What is DC doing with Batgirl?

[Assam]

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.

Same on the last point. I pretty much call everyone in the Batfamily by their real names, but the Orphan name still bugs me.

The Misfit thing was just a random idea. A traditionally "non powered", even though he totally is, mantle which I think should definitely pass to a powered character is over in Marvel. I think that, especially given her recent conflict with her original inspiration, Kamala Khan would make a better Captain America than Falcon.

[millernumber1]

Same on the last point. I pretty much call everyone in the Batfamily by their real names, but the Orphan name still bugs me.

The Misfit thing was just a random idea. A traditionally "non powered", even though he totally is, mantle which I think should definitely pass to a powered character is over in Marvel. I think that, especially given her recent conflict with her original inspiration, Kamala Khan would make a better Captain America than Falcon.

That's a very interesting idea (though I agree Captain America definitely counts as powered). I don't really read a lot of Marvel (other than Renew Your Vows ), but I do love a good legacy character.

Which makes me think - what do people think about Steph becoming Night or Knightwing in the future, as BQM hinted at in the last issue of Batgirl? I personally want her to keep being Batgirl forever and ever, but I guess that flies in the face of the whole "why is a 30 year old a girl?" thing.

[Assam]

That's a very interesting idea (though I agree Captain America definitely counts as powered). I don't really read a lot of Marvel (other than Renew Your Vows ), but I do love a good legacy character.

Which makes me think - what do people think about Steph becoming Night or Knightwing in the future, as BQM hinted at in the last issue of Batgirl? I personally want her to keep being Batgirl forever and ever, but I guess that flies in the face of the whole "why is a 30 year old a girl?" thing.

As I mentioned yesterday, I like the idea Steph being the Nightwing to Tim and Cass's Batman. Nell could be Batgirl, as also depicted in the last issue of Batgirl, Damian could get his own name, and, as for Robin...either some random new kid, or, as the fanfiction writer in me wants, Steph and Cass's son made using Tim's sperm.

[VolcanikTiger86]

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.

I know what you mean but for me Babs has been treated alright by DC while Steph and Cass not so much heck I could be wrong but even Steph time as Batgirl has been marginalized if not outright erased, I know her time as Robin has been.

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.

I don’t think it was erased but I think her name was changed to Hawkfire for some reason so Flamebird is opened up.

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.

I have to disagree with this a little bit, for me it should be a legacy so
Batman – Bruce
Dick – Nightwing and Babs – Flamebird
Robin – Tim with Steph – Batgirl
BlackBat – Cassie
Tim could become Redwing or Scarletwing or heck even Red Robin while Damian is Robin and Steph becomes Spoiler.

As I mentioned yesterday, I like the idea Steph being the Nightwing to Tim and Cass's Batman. Nell could be Batgirl, as also depicted in the last issue of Batgirl, Damian could get his own name, and, as for Robin...either some random new kid, or, as the fanfiction writer in me wants, Steph and Cass's son made using Tim's sperm.

With current comics I would be on board for this but I would have Steph as Nightwing, Cass as Batwoman and Tim as Batman with Dick and Babs retired. I would also have Tim and Steph kids (a set of twins) as Robin and Batgirl with Damien maybe being the new Spoiler (that was just an idea that made me laugh)

If I was doing it I would do something like this
Babs starts as Batgirl alongside Dick as Robin for the 4/5 years that he is robin when he becomes Nightwing she becomes Flamebird while handling the reins over to Cassie. One night Bruce, Cass and Tim save Steph and in return she saves them another time, Cass with Bruce’s permission gives her Batgirl mantle because she can be a light for the rest and she assumes the Black Bat mantle. Then when they are getting older and they want to go off on their own she becomes the Spoiler, this would mean that she would start as Batgirl and wouldn’t be Robin. She would stay Spoiler until Tim takes the mantle after Dick retires and Tim would be Batman for about 10-12 years with Cass as his Batwoman and Steph as Nightwing before they retire themselves. Because of the closeness in age of the three brothers (Dick for me is about 24/25 while Tim is 16/17 and Daminen is 10).

[Assam]

I know what you mean but for me Babs has been treated alright by DC while Steph and Cass not so much heck I could be wrong but even Steph time as Batgirl has been marginalized if not outright erased, I know her time as Robin has been.

I don’t think it was erased but I think her name was changed to Hawkfire for some reason so Flamebird is opened up.

I have to disagree with this a little bit, for me it should be a legacy so
Batman – Bruce
Dick – Nightwing and Babs – Flamebird
Robin – Tim with Steph – Batgirl
BlackBat – Cassie
Tim could become Redwing or Scarletwing or heck even Red Robin while Damian is Robin and Steph becomes Spoiler.

