Stephanie Brown: Spoiler, Robin, Batgirl Appreciation 2020

[millernumber1]

I love Klarion and Steh's dynamic in that issues and I have to agree that while it's very humorous Steph doesn't really gain much from it.


I posted about this is the Barbara thread a few months back but what would be your pitch for a Batgirl 60th Anniversary Special? Next year will mark the 60th anniversary of the first appearance of Batgirl or "Bat-Girl" as it was spelled then. I'd personally go for a 8 issue miniseries with at least 2 stories per issue to celebrate. I found the Super-Spectaculars rather cramped but that's just my opinion. My breakdown of the 8 issues would be
#1 is has 2 stories. One with Betty as Bat-Girl preferably set pre-Crisis and having Kathy Kane be a major character. Story 2 would be her as Flamebird. Maybe with the Titans West or Kate.
Issue 2 would have 2 stories featuring Barbara. The first one would be a Batgirl story either pre-TKJ or post-Oracle. The second would be Oracle, preferably with the Birds of Prey.
#3 would be Cass' issue and it would have the first story be in her Batgirl days and the second with her as Black Bat operating in Hong Kong or an Orphan story.
#4 would be Steph's spotlight with a Spoiler story preferably with Tim or Cass being a supporting character and the second would see her as Batgirl with Barbara and Wendy supporting.
#5 would be focusing on Helena and Charlie. Preferably with the Birds. Not sure if I want this to be one story or two.
#6 would focus on the Batgirls of the future Nell, Tiffany, and Nissa. Not sure what the pitches would be though
#7 and #8 would be League of Batgirls with all of them trying to stop a villain from erasing Batgirl from history.

I think if BQM had gotten that "dark" third year, Klarion would be a good place for Steph to turn for help...that might backfire!

I think the Batgirls deserve some kind of miniseries, similar to the Eternal maxi-series, which were supposed to celebrate the 75th Batman and then Robin anniversaries. We shall see if DC is in any shape to celebrate or honor these characters, however.

[millernumber1]

Welcome to the Batgirl: Stephanie Brown reread, Week 20! (Schedule starts here: https://community.cbr.com/showthread...=1#post4916669) Today, we're on Batgirl #19, "The Lesson: Tunnel Vision, part 1", written by Bryan Q. Miller, pencilled by Ramon Bachs, inked by Ramon Bachs, colored by Guy Major, cover by Dustin Nguyen.



Notes: Steph is juggling a LOT of balls this issue - her relationship with her mom, her studies, a brand new superspeed villain “Slipstream”, his mysterious controller, her stalker Grey Ghost, her friend/mission controller Wendy/Proxy (who is becoming increasingly less reliable), her police liaison Nick Gage (who continues to be mysterious about the Reapers), and more. BQM handles it all well - making each issue feel serious in the narrative, moving from piece to piece deftly with lots of witty dialogue.

Ramon Bachs does fill in art for the next two issues, and while I think he does a better job than Talent Caldwell, Yvel Guichet, and John Stanisci for Batgirl #8, it’s still such a step down from Garbett, Perez, and Nguyen for me (sadly, something that happened again in 2015, when Bachs took over for Patrick Gleason in the excellent Robin, Son of Batman series).

We have our first letters page! Not a TON of behind the scenes info, but I do miss letters pages. (images linked here: https://stephaniebrown.fandom.com/wiki/Batgirl_Vol_3_19 - sadly not reprinted in trades)

Cover: the digital/infrared coloring for the cover doesn’t do a lot for me, though it’s a fun visualization of moments in the comic. Clever, but ultimately not one of the most memorable covers from Nguyen.

Discussion Questions: How does the art look to you for this issue? Does Slipstream feel like a realistic threat for Steph? Do you like the effect Batman Inc has on the title?



Bonus Comic: Birds of Prey #10. Sadly, this is the issue that made me distrust the artist for almost a decade, until the masterful Catwoman/Tweety and Sylvester mashup comic, also written by Simone. Additionally, this is the weakest of the arcs from Simone’s second attempt at the Birds of Prey, a completely unnecessary status quo shift that answers questions no one was asking in ways that no one liked. It was nice seeing the brief exchange between Charlie (Misfit) and Steph, considering that time Barbara showed Charlie Steph’s (faked) autopsy pictures to persuade her not to be Batgirl, but I’m with Steph: I don’t get Babs’s decision here (as BQM points out in this week’s issue). Nice to see Steph front and center in another Artgerm cover, though!

[Tsukiakari1203]

Artgerm draws the Batgirls/Batwomen as sexy but he doesn't overseuxalize them so I appreciate his cover.

[millernumber1]

Artgerm draws the Batgirls/Batwomen as sexy but he doesn't overseuxalize them so I appreciate his cover.

Artgerm is one of the great cover artists. I do wish Joshua Middleton would do a cover with Steph! Additionally, Derek Chew has become a favorite in the style of Artgerm - his Steph variant covers for the Robin 80th and The Joker War Zone are fantastic.

[Tsukiakari1203]

Artgerm is one of the great cover artists. I do wish Joshua Middleton would do a cover with Steph! Additionally, Derek Chew has become a favorite in the style of Artgerm - his Steph variant covers for the Robin 80th and The Joker War Zone are fantastic.

