#babs-a-thon

[sebeth]

Babs-a-thon, part 4

Warning, Spoilers Ahead…

 Part 3 of the Babs-a-thon ended with Barbara thrown brutally, pointlessly in the fridge.  

Batman Chronicles #5 - “Oracle: Year One – Born of Hope” by John Ostrander, Kim Yale, and Brian Stelfreeze.

Chuck Dixon and Gail Simone often receive the credit for the development of Barbara Gordon in the 1990s and 2000s – and rightfully so.  However, Barbara’s true rescuers were John Ostrander and and Kim Yale.  The duo engineered Barbara’s escape from the fridge and transformed her into the Oracle in the pages of the Suicide Squad.  

Oracle debuted in the Suicide Squad but I will re-cap the Batman Chronicles first as it takes place in the immediate aftermath of the Killing Joke.

Barbara’s in the hospital suffering a range of emotions, mostly regret: “I can’t believe I was such an idiot.  I’m Barbara Gordon.  My father – my adoptive father – is Commissioner Gordon of Gotham City.  I’ve lived in Gotham City most of my life. I’m no novice.  I ran one of the largest libraries on the east coast.  I was Batgirl, for crying out loud!  So one night I hear a buzz at our front door and I just go out and open it!  I don’t use the peephole to see who it is, I don’t have the chain on, I just go and open the door!  What was I thinking of?  It was the Joker and he had a gun and there was a flash and there’s blinding pain inside me and I’m falling and I hear myself screaming and my Dad shouting and…and…! I don’t remember much else, fortunately. I’m not sure what else happened except I woke up in the hospital with part of my spine shot away.”

The above quote demonstrates how utterly stupid – and out of character – it was for Barbara to simply answer the door in the Killing Joke.  Babs lives in Gotham City and is the daughter of the police commissioner – she knows better.  The Batgirl Special shows Barbara using the peephole before opening the door for Marcy so it’s a standard precaution.  Another note – Babs was living on her own in the Batgirl Special – why was she living with her father?

Barbara doesn’t mention her term as a Congresswoman so I’m assuming it’s been retconned at this point.

Batman stands vigil at Barbara’s hospital bed.  Babs regains consciousness and she is furious: “Had he been using a regular bullet, I would have been dead before I hit the floor.  And he didn’t want that, no.  He wanted me alive.  Not because I have any intrinsic worth or meaning to him, of course.  No.  Shooting me…kidnapping my dad…it was all just a way to get at you.  Do you understand how humiliating, how demeaning, that is? My life has no importance save in relation to you!  Even as Batgirl…I was perceived just as some weaker version of you!”

“I heard how you two stood there, laughing over some private joke.  Tell me – was it me?”

Batman can’t respond and leaves the hospital.

“God, I hope I’ve hurt him. It’s nothing compared to the pain I’ve felt – or will feel.”

I hate the “Batman and Joker” share a laugh – utterly loathe it.  Completely out of character.  I don’t buy and defense of it.  I’m glad Babs let him have it.  I’m not sure how Barbara heard about it – were they still laughing when the police officers arrived? If so, how can Commissioner Gordon stand to be in the same room as Batman?  The next time Jason complains Batman won’t kill the Joker Babs should respond with “At least they didn’t share a laugh over the situation”.

Babs is released from the hospital “ten weeks and three days after the Joker shot out my spine”.

The above quote gives us a nice timeline of events between the Killing Joke and A Lonely Place of Dying. Babs attended Jason’s funeral so his death was approximately three months after the Killing Joke.

Bab’s resents the media’s attention: “The press wouldn’t even have bothered if I hadn’t been your daughter, dad.  I’m a symbol. We’re big on symbols in Gotham. You refused to have police guarding our home.  Every other big city police commissioner has them.  But you wanted to symbolize how open your administration is…”

“And you got hurt because of it.  I’m sorry, Babs.”

“I am, too, Dad.  I am too…”

Barbara spends the next six months in physical and emotional therapy: “I had to accept I was never going to walk again…worst of all was the fear I felt – of being physically helpless, unable to defend myself, of having no sense of self, of feeling that I meant nothing, that my life was over.  I sat in the back bedroom of my father’s apartment for weeks, afraid to go out, afraid of the next day.  And what would happen to me if – God forbid!  Dad should die or be killed?  How would I live?  On charity?”

Barbara’s encounters with Cormorant seem to have been retconned away which is unfortunate.  The Batgirl Special has Babs finally resolving the emotional trauma from her encounters with Cormorant.  Can you imagine what it would be like to finally have closure from the Cormorant incidents only to suffer a severely more traumatizing encounter with the Joker?

Babs decides she can no longer hide away: “I was tired of being a victim.  I had skills and abilities long before I was Batgirl.  It was time to make them work for me again. It was time to stop being afraid.”

Bab’s receives a grant from the Wayne Foundation and puts together a powerful computer set-up.

“One thing I knew how to do was research…I discovered an affinity for hacking, and I started to make some money.  I got into the internet before the general public really knew what it was.  And I discovered a world there…you didn’t even have to use your real name.  You were simply who you were online.  I found enormous freedom – and complete acceptance – there.  In a strange way, I became more real to me as well.  More content, more happy.”

“Then, one night at dinner, a chain of events began that led me to where I am now.”

Jim confides to Babs: “There’s this financier, a woman by the name of Ashley Mavis Powell.  We know she’s laundering money but we don’t know how. She does stuff with computers.  I know it’s your field, honey, but I hate ‘em!”

Babs researches Ashley Mavis Powell and discovers she’s a criminal called Interface and she is a “nasty piece of work”.  Interface has a “low-level metahuman talent that lets her interact directly with computers” and “she’s also a child abuser”.

Barbara decides to go after Interface via the computer: “She was elusive but I was determined and I had nothing else to do.”

Jim insists Babs get out more: “He was right, of course, but I didn’t like it.  I was a gymnast at one time, I was a dancer.  I loved how my body moved.  Now I just felt conspicuous and clumsy.  I used to walk everywhere and the traffic never bothered me.  Now, I’d come to a busy corner and I’d feel myself start to panic.”

Barbara is at an intersection when Ashley Mavis Powell approaches her from behind and throws her into traffic.  Fortunately, the oncoming traffic stops in time.

“She made me feel like a helpless victim again – and had laughed doing it.  Ms. Powell had just made the biggest mistake of her life.”

Yeah, Babs has definite issues with laughing over someone’s misfortune.

“I need a resource and not one from my Batman or my father.  One I would find on my own.”

Babs takes to the Internet, looking for someone who can teach self-defense to a wheelchair-confined individual.

Unknown to Babs, Batman responds (under his Matches alias) and arranges a meeting in Robinson Park.

Barbara meets an apparently homeless man at the park: “I take it you’re Babs.  A friend of yours told an acquaintance of mine about you. Don’t let the appearance fool you. My name’s Richard Dragon and I’m here to help you.  Maybe. First – tell me what you want.”

If I had to guess, the “friend” is Batman and the acquaintance is either Bronze Tiger or the Question.  Richard Dragon was the Yoda of the DC Universe from the late 1980s to the early 2000s.  He mentored the Bronze Tiger, Lady Shiva, the Question, Oracle, and the Huntress.

“I don’t want to be afraid anymore.”

“Fear’s useful in moderation.  What do you really want?”

“To walk again.  Can you fix that?”

“Nope.  That’s not what you’re really seeking.”

“I want my life back!”

“That’s who you were, not who you are.  Who are you?”