With current comics I would be on board for this but I would have Steph as Nightwing, Cass as Batwoman and Tim as Batman with Dick and Babs retired. I would also have Tim and Steph kids (a set of twins) as Robin and Batgirl with Damien maybe being the new Spoiler (that was just an idea that made me laugh)

If I was doing it I would do something like this
Babs starts as Batgirl alongside Dick as Robin for the 4/5 years that he is robin when he becomes Nightwing she becomes Flamebird while handling the reins over to Cassie. One night Bruce, Cass and Tim save Steph and in return she saves them another time, Cass with Bruce’s permission gives her Batgirl mantle because she can be a light for the rest and she assumes the Black Bat mantle. Then when they are getting older and they want to go off on their own she becomes the Spoiler, this would mean that she would start as Batgirl and wouldn’t be Robin. She would stay Spoiler until Tim takes the mantle after Dick retires and Tim would be Batman for about 10-12 years with Cass as his Batwoman and Steph as Nightwing before they retire themselves. Because of the closeness in age of the three brothers (Dick for me is about 24/25 while Tim is 16/17 and Daminen is 10).

I don't agree with some of this, but I LOVE your idea for making Damian, Spoiler. The brat would be paying tribute to his favorite Fatgirl XD

Also, I don't see Dick and Babs ever retiring. I could see the former as the head of a spy agency, and the latter as Oracle.

[Frontier]

That's a very interesting idea (though I agree Captain America definitely counts as powered). I don't really read a lot of Marvel (other than Renew Your Vows ), but I do love a good legacy character.

Which makes me think - what do people think about Steph becoming Night or Knightwing in the future, as BQM hinted at in the last issue of Batgirl? I personally want her to keep being Batgirl forever and ever, but I guess that flies in the face of the whole "why is a 30 year old a girl?" thing.

It's actually an interesting question how old someone can be and still use a "-girl" codename unironically.

I mean, right now Babs is a 20-something young adult Batgirl, and was even initially a fairly grown woman when she initially debuted as Batgirl in past continuities.

We have a mid 20's Kara Danvers going by "Supergirl" on her TV Show. Her Earth-2 counterpart is also often a fully-grown adult woman who goes by "Power Girl" more often then not.

I think there was a point where a late 20's Imra Ardeen and her husband were still going by "Saturn Girl" and "Lightning Lad."

[Assam]

It's actually an interesting question how old someone can be and still use a "-girl" codename unironically.

I mean, right now Babs is a 20-something young adult Batgirl, and was even initially a fairly grown woman when she initially debuted as Batgirl in past continuities.

We have a mid 20's Kara Danvers going by "Supergirl" on her TV Show. Her Earth-2 counterpart is also often a fully-grown adult woman who goes by "Power Girl" more often then not.

I think there was a point where a late 20's Imra Ardeen and her husband were still going by "Saturn Girl" and "Lightning Lad."

You're right about Imra and Garth. During the 5 Years Later Era, they were fully grown adults in their late 20's, and they were still using those names.

[millernumber1]

It's actually an interesting question how old someone can be and still use a "-girl" codename unironically.

I mean, right now Babs is a 20-something young adult Batgirl, and was even initially a fairly grown woman when she initially debuted as Batgirl in past continuities.

We have a mid 20's Kara Danvers going by "Supergirl" on her TV Show. Her Earth-2 counterpart is also often a fully-grown adult woman who goes by "Power Girl" more often then not.

I think there was a point where a late 20's Imra Ardeen and her husband were still going by "Saturn Girl" and "Lightning Lad."

I don't really have a huge problem with the "girl" moniker - I just hate when people bring it up and try to justify it. Either embrace it or don't - just don't give me Calista Flockhart giving me a condescending speech about how I should be hip to it.

[VolcanikTiger86]

I don't agree with some of this, but I LOVE your idea for making Damian, Spoiler. The brat would be paying tribute to his favorite Fatgirl XD

Also, I don't see Dick and Babs ever retiring. I could see the former as the head of a spy agency, and the latter as Oracle.

To each their own, it was an idea but then again you could have her start as Spoiler and then become Batgirl and return to Spoiler but for DC to get away with it they more or less had to wipe Steph’s history.
The only way I could see Bruce, Katie, Dick or Babs retiring is when they are in their 50’s or 60’s and they can’t do the job anymore because otherwise Tim will never be Batman and Dick will hand it over to Damian heck Bruce might bypass Dick and give it to Damian its coming up in a issue of the teen titans.

[Starrius]

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.

I never wanted Barbara in the wheelchair in the first place
I always liked her as Batgirl

[Osiris-Rex]

I never wanted Barbara in the wheelchair in the first place
I always liked her as Batgirl

I didn't either. It was a stupid idea approved by a known misogynist. His exact words were "Cripple the bitch."
Even Alan Moore came to feel it was a bad idea and he never intended it to be canon.

[Rogue Star]

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.

I love Black Bat. I hope she returns to that name and look. (but I also like her current look without the mask)

[Rogue Star]

As for Barbara being in a wheelchair, I don't mind her coming out of it but she could still be Oracle and let someone else be Batgirl.

Having said that, I love Steph as Spoiler the most and I like Cassandra being Black Bat because she doesn't have to live in the shadow of Babsgirl.

[Cmbmool]

I have to admit I would love for DC to expand Barbara's overall character by letting her leave the mantel and let the Batgirl name be a more a legacy name, than a name connected to her. There are better Batgirls that deserve a chance to shine in today's media world.

[Aioros22]

Black Bat is a Pulp character created before Batman and currently in publication by Dynamite.