Batgirl (2009 comic book): Difference between revisions

[[File:Batgirl_2_9190.jpg|thumb|300px|What, this? Oh, it's nothing, just my gargoyle. Why, don't ''you'' have one? <ref>'Its a Grotesque. Gargoyles have water spouts'</ref> ]]

 

 

''Batgirl'' was an ongoing monthly comic-book series written by Bryan Q. Miller with pencils and inks done by Lee Garbett and Trevor Scott. Running from 2009 to 2011, this series features Stephanie Brown as [[Batgirl]], [[Legacy Character|the third person to bear the title]], while she simultaneously attends Gotham University. This is the second ongoing series to be named after and feature the [[Batgirl]] character; the previous series focused on the preceding Batgirl, Cassandra Cain.

* [[Always Someone Better]]: When [[Supergirl]] guest-stars in issue #14 she is better than Batgirl at seemingly everything. Apart from her natural superpowers, she also has a greater zest for college life than Stephanie ever had and can easily follow the [[Techno Babble|explanation for rampaging Draculas]] because she is of the science guild. However, unlike most examples of this trope, Stephanie likes her all the more because [[The Ace|she is just so awesome]].

* [[And the Adventure Continues...]]: The final line of the series is Stephanie's narration as she swings into the Gotham night for her next adventure.

* [[Ascended Fangirl]]: In the [[Lotus Eater Machine|Black Mercy inspired visions]] of issue #24, the final panel shows Stephanie, now an adult woman operating as Knightwing, with her own Batgirl partner. This young woman is Nell, the child that Batgirl encountered numerous times throughout the series and was her biggest fan and ardent supporter.

* [[Badass Normal]]: Like the rest of the Bat-family, Stephanie relies on skill, training, determination (and plenty of gadgets) to triumph over creatures with abilities far beyond normal man.

* [[Character Development]]: The theme of the series seems to be growing up in both the literal and figurative sense, with Stephanie Brown going to college and also approaching superhero work with a more mature and developed attitude. Wendy continues her character development that began after her brutal mauling in the [[Teen Titans (Comic Book)|Teen Titans]] series, where [[Superfriends|she and her brother Marvin]] were minor supporting characters that were [[The Scrappy|heavily disliked by fans]] until [[Alas, Poor Scrappy|their brutal exit from the series]]. She is coming to grips with being a paraplegic and reinventing herself as the superhero-in-training [[Playful Hacker|Proxy]] with the counseling and guidance of both Dr. Leslie Thompkins and Barbara Gordon.

* [[Chekhov's Gun]]: Stephanie [[Lampshade Hanging|actually quotes the maxim]], pointing out that nobody steals a gun unless they are planning to use it for something.

* [[Cherry Tapping]]: Supergirl is so unimpressed by the Reapers that when she fights [[Super Speed|Slipstream]], she defeats him with an [[Offhand Backhand]] while ''checking her nails''.

* [[Children Are Innocent]]: Stephanie is a firm believer that kids should have a chance to ''be'' kids, and Damien Wayne's upbringing and current lifestyle disturbs her to no end. When she discovers that he does not even know how to ''play'', [[Tear Jerker|apart from causing her heart to break just a little bit]], she brings him to a moon bounce so that he get a start on learning how to be a child.

* [[Damsel in Distress]]: Stephanie points out that [[Inverted Trope|Detective Nick Gage is the "damsel" in their relationship]].

* [[Dare to Be Badass]]:

'''Barbara Gordon:''' "It's time for Wendy Harris to decide what she wants to do with her future. [[Hacker Cave|Firewall]] is upgraded and ready to go whenever you are. Batgirl will be out on patrol soon. You have the ability to be so much more than you believe you can be."<br />

'''Proxy:''' "Look, Barbara..."<br />

* [[Flash Back]]: Frequently employed to [[How We Got Here|bring readers up to speed]].