“I…I don’t know.  I don’t know if I ever knew…”

“Now you’re ready to begin. That’s what you’re hear to discover. And these may help.”

Richard presents Oracle with a pair of escrima sticks.

“And so began the weeks, the months, in the park, learning from a street bum named Richard Dragon the Philipine art of stick fighting called escrima.”

I wonder if Barbara and Helena ever bonded over their mutual mentor?  Did they ever realize they had a mutual mentor?

“The physical and mental discipline honed questions of my identity.  Strangely – or perhaps not so strangely – the answer came in the form of a dream.”

Babs – dressed as Batgirl – approaches an Oracle.

Babs informs the Oracle “I’ve lost so much.  I’ve lost everything I thought I was.  Who am I now? How do I go on?

The Oracle responds: “You have lost nothing that matters.  You have everything you need.  Everything before leads up to now and now leads to what shall be.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Take away your mask and I will take away mine.  Then you will understand.

The ladies remove their masks and Babs realizes she is both Batgirl and the Oracle.

Babs awakens and realizes what she is going to do with Ashley Mavis Powell: “I realized that the Internet could be a mask as surely as any cowl.  I could assume an identity – and this time not a second-hand version of someone else.  This would be mine – my mask, my shield, my persona.”

The above quote is why I could never get behind Babs going back to the Batgirl mantle.  Even if her ability to walk had been restored in the pre-New 52, I think she either would have remained as Oracle or designed an entirely new alter ego.  Returning to Batgirl is as pointless as an adult Richard Grayson resuming the Robin mantle – you could do it but why would you?  Both Barbara and Richard are adults who have earned their adult identities – why put their training pants back on?

Oracle lures Interface into a cyber-trap that “catches her into a logic trap – endlessly repeating the same circuit over and over again at the speed of thought, unable to break free until I cut her loose.”

Oracle orders Interface to turn herself in or she’ll continue to locked in the cyber-trap.

Interface promptly turns herself in.

Babs meets with Richard Dragon in Robinson Park.  She informs Richard “I think I’ve found – well, not the answer but a start of the answer to my question.”

“Then you no longer need me. You know the forms.  Keep practicing.  Grow great, little spirit.”

“Thank you, Sensei. For everything.”

“A little over a year has passed since my old life ended, since I died and was reborn.  The shadows remain, but only to give contrast to the light. I am no longer a distaff impersonation of someone else.  I’m me – more me than I’ve ever been.  My life is my own.  I embrace it, and the light, with a deep, continuing joy.”

A great story that portrays the rage, fear, and humiliation in the immediate aftermath of Bab’s shooting and ends with her trademark determination to overcome and carve a life for herself.

Up next, it’s a Suicide Squad.

[camsthisky]

I donated under Sheillagh O :) I'm such a sucker for deaging, can u do a deaged Damian (like back to being like a couple months old), only B, Dick, and Alfred are in the manor with him, and it's such a bittersweet few days. And Dick and Bruce have this quiet moment when Dami is asleep or something where they're both feeling Dad Emotions(TM) about not being able to raise him (or something similar, like just those bittersweet Angst Feels about baby Dami from his basically two dads) :)

sorry it’s taking me so long to get through these but thank you so much for donating!

cerusee’s gofundme page - please donate if you’re able to

There’s a quiet in the manor that has Bruce unsettled.

It used to be if the manor was quiet, things were—maybe not right, but it definitely meant he was awake and alive. The only sounds to be heard was Alfred moving through the rooms one by one, cleaning and cooking and looking after Bruce’s well-being, even when Bruce didn’t appreciate it.

That all changed in the days after Dick arrived at the manor. The once quiet walls resounded with sound, and the manor has been full of a strange liveliness ever since that eight year old boy flipped in Bruce’s life and Bruce’s home.

And as the years went by, the quiet became strange. More children wiggled their way into Bruce’s heart, and he’d found himself with more kids and less quiet than he knew how to deal with. The longer the halls were silent, the more it meant something was wrong.

When Bruce silently enters the living room, Dick’s asleep on the couch, head tilted back and soft snores crackling in the back of his throat, brought on by exhaustion. Bruce wants to tuck him in, but the bundle in Dick’s arms stops him.

The other kids are all gone. Jason and Steph and Babs dispersed somewhere throughout the city, doing their own things. Tim is with his team. Cass is back in Hong Kong. Duke is visiting some friends. Alfred is out getting more supplies.

And Damian.

Damian is wrapped up in blankets, held in Dick’s arms, twelve years younger than he’d been two days ago.

Bruce has no new leads on how to bring Damian back to his original age, and they’ve found they can do nothing but wait until Zatanna is able to stop by and help them figure out the situation. Unfortunately, neither Dick nor Bruce are equipped to deal with a baby that’s not even a year old.

But neither are willing to give up on Damian. They’re trying their best.

Dick stirs slightly when Bruce drapes a blanket over his lap and pulls sleeping baby out of Dick’s arms.

“Wha’s?” Dick mumbles, blearily blinking up at Bruce. He tenses suddenly, but then his eyes travel from Bruce’s face to the baby in Bruce’s arms, and he deflates, his eyes fluttering shut again. “Oh. ‘S just you.”

“When’s the last time you slept.”

“Dunno.”

“Go sleep in a proper bed,” Bruce tells him quietly. “I can handle him for a few hours.”

Dick groans quietly. “He’s just gonna scream again.”

Dick’s probably right. Despite his age, Damian has kicked up a fuss every time Dick’s been out of his sight for more than a few minutes. It’s given both of them headaches, but Dick’s been stubbornly pushing through his exhaustion to make sure that Damian doesn’t scream himself hoarse.

“Bed, Dick,” Bruce says again. “I’ll go with you, but you need to sleep.”

Dick hums. “Sounds nice.”

“I can’t carry both of you.”

“Liar,” Dick huffs, smile playing at his lips as he cracks an eye open. “You totally could. I know for a fact that you carried both Tim, Cass, and Jason in that family game-a-thon that you organized.”

Bruce raises an eyebrow. “If I remember correctly, you organized that.”

“You have no proof.”

“I’m getting tired of repeating myself.”

“And I’m getting tired of your face.” Dick pauses, his eyebrows creasing and his eyes fully opening. “I sound like Jason.”

“Dick.”

Dick stretches and pushes himself to his feet, only stumbling once on the way up the stairs and into Bruce’s bedroom. They settle on the bed—Dick under the covers, curled up with his head pressing against the outside of Bruce’s thigh like he’s ten years old again.

Bruce is careful not to jostle the delicate cargo in his arms. He doesn’t want to deal with the consequences of accidentally waking Damian up. And he doesn’t want Dick to deal with the consequences. They’ll both end up staying awake another couple hours, and Dick doesn’t look like he can afford that right now.

“I miss him,” Dick says into the dim light of the room. “’S too quiet around here.”

Bruce grunts.

Dick snorts. “Eloquent.”

“I was agreeing.”

“Really? Couldn’t tell. It sounded too much like your stop-annoying me-Dick grunt.”

Bruce doesn’t sigh, but it’s a close thing. All he feels is fond, though, so he prods, “You miss him?”

Dick makes a noise of agreement. “Damian is a pain in my ass but I’d rather he be a thirteen year old pain in my ass.”

Bruce stares down at Damian. “He’s cute when he’s asleep.”

“He’s not when he’s awake.”

“Hrn.”

“I guess one or thirteen, he never really changes, though. Still got a set of lungs on him.”

“Did you get peas thrown at you again?”

