Stephanie Brown: Spoiler, Robin, Batgirl Appreciation 2020

[Chickfighter]

DROP DEAD GORGOEUS! Exactly what the Spoiler suit with the Bat should look like

Yes indeed! I want to see a comic with this costume on Steph!

[Tsukiakari1203]

Yes indeed! I want to see a comic with this costume on Steph!

Me too! DC needs to give us League of Batgirls with all 4 (throw in Charlie, and Helena and make it even better). I also kinda want a future story where Tiff, Nell, and Nissa team up.

[ohfellow]

Yes indeed! I want to see a comic with this costume on Steph!

It looks great but kind of generically perfect. Most of the "armor" has been reduced to colorful accents, and the utility belt is barely functional - you couldn't really fit anything into them, and the pouches shouldn't all be the same size, while the left thigh belt is just a strap, matching a cosmetically equivalent right belt.

But the Bat does look great on the black top, and it is sized correctly against the dark background, which Lafuente's wasn't, so I agree that this is a great foundation to build from. Make it stronger, give Steph more armored protection like her Batgirl suit had.

Spoiler usually has an oddly oversized cape. This one looks undersized, but if I had to choose between the sizes, I'd have to go with the smaller one. But it looks almost "petite" or "feminized" here, again something that is not functional. You can't use this tiny cape for any aerodynamic purpose, and you can't spread it out to strike fear into evil-doer's hearts . It's just a cutsey-little play cape. So again - looks great, but it's not the real deal. I don't like it when the cape drags the floor, but this one needs another foot or more.

So I think it's quite striking at first glance but has lots of areas that merit improvement. Keep the bat on black as a starting point.

Actually, you know what this makes me think of? An action figure.

By the way it's from his signature - Luciano Vecchio - that I checked his Instagram account which is where I found it and I guess where others did too.

[Chickfighter]

It looks great but kind of generically perfect. Most of the "armor" has been reduced to colorful accents, and the utility belt is barely functional - you couldn't really fit anything into them, and the pouches shouldn't all be the same size, while the left thigh belt is just a strap, matching a cosmetically equivalent right belt.

But the Bat does look great on the black top, and it is sized correctly against the dark background, which Lafuente's wasn't, so I agree that this is a great foundation to build from. Make it stronger, give Steph more armored protection like her Batgirl suit had.

Spoiler usually has an oddly oversized cape. This one looks undersized, but if I had to choose between the sizes, I'd have to go with the smaller one. But it looks almost "petite" or "feminized" here, again something that is not functional. You can't use this tiny cape for any aerodynamic purpose, and you can't spread it out to strike fear into evil-doer's hearts . It's just a cutsey-little play cape. So again - looks great, but it's not the real deal. I don't like it when the cape drags the floor, but this one needs another foot or more.

So I think it's quite striking at first glance but has lots of areas that merit improvement. Keep the bat on black as a starting point.

Actually, you know what this makes me think of? An action figure.

By the way it's from his signature - Luciano Vecchio - that I checked his Instagram account which is where I found it and I guess where others did too.

Good points, but I'm one of those folks who just wants it to look good and not get too hung up on the finer points of functionality. Hey, it's comics, as they say!

[Tsukiakari1203]

Good points, but I'm one of those folks who just wants it to look good and not get too hung up on the finer points of functionality. Hey, it's comics, as they say!

I agree with this

[ohfellow]

Good points, but I'm one of those folks who just wants it to look good and not get too hung up on the finer points of functionality. Hey, it's comics, as they say!

I agree with this

And you know, ultimately I'm pretty okay with any costume that doesn't have pirate boots .

[Tsukiakari1203]

And you know, ultimately I'm pretty okay with any costume that doesn't have pirate boots .

But I like the pirate boots

[millernumber1]

But I like the pirate boots

Eventually, we will have a fan for every part of Steph's costume - me for the ninja mask and ribbed sides and thigh belt, you for the pirate boots, oh fellow for the details, Frontier for the full face mask...