Derek Shew's covers are right behind Artgerm's. I own his variant for Robin 80 for a reason

[ohfellow]

Middleton's cover for Batgirl #50 looks like a winner, but his style has changed from back when he drew simple, "flat," fantastic and often adorable covers for Batgirl, and long before that, Supergirl. I actually felt burned by his cover for Action #1000, which I thought was the worst of the variants. Drawn and colored a lot like his set for Martian Manhunter.

Anyway, I was going to say all that but instead will mention that Steph is in 3 panels in this week's Flash #759, relaxing in the back of Jinny's truck with Tim's arm around her.

Well, I should say it's Spoiler, not Steph, because with full black mask on, who can really be sure who is under there? Too bad. No mask is good enough for Conner, Cassie and Jinny, but no face will have to do for Steph. Doesn't it get hot? They are in the desert in New Mexico.

Someday I hope to catch up with the re-read, sorry about my absence, I'm weeks behind.

[Tsukiakari1203]

I thought that panel was from YJ but good to know that it's from Flash. It's a cute panel

[millernumber1]

Middleton's cover for Batgirl #50 looks like a winner, but his style has changed from back when he drew simple, "flat," fantastic and often adorable covers for Batgirl, and long before that, Supergirl. I actually felt burned by his cover for Action #1000, which I thought was the worst of the variants. Drawn and colored a lot like his set for Martian Manhunter.

Anyway, I was going to say all that but instead will mention that Steph is in 3 panels in this week's Flash #759, relaxing in the back of Jinny's truck with Tim's arm around her.

Well, I should say it's Spoiler, not Steph, because with full black mask on, who can really be sure who is under there? Too bad. No mask is good enough for Conner, Cassie and Jinny, but no face will have to do for Steph. Doesn't it get hot? They are in the desert in New Mexico.

Someday I hope to catch up with the re-read, sorry about my absence, I'm weeks behind.

I really love Middleton's styles - both the hyper painted look and the more cartoony look. I actually really love his Action 1000 cover - it's the variant I got for myself.

I saw Steph hanging out with Tim and the Young Justice gang! It's on the wiki! I like to think that Luke (who designed her current mask) put some cooling systems in it.

For the reread, I say just jump in where you are! BQM is pretty good about catching us up.

I thought that panel was from YJ but good to know that it's from Flash. It's a cute panel

It's really cute, and very nice that Williamson or editorial thinks Steph is "core" enough to be featured in other titles!

[Restingvoice]

Did they ever mention which elementary or middle school Steph go to?

[millernumber1]

Did they ever mention which elementary or middle school Steph go to?

I don't think we ever saw that. Steph was probably about 14-15 when we first meet her, so it's possible that we see her middle school in Showcase 95 #5, but it felt more like high school to me.

[Tsukiakari1203]

What schools exist in Gotham? I know of Brentwood, Gotham Academy, and Hamilton Hill and that's it.

[Restingvoice]

What schools exist in Gotham? I know of Brentwood, Gotham Academy, and Hamilton Hill and that's it.

A LOT.

There are the unnamed public and private elementary schools that Bruce, Selina, Hush, and Dick went to (in the Gotham TV series Bruce and Hush's school is called Anders Preparatory)

Dick went to Bristol middle school
Jason went to North Gotham Junior High (Pre Crisis) and Thomas Wayne middle school (Post)

Bruce Wayne, Julie Madison went to Roxbury Fielding Academy
Tim and Steph went to Gotham City Heights too
Tim transferred in and out of Louis E. Grieve Memorial High
Dick and Steph graduated from Gotham City High, which Tim dropped out
Duke went to West Robinson

Barbara went to Burnside College and graduated from Gotham State University
Punchline went to Snyder College

That's just the comics.

[millernumber1]

A LOT.

There are the unnamed public and private elementary schools that Bruce, Selina, Hush, and Dick went to (in the Gotham TV series Bruce and Hush's school is called Anders Preparatory)

Dick went to Bristol middle school
Jason went to North Gotham Junior High (Pre Crisis) and Thomas Wayne middle school (Post)

Bruce Wayne, Julie Madison went to Roxbury Fielding Academy
Tim and Steph went to Gotham City Heights too
Tim transferred in and out of Louis E. Grieve Memorial High
Dick and Steph graduated from Gotham City High, which Tim dropped out
Duke went to West Robinson

Barbara went to Burnside College and graduated from Gotham State University
Punchline went to Snyder College

That's just the comics.

Awesome resources! Didn't Steph attend GSU as well?

[Restingvoice]

Awesome resources! Didn't Steph attend GSU as well?

Oh yeah. To be exact they mention Gotham University for Steph and Gotham State University for Babs, I just assume they're the same thing.

[millernumber1]

To be exact they mention Gotham University for Steph and Gotham State University for Babs, I just assume they're the same thing.

It is a bit vague, as I believe DC lost their Bat-books "Bible" , so they love to make up new streets and buildings and institutions for fun. But it would feel a bit odd to me if Gotham had both a GU and a GSU. I know it's a huge city. But maybe GSU is similar to, say, CUNY, while GU is like NYU.