Dick sighs forlornly. “I thought I could get him to eat it this time.”

“Dick,” Bruce says, and this time the fondness comes through in his voice, “Damian won’t do anything he doesn’t want to do, regardless of how old he is. He’s still Damian.”

“And that’s why we love him,” Dick breathes out. “But I miss having the chance to spend time with the kid where we can just sit in each other’s spaces and be. Or patrolling together. Sometimes I like to sit and read in his room while he draws, and it’s nice way to relax.”

Bruce is quiet a moment before he voices what’s been on his mind the last day and a half.

“And if he’s stuck like this?”

Dick snorts. “What else? We raise him, and he’ll still be Damian, and maybe he’ll remember what we’ve been through, but I’m still going to miss that thirteen year old brat that drives me crazy.”

Bruce stares at his sons. One in his twenties and the other just a tiny baby, and he wonders how he’d gotten so lucky to have the two of them. To have Cass and Tim and Jason and Duke, too. And Stephanie and Babs and Alfred. He wonders what he did right.

And then his eyes drift to Dick’s peaceful, sleeping expression, and his heart clenches, because back then, all those years ago, he’d seen a boy who’d been just like him, and he’d made a choice, and it must have been the right one.

And of course, he’d jump at the chance to have been able to raise Damian from birth, but Dick’s right. With Damian as he is now, there’s nothing in his head of what they’ve been through together in the past, and he does miss that thirteen year old grumpy child that is so much like him, and yet has the potential to be so much better with Dick prodding him along in the right direction.

“We’ll get you back,” Bruce whispers to the baby, so small in his large arms. “And if we don’t, you’re still part of our family, Damian.”

[333-your-angel]

Qiji nonen te te thon bab.

“Of course I’m going to hell, I own the place.”

— Mark Pellegino

[askatknits]

Unraveled Wednesday | 1.5.22

Unraveled Wednesday | 1.5.22

Happy New Year, Dear Unravelers! In the “Dead Zone” that is the week between Christmas and New Years I did some “retail therapy” with Miss Babs. Why, you ask, could I need more yarn?!? Well, suffice it that it felt right and so I did it! My year of making is going to include a bit of a Gnome-a-thon! Yes, I am joining Imagine Landscapes for her Year of Gnomes! There might have also been a few…

[iamdjoyce-blog]

Dewey’s 24-hour Read-a-thon - My TBR

In an effort to reboot, do booktube, write about books and read more, I have decided to participate in a Read-a-Thon. 

I headed over to Catriona of Little Book Owl’s website because she has an amazing calendar with all the read-a-thons happening through the year so I could choose one, though at first, I had May in mind, why not finish April with a blast and a read-a-thon?

So I found Dewey’s 24-hour read-a-thon. I liked it because it’s so short and because it’s still being held in honour of its creator, who, unfortunately, passed away some time ago.

On their website, you’ll find all the information you need, the read-a-thon’s twitter handle is; @readathon. you can follow the challenges and participate in sprints there. There is also a way of finding at what time the read-a-thon will start for you. It isn’t just midnight-to-midnight. This readathon is great because Everyone is reading at the same time!

The name is pretty self-explanatory, you will read as much as you can for 24 hour nonstop (if you can). By the end, you will feel like you really tackled that damned TBR. It willhappen on the 29th of April.

Since this read-a-thon is so short, is ideal for tackling them Graphic Novels, which is exactly what I am doing, so here is my TBR: 

Serenity (vol 1)- Those Left Behind, by Joss Whedon, Brett Matthews, Will Conrad - This is a prequel to the film Serenity, which marked the end of my favourite space cowboys! If you don’t know Firefly is a TV show created by Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), it was canceled a long time ago, but even though they cancelled it, they did let Joss Whedon make a movie about it to close down the story. There is a massive gap between the last episode and the movie. And this Graphic Novel series fills in this gap!!!  I have had it for ages but never got around to reading it. It seems like the perfect time for it, this readathon. 

Sex Criminals (vol 2) - Two Worlds, One Cop, by Matt Fraction and  Chip Zdarsky -  This graphic novel series contains graphic content and sexual themes. Follows two people that can litteraly stop time whenever they orgasm. When they meet, they start robbing banks! It’s a funny, witty and cool graphic novel, with really pretty art. I really liked the first volume and I am looking forward to reading the second one.

The Wicked +The Divine (vol 3) - Commercial Suicide, by Kieron Gillen, Jamie Mckelvie and Mathew Wilson - “Every ninety years twelve gods return as young people. They are loved. They are hated. In two years, they are all dead. It’s happening now. It’s happening again.” - I am in volume three so anything I say about this one is pretty much a spoiler for the previous two. I want to catch up on this series, it’s one of my favourites and I can’t wait to finish this one so I can get the next one.

Gotham City Sirens (book two), by Tony Berard, Peter Calloway, Andres Guinaldo, Jeremy Haun, Ramon F. Bachs - This follows Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy and Catwoman, as they become roommates and form this amazing bond where no one and nothing can come between them. They protect each other and stand up for themselves. This is probably the most controversial one I have ever read, I was moslty ok with the first volume, but I’m looking forward to seeing what the second (and last) volume has to bring. 

Batgirl (vol 1) - Batgirl of Burnside,  by Cameron Stewart, Brenden Fletcher and Babs Tarr  - This is the New 52 series o  Batgirl, happens after Flashpoint and I am a Batgirl newbie, I have read great things about this series, so I decided to get into it! 

Mostly Harmless, by Douglas Adams -  If you know me even remotely you know that the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the galaxy is like my new Bible, I talk to everyone about, it, it’s the first thin I recommend even before I let the other person finish whatever they were saying. I simply love this series, from book one, I laughed like I haven’t before, it’s hard to find funny and witty Sci-fi but this is it. So good. However, I must confess I haven’t read the last book in the series! I know outrageous right? That’s why I have crammed it in this TBR hopefully I will have time to read it. 

And that’s ist! that’s my TBR for Dewey’s 24 read-a-thon, sorry for the massive post. I hope you have a wonderful day, and I will talk to you soon!

[mittensmorgul]

I don't get the frustration over Billie being killed by an angel blade- isn't that how April died?

Yeah, it is. I apologize, because I’m so far behind on the dash this morning from trying to reply to folks, having to run errands in the real world, and just trying to catch up with everyone’s reactions, but I’ve got like 12 tabs open with stuff to reply to/address, and this is one of them. So *closes that other tab and checks it off the list* LET’S STATE WHAT WE KNOW SO WE CAN COLLECTIVELY STOP HARPING ON LARGELY IRRELEVANT STUFF! YAY!

I agree, the idiotic retcon of Reapers as some sort of ~variety of angels~ that operated on the same “possess a human” level as other angels was... idiotic. (9.03 strikes again)

From the outset, REAPERS DID NOT NEED VESSELS TO INTERACT WITH HUMANITY. Granted, what we learned about reapers in 1.12 was vastly expanded on in 2.01, but Tessa herself said everything you ever need to know about Reapers that makes them (in some ways) more powerful and more flexible than traditional angels:

Dean: You know, you read the most interesting things. For example, did you know that reapers can alter human perception? I sure didn't. Basically they can make themselves appear however they want. Like, say, uh, a pretty girl. You are much prettier than the last reaper I met.Tessa: I was wondering when you would figure it out.Dean: I should have known. That whole "accepting fate" rap of yours is far too laid-back for a dead chick. But the mother, and the body, I'm still trying to figure that one out.Tessa: It's my sandbox, I can make you see whatever I want.