[Frontier]

Just put me down as a classic Spoiler look fan in it's entirety .

[ohfellow]

Thoughts on Future’s End: Batgirl #1:

In a strange coincidence, we are discussing this book the same month that Batgirl #49 came out - both featuring a psychotic James Jr., and both featuring a plunge from a rooftop. (Both are awful premises, but everything about James Jr. is awful - I think the mentally ill are less likely to be violent than the general population, or at least no more likely.)

Javier Garron came up with a great-looking and dynamic League of Batgirls, which more than makes up for the wonky way he drew regular faces and clothes. (That wedding party; that gown - yeesh. Well, no one read this hoping to pick up some ideas for formal wear.) My impression is the Batgirls' look is derived more from Stephanie's old costume than from New 52 Barbara's - perhaps it's the leg belts and the ribbing. But I just noticed - none of the League have capes. What?!

Also - none of our Batgirls has a codename - they use their first names in front of the gang of gun runners. So what are some ideas? Batgirl, Black Bat, and Lil' Bat? If we do see a larger League of Batgirls, who are going to be the members of the League, and what names will they take? I guess there's no reason our two new Batgirls will take new codenames - they don't have to be called "Bat-this" or "Bat-that" to wear the Bat symbol.

Another candidate for the line BQM contributed or tweaked is when Steph remarks "I should really learn to think things through", after she has, as usual, impulsively thrown herself into things.

I have the lenticular cover - I generally like gimmick covers like this, and while I don't really care for Penguin and Mr. Freeze, the alternate image also includes Barbara as Batgirl (rather than as the grotesque Bete Noire).

What is the other time Clay Mann drew Steph?

[Tsukiakari1203]

Thoughts on Future’s End: Batgirl #1:

In a strange coincidence, we are discussing this book the same month that Batgirl #49 came out - both featuring a psychotic James Jr., and both featuring a plunge from a rooftop. (Both are awful premises, but everything about James Jr. is awful - I think the mentally ill are less likely to be violent than the general population, or at least no more likely.)

Javier Garron came up with a great-looking and dynamic League of Batgirls, which more than makes up for the wonky way he drew regular faces and clothes. (That wedding party; that gown - yeesh. Well, no one read this hoping to pick up some ideas for formal wear.) My impression is the Batgirls' look is derived more from Stephanie's old costume than from New 52 Barbara's - perhaps it's the leg belts and the ribbing. But I just noticed - none of the League have capes. What?!

Also - none of our Batgirls has a codename - they use their first names in front of the gang of gun runners. So what are some ideas? Batgirl, Black Bat, and Lil' Bat? If we do see a larger League of Batgirls, who are going to be the members of the League, and what names will they take? I guess there's no reason our two new Batgirls will take new codenames - they don't have to be called "Bat-this" or "Bat-that" to wear the Bat symbol.

Another candidate for the line BQM contributed or tweaked is when Steph remarks "I should really learn to think things through", after she has, as usual, impulsively thrown herself into things.

I have the lenticular cover - I generally like gimmick covers like this, and while I don't really care for Penguin and Mr. Freeze, the alternate image also includes Barbara as Batgirl (rather than as the grotesque Bete Noire).

What is the other time Clay Mann drew Steph?

If they do a League of Batgirls thing then I vote for only the current Batgirl using Batgirl. Bette can use Flamebird, Cass could use Black Bat, Orphan, Kasumi, or something else assuming she isn't Batgirl. Steph has Spoiler to fall back on. Tiffany could be Flying Fox. Not sure about Nissa. Nell could be Bright Bat

[millernumber1]

Thoughts on Future’s End: Batgirl #1:

In a strange coincidence, we are discussing this book the same month that Batgirl #49 came out - both featuring a psychotic James Jr., and both featuring a plunge from a rooftop. (Both are awful premises, but everything about James Jr. is awful - I think the mentally ill are less likely to be violent than the general population, or at least no more likely.)