* [[For the Evulz]]:

'''Miranda:''' "Because we ''can''!" }}

* [[Fumbling the Gauntlet]]: While in Limbo Town, Stephanie is trying to strike up a conversation with a native witch, but when Stephanie tries to complement the witch on her bonnet and asks where she got it the witch interprets that as a questioning of her craftmanship skills. [[Sure Why Not|Stephanie says that yes, she is questioning her craftmanship skills]], provided that this will occupy at least two-minutes time. Unfortunately, the witch responds that she doubts Stephanie will ''last'' two minutes as Stephanie remembers "[[Wizard Duel|Oh. Right. Magic.]]"

* [[Gone Horribly Wrong]]: The twenty-four Draculas [[Refugee From TV Land|running around campus]] sprung from a physics experiment that went in a direction other than planned.

* [[Good Cop, Bad Cop]]: She and Damian Wayne (Robin) play "Bad Cop, ''Worse'' Cop."

* [[Grappling Hook Pistol]]

* [[Grenade Tag]]

* [[Humongous Mecha]]: None have appeared in the series, but when going over Kryptonian weakness's Supergirl explains that, in addition to Kryptonite and magic, they are vulnerable to robots if they are big enough.

* [[Hypocrisy Nod]]:

* [[Implausible Deniability]]: "I'm not a monster" is a pretty brash claim to make when you are [[Mind Rape|mind raping somebody]] ''[[Obviously Evil|at that very moment!]]''

* [[Incompatible Orientation]]: Stephanie began to develop a crush on Francisco, one of her classmates, and viewed herself as in competition with Jordanna for his affections. However, it turns out that he is already involved with someone else... (dramatic pause) a ''man!'' Jordanna already knew the whole story, but Stephanie only found out after she was dragged into his whacky family life as Batgirl.

* [[Jumped At the Call]]: Stephanie is one of the few superheroes in the DCU who ''loves'' her job and would not give it up. She is constantly told not to help, people explain all the problems and dangers that are inherent to the hero world, and they point out the personal benefits that come with not living a double life. Stephanie, however, will have ''none'' of it, and even if she has to do everything herself, with no help or appreciation from other heroes, she will not give up doing good.

* [[Just for Pun]]:

'''Detective Nick Gage:''' "Uh...'Freeze!'" }}

* [[Killed Off for Real]]: {{spoiler|Clancy Johnson, a.k.a. "The Gray Ghost"}}

* [[Me's a Crowd]]: The "[[Buffy-Speak|Silver Crab-Guy]]" member of the Reapers.

* [[Metaphorgotten]]:

'''Barbara Gordon:''' "You get a litle lost there?"<br />

'''Stephanie:''' "You shoot from the hip, you don't always hit the mark." }}

* [[The Obi-Wan]]: Barbara is Stephanie's.

* [[Obviously Evil]]:

'''Oracle:''' "Says the maniac with his hands around my neck ''while he Mind-Rapes me''." }}

* [[Offhand Backhand]]:

* [[Plucky Girl]]: One of Stephanie's crowning characteristics is no matter what crap is loaded on top of her, she remains cheerful and pops back up.

* [[The Pollyanna]]: Stephanie describes herself as such. Barbara's final line of the series is to affirm this belief.

* [[Power of Trust]]: When Detective Gage says that he trust Batgirl, even if he does not know exactly why, Stephanie actually says the word "[[Squee]]" in her internal monologue.

* [[Precocious Crush]]: Stephanie has become somewhat infatuated with the detective that is shaping up to be [[The Commissioner Gordon|her contact with the local police]], but the age difference (And the implication that he has some serious relationship baggage) will probably preclude any sort of actual relationship.

** In issue #23, Batgirl summons the [[Teen Titans (Comic Book)|Teen Titans]] assistance by shouting "[[Shazam]]!"

** Bombshell, a member of the [[Teen Titans (Comic Book)|Teen Titans]], has been experimenting with new catchphrases.

'''Bombshell:''' "I'll let you know when I'm done [[Fantastic Four|clobberin']]." }}

* [[Show Within a Show]]: Stephanie and Kara watch a [[B-Movie|cliched, badly acted and cheesy]] ''Dracula'' film when they decided to go out for Friday night.