So, why would a reaper EVER need to occupy a human vessel? THERE’S NO NEED! REAPERS CAN MAKE THEMSELVES “VISIBLE” TO HUMANS IF THEY WANT! THEY CAN INTERACT WITH PEOPLE LIKE OTHER REAL PEOPLE DO! No vessel required. So in my head, because it makes ZERO sense to bring a real, human woman into the equation with April in 9.03, I’m still stuck on the idea that SHE WASN’T really occupying a vessel. Because otherwise that whole plot makes no freaking sense.

Same with the reaper nonsense about the Rogue Reaper in 8.19. It’s just... not necessary to assume they needed to borrow a body to do their jobs.

(oh, and by the way, Crowley killed that rogue reaper dude... WITH AN ANGEL BLADE)

Sort of the way the Cupids have always been shown, going back to 5.14. Visible one moment, invisible the next. With the ability to MAKE themselves appear however they wish (since the cupid in 8.23 didn’t have to be naked to do her job...)

So maybe Reapers have always been sort-of angels of a special class, like the Cupids (Cherubs, third class... maybe Reapers are something along those lines? The show has never clarified it.)

Also, going back to 1.12, they were just learning about reapers, and s1 was the season of HOLY SHIT THERE’S A LOT OF STUFF WE THOUGHT WAS ON THE BS LIST THAT IS MOST DEFINITELY NOT BS FREAK-OUT-A-THON. So I forgive them for their ignorance back then. They’ve definitely learned a lot of things about a lot of things since then. Like the fact that God flips a decent pancake.

Back to the point. Even in 2.01 Dean didn’t think there was any way to kill a reaper, because how do you kill death itself?

I mean, s12 Dean knows how you kill Death, but s2 Dean was still such a bab in the woods by comparison.

I saw someone else complaining that even Alastair needed a special ritual to kill a reaper in 4.15:

but he didn’t need the riual to KILL a reaper, he needed the ritual to BREAK A SEAL.

Sam: Basically, you kill a reaper under the solstice moon—tomorrow night, by the way—you got yourself a broken seal.

There’s a difference. He probably could’ve gone around town killing every reaper he walked past, but THAT WOULD NOT HAVE CAUSED THE SEAL TO BREAK. THIS RITUAL OF KILLING DEATH TWICE WOULD CAUSE THE SEAL TO BREAK.

Let’s skip ahead to s9 then, because 6.11 is infinitely fascinating to me, but had zero to do with attempting to kill a reaper. I just like Tessa and Death, so I figured I’d mention them in a nicer context than the various attempts to murder them...

We already talked about April. She killed Cas with an angel blade, and then Dean turned around and killed HER with one. We’d never had anything in canon to make us believe that ordinary reapers couldn’t be killed by angel blades. They’re pretty multi-purpose weapons. They kill nearly everything; angels, demons, monsters, people...

Let’s instead talk about 9.22, where several Kamikaze Angels had turned themselves into bombs in the name of Castiel (though manipulated into doing that under false pretenses by Metatron). We saw how that spell worked. Sigil carved into the chest, and activated by an act of suicide via angel blade. It’s even how Gadreel killed himself, also in the name of Castiel, in serving the greater good.

And Tessa had been recruited as one of these suicide mission agents. Dean may have unintentionally killed her (or allowed her to impale herself) with the First Blade, but she’d been prepared to kill herself with an angel blade and basically go nuclear, turning herself into a weapon.

There is nothing, and I mean NOTHING, in canon to suggest that reapers are immune to angel blades. Period.

[labellerose-acheron]

1,3,5,7,8,9,12,23 for all

1: Do you have a crush at the moment?

Belle: her HUSBANDSimba: BERLIOZZ Toulouse: tbh we don’t fuckin know Bambi: uhhhh theo (but also /whispers: dash)Perdita: paul she guessesSweet: nah not particularly...he did like bridgetteMaui: pfft noAttina: ROBIN!!!!Hercules: all cute pretty nice girls--kiki, elena, georgette, he loves all of them he’s hopeless help himAkela: no :’(Peach: nah she ain’t got time for crushes she’s climbin that social ladderUrsula: hera probably lbr. mel when she meets her... her girls at the court

3: Longest relationship you've ever been in?

Belle: a year on thursday!! w hades obviSimba: two years, end of this month--with berliozToulouse: his marriage lol which when you think about it they only dated for like 3ish months. my poor bab Bambi: theo!! officially for like 2 months, but unofficially for like pffft 6-7?Perdita: paul -- 2ish years where the fuck are theySweet: 6 years, his ex-fiancee fuck you annaliseMaui: neverAttina: her first boyfriend, they dated for like 9 monthsHercules: his girlfriend in egypt he dated her for like 6 monthsAkela: his wife I CRY they were married for like 15 yearsPeach: lol phillip so like 3 monthsUrsula: has never had a steady relationship

5: How is your relationship with your ex?

Belle: doesnt really have an ex? i mean she went on a few dates in secondary, then there was adam...they never dated tho but that relationship is a bit strained Simba: his second girlfriend and him are still on good terms, they don’t ever talk but they’ll like occasionally like a big life event of the others. his last bf tho ahha he hates andrewToulouse: lol he pretends she doesn’t existBambi: doesn’t have an exPerdita: well they’re back together now so great! (hates her first bf and will punch him in teh face if she ever sees him.)Sweet: if there was a person sweet hated, it’d be annalise. since she outed him as a magick and made him lose his job.Maui: doesn’t have oneAttina: heh well she erased his memories so, that’s,, not goodHercules: they still keep in like--vague touch. Akela: doesn’t have an exPeach: doesn’t have an exUrsula: doesn’t have an ex

7: Have you ever cheated?

Belle: no.Simba: hell no. but been cheated on (by like lol most his relationships)Toulouse: would never tbh; has also been cheated on (tho #unconfirmed)Bambi: no but lowkey probably wouldPerdita: nope. but guys have cheated on their gfs w herSweet: probably he tries not to think about itMaui: nope but def has slept w girls who have bfs. has tried to be mroe careful these days bc #prnightmareAttina: lol all the time, literally every relationship if they didn’t just dump her from the startHercules: no!! my pure baby how could u do that to himAkela: nope! his wife and him loved each other v muchPeach: no but she’d def cheatUrsula: nah but has seduced ladies away from their husbands

8: Would you date someone who's well known for cheating?

Belle: no, she already has trust and abandonment issuesSimba: he would have to consider it, but if he really loved the person, yesToulouse: nope. cheaters are vile.Bambi: sure why not--just don’t cheat on mePerdita: sureSweet: not if like--everyone knows about it and it’s obvious but if his partner like confessed they had done it in the pastMaui: eh sureAttina: definitely not lolHercules: probably he’s so sweetAkela: certainly notPeach: eh sureUrsula: if you cheat on her she’ll do really bad things to you so yeah, she would date a cheater but fuckin watch it

9: What's the most important part of a relationship?

Belle: having someone you can depend on and share your life with; who loves and supports you and encourages you to be betterSimba: love--everything about it: snuggles and kisses and sharing a life together and going places together and having a person that’s yours and you’re theirs.Toulouse: trust. companionship. loyalty.Bambi: is too young really to know the meaning to this questionPerdita: a partner in crime.Sweet: understanding, companionship, pure, unadulterated love, chosen family, wanting to help each other achieve greatness. Maui: sex.Attina: having a person who is loyal to you and who loves you for who you are and accepts you and family!! of course!Hercules: companionship. unflappable loyalty.Akela: a mate. a partner. a family.Peach: status.Ursula: relationships are for weak people

12: How many people have you ever hooked up with?

