Preview of Batgirl #10

[thebigapricot]

DCU's The Source has the preview up. Ugh, get rid of the Calculator, please. And is he really the equal of Babs with computers? But squee for Babs mentioning THE BIRDS. And as a public service announcement, ignore the editor's note to "See Oracle: the Cure". Just don't.


Tags char: spoiler/robin/batgirl/steph brown, creator: bryan q. miller, creator: lee garbett, publisher: dc comics, title: batgirl, char: batgirl/oracle/barbara gordon

Comments

[zemo]

Sure hope he is her equal. Superior heroes are boring.

[q99]

I don't think he's quite her equal in computers, but he's close enough, and what he is equal in is depth of people to call in for jobs. Calculator's role is that of a coordinator sorta like Babs and the Birds.

[silverzeo]

But didn't Titans said that Melvin and Wendy were twins?

[jaybee3]

I'd like to say (based on Oracle's words) that Calculator should have targeted Misfit instead (i.e. a daughter for a daughter) which would have made more sense as a plot IMO but since according to Miller, Charlie (and Cass) apparently never factor into Bab's mind at all, Calculator could go after them and Barbara could care less (now that she has Steph and Wendy to mentor). That's just how the "Batgirl" version of Barbara seems IMO.

Yeah, I know. I'm reaching. But how is it we're supposed to believe Wendy (!) is so important to Babs but two teenage girls who actually looked on her as a surrogate parent are not. Really?

[bluejaybirdie]

Yeah, the Cass and Charlie thing really, really bothers me. It's not cool for parents (or parental figures) to abandon their kids, ever.

[halialkers]

Technically a good surrogate parent wouldn't allow his ward to dress up in a costume and go up against guys like the Joker and Two-Face to start with.

I'm just saying......

[q99]

In Miller's defense, targeting a teleporter or Cassandra Cain is *hard*.

[alienist]

Calculator tried to tell people to go after Cass.

They laughed at him.

[punishermax]

Can someone explain why Marvin and Wendy are actually canon? Was there really a lack of insanely annoying fuckers that they had to import?

[jaybee3]

Given the fact that shortly after first appearing they had Marvin and Wendy mauled (on-panel) by an monstrous version of Wonder Dog and Marvin killed off and Wendy crippled for life, I personally think this is one of those things where they were just "created" in the DCU so DC execs could then get off on destroying them as gruesomely as possible.

No matter how annoying the cartoon versions were, I think what was done and the manner it was done (for those have seen the issue in question of TT) was tasteless and over-the-top - just like most of DC's killing of kids these days (for instance, fresh from offing Lian Harper, how many thousands more kids were murdered when DC - and James Robinson, again - just blew up New Krypton and killed almost everyone on it).

[q99]

Far less annoying versions, mind, and they're recognizable and have a little nostalgia factor.

[fifthie]

I dig that they're drawing Barbara with the "The Batman"-Batgirl's hair; that look owned.

[halialkers]

So wait-she ditches kids who see her as a parental figure for Wendy? I guess this is typical of the DCU, where one's villain status is dependent on either blood, being ugly, or being Always Chaotic Evil and where the heroes Mind-Wipe people to cover their bad deeds and don't give a shit about killing Medusa but *do* about Maxwell Lord.

Just figured the Oracle would be a *bit* less of a dick than the other heroes, but alas.....

[jaybee3]

Just figured the Oracle would be a *bit* less of a dick than the other heroes, but alas.....

And this is the problem I've had with how Miller's been writing Barbara since Issue #1. I can't wait till Gail takes the character over.

[bluefall]

So wait-she ditches kids who see her as a parental figure for Wendy?

Yeah... I really, really loathe Wendy. When it's just Steph, I can sort of handwave the Charlie/Cass issue. She has, after all, known Steph forever, and this is a pretty natural evolution of a longstanding association that doesn't particularly duplicate or evoke anything other than itself. Cass-Babs versus Steph-Babs is like Dick-Bruce versus Tim-Bruce (well, pre-bullshit adoption Tim); the costume name may be the same, but the relationships are completely unrelated, and nothing about Steph's story really invites comparison with Barbara's actual kids.

