Barbara Gordon's future in the DC Universe (aka: is it time for a change?)

[Osiris-Rex]

Pretty much. I've always liked the idea of this whole web of people being connected by different bonds, without anyone being a biological parent or the like. It's why I still don't like the concept of Bruce having a biological kid (Doesn't help with how he's marketed), and why I preferred it when Babs wasn't Gordon's daughter.

Barbara being Jim's daughter is the default setting for most people though. One of the big criticism I hear over and over about Gotham is how can Jim and Crazy Barbara Kean get back together to have a daughter?
Some even felt Lee would have the daughter and for some odd reason name her Barbara. It never occurs to any of them that Barbara Gordon could be Jim's niece.

[MajorHoy]

Barbara being Jim's daughter is the default setting for most people though. One of the big criticism I hear over and over about Gotham is how can Jim and Crazy Barbara Kean get back together to have a daughter?

The fact that "Crazy Barbara Kean" has nothing to do with happened in the comic books isn't enough of an explanation?

[RedQueen]

The fact that "Crazy Barbara Kean" has nothing to do with happened in the comic books isn't enough of an explanation?

and probably given the time line they've loosely established with dick being a fetus in early season, Barbara should have been born or at least conceived by now.

[Karmasaywhat]

Are your expectations for all the globe-trotting and teaming up with every super-being/"integration into the larger DC Universe" possibly a tad premature for a non-powered character based on her still limited periods of activity as Batgirl?

What exactly does premature mean in a fictional universe that has no sense of time? It's been six real world years since the start of the New 52. What I'm asking for are interesting stories that broaden the scope of the character. How many more arbitrary number of years are we supposed to wait before Barbara is deemed experienced enough to to be doing what all the other Robins have been doing?

I'm slightly annoyed with the way it seems Batgirl fans are always told to be patient and wait their turn, when you literally have thousands of pages of Robin fans worrying about their favorite character here. DC has shown that sales and having a large fanbase won't stop them from wiping Batgirls out of continuity. Might as well voice my expectations or desires somewhere.

[MajorHoy]

What exactly does premature mean in a fictional universe that has no sense of time? It's been six real world years since the start of the New 52. What I'm asking for are interesting stories that broaden the scope of the character. How many more arbitrary number of years are we supposed to wait before Barbara is deemed experienced enough to to be doing what all the other Robins have been doing?

I'm slightly annoyed with the way it seems Batgirl fans are always told to be patient and wait their turn, when you literally have thousands of pages of Robin fans worrying about their favorite character here. DC has shown that sales and having a large fanbase won't stop them from wiping Batgirls out of continuity. Might as well voice my expectations or desires somewhere.

Gee. I guess I'm silly for enjoying what we have right now and waiting to see how the writer slowly expands her story rather than rush into things that wouldn't necessarily make sense.
What was I thinking?

[Batgirll]

If you are so uncomfortable with hero comics, you may not be over the age to read hero comics. The Batgirl comic is not there to please you, and for the genre, it still sells well and more than other similar ones, besides being in competition for an Eisner, so I do not think it will change soon.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

I think you could have done a version of Barbara that became Batwoman or Flamebird but that ship has past and aint coming back.

[MajorHoy]

I think you could have done a version of Barbara that became Batwoman or Flamebird but that ship has past and aint coming back.

Well, considering they already had the Kate Kane Batwoman (who was going to get a solo-book before Flashpoint/The New52 but it got delayed until the launch of The New52), that ruled out one identity.
And having Barbara become the replacement for Bette/Flamebird/the original Bat-Girl also would have seemed like a severely questionable move.
For many people, Barbara was the original "Batgirl", whether it's from comic book stories or from the animated Batman series. It is an iconic role for her, and DC was choosing to return to many iconic identities for The New52.

[Rogue Star]

I honestly can't see her stop being Batgirl at this point, especially with the movie coming up.

But I personally think it's time for DC to move on from the Burnside version Batgirl, at least as far as main continuity is concerned, and go for a feel more in-line with the core Batfamily books, which might lend to a bigger role in the family again as well. But without the overbearing grittiness or darkness that permeated Simone's run.

I also think it would be good to give Steph and Cass their own books, or at least a vehicle to more consistently spotlight and showcase them compared to 'Tec, so there might be less in-fighting among the fans of the other Batgirls upset their favorite is getting shafted compared to Barbara as Batgirl.

Yup yup yup yup yup, so much yup!

[bat_girl_cc]

WOW!...how the mighty have fallen!...
Just a few years ago, Cass and Steph were MIA and no Babs fan would care about it, in fact every time there was a Cass and/or Steph fan rant anywhere, some Babs fans would even go as far as to poke fun at them...and now, look at them...they want a book with Cass and Steph on it with Babs, because Babs currently can't even sustain 1 book for more than 10 issues selling above 20K...i say, either forget about the Burnised angle altogether and relaunch Batgirl solo again or bring Oracle back...because making a book with current Babs Batgirl and bringging in Cass and Steph for that book with that writting and art for kids and little girls, would only ruin Cass and Steph as well...no, Cass and Steph are good on Detective Comics, with a writter that loves them, and the sales for the book are very high and have been since the start of Rebirth, so no need to change what doesn't need fixing.

[bat_girl_cc]

I hope for the best for Babs, but not at the expense of Cass and Steph, no, sorry...besides, the best for Babs its Oracle, and we all know that isn't happening...sadly.