* [[Stalker with a Crush]]: The train hijacker Stephanie beats up in issue #9 begins asking her out midway through his beating, and he reappears in later issues in pursuit of her affections and calling himself "[[Batman: The Animated Series|The Grey Ghost]]."

* [[Stealth Hi Bye]]: "The Grey Ghost" has been "[[Stalker with a Crush|tracking]]" Batgirl for a week now, thinking that he had her totally unaware.

'''Clancy Johnson (The Grey Ghost):''' "Gah! (''Drops binoculars'') Those were expensive!" }}

* [[Sting]]: Klarion the Witch-Boy verbally inserts his own "dum, dum...'''''dum'''''."

* [[Super Speed]]: Slipstream. However, when he and Batgirl fight she notices that, though his reflexes are fast, they are ''not'' superhumanly fast, and she is trying to figure out what that says about his powers.

* [[Suspiciously Specific Denial]]: When Batgirl wakes up in a hospital, being tended to by her own mother.

* [[Talk to the Fist]]: All Stephanie was trying to do was complement a girl on her bonnet...

* [[Tastes Like Purple]]:

'''Stephanie:''' "You say that like it's a bad thing." }}

* [[Tear Jerker]]: Stephanie does not care for Damien Wayne, the current Robin, even a little bit, but sometimes she can not help but hurt at the obvious issues he has from his childhood.

'''Robin:''' (''While undercover'') "It's...I'm new...er...my name is...[[Batman|Bruce]]."<br />

'''Batgirl:''' (''Internal monologue'') My heart just broke for him a little. I must ''never'' let him know...[[With Friends Like These...|unless it keeps him from killing me one day]], [[But I Digress]]. }}

* [[Television Portal]]: Isn't it just like [[Dracula]] to leap off the movie screen and start attacking audience?

* [[Tempting Fate]]: While waiting for Calculator to attack, Barbara Gordon comments that she ''hates'' waiting. However, when Calculator does attack mere moments later she immediately regrets her earlier thoughts.

* [[That's What She Said]]:

'''[[Supergirl]]:''' "[[That's What She Said|That's what she said.]]"<br />

'''Batgirl:''' "[[Casual Danger Dialogue|You're funny.]]"<br />

* [[Troubling Unchildlike Behavior]]: Stephanie finds it extremely disturbing just how emotionally damaged Damian Wayne is, especially when she learns he does not know how to ''play''.

* [[Unexplained Recovery]]:

{{spoiler|Cluemaster}}: "So did I." }}

* [[Utility Belt]]: Stephanie's tenure as Batgirl is assisted by the usual assortment of gadgets and gear, but her costume actually seems to have enough pockets to carry it all. Unlike Batman, Robin and the previous Batgirl's, [[Hyperspace Arsenal|who managed to fit all their gadgets into a single belt]], Stephanie Brown's costume has numerous gadget-belts. These include the traditional waist-belt, but also a ring of pouches that wrap around her leg.

* [[With Friends Like These...]]: Stephanie and Damian Wayne, the curent Robin, do ''not'' have a pleasant or cooperative relationship, and it verges right on the border of [[Divided We Fall]]. Only their ability to (so far) always pull success from the ashes has kept their relationship from actually turning violently hostile, and Robin still (frequently) makes reference to wanting to kill her. Stephanie ''does not think he is joking''.

* [[Witty Banter]]:

* [[Wizard Duel]]: When Stephanie unintentionally insults the bonnet-making-craftmanship of a witch in Limbo Town she is challenged to a standard duel, to be conducted per the guidelines set in Alchan's Book of the Damned, Third Edition, Twice Removed.

* [[Working with the Ex]]: She helped out Tim Drake/Red Robin in Batgirl #8, in attempt to thwart the assassination of Leslie Thompkins. Cue awkwardness, passive aggressive banter (especially on Tim's side) and lots of [[Unresolved Sexual Tension|UST]]-- which almost caused them to hook up again but avoided by Stephanie thinking it was not good for her at the moment.

* [[You Fight Like a Cow]]: [[Witty Banter]] is a necessity in any life-or-death situation, and Stephanie always remembers to prompt somebody when it is their turn for a quip.

 

{{reflist}}