What is DC doing with Batgirl?

[Frontier]

Never say never. Wasn't it just two years back that Didio said there wouldn't be any reboots post-New 52? And Black Wally was supposed to be the "real" Wally.

Babs's intro in the DCEU will be very influential. We know that some variation of A Death in the Family did take place, but did The Killing Joke take place in the movie universe too? If it did, then chances are good that Barbara is Oracle and may debut in one of the planned Batfilms: Batman, Nightwing or Gotham City Sirens.

Well, Rebirth isn't exactly a reboot .

And I think the Wally's is a good example of what I'm talking about. Wally II was meant to be the only Wally but now we have both Wally's active in the DCU.

Likewise, we now have all the Batgirls active as Superheroes, with Steph as Spoiler, Cass as Orphan (could find a better name), and Babs as Batgirl.

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

Likewise, we now have all the Batgirls active as Superheroes, with Steph as Spoiler, Cass as Orphan (could find a better name), and Babs as Batgirl.

The big difference there, though, is that Steph and Cass were never Batgirls and, honestly, that's really annoying. God, I miss Steph as Batgirl as opposed to the whiny noob we're currently getting in 'Tec.

[millernumber1]

I still say Brunside should have had Babs keep that rouge AI and turn it into a phone app for superheros called Oracle.

Or something that wasn't just a giant middle finger to the idea of Babs as Oracle?

Is it bad that I want Babs to give the Batgirl identity back to Cass or Steph and go back to being Oracle? Not saying I want her also back in the wheelchair, but can't we have her and the classic BoP set up back? She was much more interesting IMO as the information broker of the DCU.

The big difference there, though, is that Steph and Cass were never Batgirls and, honestly, that's really annoying. God, I miss Steph as Batgirl as opposed to the whiny noob we're currently getting in 'Tec.

I am also annoyed. Oracle was something unique to Babs. Batgirl is a legacy, more interesting to me in the way the new girls use it than the OG Batgirl who should have moved on to better things.

But I would be okay with League of Batgirls (before Tynion got put on Tec, I used to fantasize about Batgirl Eternal... ).

[Assam]

IMO, Barbara should have never been taken out of the wheelchair. She's terrible as Batgirl, and awesome as Oracle. They may be back now, but Steph and Cass are still shells of their former selves. The two of them, Pre-Flashpoint, are my favorite members of the Bat Family, and, were it up to me, Barbara would be crippled, Steph would be Robin, and Cassandra would be Batgirl.

[RedQueen]

As long as they got their personalities, I don't think Batgirl should be a competitive mantel. A lot of people want the order to completely skip over Cass but to me she is always gonna have the strongest connection to it.

If Babs won't be Oracle again DC really needs to just give her a new codename or something because she's always gonna have the Batgirl v Oracle debate baggage following her around so might as well just give her something new to work with because otherwise there's just gonna be so much deconstruction of her character about which mantel serves her better. If DC don't want her to be Oracle but keep devolving her as Batgirl, then they have to move on from both mantels because it hurts Barbara's character to being basically pigeonholed to fit a role. Let it her evolve into something else because otherwise it's always going to be Batgirl v Oracle.

[The_Greatest_Username]

Batgirl is more popular now than she's ever been. I don't see DC taking Babs out of that role anytime soon.

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

I am also annoyed. Oracle was something unique to Babs. Batgirl is a legacy, more interesting to me in the way the new girls use it than the OG Batgirl who should have moved on to better things.

I agree! Babs wasn't even the OG Batgirl. She may be the more famous one because of media exposure, but the original was Bette Kane.




And, Oracle really was the better role for Babs. She was more mature as Oracle. Again, she doesn't have to go back into the wheelchair, but she was just more mature as the information broker of the DCU.

But I would be okay with League of Batgirls (before Tynion got put on Tec, I used to fantasize about Batgirl Eternal... ).

I would seriously love that. Hopefully, if Rebirth does end up putting Cass and Steph's tenures as Batgirl back in canon, we could see that come to fruition.

