Stephanie Brown: Spoiler, Robin, Batgirl Appreciation 2020

[Digifiend]

Minor complaint: Supergirl adopted the name Linda Lang along with the eyeglasses a couple of years earlier, but Stephanie calls her Kara.

Kara Zor-El is still her real name you know - there was nothing wrong with Steph calling her that, it's no different to Wonder Woman calling Superman "Kal".

[ohfellow]

Kara Zor-El is still her real name you know - there was nothing wrong with Steph calling her that, it's no different to Wonder Woman calling Superman "Kal".

Oh I just meant she introduced her to her mother as "Kara." Wonder Woman wouldn't use Kal in that kind of situation either. (People also call Superman "Clark" sometimes - but not when civilians are around. I'm speaking of pre-Bendis identity reveal, of course.)

[millernumber1]

A slight story, typical of all of the Digital Firsts and former Giants stories. Definitely out of continuity. But fun.

I can't count the number of times Clayface has appeared in these. Seems like several a month. There was the Batman one where he lit fire to a theater (which I saw in a Giant but was probably reprinted in this digital series); and a Harley Quinn one where he disguised himself as a statue to steal art (Harley Quinn Make 'Em Laugh #1). A story in the Catwoman 80th. So that's at least 3 others.

How does Spoiler get around in that cape! There's one panel where she spreads it wide and sort of looks like a moth. And then a panel during the fight where the cape is billowing behind her and takes up half the panel!

Maybe it's like warming up by swinging 2 bats. Imagine how powerful she'd be if she took off the 100 pound cape.

Clayface is a go-too villain a lot these days. I wonder if it's because he was so unavailable for so long with Tynion's run, and they just put him back in rotation for general use?

I love the cape. I think Steph is just stubborn, and says to herself, "Well, Batman does it, and I have to be better than Batman "

[godisawesome]

Clayface is a go-too villain a lot these days. I wonder if it's because he was so unavailable for so long with Tynion's run, and they just put him back in rotation for general use?

I love the cape. I think Steph is just stubborn, and says to herself, "Well, Batman does it, and I have to be better than Batman "

I say, without reservation, that Steph’s clearly got a better costume on that picture than 2 of her fellows.

[millernumber1]

I say, without reservation, that Steph’s clearly got a better costume on that picture than 2 of her fellows.

I mean, I'm biased, so I think her costume looks better than everyone's. But I actually liked the way the Drake costume looked, and I've never had a problem with the new Red Hood look.

[Restingvoice]

Clayface is a go-too villain a lot these days. I wonder if it's because he was so unavailable for so long with Tynion's run, and they just put him back in rotation for general use?

I love the cape. I think Steph is just stubborn, and says to herself, "Well, Batman does it, and I have to be better than Batman "

*Stares at Nightwing* Those are 90s legs

[millernumber1]

*Stares at Nightwing* Those are 90s legs

A plus in my book. Spoiler is a 90s character!

[godisawesome]

I mean, I'm biased, so I think her costume looks better than everyone's. But I actually liked the way the Drake costume looked, and I've never had a problem with the new Red Hood look.

At least Spoiler’s Young Justice redesign was smart in the it simply tweaked the design in an aesthetically pleasing way. A brown Nightwing suit with a red belt does not make a good costume for Tim. I’m still a cowled Red Robin fan, especially the Marcus To redesign.

Red Hood’s new look just screams “YOU CAN TELL I’M A 90’S THROWBACK NOW, RIGHT?!?!”

[millernumber1]

At least Spoiler’s Young Justice redesign was smart in the it simply tweaked the design in an aesthetically pleasing way. A brown Nightwing suit with a red belt does not make a good costume for Tim. I’m still a cowled Red Robin fan, especially the Marcus To redesign.

Red Hood’s new look just screams “YOU CAN TELL I’M A 90’S THROWBACK NOW, RIGHT?!?!”

Awww. Oh, well.

I thought that Ken Marion made everyone look pretty cool.

[Tsukiakari1203]

At least Spoiler’s Young Justice redesign was smart in the it simply tweaked the design in an aesthetically pleasing way. A brown Nightwing suit with a red belt does not make a good costume for Tim. I’m still a cowled Red Robin fan, especially the Marcus To redesign.