Wendy, on the other hand, is exactly what Cass and Charlie were. Steph needs training, and a friend. Wendy needs saving, and a parent. The parallel is too strong; you cannot put Wendy on-panel with Babs trying desperately to reach her and help her and take her under her wing and not have it be a blatant, screaming reminder of the last two times she did exactly the same thing with two completely other girls who've been kicked to the curb with sneering contempt. It doesn't work. I can fanwank or ignore the disrespect and character derailment only so long as they don't bring it up, and that's exactly what they're doing every time they give a panel to Wendy.

[daningram.insanejournal.com]

So in several pages, they can reference other pointless issues that barely connect to the plot, but Millar can't explain where Misfit and Cass are, can't be bothered to show Steph's origin or motivation and apparently can't create an original plot for Oracle.

...why do people like this series?

[thebigapricot]

The Misfit thing bothers me, but Gail Simone has said that she will be in BoP so that will be cleared up very soon. As far as Cass, who knows what editorial has told him? If you have fuzzy Bat family in Red Robin and no mention of Cass and a blackout on the character from Morrison, I hardly think Miller should be singled out for not using her.

I don't get what you are saying about Steph's origin or motivation. I think her motivation has been clear from issue one and as far as her origin, for a first year I think was Spoiler/now Batgirl is appropriate.

[sistermagpie]

I'm not remembering The Cure now...did Babs take Wendy away? How much contact to Wendy and Barbara have? Doesn't Wendy choose whether she wants to have contact with her father or not? How old is she?

[thebigapricot]

At the end of the Cure, Wendy loses feeling in her legs and Babs tells Wendy she'll help her as he Calculator is dragged off to prison. Their contact since has been what's been shown in Batgirl. I would assume that Wendy could have contact with her father if she wanted to and could locate him.

[victory_or_death]

The Cure?

Babs took Wendy away at 10:15 Saturday Night. They were each Jumping Someone Else's Train so they had to wait to contact each other Another Day. I think it might have been Sunday. Ultimately Wendy chooses to contact her father because even though Boys Don't Cry she doesn't want him to be sad. But you might have to question the Accuracy of that last statement. So What if I'm wrong? I'll be over here Kissing an Arab, and she'll just love my little toy I've nicknamed Plastic Passion (don't ask); but I digress. In any case, Wendy travels to Egypt and starts a Fire in Cairo, which Babs has to put out with her Three Imaginary Boys (I'm assuming it was Batman, Nightwing , and Red Robin). Afterwards Babs decided to head back to Gotham, so she grabbed another train all the while singing a Subway Song. I'm not sure what happened after that because the story suddenly came to a Grinding Halt.

[retro_nouveau]

I like when Steph kicks. She should kick a lot. Kicking in a cartwheel combo, now that's just showing off. And of course I love it.

"Barb"? The artists are getting that Babs doesn't do handles, which is cool -- but this artist has Babs throwing a bat shadow just before she goes in the elevator, which is VERY cool.

I hope it isn't the last that Steph sees of Babs when Wendy takes over. They should meet up at Waffle House one morning every few months or so.

[benicio127]

Wendy is taking over??!

I wouldn't mind if Steph became an honourary BoP, tbh. Oh yeah. AND CASS. Yeah, DC. Where is Cass?

Love that icon, too.

[hurricane-jam.livejournal.com]

...huh, think I'm gonna have to root for the Calculator on this one.

[psychopathicus_rex]

I could be wrong, but should she really be referring to 'the Birds'? I thought the whole 'Birds of Prey' thing was just the title of the comic, and in-universe they don't actually have a name.

[thebigapricot]

They did use it in the book but Babs, IIRC, didn't care for it.

[lyraeinne]

AJFKALS Excuse me while I hyperventilate over the really freaking hot Steph all crouchy and awesome looking, there.

There's not a whole lot unique or engaging about the Calculator, but I don't mind him sticking around for now. Steph and Babs are in need of a few joint adversaries.