Stephanie Brown: Spoiler, Robin, Batgirl Appreciation 2020

[Tsukiakari1203]

The "new look" for Stephanie and Cassandra:

I'm glad she's wearing the symbol. It just doesn't mesh very well with the Spoiler suit but I don't care. Steph's back!

[DropOfSaturn]

The "new look" for Stephanie and Cassandra:

This is one of those things where I should probably just keep my thoughts to myself until we can actually read the story. We'll see. I just hope this whole "transition" for them ends up being deeper than it's been looking so far.

[millernumber1]

Title of the story is "the Symbol?" Can just make out the top of the words.

Yep, it's called The Symbol."

Appropriate, as they're clearly getting to use the symbol. The Batgirls are back!

(In particular, Stephanie's costume is essentially her Batgirls costume, except the cowl is replaced by the face mask and hood that her Spoiler costume has come to feature.)

I hope they will give the black on her costume a bit of a darker look - in that image, it looks like purple on purple, losing a lot of the contrast that makes it more dramatic.

I'm glad she's wearing the symbol. It just doesn't mesh very well with the Spoiler suit but I don't care. Steph's back!

It does look a bit odd - hopefully they'll figure out the coloring and rendering so it fits a bit better.

This is one of those things where I should probably just keep my thoughts to myself until we can actually read the story. We'll see. I just hope this whole "transition" for them ends up being deeper than it's been looking so far.

I hope it's meaningful and leads to an ongoing title or at least a miniseries that focuses on them and gives them development and grows the fanbase (and heals some of the divisions).

[Tsukiakari1203]

Yep, it's called The Symbol."



I hope they will give the black on her costume a bit of a darker look - in that image, it looks like purple on purple, losing a lot of the contrast that makes it more dramatic.



It does look a bit odd - hopefully they'll figure out the coloring and rendering so it fits a bit better.



I hope it's meaningful and leads to an ongoing title or at least a miniseries that focuses on them and gives them development and grows the fanbase (and heals some of the divisions).

Seconded! Steph and Cass have reclaimed their symbols after 9 long years

[Frontier]

I appreciate the sentiment, less so the halfway look they have going on. If she's wearing a similar suit design wise, and the symbol, then just give her the cowl and proper coloring.

[Konja7]

I appreciate the sentiment, less so the halfway look they have going on. If she's wearing a similar suit design wise, and the symbol, then just give her the cowl and proper coloring.

My (cynical) theory is that they don't really want Stephanie and Cassandra to look like Batgirl.

Batgirl's suit of Cassandra wasn't a "traditional" Batgirl suit. So, they could giver her a new suit pretty similar, because general audience won't necesarily relate that suit with Batgirl.

However, Batgirl's suit of Stephanie is a "traditional" Batgirl suit, so they couldn't give her the cowl since people would instantly associate it with Batgirl.

[Frontier]

My (cynical) theory is that they don't really want Stephanie and Cassandra to look like Batgirl.

Batgirl's suit of Cassandra wasn't a "traditional" Batgirl suit. So, they could giver her a new suit pretty similar, because general audience won't necesarily relate that suit with Batgirl.

However, Batgirl's suit of Stephanie is a "traditional" Batgirl suit, so they couldn't give her the cowl since people would instantly associate it with Batgirl.

Maybe. But anyone who knows comics would see "Batgirl" when they saw Cass in the suit again.

[DragonPiece]

I feel like I'll like these costumes better when we see Jorge draw them, this artist style probably is what's making them look off to me.

[ohfellow]

Steph's first Batgirl costume was Cass's - and all it took for Steph to look like "Batgirl" was for the mask to rip enough for the mouth and cheeks to show.

Meanwhile, I think there's been synergy with Spoiler's costumes - Steph's Batgirl costume derived some elements from her homespun Spoiler costume; and her modern Spoiler costume is derived from her Batgirl costume. The colors can be improved. But yellow might not be a good color to layer on eggplant. Perhaps an outline, like Cass has, would be sufficient.

I'd rather have Steph in the ninja mask than the full face mask, even if it does remind us of N95 masks.

And, if Cass is going to be in the full mask and they will be together a lot, it makes sense that at least one face would be showing, if only for variety on the page. Two of them with fully covered faces could be too much, and there is precedent for putting Steph in this mask rather than in her "Spider-Man" mask.

You don't have to have a cowl to be of the Bat Family. Robins, Nightwing, Red Hood -- not to mention whatever bizarre thing happened to Barbara's cowl. Barbara doesn't even really wear a bat symbol anymore - it's a yellow parachute strap (Murrrphhhhhhhhhhy!).