Javier Garron came up with a great-looking and dynamic League of Batgirls, which more than makes up for the wonky way he drew regular faces and clothes. (That wedding party; that gown - yeesh. Well, no one read this hoping to pick up some ideas for formal wear.) My impression is the Batgirls' look is derived more from Stephanie's old costume than from New 52 Barbara's - perhaps it's the leg belts and the ribbing. But I just noticed - none of the League have capes. What?!

Also - none of our Batgirls has a codename - they use their first names in front of the gang of gun runners. So what are some ideas? Batgirl, Black Bat, and Lil' Bat? If we do see a larger League of Batgirls, who are going to be the members of the League, and what names will they take? I guess there's no reason our two new Batgirls will take new codenames - they don't have to be called "Bat-this" or "Bat-that" to wear the Bat symbol.

Another candidate for the line BQM contributed or tweaked is when Steph remarks "I should really learn to think things through", after she has, as usual, impulsively thrown herself into things.

I have the lenticular cover - I generally like gimmick covers like this, and while I don't really care for Penguin and Mr. Freeze, the alternate image also includes Barbara as Batgirl (rather than as the grotesque Bete Noire).

What is the other time Clay Mann drew Steph?

That's an interesting point about Jim Jr. I actually like Jim Jr. because of the Black Mirror, but I strongly dislike that they've decided he's Babs's nemesis, instead of James Sr.

Garron's art does wobble between "really fun" and "really weird looking." I guess Bete Noire took lessons from Edna Mode - NO CAPES. I think there's a direct line from Steph's Batgirl suit to Babs' n52 suit to the League of Batgirl's suits.

We'll have to see how they manage the logistics of three "batgirls" - I could see colors - Purple, Gold, and Blue or something.

I was too frustrated with Babs as Batgirl at the point when this issue went on sale to want anything but Steph and Cass on the cover for me. I don't REALLY regret it, especially since my Nightwing lenticular cover I got signed by Tom King (backwards and upside down, because of the story), and it's REALLY hard to see - so Clay Mann's signature on this issue is just beautifully visible.

The other time Clay drew Steph was for her interview in Heroes in Crisis. Everyone forgets.

[ohfellow]

I guess Bete Noire took lessons from Edna Mode - NO CAPES.

I didn't see those films, but that's funny.

Looks to me like Clay Mann gave Bete Noire herself a yellow cape on the cover. But I don't see it inside.

I think there's a direct line from Steph's Batgirl suit to Babs' n52 suit to the League of Batgirl's suits.

Probably, but I also think of the N52 suit as part of the New 52 armor thing. Also, those N52 gauntlets and boots are overcomplicated, and I would imagine were annoying to pencil. (I evidently only find some kinds of boots acceptable.)

[millernumber1]

I didn't see those films, but that's funny.

Looks to me like Clay Mann gave Bete Noire herself a yellow cape on the cover. But I don't see it inside.

Probably, but I also think of the N52 suit as part of the New 52 armor thing. Also, those N52 gauntlets and boots are overcomplicated, and I would imagine were annoying to pencil. (I evidently only find some kinds of boots acceptable.)

The Incredibles (first film) is fantastic - highest recommendation!

Covers are usually done months before interior art is done, and when the cover artist isn't working on the interiors, variations happen quite a lot.

Steph's Batgirl suit was pretty armored compared to Bab's (probably some variant of spandex) and Cass (probably leather). I know most cosplayers use spandex, but I don't think that's what it was supposed to be in universe. The n52 did ramp up the armor quite a bit, though.

[Tsukiakari1203]

I have this idea for League of Batgirls that the Future;s End suits are stealth suits with the different colored batsymbols being for identification. I even color coded the non-League Batgirls

Babs- gray
Bette- red
Cass- yellow
Steph- purple (duh)
Nissa- green
Tiffany- pink
Nell- black
-BONUS
Helena- white
Charlie- blue