[RedBird]

Pretty much. I've always liked the idea of this whole web of people being connected by different bonds, without anyone being a biological parent or the like. It's why I still don't like the concept of Bruce having a biological kid (Doesn't help with how he's marketed), and why I preferred it when Babs wasn't Gordon's daughter.

Understandable, I myself actually prefer the same thing, people being connected through bonds built rather than 'encoded' in their genes. That is much more interesting to me.

BUT I just don't mind it in this case since their 'true' relation as Uncle and niece doesnt ever effect whats going on in the stories, not in any way where Jim feels like an additional parent like with Dick and Bruce. And since they are both biological bonds regardless if its father/daughter, Uncle/Niece it doesnt feel like too much of a change in this case, at least not in how its written.

[OBrianTallent]

DC's use of the type of artists they have employed since the Burnside story started was what they thought would appeal to the female demographic...a style similar to manga/anime books that are extremely popular with said female demographic. That's something that comics will be continually compared to as they are basically a comic book but one that outsells American comics by the hands full.
Batgirl could definitely fill the all-ages gap that DC has right now, it's just the problem is the idea that to reach those age groups it must be watered down or simplified. (Not sure if that's a statement on the thought process of publishers or an accurate picture of the current age group though.) For me, I actually like the current run fairly well. I thought getting Dustin Nguyen on the first arc was brilliant and loved his art. Christian Wildgoose on art currently is likewise a good thing (all in my opinion.) I think Larson is attempting to take Barbara in her own direction and giving her a rogues gallery of her own. There does need to be some "maturing" of the current Batgirl look though...changing out the Doc Martins for actual super hero style boots, making the rest of her costume look less like she put it together out of a well stocked Wal-Mart, but keep the over all design, that's not the right word I'm looking for, but me brain escapes me at the moment. Keep her style purple and gold, they need their individual trademarks...dick=black/blue, Batman=black/grey, Robin=red/green...that kind of thing. (And just as an FYI for those who might not know...but the current Batwoman look one that was pitched for Barbara by Alex Ross, but DC didn't think moving Barbara out of her Oracle role was a good move for the character so the tweaked a few things here and there and ala kazam Kate Kane, the Batwoman!)
The biggest issue with Batgirl seems to be what is her role apart from the rest of the family. Currently there's not a whole lot of difference from what is told about Batwoman that couldn't have been told using Batgirl, which is why I think they keep Babs in the lighter range of stories. There have been glimmers of potential in both the Burnside runs and this one in which they utilize her photographic memory, but lost points with her lack of tech skills. Barbara should have the most tricked out costume just short of Batman. With that being said...it's high time Bats stopped by and had a chat with the girl. She lost all her stuff in a garage fire and because of that she's had to cobble everything together? I can see that playing out for a bit, but it's high time daddy Bats came in and set up a trust fund for the girl to do her super hero shopping. If she's going to run around under his brand she needs to be set up for it. Sure, have a story where she has to swallow her pride a little, but I guarantee a story about a girl who can out tech trick her gear better than any boy will get some attention...if done correctly. (Now I dont mean to imply she needs to show up in a cyborg bat suit, armored out the wazoo...but she should have some of those fabulous toys the boys get to play with and she should be upgrading them.)
She should also be a premier butt kicker. Not in Canary's league (is she even still one of the premiere martial artists of the DCU any more?), but she should absolutely be top notch. Otherwise it all comes across as "well she can't be that good because she's Bat'girl'.
All of my thoughts fall into what I think everyone else is saying about maturing her character, there definitely needs to be some forward momentum to her character and I think the current team of Hope Larson and Christian Wildgoose (that's just an amazing name) could pull it off, they just need to be given the direction to go in perhaps.

Edited to add...perhaps instead of Bruce being the one to offer Barbara the help, it could be Alfred in a nod to the old TV series (which is why DC created Barbara in the first place-as they were given the request by the producers of the tv show to create a character they could simultaneously introduce into the show.)

[Badou]

WOW!...how the mighty have fallen!...
Just a few years ago, Cass and Steph were MIA and no Babs fan would care about it, in fact every time there was a Cass and/or Steph fan rant anywhere, some Babs fans would even go as far as to poke fun at them...and now, look at them...they want a book with Cass and Steph on it with Babs, because Babs currently can't even sustain 1 book for more than 10 issues selling above 20K...i say, either forget about the Burnised angle altogether and relaunch Batgirl solo again or bring Oracle back...because making a book with current Babs Batgirl and bringging in Cass and Steph for that book with that writting and art for kids and little girls, would only ruin Cass and Steph as well...no, Cass and Steph are good on Detective Comics, with a writter that loves them, and the sales for the book are very high and have been since the start of Rebirth, so no need to change what doesn't need fixing.

I'm pretty sure the people wanting Steph and Cass in the book are the same ones that were complaining that they weren't being used and bitch about Babs being Batgirl again even though it has been 6 years already.

[MajorHoy]

. . . Now I dont mean to imply she needs to show up in a cyborg bat suit, armored out the wazoo...but she should have some of those fabulous toys the boys get to play with and she should be upgrading them . . .

That's the LAST thing she needs.

Personally, I feel Batman needs to be stripped down some. He's got his brains, his experience, his physical training . . . does he really need multiple Bat-caves around the world and even off-planet?!? Does he need his own private section in the Fortress of Solitude?!?
Batman is (supposedly) an incredible detective and a protector of Gotham City. What the fudge does he need with his own rocket?!? A budget for toys (that are quickly destroyed anyway) that could instead feed how many starving third-world countries?!?
Please, keep Barbara simpler than that. Let her protect her own turf and also have a private life.
She doesn't have to become Bat-Goddess!