Belle: kissed 4 or 5; slept with 1Simba: slept with probably around ehh 20 (if we don’t count the cross-europe depressed-sex-a-thon that number drops down to like 7-8)Toulouse: jesus i don’t even know so many, like 20ish is probably a good number could be more, def not less he’s been hooking up continuously since he was like 14.Bambi: virgin bab but he’s kissed uhhhhhh 3 now? /squints ber, theo, why do i feel like there was someone elsePerdita: the number scares me tbh 30+Sweet: a solid 10 probablyMaui: he’s making his way up to 20ishAttina: kissed around 20 probably, slept with 2Hercules: kissed around 3, slept with 1Akela: has only ever been sexually involved w one personPeach: kissed 1, lil virginUrsula: lots man, lots.

23: How many relationships have you had? 

Belle: one, with her HUSBANDSimba: 5! if we are just counting his ~official relationships and not like cute little kid ones. Catherine (dated for 6 months --16), Kamaria (dated for 10 months--17-18), Megan (dated for a little under a year 19), Andrew (20-21), and Berlioz (24~)Toulouse: 2, with Anita (dated for about 3 months) and there was probably some girl when he was like 16 idk let’s name her Sabine, sure. they dated for a summer so 3 months.Bambi: 1, with theo--currentPerdita: 2, one with her ex when she was 15 connor...i think that was his name.../checks yes i was riGHT they dated for like 6 months. then paul, obviously.Sweet: i’d sayyy 6? probably. his first relationship was a girl, named -- julia (dated about a year--17-18), dated someone in college probably the whole time bc sweet is a long term relationship kinda guy, let’s call herrr alexandra (dated about 3 years 20-23); his first male relationship was in med school so he was like 25, they dated about 2 years probably -- raymond was his name. then uhh he was p busy for a while, didn’t date again until he was like 30, that’s when he met his ex-fiancee, they dated from the time he was like 30-35 i think that works w my timeline /squintsMaui: never datedAttina: im just gonna list them bc it’s exhausting: Ross, Collin, Warren, Jamie, Dylan, Randall, Jamie, Tyler, Aaron, Oscar, Liam, Stewart, Anthony (these are in reverse chronological order)Hercules: neith, from egypt, they dated when he was 16-17Akela: his WIFEYPeach: phillip.Ursula: lots of hook ups

[sebeth]

Babs-a-thon, Part 5

Warning, Spoilers Ahead…

 Oracle debuted in Suicide Squad #23.  The true identity of Oracle was a complete mystery – man, woman, group?

Oracle would provide information for the Squad until the mystery was solved in Suicide Squad #38. It was a rather low-key revelation: Amanda contacts Oracle in cyber-space.  Oracle questions why Flo (the Oracle’s usual contact) isn’t the one reaching out. Amanda informs Oracle that Flo died on a mission.  The next panel reveals a wheelchair-bound redhead, a Batgirl plushie on the desk, mourning the loss of her friend.

I love the subtle revelation of Oracle’s secret identity.  No storming the secret lair and gasping in shock.  A simple one-panel revelation that relied on the art to provide the clues to her identity.  Not that it didn’t blow my mind at the time.

A small pause in the Babs-a-thon to promote John Ostrander, Kim Yale, and the 1980s’ Suicide Squad title. If you haven’t read the Ostrander/Yale run – what are you waiting for?  Ostrander & Yale created two of the most unique, groundbreaking, and iconic women in comics:  Amanda Waller and Barbara Gordon as Oracle.  The Squad consistently had multiple female characters – Flo, Karen, Nightshade, Enchantress, Mind-Boggler, Plastique, Vixen, Duchess, Jewlee, Poison Ivy – all different types of personalities, all written well.  The development of the villains was great – Captain Boomerang and Deadshot owed their prominence to this title.  Read this series!

Back to the Babs-a-thon –

Barbara had two more prominent appearance in the Squad.  In Suicide Squad #48, Barbara visits her therapist.  Babs reveals she has a recurring dream – she runs down a corridor to open the door – the identity of the person on the other side changes – it ranges from the Joker, Jim Gordon, Batman, to Batgirl herself.  The individual always has a gun and shoots her.  Babs doesn’t reveal the multiple choices to the therapist and focuses on the Joker –

“And then I feel the bullet boring its way through my body.  My legs give way, useless as my spine is severed.  There’s this awful wrench and grinding in my back – like a clutch out of gear – and then pain.  There’s a woman screaming for rescue that never comes.  And the room stinks of cordite and blood – my blood – and the Joker claws at me.  And there is pain.  And then the Joker is beating me, and he smells like paraffin and rotten lilacs, screeching I’m not cooperating, and every blow reverberates through my shot-out, shattered spine.  And there is pain.  And then – then – when he’s – when I’m naked – he starts taking pictures and I can’t stop him! And when – when he’s done – the Joker just…laughs!”

“For six months all I had was pain.  They had to build a bridge between sections of my spine just so I could sit up straight. And I will never, never, never walk again.”

The therapy session would be taking place around 2 years after the Killing Joke.  The Batman Chronicles story mentioned 6 months of therapy and Babs spent a year training with Richard Dragon, throw in 6 months to establish contact/work with the Suicide Squad = 2 years.

Bab’s paralysis/recovery, Jason’s death/resurrection, the 4 Robins, and Dick becoming Nightwing are all examples of why the New 52 compressed 5-year timeline doesn’t work for the Bat Family.  Barbara and Jason’s respective Joker traumas were the defining obstacle of their lives – it took time and much inner strength to overcome.  In the New 52, Babs, in a space of 5 years, became Batgirl, was paralyzed by the Joker, created the Oracle identity, formed the Birds of Prey, disbanded the Birds of Prey, regained the ability to walk, discarded the Oracle identity, and regained enough athletic ability to resume the Batgirl role. So, Babs was paralyzed for less than a month?  Still traumatizing but it removes the strength and struggle it took for Babs to even create the Oracle role.

The therapist informs Barbara: “You have a right to be angry.  It was a heinous act.  It was unfair.  You need to tell other people about your rage – like your father.  Whenever you’re with him, you put on the act of perky, plucky Barbara Gordon. Why?”

Barbara responds: “What good would it do to get mad?  He’d only feel more ashamed and guilty.  He holds himself responsible.  Dad always refused to have an officer of duty guarding us like they do in other cities. Wanted to be more ‘accessible’ to the taxpayers.  We were ‘accessible’ all right.”

“But you do blame him – and Batman.  Not unreasonably!”

“I mostly blame myself mostly.  I should’ve known better than to just pop open the door without seeing who it was.”

“Why? Why should you have known better?”

Barbara leaves the therapy session, worrying that she has “another murderous sociopath stalking me!”

“And whose fault is this one, Barbara?  Batman’s? Dad’s?  Simon LaGrieve?  Uh-uh. You wanted to be a superhero again so you created a computer version and called yourself Oracle.  But you weren’t as good as you thought you were.  Stop it!  No more self-pity.  No more playing the victim!  Whatever it takes, Thinker, I’ll deal with you – myself!”

Trademark Barbara determination and independence on display.

Suicide Squad #49 was near the tail-end of Babs’ run with the team.  Barbara continues to be stalked by the Thinker.

