What is DC doing with Batgirl?

[keeen]

So, I just got out of Lego Batman, and something that really didn't sit right with me is Barbara Gordon's role. We don't need to rehash the controversy about the sex scene in that Killing Joke movie, but generally speaking it now seems that DC is set on positioning her (at least to casual fans of their movies) as a grown woman and love interest for Bruce.

Fine, whatever, but a few things bug me about this apparent creative direction: First, they're really just going to keep calling her BatGIRL, anyway? A lame "Batboy" joke doesn't cover up how anachronistically patronizing that is. Second, this leaves them with NO young female heroes, which seems contrary to their marketing push at younger girls. Third, this leaves very little room for Kate Kane to carve a niche for herself in the cinematic Bat Family.

I know the comics are still different from these movies, and the movies I mentioned arguably aren't indicative of what they're going to do in the DCU if they ever get around to introducing either female Bat-hero, but with these being her last two film roles, it seems like a pattern that speaks to the mindset of DC executives regarding her character.

[hotroddii]

It seems DC has made up their minds (as far as comics go) that Barbara is young BatGIRL.

I guess that makes sense, if DC is going to push BatWOMAN, who is a woman in her late 20's, early 30's ... the Batgirl needs to be in her teens and no older than 21.

She is being written and presented as young ... and if she is going to be interacting with Supergirl who is 16, it's silly for a Batgirl to be lots older.

It is odd to see Barbara Gordon so young, but I think we readers need to get used to it.

Batwomans design was originally intended for Barbara Gordon, but Kate was created instead. Babs would've made sense as Batwoman ... but, it never happened sadly.

[Aahz]

I think it really depends on the "universe". In the comics and young justice we have a young Barbara, and in Batman Bad Blood (where Kate was in the main cast) they also teased a young Barbara at the end. And the Barbara in the Killing Joke movie seemed also still quite young (imo younger than she seemed to be in the original comic).

Even if they go with an older Barbara, there are plenty of younger female characters in the Batfamily left they could use (Bette Kane, Stephanie Brown, Cassandra Cain, Harper Row, Carrie Kelly).

[HandofPrometheus]

I'd rather take the love interest than the cringy foolishness they're doing with her in the comics now.

[RedKnight00]

Well, Barbara is an adult, in her early 20s, that's how she's been for some time and I'm OK with it. Age wise she is still different from Kate who is around the same age as Bruce (they are often seen as children together), and they also fill different roles in the comics.

Anyway, I have my doubts if there will be any character younger that that in the live action movies and in the animated one they easily use Stephanie, Cass, Raven and others.

[RedWhiteAndBlueSupes]

I'd rather take the love interest than the cringy foolishness they're doing with her in the comics now.

yep, and "cringy" is exactly the right word lol. Everything interesting about Barbara was thrown to the wind so she could be portrayed as too young, wearing a stupid Rue 21 costume, leave that garbage in the "new 52" where it belongs lol. there's no media synergy pulling her in that direction anyway I assume it's just "52 leftovers". When Barbara was first introduced in the silver age she was already a librarian, and somewhat of a detective in her own right, in like her mid twenties, she's definitely older than Dick, so she was created to be written to that type, if DC wants that type of Batgirl use Steph, who a lot of people want to see back in the role anyway.

[Carabas]

Fine, whatever, but a few things bug me about this apparent creative direction: First, they're really just going to keep calling her BatGIRL, anyway? A lame "Batboy" joke doesn't cover up how anachronistically patronizing that is. Second, this leaves them with NO young female heroes, which seems contrary to their marketing push at younger girls. Third, this leaves very little room for Kate Kane to carve a niche for herself in the cinematic Bat Family.

I do not believe DC has room for characters not called Bruce, ALfred, or Jim Gordon in the cinematic Bat family. Maybe Lucius... but no Robins, no Batgirls, or anything else.

At least they haven't shown any interest in this sort of thing since the Schumacher films.

[Panfoot]

I do not believe DC has room for characters not called Bruce, ALfred, or Jim Gordon in the cinematic Bat family. Maybe Lucius... but no Robins, no Batgirls, or anything else.

At least they haven't shown any interest in this sort of thing since the Schumacher films.

Well...we did get a glance at a dead robin's suit in BvS. But yeah, don't get your hopes up for any of those characters.

[GreenLanternRanger]

LEGO Batman is a different universe, it's part of the LEGOverse, not the main DCU, and it is quite obvious that Barbra is older in Lego Batman then she is when she was first introduced in the comics. Just like TTG are a much different beast then the comics Teen Titans, LEGO Batman is a much different beast then DCU Batman, so nothing is really creepy or controversial, unless you are creeped out by sentient LEGO figures.

[Hypestyle]

there should be a roadtrip adventure, with Batgirl solo or with a buddy who knows her secret.

[AngryComicBookNerd]

Yeah that is weird, why does she stay Batgirl when Kate gets to leap frog her and call herself Batwoman? Hasn't Barbara paid her dues? Where's her Final Fantasy class promotion? It's not unprecedented. Dick/Robin became Nightwing. I'm not sure we've ever actually seen Barbara as a mature seasoned crimefighter. We only ever saw her as this 16 year old goofy rookie, Oracle in a wheelchair, or her future version as an old woman.

[TheBatman]

So, I just got out of Lego Batman, and something that really didn't sit right with me is Barbara Gordon's role. We don't need to rehash the controversy about the sex scene in that Killing Joke movie, but generally speaking it now seems that DC is set on positioning her (at least to casual fans of their movies) as a grown woman and love interest for Bruce.

Fine, whatever, but a few things bug me about this apparent creative direction: First, they're really just going to keep calling her BatGIRL, anyway? A lame "Batboy" joke doesn't cover up how anachronistically patronizing that is. Second, this leaves them with NO young female heroes, which seems contrary to their marketing push at younger girls. Third, this leaves very little room for Kate Kane to carve a niche for herself in the cinematic Bat Family.

I know the comics are still different from these movies, and the movies I mentioned arguably aren't indicative of what they're going to do in the DCU if they ever get around to introducing either female Bat-hero, but with these being her last two film roles, it seems like a pattern that speaks to the mindset of DC executives regarding her character.

Well, for one thing, Babs WAS a grown woman when she made her first comic book appearance. She was a college graduate librarian with a PhD. She was far more likely to be Bruce's love interest than Dick's.

Batgirl is the codename she's best remembered for. They probably keep it for tradition more than anything else, whether she's portrayed as a teen or not.

And I'm sorry, but unless you're Dick Grayson or Barbara Gordon, I doubt WB cares about carving out a niche for most Bat Family members. Which is smart. We don't need to see a billion Batfamily members onscreen anyway. Dick, Babs, and, if Dick is Nightwing, a replacement Robin is really all that is needed.