How often can/will Barbara be Batgirl?

[Domino_Dare-Doll]

Well, -anyone- didn't reply to me. You did, so that's the one I replied to.

I'm not gonna tally all three's contribution to the identity since I haven't read all of them, and even if I do, that may still won't matter, since there are different reasons for liking a character, like story, back story, personal struggles, personality, and so on

Right, sure, you say that now. Where were you in 2010? We’re you vouching the same thing for Babs upon her return to Batgirl? Or bemoaning that it wasn’t one of the others?

[KrustyKid]

Due to how things have been getting promoted as a whole I think the answer is pretty clear. I believe we'll see Babs as Batgirl only on occasion in Nightwing. Everywhere else she'll be Oracle. It appears Steph and Cass will serve as 'the Batgirls' if we're talking across the board. That seems to be the direction DC is taking.

[Domino_Dare-Doll]

Due to how things have been getting promoted as a whole I think the answer is pretty clear. I believe we'll see Babs as Batgirl only on occasion in Nightwing. Everywhere else she'll be Oracle. It appears Steph and Cass will serve as 'the Batgirls' if we're talking across the board. That seems to be the direction DC is taking.

Not worth the paper it’s printed on then; officially dropping DC.

[km_sus]

And yet, nobody ever stood up for Barbara like that did they? What you’re saying is true, I agree in principle, but I resent how one-sidedly it’s used especially now that Cass and Steph fans have exactly what they want while Barbara is shunted off into the background and they, in turn, are diminished in importance by being treated interchangeably.

The point is: Barbara deserves to be on the field showing what makes her just as interesting and inspiring as Batgirl, because she has worth and importance in the role. To suppose otherwise drags all of them down.

Additional point and grievance: Babs doesn’t get to actually -do- anything but stare at screens if she isn’t Batgirl. Cass and Steph don’t have that problem.

For what it's worth, I'd like to apologise for any pugnacious and combative fans out there - especially because I often times slip into one myself. That being said, I do think there are more Barbara defenders (some of them I've argued with on this very forum) out there than you'd think.

Again, I'm pretty sure I've said this before, but I think we would all benefit from waiting until Nightwing and Batgirls come out until we can fully evaluate Barbara's status quo. We can argue Batgirl opinions all day long, but I don't think it's productive discussing what-ifs and maybe's when all three of them haven't had more than a few pages together.

[Domino_Dare-Doll]

For what it's worth, I'd like to apologise for any pugnacious and combative fans out there - especially because I often times slip into one myself. That being said, I do think there are more Barbara defenders (some of them I've argued with on this very forum) out there than you'd think.

Again, I'm pretty sure I've said this before, but I think we would all benefit from waiting until Nightwing and Batgirls come out until we can fully evaluate Barbara's status quo. We can argue Batgirl opinions all day long, but I don't think it's productive discussing what-ifs and maybe's when all three of them haven't had more than a few pages together.

Thankyou. I appreciate that. It was hard just being free to love Barbara as Batgirl...that isn’t being helped though.

[skyvolt2000]

Because no-one has answered my question or given me a proper answer, despite being so incredibly calm and assured in these claims. You’re right, I’m not looking to concede, I never will, but I want to know just what the common mentality is that’s supposedly so popular.

Also: never stopped Cass and Steph fans, even when they weren’t buying but I was. This is just the shoe on the other foot.

Those fans got told to get lost by DC as both were told they were TOXIC.

Unlike them Babs is still around. No one is going to fuss at DC for almost 10 years to get her back active in DC like the other two.

Babs in that suit didn't bother them because the other two had identities before Batgirl. So there would have not been a war of Batgirls.

That is the difference.

[Restingvoice]

Right, sure, you say that now. Where were you in 2010? We’re you vouching the same thing for Babs upon her return to Batgirl? Or bemoaning that it wasn’t one of the others?

The frick do I need to do any of that? I was only started buying comics in 2012. I don't give a crap about vouching or moaning or whatever. Where did this come from? No, you know what... don't answer that. I don't care. I already answered with my guesses about how often Babs is gonna be Batgirl, and that's the topic.

[KrustyKid]

Not worth the paper it’s printed on then; officially dropping DC.

Why though? Babs is clearly going to be playing an important role, not only in Nightwing but the Bat-verse as a whole. She is probably the second most relevant Bat-Fam member after Bruce given her current status. You make it seem as if she is in limbo like Tim, and she certainly didn't get erased like how Steph and Cass did to start up the New-52. Give it some time, I'm sure Babs upcoming adventure will turn out to be a good one.