Babs is at the Gotham City Police Department Shooting Range: “What am I doing?  I hate guns!  Shut up! You know very well what you’re doing! You’re preparing to kill someone. You touched that maniac’s mind! You know what he wants to do! Carmichael’s a sociopath!  He wants to kill you, your father – anyone who care’s anything about you!  You swore – never again!  You’d never be a victim again!  Isn’t there any other way?  Of course there is – I could just go tell Dad.  But that would be the end of Oracle.  The only place I have left where I can walk, where I can run, where I can dance is the cybernet!  I lost my physical mobility because of one madman, must I lose my mental freedom as well?”

Notice that Bab’s never entertains the thought of contacting Batman or Nightwing.  It reinforces the pre-Crisis and immediate post-Crisis canon that Barbara was not an intimate member of the Bat Family.  I’m in the minority but I prefer it this way.  I love Bab’s as an independent, adult woman, who, while inspired by Batman, carved her own path as a hero – one who didn’t need or require his guidance or approval.  I prefer that Batman, amazed by Bab’s intelligence, strength, and determination, brought her into the fold after she created the Oracle identity.  I feel Bruce saw Babs as well-intentioned but lacked the “true dedication” in her Batgirl career.  He wasn’t wrong as Babs had retired her Batgirl-career pre-Killing Joke.  Post Killing-Joke, Bruce realized Babs wasn’t here to play!  We shouldn’t underestimate the guilt Bruce felt – not only for the shooting but for laughing with the Joker.

Babs wonders if she can bring herself to shoot Carmichael: “I won’t be a victim again.  But does that mean I must become a killer?  It flies in the face of everything I was taught – everything I believe!  But perhaps everything I was taught to believe is wrong.  Don’t we have the right to defend ourselves?”

Barbara hides out at the Hotel Tamarindo.  Carmichael storms into the room, yelling for “Amy!”

Babs/Amy claims she only ships computers to Oracle but has never seen the actual person.

Carmichael throws Babs out of her wheelchair and threatens to “rip open her mind” and discover the truth.

Carmichael’s interrupted by Amanda Waller’s entrance: “So there you are, you nasty boy, you.”

“I know you.  You’re Amanda Waller!  I read all about you in the papers a year or so back!  But you couldn’t be Oracle – or could you?!”

Carmichael tries to control Amanda’s mind but fails.  Amanda and Carmichael brawl while Barbara grabs her gun: “Stand away from him, Mrs. Waller.”

“You can’t do it, girl.”

“I’ve got to do it! He’s a sociopath – he wants to kill me and my family – my friends!”

“Who you really trying to kill, girl?”

Babs visualizes shooting the Joker, Batman, Jim Gordon, and Batgirl.

“No one.  Take this, please, Mrs. Waller.”

Waller knocks Carmichael unconscious and offers Babs continued work with the Suicide Squad: “Also got an offer to make to you.  You got a thing about privacy.  Fine. I won’t pry.  But I think we can be a help to each other if you’re willing to listen.”

“You saved my life and helped keep me from taking a life.  All right, Mrs. Waller – I’ll listen.”

I love the mutual respect between Babs and Amanda.  Amanda didn’t threaten or blackmail Babs – she simply made an offer and was willing to back off if Barbara declined.  

For those unfamiliar with Amanda’s backstory, she came from a poor background, suffered numerous heart-breaking tragedies, and built herself up by pure force of will.  I think Amanda sees herself in Barbara – another woman brought down low by outside forces who raised herself up through pure determination.

Barbara would continue to aid the Suicide Squad but I’m switching to Showcase ’94 #12.

“A Little Knowledge” by Scott Peterson and Brian Stelfreeze.  The short story takes place during the Prodigal-era of the Bat titles. Babs has stopped working with the Squad and began to make appearances in the Bat titles.  

Babs hears a knock on her door – she opens it (using the peephole first), and discovers a rodent impaled by a knife.

“I can’t help wondering if they have to deal with this kind of thing in Metropolis.”

Babs receives a call: “I’ve been watching you.”

What is it with Babs and stalkers?

Barbara continues her work day: “A note from Robin.  Great kid. Knows his stuff, too.  And he always thanks me for the help.  Means more to me than the money they send my way once in a while.”

Yes, Tim is polite and gracious.  Unlike Bruce.

“Not that I’m complaining. Their generosity is what keeps me state of the art.  Still, as much as I love Robin, I wish I didn’t get the feeling that he and Alfred were the only ones sending the mysterious checks I receive, funneled through dummy corporation seven times removed.  Like I wouldn’t find out.”

Sorry, boys, you can’t fool the Oracle.

Babs continues to receive calls and weird notes.

Barbara is out grocery shopping when someone shoots at her: “I’m on my way home when the first shots fired. I see it hit the pavement before I hear it, and I’m already looking for places to dive.  Then I remember I can’t dive anywhere anymore.  I’m about to be shot.  And there’s nothing I can do.  Again.”

Babs returns home and receives another threatening call.

Babs has an origin/Killing Joke flashback:

“It was the Batman who made me want to become a hero myself.  And even after he made it clear he didn’t want another partner, I kept at it.”

Independent Babs for the win!

“It was fun.  Until the night when all the fun went away…forever.”

“I worked with what I had. From my days as Gotham’s head librarian I knew how to find out whatever I needed.  If I could do that for citizens, I could do it for colleges, non-profit corporations, private investigators and super-heroes.  Having been blessed with photographic recall, I studied a dozen newspapers, four dozen magazines, and my main haunt, the computer bulletin boards.  I even hacked into the Gotham Bar Association to take the exam, just out of curiosity. Passed the first time, piece of cake. But the whole time I was improving my mind, I never got over losing the use of my legs.  Although, when I think back on it all, I can’t believe I used to fight crime with a brown belt in Judo.  A brown belt, for God’s sake.”

Barbara decides to talk to a friend.  Enter Batman (Dick Grayson) via Batcave phone call.

Barbara confides in Dick: “The last time I was in a physical confrontation I shot a secret service agent. The time before that I got my spine blown out by the Joker.  You can see why I’m a little nervous.  Not exactly a great track record.  I’m afraid.”

Dick advises: “Barbara, look – it…it never really goes away, you can try to lock it up, you can pretend you don’t feel it, but…but the fear’s always there somewhere.  You can never escape it.  You just have to overcome it.  You have to prove you’re stronger.  Do you want help with this guy?”

“No.  Thanks, Dick, but…no.  I need to do this on my own.  I need to know if I can.”

My personal feeling is Barbara was brought into the Bat Family circle during the Knightsend/Prodigal era.  I believe Dick is the one that invited Babs into the “family”.  Not in a romantic way.  Bruce was largely absent during from Gotham during this era and Dick will always be the more social/team-oriented member of the family.  I see a reveal similar to the Batwoman/Nightwing moment in Batman: Bad Blood.  The twist being that Barbara knows the secret identities – she’s had a lot of time to research since the Killing Joke.

Babs waits in her apartment. She receives another call: “Get ready, little girl.  Here I come.” And the lights and phone go out.

Babs uses a back-up generator to access her computers.  The security cameras reveal a Nick Riley: “And I finally understand who wants to kill me, and why.”

“I finally push the button. The first thing I installed.  The think I hoped I never have to use.”

Riley enters the apartment: “You and me, we’re going to have a whole lotta fun.”

“No.  I don’t believe this is going to be very much fun for you at all.”

Babs beats the man into unconsciousness.  She then calls out to another man: “You can come in now, Mister Armonk.”

Armonk was sent to jail for murder two years ago with the assistance of Barbara Gordon.  Armonk prepares to shoot Babs but she whips out her escrima sticks and knocks him out.

