Stephanie Brown: Spoiler, Robin, Batgirl Appreciation 2022

[millernumber1]

I'm just glad Steph is featured. They likely went with Spoiler because it's what she's mostly been known for. It feels like of her runs, her being Batgirl doesn't get brought up as much compared to her time as Spoiler and her disasters run as Robin. Kind of a shame since her Batgirl was more successful then her Robin.

Now at the risk of sounding dumb, why are there two Supergirls in there? Were there two Supergirls in DC?

I would really love to see her run as Batgirl referenced more. The Flood, the tournament, Livewire, the Reapers, heck, even Cluemaster referencing his last scheme with the Reapers...maybe we'll get lucky and that will show up in the upcoming arc.

I believe one of those Supergirls is either Matrix or Linda, and the other is Kara.

[sunofdarkchild]

I'm just glad Steph is featured. They likely went with Spoiler because it's what she's mostly been known for. It feels like of her runs, her being Batgirl doesn't get brought up as much compared to her time as Spoiler and her disasters run as Robin. Kind of a shame since her Batgirl was more successful then her Robin.

Now at the risk of sounding dumb, why are there two Supergirls in there? Were there two Supergirls in DC?

The one in the white t-shirt is Linda Danvers, the Supergirl of the 90s when DC had a rule that Superman had to be the only living Kryptonian. Her series by Peter David which ran from 1996-2003 is very good and actually the longest Supergirl series ever. Like Steph Linda is a victim of Dan Didio who fought to erase her from existence because of his obsession with the Silver Age and hatred of 90s characters. I highly recommend the PAD series.

There is also Cir-El, the Supergirl who was supposed to be Lois and Clark's daughter from the future but who never caught on. And if we get really technical, the first Supergirl was created by Jimmy Olsen using a magic wish-totem to wish for someone who could help Superman.

[ComicNoobie]

I would really love to see her run as Batgirl referenced more. The Flood, the tournament, Livewire, the Reapers, heck, even Cluemaster referencing his last scheme with the Reapers...maybe we'll get lucky and that will show up in the upcoming arc.

I believe one of those Supergirls is either Matrix or Linda, and the other is Kara.

I want them to reference her Batgirl more as well. Plus she had a really cool Batgirl suit. Probably my favorite Batgirl suit...though I'm bias towards anything with Stephanie in it or wearing it lol.

The one in the white t-shirt is Linda Danvers, the Supergirl of the 90s when DC had a rule that Superman had to be the only living Kryptonian. Her series by Peter David which ran from 1996-2003 is very good and actually the longest Supergirl series ever. Like Steph Linda is a victim of Dan Didio who fought to erase her from existence because of his obsession with the Silver Age and hatred of 90s characters. I highly recommend the PAD series.

There is also Cir-El, the Supergirl who was supposed to be Lois and Clark's daughter from the future but who never caught on. And if we get really technical, the first Supergirl was created by Jimmy Olsen using a magic wish-totem to wish for someone who could help Superman.

I think I heard about Linda's Supergirl once, but I didn't know it was real or not. That's quite interesting, and it sucks Dan Didio tried to get rid of her. As a Steph fan, he is my natural enemy. But seriously I want to learn more about this Linda Supergirl, is she still around in DC comics?

[sunofdarkchild]

I want them to reference her Batgirl more as well. Plus she had a really cool Batgirl suit. Probably my favorite Batgirl suit...though I'm bias towards anything with Stephanie in it or wearing it lol.



I think I heard about Linda's Supergirl once, but I didn't know it was real or not. That's quite interesting, and it sucks Dan Didio tried to get rid of her. As a Steph fan, he is my natural enemy. But seriously I want to learn more about this Linda Supergirl, is she still around in DC comics?

No. This was one time Didio succeeded. She hasn't appeared since 2008.

[Digifiend]

Yeah, Linda basically vanished shortly after Kara was reintroduced. Too bad. I suppose she was considered redundant, but they should've just transitioned her to a new superhero identity. I wonder what she'd make of Kara using the Danvers surname (which is a Rebirth development from 2016)?

