Batgirl #5 cover

[nevermore999.insanejournal.com]

DC Source just posted the cover for Batgirl #5 and I think it's super cool looking.

I really like the look of her costume here. Looks better than the other cover.

In fact, it would make a good icon. I need a Steph!Batgirl icon. Too bad my laptop doesn't have any image software right now...I'll go look for some.

Also, check out the latest DC Nation again here: http://www.dccomics.com/dcu/news/?nw=13569

Some interesting points:

*They DID seriously consider putting Babs in the Batgirl suit.

*Once again, it's reiterated that there will be big plans in 2010 for "everyone's favorite non-lethal assassin" (Cass).

*DiDio states he did agree to kill Stephanie. And apparently it was his idea to make her Robin. MAKE UP YOUR MIND WHOSE IDEA IT WAS GUYS.

Comments

[darthnat.insanejournal.com]

I love Phil Noto's art, but I think it's kind of a boring composition. Nothing about it really intrigues me as to the story that will unfold within the pages.

[darklorelei.insanejournal.com]

I'm inclined to agree, although at least she isn't an amputee, which I'm sure she'd be in some similarly composed covers.

[espanolbot.insanejournal.com]

Ooo, pretty. :)

No idea what her facial expression is meant to be though.

[nevermore999.insanejournal.com]

She looks kind of determined and harried to me. Like "Ah, another day as a vigilante...I hate it when my cape catches on fire!"

[thokstar.insanejournal.com]

Steph's been using a bit too much of the purple eggplant deodorant. :P

[sailorlibra.insanejournal.com]

To me, it looks like Supergirl's pretending to be Batgirl. Which, admittedly, would be awesome.

[nevermore999.insanejournal.com]

Great, now I can't unsee it.

[04nbod.insanejournal.com]

Well Bruce did teach her and helped make her costume.

[schmevil.insanejournal.com]

I really like the look of her costume here. Looks better than the other cover.

Agreed. I think we're starting to get a feel for how the costume will look in action.

[thebigapricot.insanejournal.com]

Gail said they seriously wanted Misfit to be Batgirl. She also said she worked on a treatment (didn't say who but I assume it wasn't Misfit as she was opposed to it). So this sketchy to me.

It was also Dan's idea not to put her costume in the Batcave wasn't it.

There is a page in the new issue that discusses how you're costume gets displayed. Let me see if I can post it.

[interrobamf.insanejournal.com]

It was also Dan's idea not to put her costume in the Batcave wasn't it.

I'm pretty sure nobody gave it any thought till fans started complaining.

[parsimonia.insanejournal.com]

Gail said they seriously wanted Misfit to be Batgirl.

Really? I hadn't heard that before! Interesting. Well, that would make her introduction make a bit more sense.

[daningram.insanejournal.com]

I love how he says that they couldn't use Cass because of past actions. Wonder who was responsible for said mandates...

[darthnat.insanejournal.com]

He doesn't really say that, but rather that they "wanted a change", so Cass was kicked out of consideration. At least we're hearing from the horse's mouth that there are plans for her. And I hope these 'big' plans aren't something like "ENJOY THIS CASS SERIES WRITTEN BY ADAM BEECHEN/SEAN MCKEEVER/OTHER D-LIST DC WRITER"

[trelas.insanejournal.com]

Actually Didio's confession about making her Robin does make some sense. I know that Willingham was a driving force behind that, but it always struck me weird that the editorial would agree to such a major change as they had already begun the road to War Games and build that dynamic between Steph and Bruce, which actually extremely beautiful with Steph not understanding Bruce's motivation and Bruce unable to explain it to her. So to have Didio, who at that point was moving up the ladder, to put his weight behind the decision would explain the move, although I do think that it was an extremely unprofessional thing to do as he had to have known that Batbooks were already lined up with the idea and had published parts of that story.

As for the rest of the DC Nation, the thing is that even though I don't agree with everything he's done, I have respect for Didio because I understand it's a difficult job he has and because I do think he is doing what he thinks is best for the company in the long run. However reading that DC Nation was difficult because I almost screamed at the monitor at points. For instance he's point about making Babs Batgirl again as both Barry and Hal were back, and this from a guy who just recently said that one of the great things about DCU is that it is constantly changing. The fact that he explained that one of the moves for the Steph push was for the reaction to her death, but neglecting to really point out how they mangled the death from the moment it was done, with WAR CRIMES being the biggest problem and basically destroying a character far more important to the Batverse than Steph in the process.

Sorry about the rant, just frustrating to read that Nation.

[daso.insanejournal.com]

*They DID seriously consider putting Babs in the Batgirl suit.

Not that surprised considering how well Silver Age sells compared to Modern Age. Nice to have it confirmed regardless.