Batman compliments: “Nice job.”

“Batman?  How long have you been here?”

“About five minutes. I came as soon as I got your signal.”

“Why didn’t you give me a hand?”

“Didn’t look like you needed it.”

“Hey, you looked good. Really good.  How did it feel?”

“It felt good.  I hope I don’t need to do that again.  But it feels good to know I can.  It may not be swinging from rooftops, but…but it’s not bad. Not bad at all.”

Babs would shortly form the Birds of Prey, first as a partnership with Black Canary and later expanding into a full-fledged group.  One of my favorite series but it’s simply too lengthy to include in a Babs-a-thon.

Barbara’s other major development of the 90’s/2000’s was her romance with Dick Grayson.  I started as a fan of the pairing.  Babs – in the immediate post-Crisis era – dismissed Robin as a flirtatious, too young boy.  Pre-Crisis, Babs dated Clark Kent and had a lengthy romance with Jason Bard.  In both eras, Babs was intrigued by Batman.  The point I’m making is Barbara dated adult men because she was an adult.

Shortly after the Prodigal era, Barbara and Dick began to head in a romantic direction.  What I wanted, and what was initially portrayed, was Barbara falling for an older, more mature Dick.  Dick is an adult and their age difference is no longer an issue for Barbara.  Their early romance had touching moments as Babs let down her guard and allowed Dick in. Dick was still healing over the brutal end of his relationship with Starfire, so it made sense to go slow.

It didn’t take long for the pairing to jump the tracks for me.  First, Babs is continually de-aged to become Dick Grayson’s one (only?) true love. First, no.  Second, why does Babs have to be the one to have her history and accomplishments removed to accommodate Dick?  Why does she lose her independence to become yet another sidekick of Batman? Third, Dick’s true love of his teenage/college years is Starfire.  It’s Dick’s first intense, full-out love experience.

I could go on for a while about this pairing but I’ll save that for a separate post.

This concludes my Babs-a-thon.  The issues mentioned in parts 1 – 5 cemented my impression of Barbara: an intelligent, determined, driven woman.  I adored Barbara as Batgirl but it’s as Oracle that she became a force of nature in the DC Universe.

[sebeth]

Babs-a-thon, part 1

Warning, Spoilers Ahead…

I started reading comic books in the early 1980s.  My two series from 1980 – 1985 were the Legion of Super-Heroes and the New Teen Titans. I read the occasional issue of other DC series – Justice League, Batman, reprint digests that feature issues of various comics.  My next comics were the Crisis on Infinite Earths and Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe.  The titles introduced me to tons of wonderful characters.

The first time I encountered Batgirl was watching re-runs of the Batman ’66 show. Batgirl was also one of three women that would be commonly featured on super-hero merchandise in the ‘80’s – Wonder Woman and Supergirl were the other two.  Catwoman, Hawkgirl, and Cheetah were used less frequently.

I thought I would review the first appearances I read of Barbara – the ones that formed my impression of her character.

Pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths:

I’ll start with Batgirl’s entry in Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #2.

Known Relatives: James (father), Thelma (mother, deceased), Anthony (brother, deceased)

Occupation: Former librarian, Former Congresswoman, now Associate Director of Humanities Research and Development

History: “A Pd.D graduate of Gotham State University, Barbara Gordon began her career as a quiet librarian, which left her time to pursue her interest in the martial arts.”

“One evening, on her way to the Policeman’s Masquerade, wearing a brand-new Batgirl costume of her own design, she witnessed Killer Moth ambushing Bruce Wayne as part of a massive extortion plot.  Impulsively rushing to Wayne’s rescue, Barbara discovered she enjoyed the excitement and danger, and decided to dedicate her life to the fight against crime.”

“Her interest in protecting society led to her serving one term in Washington, D.C. … Barbara now continues her efforts on behalf of the people as Associate Director of Humanities Research and Development.”

“Though she has at times teamed with Batman and/or Robin, Barbara is currently in semiretirement as Batgirl…”

Powers & Weapons: “Batgirl is a skilled hand-to-hand combatant, possessing a first kyu brown belt in judo and karate…she is and Olympic-level athlete…she also rides a custom-built batcycle.”

Barbara is clearly an adult woman.  She’s earned a Ph.D., worked as a librarian, served as a Congresswoman for two years, and is now the Associate Director of Humanities Research and Development.  I would put her at 30 years old at a minimum.

Barbara’s skills and intelligence are noted in the entry: Ph.D., above-average hand to hand combatant, skilled athlete, seamstress, and mechanic.  I assume Barbara is the one who designed the “custom-built batcycle”.

I had the impression of an intelligent, skilled woman who entered the vigilante life-style to help people and to add some adventure into her life.

Perhaps Barbara semi-retired because the lifestyle wasn’t as thrilling – perhaps her body was feeling all the aches or she found a new passion in her research in humanities.

Was it ever explained how Thelma and Anthony died?  

The other Pre-Crisis appearances of Barbara I’d read were Crisis of Infinite Earths #4 and #7.

Crisis #4 opens with Batgirl meeting up with Supergirl.  Batgirl and Supergirl were one of the great pre-Crisis female friendships.

“July 1985: The red skies are hardly noticed now.  Instead, attention is paid to the snows and winds, to the electrical mayhem over every part of our fragile earth.  The stars, too, seem affected by whatever is out there…constellations are no longer aligned as usual…sunspot activity has increased a thousand-fold…weather has gone insane, and even those with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men find their every waking day filled with nightmares come true.”

In other words, the world has gone insane and the multiverse is dying.

Supergirl lands in Gotham: “I haven’t heard from Barbara in months.  She sounded so frightened…not that I blame her.”

Batgirl: “The city…it’s so empty.  Mostly everyone is staying inside with their loved ones, awaiting the end.  I – I think this time it’s really coming.”

Supergirl: “I know the feeling.  And you’re right – hardly anyone’s outside.  Not even the criminals.  But there must be a way to stop whatever’s out there.  I’m not ready to give in so easily.”

Batgirl: “Supergirl…Linda…I’ve faced death so often because I never truly believed I would die, but now…now I feel so useless, so worthless, and so very, very scared.”

Supergirl: “Everyone is, Barbara.  I’ve spoken to Superman and the Titans – they say Flash may have died.  And other heroes…some villains, too, have disappeared. I’m scared, too, but I can’t let that stop me from doing what I have to.”

Batgirl: “Easy for you to say.  Look at your powers.  I – I’m nothing.  I – I don’t think I was ever cut out for playing hero.”

Supergirl: “Barbara, there are thousands of people out there – without powers like mine…they’re all ordinary people trying their best to keep this world from falling apart before its time.”

Supergirl spots a plane in distress and flies off to save it.

Batgirl: “She doesn’t give a moment’s thought to herself of her safety yet I know she cares if she lives or dies.  She’s a hero through and through while all I can think about is what will happen to me. My god, what have I become?”

Crisis #4 isn’t Barbara’s most heroic moment but I found it very realistic and made her more human to me.

Remember, this is pre-crisis Babs: intelligent, agile, throws a mean Batarang.  She doesn’t even know the secret identities of Batman and Robin! Hyper-competent and super-connected Babs didn’t happen until the mid-1990’s.