[witchboy]

I want them to reference her Batgirl more as well. Plus she had a really cool Batgirl suit. Probably my favorite Batgirl suit...though I'm bias towards anything with Stephanie in it or wearing it lol.



I think I heard about Linda's Supergirl once, but I didn't know it was real or not. That's quite interesting, and it sucks Dan Didio tried to get rid of her. As a Steph fan, he is my natural enemy. But seriously I want to learn more about this Linda Supergirl, is she still around in DC comics?

The first 43 issues and cross overs, have been reprinted recently in 4 books, hopefully with the rest of the series to follow.
It is one of my very favorite comic runs of all time.

[millernumber1]

Looks like we haven't discussed Steph's brief but hilarious appearance in The Flash this week! She and Cass are helping fight the various armies around the world, transported by the Flash family, and she forms a bond with Irey, Wally's daughter, when she verbally takes Damian down! Amancay Nahuelpan draws the issue, and seeing him handle the Batfamily again after his great issues of Detective Comics early this year is great!

[ComicNoobie]

No. This was one time Didio succeeded. She hasn't appeared since 2008.

That's a shame to hear.

Looks like we haven't discussed Steph's brief but hilarious appearance in The Flash this week! She and Cass are helping fight the various armies around the world, transported by the Flash family, and she forms a bond with Irey, Wally's daughter, when she verbally takes Damian down! Amancay Nahuelpan draws the issue, and seeing him handle the Batfamily again after his great issues of Detective Comics early this year is great!

I haven't read that one yet but it sounds funny. It's so great to see Steph popping in other DC comics. Can't wait to read it and see how wonderful Stephanie is drawn in it

[ohfellow]

I think I heard about Linda's Supergirl once, but I didn't know it was real or not. That's quite interesting, and it sucks Dan Didio tried to get rid of her. As a Steph fan, he is my natural enemy. But seriously I want to learn more about this Linda Supergirl, is she still around in DC comics?

This Linda Danvers was actually a drug addict in a Satanic cult, who either died or was on the cusp of death in the first issue, before being saved by Matrix Supergirl, who was actually sentient protoplasm. Long story!

Sometimes you do still see the Matrix/Earth Angel version of Supergirl drawn on covers or in cameos - her red and blue costume is similar to, but not 100% identical to, Rebirth Supergirl. And sometimes you see what people call the Linda Danvers version, who is in the white T-shirt. (She found the T-shirt in a store that was selling it because it was the T-shirt worn by Kara In-Ze of the DCAU - which I guess was a cartoon on Linda's world.)

That white T-shirt version of Supergirl actually was the inspiration for the Michael Turner costume for when Kara Zor-El returned in 2004 - he swapped some colors around, and altered the miniskirt a bit, but kept the crop top.

Yeah, Linda basically vanished shortly after Kara was reintroduced. Too bad. I suppose she was considered redundant, but they should've just transitioned her to a new superhero identity. I wonder what she'd make of Kara using the Danvers surname (which is a Rebirth development from 2016)?

Well it was the adopted name of Silver Age Supergirl first, after all. Peter David re-used it for his version as something for the Silver Age Supergirl fans to enjoy.

I suppose when Marvel used the name Danvers for Carol Danvers, they were just repeating the identical joke as when they re-used Slade Wilson's Deathstroke names for their Wade Wilson Deadpool.

The character in "Reign in Hell" might be Linda. Linda could always come back - the series left her fate up in the air, only saying she felt guilt and wanted to disappear somewhere.

For that matter, that Earth Angel must be out there somewhere.

While the original Matrix was in this universe, the Peter David series turned out to be in some other universe, because of the way the final arc resolves, with Linda having to send a newly arrived and misdirected Kara Zor-El on to this universe to fulfill her role in Crisis.

On - Matrix is the Supergirl of the series "Convergence: Supergirl Matrix." But I think it's the pre-Linda version of Matrix.