[Vakanai]

Hopefully more often than anyone else - she is the Batgirl in my opinion.

[Godlike13]

Why though? Babs is clearly going to be playing an important role, not only in Nightwing but the Bat-verse as a whole. She is probably the second most relevant Bat-Fam member after Bruce given her current status. You make it seem as if she is in limbo like Tim, and she certainly didn't get erased like how Steph and Cass did to start up the New-52. Give it some time, I'm sure Babs upcoming adventure will turn out to be a good one.

Babs right now is relevant in how she can help make others more relevant. She's not actually doing anything relevant or important though. She drives Batman's car home. This is 2010 all over again. With these claims of how important Oracle is, yet with nothing actual to support that except for stuff she did decades before. Looking at Tim, Cass, and Steph it shouldn't be surprising why some might be cautious about her losing the role of Batgirl. And for Oracle not to devolve into a Orphan, Spoiler, or Red Robin they need to do better. Batman's Alexa and Batgirls babysitter is not that esteemed of a role. Oracle should be better then that if they want readers to invest more in the character of Oracle. But right now all they are doing with her is having her help them try and get readers more invested in others.

[Domino_Dare-Doll]

Babs right now is relevant in how she can help make others more relevant. She's not actually doing anything relevant or important though. She drives Batman's car home. This is 2010 all over again. With these claims of how important Oracle is, yet with nothing actual to support that except for stuff she did decades before. Looking at Tim, Cass, and Steph it shouldn't be surprising why some might be cautious about her losing the role of Batgirl. And for Oracle not to devolve into a Orphan, Spoiler, or Red Robin they need to do better. Batman's Alexa and Batgirls babysitter is not that esteemed of a role. Oracle should be better then that if they want readers to invest more in the character of Oracle. But right now all they are doing with her is having her help them try and get readers more invested in others.

This exactly.

She might be a leading role, but what does it offer for -her- rather than for other characters? And even then ‘leading’ role is arguable considering that it just seems to translate about telling other characters about what’s going on in a place they may be standing in and telling them to show and tell.

Batman is a leading role, but no-one’s demanding that he HAS to be behind closed doors to do it. Barbara should be afforded the exact same thing because Batgirl is as much her’s as anyone.

[Domino_Dare-Doll]

Why though? Babs is clearly going to be playing an important role, not only in Nightwing but the Bat-verse as a whole. She is probably the second most relevant Bat-Fam member after Bruce given her current status. You make it seem as if she is in limbo like Tim, and she certainly didn't get erased like how Steph and Cass did to start up the New-52. Give it some time, I'm sure Babs upcoming adventure will turn out to be a good one.

“important” to who?

Herself? Or for the swathe of other capes running around? Because I gotta tell ya: they just aren’t as investing or interesting on the ground as Barbara is and watching her direct them around is simply not good enough. I’m not going to stick around to watch my favourite character just on the sidelines.

[Domino_Dare-Doll]

Those fans got told to get lost by DC as both were told they were TOXIC.

Unlike them Babs is still around. No one is going to fuss at DC for almost 10 years to get her back active in DC like the other two.

Babs in that suit didn't bother them because the other two had identities before Batgirl. So there would have not been a war of Batgirls.

That is the difference.

And dya know what? I’m starting to see why now.

Even when Cass and Steph returned it wasn’t enough.

[Frontier]

And dya know what? I’m starting to see why now.

Even when Cass and Steph returned it wasn’t enough.

I mean, I'd like to think it was pretty clear why it wasn't for their fans just as you similarly see Babs.

[KrustyKid]

Babs right now is relevant in how she can help make others more relevant. She's not actually doing anything relevant or important though. She drives Batman's car home. This is 2010 all over again. With these claims of how important Oracle is, yet with nothing actual to support that except for stuff she did decades before. Looking at Tim, Cass, and Steph it shouldn't be surprising why some might be cautious about her losing the role of Batgirl. And for Oracle not to devolve into a Orphan, Spoiler, or Red Robin they need to do better. Batman's Alexa and Batgirls babysitter is not that esteemed of a role. Oracle should be better then that if they want readers to invest more in the character of Oracle. But right now all they are doing with her is having her help them try and get readers more invested in others.

You make it sound as if Babs is condemned to a chair. This is different than before, and I'm sure her story going forward will showcase this; not only in Nightwing but across the board as a whole. She's not a 'babysitter', more like a commanding officer who is more than capable if jumping into the fight if need be. Again, this is not the same Oracle from before, but a Batgirl/Oracle mix. I stand by what I said, she is the most relevant behind Batman in the batverse currently, not just for revolving stories but for herself as well.