scans_daily: USA Today Leaks How Barbara Gordon got her Spine Back

espanolbot (

espanolbot) wrote in

scans_daily,
@ 2011-12-12 10:40 pm UTC

Entry tags:

char: batgirl/oracle/barbara gordon, char: harley quinn/harleen quinzel, creator: gail simone, title: batgirl

USA Today Leaks How Barbara Gordon got her Spine Back

Massive Spoilers
Apparently she went to a clinic in South Africa that specialised in spinal injuries, and that's how her paralysis was cured after three years as Oracle.
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2011-12-12/Batgirl-comics-story/51830078/1?AID=4992781&PID=4003003&SID=1w5y8vwb3c6rd

IF that is the case and not just some misinformation on the part of Gail, that explanation...

Kind of leaves me underwhelmed. On the one hand, it's definately not the cop-out, cheap explanation of "her injuries weren't as bad as she thought" or "Zatanna cured you with a potion made from ground up pixies and the dreams of orphaned stampcollectors!", and is actually something of a credible explanation in reality as well...

But I don't know, something about it just doesn't seem to gel. Doesn't really have an umph impact or something.

Also, heh, so both Steph and Barbara spent some time in Africa to recover from plots involving their injuries/deaths? Okay then.

For legality, a Christmasy moment with Harley and Babs,

Ah, Kara/Babs one of the less pronounced friendships in the DCAU. Apparently they're close enough to spend Christmas together (as opposed to Kara spending it with Clark and the Kents) as stated in the Justice League Christmas episode.

(Read 73 comments) - (Post a new comment)
(Flat) (Top-level comments only)

	no subject fifthie 2011-12-13 01:09 am UTC (link)
	So are people actually seriously recovering from spinal injuries these days or is this just fake-ass comics magic dressed up as 'realism'? (Reply to this) (Thread) (Hide 7 comments) (Show 7 comments)

	no subject fifthie 2011-12-13 01:10 am UTC (link)
	Cause like if the former then GREAT and I need to pay more attention to things / if the latter then I'd kind of rather they'd gone with the less-insulting option of just having Zatanna go like ENIPS DELAEH (Reply to this) (Thread from start) (Parent)

no subject

espanolbot
2011-12-13 01:12 am UTC (link)

Depends on the injury, and whether they're building on what's actually out there or just making stuff up that sounds sciencey.

For example, they have used stem cells to cure mice that had spinal damage a few years back, and there's evidence that suggests that it might work on people... BUT stem cells are such a hot button topic that it's unlikely that they'll use it as the reason for Babs' cure.

Chances are they'll either keep it vague, or, as I said, make up something sciencey.

(Reply to this) (Thread from start) (Parent) (Thread) (Hide 4 comments) (Show 4 comments)

	no subject drexer 2011-12-13 01:26 am UTC (link)
	You know, if they used stem cells to cure her I might not be so angry at it. Because at least then they would be using the character to try and get the word out there of great and potential advances in science that can help a lot of people and which are only being kept from that through dogma and ignorance. I wouldn't bet on it though. (Reply to this) (Thread from start) (Parent)

	no subject lieut_kettch 2011-12-13 03:21 am UTC (link)
	A stem cell treatment might explain why Babs had to go to South Africa for the procedure. Less restrictive regulations on their use and all that. (Reply to this) (Thread from start) (Parent) (Thread) (Hide 1 comment) (Show 1 comment)

	no subject kenn_el 2011-12-13 03:51 am UTC (link)
	There are few regulations in the U.S. The regulations that were 'controversial' were embryonic stem cells, and that was only government use. Private use was not restricted. (Reply to this) (Thread from start) (Parent)

no subject

whitesycamore
2011-12-13 07:34 am UTC (link)

For example, they have used stem cells to cure mice that had spinal damage a few years back, and there's evidence that suggests that it might work on people... BUT stem cells are such a hot button topic that it's unlikely that they'll use it as the reason for Babs' cure.

Also, aside from any ehtical issues, the mice was had their spinal cords neatly sliced with a scalpel - that's much less messy than having a whole chunk destroyed by a speeding bullet. I think the new nerve growth only needed to bridge a gap of a few millimetres or less.

If I remember correctly, any bigger a gap than that and the axons don't reach the correct destination site and the spine ends up wired up all doolally and functionally useless.

(Reply to this) (Thread from start) (Parent)

	no subject jlbarnett 2011-12-13 03:48 am UTC (link)
	not having pieces blown out like Babs had, but then we don't know if that's the way it happened in the DCnU. Athletes are walking after having their spines compressed or swelling these days (Reply to this) (Thread from start) (Parent)

(Read 73 comments) - (Post a new comment)
(Flat) (Top-level comments only)

Account name:	Log in with OpenID?
Password:	Forget your password?
	Remember me