It just keeps getting worse and worse

[turtlefu]

Well, I thought it would never happen, I thought DC's plans for "greater diversity" was going to keep one good thing they had going. But No.

I really think I have now completely lost all faith in DC.

Comments

[mercia]

I don't understand. Why is Steph wearing a red wig?

(SHUT UP THAT'S THE STORY I'M STICKING WITH.)

[star_of_airdrie]

"Robins: dye your hair black; Batgirls: dye your hair red."

[venatosapiens]

No. Dammit, DC. No. No No No fucking no.

[nickfury90]

You forgot to mention Bruce Wayne is the only Batman again, which makes sense when you're trying to simplify the DC Comics line for new readers like you said, instead of being like, "No, there's THAT Batman, but there's another Batman who used to be Robin. Also, there's a bunch of other Batman, but they don't have their own book. "

[turtlefu]

No, I didn't forget. That was already covered in the post before me.

[darkknightjrk]

You know, I have a crackpot theory.

With JLA, they keep saying that it's an origin story of this new Justice League, which made people believe that the whole universe would actually be a LOT younger and a lot of characters like Dick might not even exist--however, one thing Johns like to do with his titles are flashbacks with "Secret Origins." He did it with Green Lantern, he did it with Superman, and Flash: Rebirth so played with Barry's origin that it kinda was a "secret" origin. All that makes me think that there's some element of flashback in that.

How does this relate to Batgirl here? Well, what if this is a flashback book? Someone like Steph is still going around as Batgirl, but this book takes place before she was paralyzed?

[nickfury90]

Well, the Batman editor said Bruce Wayne was gonna be the "one true Batman" now, so I like to think Babs here is the "One true Batgirl" as well. Unless Bruce Wayne is getting some secret origin thing in four-five books as well >_>

[crabby_lioness]

"I saw a Deadhead sticker on a Cadillac
Little voice inside my head said
'Don't look back, you can never look back'"......

[an_idol_mind]

Well, that's dumb.

[zechs80]

Good job DC you managed to piss off three fanbases (Oracle, Steph, and Cass) at the same time. Good luck keeping this book afloat.

[nezchan]

Well, if Cass is still around as Black Bat, she dodges that particular bullet.

[sherkahn]

How long before DC realizes this was all a major mistake?

[zechs80]

Well it took them three months before they realized it was wrong when they did it for Battle for the Cowl. Will it be done in less time? Considering there's a VERY STRONG nay for this to begin with (someone at CBR made a thread of Babs being back as Batgirl with a yay or nay).

[star_of_airdrie]

The bigger question is how long will it take for us to realize that they don't care that they know they a) are making a big mistake and they b) don't care about us.

Has DiDio ever shown he cares about the readers?

[runespoor]

Given that they tried this move two years ago and had to retreat due to the impopularity... I agree with the idea that they already know.

They just don't give a damn, because when their editorial policy is disappointing, they decide to reboot the whole thing.

[lorriek]

It looks like they're getting rid of everything I liked. The DCU isn't being made more "new-reader friendly". It's just getting dumbed down. Someone who makes the choice to read a comic isn't going to be put off by having to puzzle out the characters' histories, especially since there are handy little boxes that tell readers the basics at the start of each issue. These potential new readers who need everything simple are entirely fictional.

[arbre_rieur]

"especially since there are handy little boxes that tell readers the basics at the start of each issue"

If a reader needs a boring info-dump before they can begin enjoying the story, the writing's already failed.

[star_of_airdrie]

I had the most horrifying thought - are they going to reboot Tiny Titans?

[elf]

DCU blog said they're rebooting *everything.* Every title in the DC Universe. With Detective Comics announced as a reboot, that shows that yes, they're willing to throw away 75 years of history, and of course all the newer titles are getting restarted as well.

I have no idea what they think this is going to accomplish. I don't believe there are swarms of would-be comic buyers just waiting for simplified histories before they'll start buying.

[cloud_wolf]

It kinda says a lot that most reactions to this are wailing and the gnashing of teeth. I really don't think this is going to get them a lot more readers and I really think they pissed off a lot of people who got into the Batfamily in the last couple of years.

[star_of_airdrie]

Who IS it going to attract? I'll read the old books if I want to relive the good ol' days...

[rdfox]

Two possibilities (which I haven't checked, admittedly).

One, this is for the main DCU, in which case cue CornetteFace and Maffew-fonted "FUCK THIS COMPANY" from me.

Two, maybe, just maybe, this is an All-Star Batgirl thing. Wasn't AH supposed to be doing something with that, long ago?