[Godlike13]

Or something that wasn't just a giant middle finger to the idea of Babs as Oracle?

How is that a middle finger to Oracle? AI's like Siri and phone apps is where technology is at. Babs developing a AI that can do some of the simpler tasks Oracle would facilitate would be modern progression. Even if she was still Oracle i think it would be a good way to go with her character. Oracle could literally be everywhere, and it would reflect the technology of today.

[millernumber1]

How is that a middle finger to Oracle? AI's like Siri and phone apps is where technology is at. Babs developing a AI that can do some of the simpler tasks Oracle would facilitate would be modern progression. Even if she was still Oracle i think it be a good way to go with her character. Oracle could literally be everywhere, and it would reflect the technology of today.

The AI was evil, meaning Babs's legacy during her time in the wheelchair was evil. The legacy of Oracle in Birds of Prey was great good - Black Canary and Huntress set on a better path, Oracle held back from her more Orwellian tendencies, hundreds saved, villains foiled. I don't have a problem with Babs developing an AI (I loved the robot cancer storyline in Birds of Prey, after all). I have a problem with Oracle being a destructive legacy, rather than one that is "Born of Hope."

[VolcanikTiger86]

Here is an idea what if Barbara become Flamebird or if you want Flamebat and Steph became Batgirl just an idea.
Cass could do with a new or old codename BlackBat maybe.
Just on the table.

[millernumber1]

I love BlackBat, though I don't love any of her stories except for Gates of Gotham. Babs...I just don't find her character is really enhanced by being Batgirl, after being so awesome as Oracle, so I don't see that a namechange would make me happy so much as making her a different kind of operator.

[Digifiend]

I take it New 52 erased Bette Kane's tenure as Flamebird from continuity? Though if Rebirth undoes N52's changes, then she'd be back and the name would thus be taken. It WOULD fit Babs though, as the name has connections to Nightwing - Batgirl was always meant to be Robin's distaff counterpart.

[Assam]

I love BlackBat, though I don't love any of her stories except for Gates of Gotham. Babs...I just don't find her character is really enhanced by being Batgirl, after being so awesome as Oracle, so I don't see that a namechange would make me happy so much as making her a different kind of operator.

Gates of Gotham is kinda the only good Black Bat story, save for Batgirl: Convergence. I'd say it should be:

Oracle: Barbara Gordon

Robin: Stephanie Brown

Black Bat: Cassandra Cain

Batgirl: I dunno, let Misfit have a go at it.

And as for Damian, give the kid his own identity. Vampbat or something.

And let the name "Orphan" never be mentioned again. I really don't know why Tynion didn't just bring back the Black Bat name.

[Caivu]

I take it New 52 erased Bette Kane's tenure as Flamebird from continuity? Though if Rebirth undoes N52's changes, then she'd be back and the name would thus be taken. It WOULD fit Babs though, as the name has connections to Nightwing - Batgirl was always meant to be Robin's distaff counterpart.

She was still Flamebird, it's just a bit unclear for how long. She mentions having fought Deathstroke.

[millernumber1]

Gates of Gotham is kinda the only good Black Bat story, save for Batgirl: Convergence. I'd say it should be:

Oracle: Barbara Gordon

Robin: Stephanie Brown

Black Bat: Cassandra Cain

Batgirl: I dunno, let Misfit have a go at it.

And as for Damian, give the kid his own identity. Vampbat or something.

And let the name "Orphan" never be mentioned again. I really don't know why Tynion didn't just bring back the Black Bat name.

Ahahahaha. I love Misfit, but I don't think Batgirl should have superpowers. I'd rather she just be part of the Birds of Prey again.

I'm really curious to see if Orphan continues after this arc of Tec, since I'm pretty sure Cass will learn that Shiva is her mother, meaning she's not an orphan anymore. Tynion wanted to make Cass have a Darth Vader kills the Emperor sort of moment, which is why he chose to make her codename Orphan. I don't hate it, but I also don't think it's very iconic or builds the character up that much. I just call her "Cass" in my head anyway.