Is DC prepping for Barbara Gordon (the original Batgirl) to return to that role? Maybe, if you’re willing to “read into” some recent solicit hints.
In a Newsarama Interview, Dan DiDio talks about the importance of the iconic representations of the DC Heroes (Supergirl as Kara Zor-El, Flash as Barry Allen, Green Lantern as Hal Jordan).
It’s not secret that the Cassandra Cain Batgirl is nowhere as popular as Babs was (or still is as Oracle). The recent restructuring of the Batman line of titles due to the “Battle for the Cowl” storyline could leave us with Barbara Gordon Batgirl.
Let’s look at the hints that DiDio drops in the interview mentioned above:
11. So there’s still a role for the second generation characters who took the role while their mentors were not in it?
DD: There will be an enormous role for them moving forward. There’s a big role for them now – Kyle is in Green Lantern Corps, so he’s never been marginalized; Wally and Connor, and even Cassandra Cain will be appearing throughout the year, and will be seen in roles where they really have a chance to shine.15. You mentioned Cassandra Cain earlier…can we at least get an idea of who it is in the title role?
DD [laughs] Why do you think she wears a mask? She doesn’t want anyone to know who she is. Seriously, I don’t want to spoil any of the excitement that’s coming up in Battle for the Cowl or Oracle: The Cure that are both coming out, but I have to say that there are plenty of clues as to who the next Batgirl will be and what her mission statement will be in her series.
Those two questions right there lead us to believe that someone will be taking over the Batgirl identity from Cassandra Cain. Is it a coincidence that in the same paragraph he mentions the full title of the Oracle mini-series (Oracle: The Cure)? I sure hope not.
I’ve never been one to gripe and moan about characters being replace. The new Superboy grew into his own. Bart Allen made a great Kid Flash. Heck, my favorite title is JSA—which is all about legacy heroes.
Still, Cassandra Cain was never Batgirl to me. The overly dark attitude and costume just didn’t appeal to me (and I’m guessing a lot of other readers). While I really enjoy what DC writers have done with Barbara Gordon and Oracle, a return to her Batgirl roots would be great. Look at the last image from Booster Gold #4. Tell me you wouldn’t read that comic.
The only issue I see with that is Batwoman (Kate Kane). With her red hair, she’s very similar—in an iconic sense—to the Babs Batgirl.
I couldn’t disagree more. To me, Barbara Gordan: Batgirl was always a boring, derivative, subordinate ‘girlicized’ character. While the Killing Joke’s treatment of her was a regrettable fridging of the worst order, the character that eventually emerged – Babara Gordan Oracle the fiery, opinionated, mature, wheelchair bound genius superhero dispatcher – is an amazing character, full of depth. Taking this character, this WOMAN, taking her years of growth and development, and reducing her to a ‘girl’, regressing her to her derivative, subordinate, 1970′s incarnation, is to me a major step in the wrong direction.
It would be as if they decided Dick Greyson was Robin again. And 13 years old.
As for Cassandra Cain, while her ongoing was, well, ongoing, she was a quite popular character for a B-lister, with sales frequently equivalent to those of Robin or Aquaman. She was hardly unpopular. And while the somewhat darker, somewhat more serious nature of her character and her book may not have been to your liking, I myself found the complexity of her character and the sharp focus of her stories to be far more engaging.
Of course, Cassandra Cain has been run through the editorial blender so many times that she’s hardly recognizable, so the real loss in this move is that of Oracle, not Cass. If this plays out like its looking right now, it will be a very sad day for me, as I watch yet another of my favorite comic book characters derailed and destroyed in the continued futile and ill conceived quest to bring back the Silver Age.
Get rid of the crap get back to what works. Barbera Gordon has always been “THE” Batgirl. Her character worked then and it will work now. I have waited 21 years for her return. I am going to enjoy every minute of it.
I’d have to go with Nik on this one.
Cass was never a Batgirl to you? Good lord, whats the point of reading comics if you can’t tell the difference between a bad character and a good one?
Oracle = win
Cassandra = win
You = fail
I have been reading comics since 1976 and I have seem some bad and good treatment given to characters. This is just my opinion, as with everyone. I just happen to like the Silver Age Batgirl version best. There is no pass or fail with opinions…sorry.
I am thrilled, have been waiting for this for a long time. Barbara Gordon was and is the only batgirl…even as Oracle we all know who she is.