[mrstatham]

No. Hughes already confessed on his Twitter that he's doing covers for this series.

[greenmask]

How old would you have to be for "redhead batgirl" to be a proper oh, of course nostalgia wave?

[cloud_wolf]

More than a decade ago if you're thinking about the DCAU. More than two if you're actually talking about the comics. =_=

[jarodrussell]

So they finally decided that stories featuring only the top half of Batgirl were kind of laaargely boring and decided to re-affix her to the bottom half. Well, good for them. I'm sure Ray Tate will be happy about this.

[evilsneak]

My gut is telling me this whole thing is just DC starting their own "Ultimates" line.

So I'm gonna withhold my rage until it's proven otherwise.

[mrstatham]

With 52 new titles? And all of the old books going away while they do it? They've already said it's a revamp, that they're making the characters iconic, whilst streamlining things and making it easy for newer readers. Besides, the Earth One stuff counts as their Ultimate line, already.

[anothermoviegeek]

So Bruce is back to being the only Batman and Damien will be his Robin.
It is looking like Dick will be Nightwing again and Babs is going to be "cured" and be Batgirl.

So where does that leave Tim? Since it is looking like the concept of Batman Inc is going bye bye, I have already accepted that Cass and Steph will be erased from existence.

[majingojira]

One of the things that really gets me about the "Status Quo" of the mainstream comic worlds is that...there is none. As soon as it seems to be settled on a paradigm, an event, retcon or other concept comes along and changes everything, or that makes the previous status-quo irrelevant.

If the writers can't really settle in to tell a story, why is it worth getting involved?

[majingojira]

If at first you succeed, try-try again to recapture that success in increasingly hackneyed ways and fail every time.

[q99]

DC just needs a change in decision makers.

[q99]

But Steph-Batgirl was awesome. And everyone loves Oracle.

[jarodrussell]

Not really. People like Batgirl In A Wheelchair, and they call her Oracle because it's easier to say than "Batgirl In A Wheelchair," but we haven't seen Oracle in a long, long time. In a month or two, no one will even remember or care about Oracle.

*Incomprehensible Screaming*

[espanolbot]

You all laughed at me, but NOW you'll see.

YOU'LL ALL SEE!!!!

Re: *Incomprehensible Screaming*

[turtlefu]

If there is one thing I learned from s_d, it is that, when it comes to matters of Batgirl, you are almost always right.

[kd_the_movie]

Wow.

Thats really all I can say.

[pepperspray101]

*HEADDESKING, HEADDESKING, HEADDESKING*

I KNEW IT. I FUCKING KNEW IT. Cass getting some recognition should've been a sign that she was soon going to disappear. WHY DC?? WHY DO YOU ALWAYS FUCKING DO THAT?? Always with female characters too, oh, we're gonna do something bad to them...let's do something great real quick before we fuck them up!

FUCK YOU DC. YOU DON'T DESERVE MY MONEY!

and btw...EWWW, what is with that piece of mask over her chin? I never liked that design, looks weird.

[fifthie]

Everything with Cass in it post OYL has been either 1. total shit or 2. mediocre shit that's still ultimately derived from the previous total shit.

The best favor DC could do me at this point is let her be raptured up into retcon heaven and never write stories about her again.

[charlieijoker]

I like it.

[pepperspray101]

*holds a crowbar above your head*

[anothermoviegeek]

my only hope out of this is we get Babs on the cover and this "origin" issue shows us how she USED to be Batgirl and then go with whatever happened to her (whatever that may be now) to become Oracle. And then at the end Steph is still our current Batgirl. But I know I am living in a dream world.

Congrats DC, more than likely you just saved me lots of money every month. I am not against reboots and retcons, but this just seems like it is going too far and destroying what is currently really good in the DC world. I will happily admit that my favorite days lately have been when Batman and Robin, Red Robin and Batgirl come out. Now, I have no idea what will entertain me.

[shadowpsykie]

im thinking "Origin story" too. so as i said above, hopeful but not optimistic

[hero_of_lallor]

Change the purple to yellow and I'm good with this.

BATGIRL'S BACK Y'ALL!

I'm happy. Deal with it. ;)

[benicio127]

Deal with it. ;)

Excuse me?

People are angry because it's erasing one of the few representations of differently abled persons in comics. A group that is marginalized and has very few representations of themselves in the first place. A group that, through the potential of a 'magical cure' to make Barbara Gordon walk again, will feel like they are being erased and that only able bodied persons can be superheroes. A group that has come to recognize her as one of their own for the past 23 years. Respect that.