[OBrianTallent]

I love that Cass is back in her suit, whether they call her Batgirl, Black Bat or Orphanbat, she never had a solid identity outside of her Batgirl one, so giving her back her symbol is important to the character. Steph on the other hand had a solid personality before Batgirl and while that was an important part of her growth as a character, her being Spoiler is the stronger identity for her. Its not necessary for her to have the prominent bat symbol. Nightwing doesn't, the Robins don't...it shouldn't be necessary for her. My opinion of course for what it matters (to no one but me lol) is she is a stronger character simply as the Spoiler.

[Badou]

I always really liked the Spoiler name and costume. I don't think they should move away from something that works. I get they are trying to include her batgirl history, but a costume change isn't really something she needed. You see a Tim and Cass that have both struggled to find a new name and costume for a long time, but Steph it feels like has both that are unique to her. I just wouldn't be so quick to move away from that, especially in a way that lessens her uniqueness.

[Konja7]

I love that Cass is back in her suit, whether they call her Batgirl, Black Bat or Orphanbat, she never had a solid identity outside of her Batgirl one, so giving her back her symbol is important to the character. Steph on the other hand had a solid personality before Batgirl and while that was an important part of her growth as a character, her being Spoiler is the stronger identity for her. Its not necessary for her to have the prominent bat symbol. Nightwing doesn't, the Robins don't...it shouldn't be necessary for her. My opinion of course for what it matters (to no one but me lol) is she is a stronger character simply as the Spoiler.

The problem with Spoiler is that the identity isn't enough popular or recognizable. So, it is pretty likely she will be ignored and relegated by the writers in that identity.

Unlike Robin, the Spoiler alias doesn't have a strong connection with the Batfamily. So, a good amount of fans just ignore she is a member of the Batfamily.


I also don't like the Spoiler alias. People complain about Orphan or Drake, but I don't find Spoiler a lot better. Although that's just my personal opinion.

[ohfellow]

The problem with Spoiler is that the identity isn't enough popular or recognizable. So, it is pretty likely she will be ignored and relegated by the writers in that identity.

Unlike Robin, the Spoiler alias doesn't have a strong connection with the Batfamily. So, a good amount of fans just ignore she is a member of the Batfamily.


I also don't like the Spoiler alias. People complain about Orphan or Drake, but I don't find Spoiler a lot better. Although that's just my personal opinion.

There are some names that are just too generic. You know if you type Darkseid in a search engine, you'll get a hit! But Spoiler? Well, I just tried and got a link to Stephanie Brown Wikipedia entry around the 20th result, so I wonder if others tried it what they would find.

Orphan name is worse.

Here's a question: were Spoiler fans upset when Steph became Batgirl? I suppose some must have been. But if not, it seems to me to be no-lose. She'd still have Stephanie Brown fans, but also would draw in Batgirl fans. And draw back fans of her Batgirl series that did not follow her in her other roles. Just a thought.

When I see her in her black mask in the background of so many stories recently, I wonder how many casual readers even know who she is. But give her a Bat symbol and every reader will know she's someone worth learning about.

It will be interesting to see if there are name changes. Black Bat is possible, but Violet Bat? Eggplant Bat? Eggbat? (Sorry!)

BTW the way in that image, the way the 2 capes are drawn they seem to me to form a larger image of a bat.

[Konja7]

There are some names that are just too generic. You know if you type Darkseid in a search engine, you'll get a hit! But Spoiler? Well, I just tried and got a link to Stephanie Brown Wikipedia entry around the 20th result, so I wonder if others tried it what they would find.

Orphan name is worse.

Here's a question: were Spoiler fans upset when Steph became Batgirl? I suppose some must have been. But if not, it seems to me to be no-lose. She'd still have Stephanie Brown fans, but also would draw in Batgirl fans. And draw back fans of her Batgirl series that did not follow her in her other roles. Just a thought.

When I see her in her black mask in the background of so many stories recently, I wonder how many casual readers even know who she is. But give her a Bat symbol and every reader will know she's someone worth learning about.

It will be interesting to see if there are name changes. Black Bat is possible, but Violet Bat? Eggplant Bat? Eggbat? (Sorry!)

BTW the way in that image, the way the 2 capes are drawn they seem to me to form a larger image of a bat.

It wouldn't be Violet Bat, it would be Purple Bat (and I will take that over Spoiler).

However, I think Stephanie and Cassandra will mantain Spoiler and Orphan with their new oufits.

[Digifiend]

There is another problem with the Spoiler name - try posting an old cover or splash page on Reddit r/comicbooks or r/DCcomics. Because the word Spoiler is in the thread title, it'll automatically be flagged as a spoiler. In error, if it's not from an issue that just got released. There's also a running gag whenever a CBR article is posted on r/DCcomics - CBR is known for putting [SPOILER] in article titles to hide someone's identity until you read the article. Of course, people joke about whatever the spoiler is happening to Steph, because her name is Spoiler.