Red Hood’s new look just screams “YOU CAN TELL I’M A 90’S THROWBACK NOW, RIGHT?!?!”

Steph should design Tim a new costume. I miss the Red Robin costume. It looked good. Jason's outfit is just mediocre

[millernumber1]

Steph should design Tim a new costume. I miss the Red Robin costume. It looked good. Jason's outfit is just mediocre

I'm for Steph designing costumes for all the Robins!

[ohfellow]

I say, without reservation, that Steph’s clearly got a better costume on that picture than 2 of her fellows.

Absolutely. I may think the cape would get in the way and be too heavy, but still she has the best costume by far.

[Digifiend]

Oh I just meant she introduced her to her mother as "Kara." Wonder Woman wouldn't use Kal in that kind of situation either. (People also call Superman "Clark" sometimes - but not when civilians are around. I'm speaking of pre-Bendis identity reveal, of course.)

Superman's Kryptonian name was never a secret, people knew he was called Kal-El. That's why a lot of people thought he had no secret identity before he outed himself. You're right that she wouldn't call him Clark.

[Tsukiakari1203]

I'm for Steph designing costumes for all the Robins!

Yes, I'd love that! She can sew and she did design her Spoiler outfits and they all looked great. Also created her own Robin suit

[millernumber1]

Welcome to the Batgirl: Stephanie Brown reread, Week 15! (Schedule starts here: https://community.cbr.com/showthread...=1#post4916669) Today, we're on Bruce Wayne: The Road Home: Batgirl #1 One-Shot, written by Bryan Q. Miller, pencilled by Pere Perez, inked by Pere Perez, colored by Guy Major, cover by Shane Davis.



Notes: This is a “big” issue. As part of a crossover event with a bunch of other Bat-titles, and starring Bruce himself in a huge event of him coming back, it was bound to get a lot of scrutiny. And Miller showcases Steph’s history and current relationship with a large chunk of the Batfamily throughout. Batman first and foremost, with flashbacks to her very first story in Detective Comics #647-649, her firing as Robin in Robin #128, and verbal references to War Games and her entire history. Miller engages in a LOT of revision - and I am not one to necessarily read everything characters say as the author’s view. Steph and Bruce’s judgment of her former career as insecurity rather than heroism is not something I think totally fair, and the idea that as Spoiler, she was really incompetent is not one I accept either. I think just as Steph knows that Bruce never gave her a fair shot, she doesn’t really give herself a fair shot, either - her trauma and guilt from War Games is still very strong. And all these roiling emotions bubble up into anger when she realizes that Bruce has AGAIN tricked her for a test, leading to the famous slap. The second meeting of Bruce and Steph goes much better, though Steph still struggles with self worth next to the man who’s inspired her but also rejected her for 4-5 years of her life in universe, for nearly two decades since her creation. All in all, a deeply moving, complicated, lovely issue.

Pere Perez produces his second full issue of the run, and has a darker, more “DC House Style” approach than he generally uses for the main Batgirl issues. I wonder if there were pressures from editorial to make this fit with the other artists in the miniseries. Regardless, there are a lot of iconic shots throughout, as well as lovely recreations of memorable confrontations between Batman and Steph in the past.

Remember the line about Bat Orientation with Wendy - it’s setup for the next issue!

Cover: Shane Davis in a mural-style connected cover program for all 9 issues in Bruce Wayne: The Road Home. Steph looks very shiny and strong, though sadly not very smiley.

Discussion Questions: How do you feel about the slap? Do you think it is controversial? BQM wrote a very nice essay on the subject, which we’ve archived here: https://stephaniebrown.fandom.com/wi...n_DCComics.com
Do you think Steph and Bruce are right that Steph has only now become a hero as Batgirl?

Bonus Comic: The Oracle Road Home issue features some nice Steph cameos, but it’s not a great issue itself (it overwrites Oracle: Year One in a greatly inferior way). As a whole, the mini-event/crossover is interesting, but the Batgirl issue feels like a huge standout to me.