The first 43 issues and cross overs, have been reprinted recently in 4 books, hopefully with the rest of the series to follow.
It is one of my very favorite comic runs of all time.

I bought those and remain disappointed they didn't continue reprinting the series. I don't see them ever resuming that. They were releasing the series one TPB per year, approximately, and would have continued that if they sold. The last book was even a little hard to find - they must have printed relatively few.

Eventually I bought a used older collection of the final 5 issues of the series, "Many Happy Returns." I found it on eBay.

[ohfellow]

Looks like we haven't discussed Steph's brief but hilarious appearance in The Flash this week! She and Cass are helping fight the various armies around the world, transported by the Flash family, and she forms a bond with Irey, Wally's daughter, when she verbally takes Damian down! Amancay Nahuelpan draws the issue, and seeing him handle the Batfamily again after his great issues of Detective Comics early this year is great!

Yeah, all 3 Batgirls appear but Steph is the one with the most to do. (Barbara has no lines, and Cass few.) She is verbally sparing a bit with Damian, reminds me a little of their relationship in Steph's Batgirl series.

Her appearances here and the Two-Face one-shot remind me how immature the version of her is in Batgirls. Of course there's precedence for deliberately de-aged immature versions of grown up characters, like DC Super Hero Girls.

[millernumber1]

Yeah, all 3 Batgirls appear but Steph is the one with the most to do. (Barbara has no lines, and Cass few.) She is verbally sparing a bit with Damian, reminds me a little of their relationship in Steph's Batgirl series.

I immediately thought of Steph and Damian's relationship in her Batgirl run, too! I'm really curious if Adams has ever read that, or if it's just natural to write the characters like that.

[ohfellow]

Yeah, all 3 Batgirls appear but Steph is the one with the most to do. (Barbara has no lines, and Cass few.) She is verbally sparing a bit with Damian, reminds me a little of their relationship in Steph's Batgirl series.

Sparring, not sparing!

[ComicNoobie]

I immediately thought of Steph and Damian's relationship in her Batgirl run, too! I'm really curious if Adams has ever read that, or if it's just natural to write the characters like that.

Whenever Steph and Damian are together I am reminded of their dynamic from her Batgirl run. It was so hilarious how they played off one another with their petty insults and yet working together. I hope they get a storyline where they get their big sis/little bro chemistry put in the spotlight again. We need "Bad cop, worse cop" to return in 2022 if not 2023.

[Digifiend]

I suppose when Marvel used the name Danvers for Carol Danvers, they were just repeating the identical joke as when they re-used Slade Wilson's Deathstroke names for their Wade Wilson Deadpool.

Deadpool would be the one repeating the joke, as both he and Deathstroke actually debuted after Carol. Carol's been around since 1968, as she debuted in the second appearance of the Mar-Vell Captain Marvel. As Kara wasn't known as Kara Danvers until the CW show, and Carol wasn't a superhero at first, it was probably not a deliberate reference to Supergirl, unlike in Deadpool's case with him having a rhyming first name and the exact same surname as Deathstroke.

[ohfellow]

Deadpool would be the one repeating the joke, as both he and Deathstroke actually debuted after Carol. Carol's been around since 1968, as she debuted in the second appearance of the Mar-Vell Captain Marvel. As Kara wasn't known as Kara Danvers until the CW show, and Carol wasn't a superhero at first, it was probably not a deliberate reference to Supergirl, unlike in Deadpool's case with him having a rhyming first name and the exact same surname as Deathstroke.

Ah, thanks for that clarification.

I wasn't thinking that "Carol" Danvers was based on "Kara" Danvers, though that is another interesting rhyme. Kara Danvers did come much later, originally for TV. I was just referring to the Danvers last name. The Silver Age Linda Lee was adopted by the Danvers in 1961, and then went by the name Linda Lee Danvers. (Or maybe they were just foster parents. DC tended to use the terms interchangeably, I think.)