware!" (You almost expect him to say "Muhahaha!") Or does Grey Ghost's crush on her and the way he is trying to force a partnership with Steph remind her of her own background with Tim?

My take on that would be that Steph is realizing how in general the Bat family felt about her refusing to quit no matter how often they told her to do so when she kept (from their point of view) getting in the way.

[Chickfighter]

I wonder about that line, too. I personally chalk it up to Steph's continued insecurity, which comes out much more strongly in the next issue. I don't think Steph was being really detailed in her self comparison to Grey Ghost, so I'd say she was just expressing her, "so that's what that is like" without thinking through it too carefully.

I am just kinda bummed that Newton, who helped Steph and Kara save the day in #14, gets killed here one (technically two, with the Road Home issue) issue later.

I felt the same way. It was as if his story was a rerun of Steph's own story of trying to help and dying which seemed a strange subplot to include in a series otherwise dedicated to reclaiming Steph as an important character.

[ohfellow]

My take on that would be that Steph is realizing how in general the Bat family felt about her refusing to quit no matter how often they told her to do so when she kept (from their point of view) getting in the way.

I like your take on it!

And a few pages back, she does think - about the Grey Ghost - "Zero training, and all the finesse of a dump truck." I think she should have said that out loud to Barbara rather than just thinking it - then she could say "Oh, I bet that's what all of you thought about me: no finesse!"