[jaybee3.insanejournal.com]

If anyone read Didio's comments, it just proves that while he may be a nice guy in person (as some say he is) I just can't understand some of his thinking (like the Countdown being 52 "done right" comment). Reading that told me that what I always expected: that no matter what he says about other options, Steph was ALWAYS going to be Batgirl.

I'm sorry I find it hard to believe that they really considered Wendy (recently disabled and mangled by a crazed killer dog in Teen Titans), Bette (who Rucka already planned on using for her connection to Kate Kane) or Misfit (a meta-human with Superpowers in a Bat-Suit?). I don't believe Babs was really "this close" to being Batgirl again. She's a woman in her late 20s, she's close to the same age as the rookie by comparison Kate Kane (who calls herself BatWOMAN), as Oracle she's become more important to the DCU than Batgirl ever was and if they suddenly made her walk again all the disabled groups would rightly protest. As for Cass, he out and out admits they never were going to have her be Batgirl because they were determined on the "change". Hence, Steph. So was the "Who is Batgirl" nonsense really necessary?

And now am I supposed to be positive that you are going to do right by a character who you just admitted you ONLY made Robin so her death would have "meaning" (which other than turning Leslie Thompkins into basically a murderer it didn't). Stephanie meant so little to DC that he now jokes about the fact that fans were wondering where her "memorial" (ala Jason) was. As if readers weren't wondering about that for YEARS. Now she's Batgirl. If they didn't respect her as Spoiler or as Robin, now that they've had Cass just toss her the costume (in one page no less), we're supposed to just accept that as REAL character development on both their parts and not just another Editorial gimmick (see Amazons Attack, Catwoman's Baby, the Artie Joe Aquaman or any of the other lame OYL storylines)? Oy vey.

The covers are nice looking but with no more "who is Batgirl" talk to drive up hype and with the "Spoiler is Batgirl" news out of the bag, as is the new purple/black Batgirl outfit (I actually like the one on this cover better) I really wonder who exactly this book is being targeted to. I don't think Steph has a huge fanbase of Bat-fans that will just bring people to the book and by putting Barbara in the background as a supporting player and Cass basically out of action till "2010", all of the Batgirl fans will just continue to wait and see. That can't help sales.

OK, rant over. Sorry. Didio sometimes just does that to me (Queseda too).

[lencannon.insanejournal.com]

Well, Didio isn't writing her book and, let's be honest, if she doesn't perform as Batgirl, we probably won't see her again period except to be saved by Tim for all eternity. Just enjoy it and hope she sticks around.

[goblinthebamf.insanejournal.com]

I need a Steph!Batgirl icon. Too bad my laptop doesn't have any image software right now...I'll go look for some.

try gimp (http://www.gimp.org/).

[blakeyrat.insanejournal.com]

Paint.NET (http://www.getpaint.net/) is easier to use, if slightly less feature-full. So there.

[retro_nouveau.insanejournal.com]

Ok, Steph, that's enough swan-dive. Start reaching for a batgrapple any time now. Mental note to self, cut out the caffeine for the week before Steph!Batgirl Wednesdays from now on. I wonder if she'll also get the blame for this second building going boom.

"Big plans in 2010" makes me happier.

I'm not going to have any Steph!Batgirl icons. Unless she has a ponytail one day, then I'll be sorely tempted.

[stig.insanejournal.com]

Gosh, that mask covers her face so well...I'd never be able to identify who she is!

[kenn_el.insanejournal.com]

As opposed to whose masks that DO perform the function? Dick's? Bruce's? Tim's? Helena's? Kate's? I doubt Cass's bondage hood was all THAT easy to maneuver in. And the mask isn't any less sensible than the cape. In fact, even without masks, most teen blondes look alike to me.

[taggerung301.insanejournal.com]

hopefully these big plans for my favorite non-lethal assassin will be good

[04nbod.insanejournal.com]

I wonder who convinced Dan not to have babs back, i want to know where to send the hate mail. This whole thing has been anti climactic. Babs returning would have been huge, steph is a nobody.

[ashez2ashes.insanejournal.com]

And I will send them flowers to counteract yours. And maybe the basket will have a purple stuffed bunny. Maybe.

[xdoop.insanejournal.com]

[bariman1987.insanejournal.com]

You've been getting a lot of use out of that .gif lately.

[halloweenjack.insanejournal.com]

That utility garter still needs to be reduced to more of a thigh-holster, but otherwise it's looking quite nice.

[parsimonia.insanejournal.com]

I'm not sure I like Cass being labelled as "everyone's favourite non-lethal assassin". Or has that been her tag line before?

[nevermore999.insanejournal.com]

Well, her skills are specifically designed for assassination...and she is non-lethal...it reminded me of Onyx saying "You've got a killer's instinct, kid...divert them, don't supress them." So I didn't mind it too much.