Barbara’s only other notable appearance during the Crisis was in the seventh issue.  Batgirl delivers Supergirl’s eulogy: “Kara is a hero without equal.  She was often my confidante and always my friend.  Kara was a hero, who, yes, cared about herself, but always seemed to care more for others.  It is easy to dismiss the something special that made her a hero because she had powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men but a hero is not measured by what her power may be but by the courage she shows in living, and the warmth she holds in her heart.  Let her courage give us courage.  Let her love give us love, and let her hope give us hope.  Kara is a hero, she will not be forgotten.”

A touching eulogy and a nice callback to Barbara’s earlier conversation with Kara.

Part 2 of the Babs-a-thon will feature Barbara’s early appearances in the post-Crisis DC Universe.

[sebeth]

Babs-a-thon, part 2

Warning, Spoilers Ahead…

 Barbara’s first appearance in the post-Crisis DC universe was her revised entry in Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory Update ’87 #1.

Known Relatives: Roger (father, deceased), Thelma (mother, deceased), James (adoptive father/uncle), Barbara (adoptive mother/aunt), James Jr (adoptive brother/cousin)

Occupation: Former librarian, former Congresswoman, now civil servant

DC decided to make Barbara taller – before the Crisis she was 5’6”, post-crisis she is 5’11”

I’m not going to quote as much from Barbara’s updated Who’s Who entry as her Secret Origins issue expands on it.

A few items of note:

“Barbara’s mother died in a car accident when Barbara was four years old, which ultimately led to her father’s death from alcoholism.  At thirteen she moved to Gotham City to live with her aunt and uncle, who later adopted her.”

The changing of Barbara’s parentage was pointless and only adds unnecessary tragedy to her past. Was it changed because Frank Miller was unwilling to write Barbara into Year One.  Or is it simply not allowed to be a hero in Gotham unless you’ve lost a parent?

“After earning her Master’s degree in Library and Information Systems from Gotham State University, Barbara worked as head reference librarian at the Gotham Public Library until the chance to run for Congress came along, and success made her a one-term Congresswoman.  A re-election defeat led her to a position at Humanities Research and Development, where she works as an Associate Director, mostly on public work projects.”

The de-aging of Barbara has begun – first her Ph.D. is downgraded to a Master’s degree and her term as a Congresswoman is later hand-waved away.

I’ll be honest – the de-aging annoys me.  It takes away from Barbara’s character and history.  It only gets worse as Chuck Dixon and DC become hell-bent on making Bab’s Dick Grayson’s “one true love”.

“James Gordon later learned of her identity.” – Then why did I read dozens of post-Crisis comics of Barbara trying to hide her secret from her dad?

“Barbara’s nocturnal adventures are less frequent lately, due partly to what she perceives as her ‘failures’ during the events known as the Crisis…”

For those who weren’t reading DC Comics in the immediate aftermath of the Crisis –

1)      Psycho-Pirate is the only individual with full memories of the Crisis and the pre-Crisis multiverse

2)      Everyone else lost their memories of the pre-Crisis multiverse and have murky memories of the actual Crisis.

Could Barbara’s “perceived failures” be subconscious memories of Supergirl’s death?

Barbara’s hand to hand combat abilities are the same pre & post Crisis – she’s still a brown belt. However, Babs is now an Olympic-level runner.

 Secret Origins #20 – “Flawed Gems” by Barbara Randall & Rick Leonardi

The issue opens with Barbara pursuing a thief.

“As always, my mind races to catalog the image, then file it away among similar ones.  My brain’s a tidy place, lists and pictures in endless lines.  Nothing is ever lost.  They call it a photographic memory?”

An upgrade from pre-Crisis Babs: photographic memory.

“I like flawed gems. They remind me of me.  It’s impossible to tell from the outside what’s hidden on the inside.  The gem keeps private corners, holding secrets. So do I.”

Babs recalls how her mother and aunt died in a car accident when she was a toddler.  

“I wish I had a sister or a friend or someone who knew what it was like to do this.  Why I was compelled to be here to protect others. I used to pretend I had a friend. But it hurt much more when I realized I was talking to myself.”

Barbara’s lived a lonely life.  Babs chooses not to let her father in on her crime-fighting career.  She’s not close to the Bat-Clan either.  It’s especially sad that the Crisis erased/made her forget her close friendship with Supergirl.

We receive another clue about Bab’s intelligence: “Years ago, I developed a multi-light tracer for my bike.”

Bab’s reflects more on her childhood.  Barbara had an active imagination and created many super-hero personas:  Rocket Girl, Marvelousgirl, Batgirl, Supergirl.  Babs often played super-hero with Marcy, a childhood friend.  We see Bab’s bedroom where all of her stuffed animals are dressed in hero costumes.

Bab’s father has descended into alcoholism since the death of his wife.  He eventually drinks himself to death.  Barbara moves to Gotham to live with Jim Gordon, her uncle. Barbara discovers that Jim’s wife is also named Barbara.  Jim and Barbara have recently given birth to a son.  The couple eventually adopts Barbara.

Babs developed an interest in helping Jim with his cases:

“This Two-Faced guy – did he ever kill anybody?”

“Only nosy thirteen-year-old girls.”

“Right. Gothcha”

Bab’s continues to sneak into Jim’s home office to peak at his case files.  Batman sneaks her a note that states “Don’t get caught.  He’ll get angry!”

Bab’s decides she’s going to become Batman’s partner.  She develops a list of skills and courses to improve herself:  karate lessons, track, visiting the library to study maps and city information, and concentrating hard-core on her academics.

I like this determined, ambitious Barbara – it’s a better approach than the “hey, this looks like fun” motive of pre-Crisis Barbara.

Fearing she’s attracting too much attention, Bab’s tones down her academic and physical performance. She’s already graduating two years early.

Barbara, at 16 years old, attends Gotham State University for a library and information systems degree. Barbara completes her master’s degree.

The night of the policemen’s masquerade ball arrives.  Barbara is going to attend in a Batgirl costume.  Barbara, in costume, breaks up a robbery by Killer Moth and his henchmen. The victim of the robbery?  Bruce Wayne! Needless to say, Batman is not impressed by these shenanigans.  An infuriated Batgirl stalks off.  Babs skips the costume ball and starts her career as Batgirl.

Barbara later decides to run for Congress.  She wins but is found to be too liberal for re-election.

Bab’s notes how her later cases were strange:  mindwiped, impersonated, and turned into a snake!

“I flirted with the first Robin for a while, but he was so young.  Batman was always the one on my mind.  Is he the reason I do this?  I can’t help feeling I know who he is.”

The above passage is notable for several reasons:

1)          It explains why I could never get aboard the Babs-Dick ship.  There is clearly a big age difference between the two.  Babs’ mind is clearly on the older, more age-appropriate Batman.  Think about it – when Dick and Babs meet – Bab’s has a master’s degree and is preparing for a Congress run, Dick isn’t even old enough to have a driver’s license. You have to be 25 years old to run for Congress so we have an age gap of 7 to 10 years.

2)          It’s also why I was never bothered by a Bruce – Barbara pairing. Barbara’s first post-Crisis story states she was aiming for the older, not the younger, Gotham hero. Barbara went on a date with Clark Kent in the pre-Crisis.  Babs dated and later became engaged to Jason Bard, another adult, in the pre and post Crisis.  To me, Barbara has always been an adult peer to Batman, not one of his teenage sidekicks. I don’t ship Barbara and Bruce but I’m not against it.

3)          It also shows the distance between Babs and the Bat Family.  Bruce clearly didn’t trust her enough to reveal Robin or his identity to her.

“There’s only one face I can’t remember.  Coromant. He killed me.  A dummy fell to the ground.  But part of my soul fell with it.  He made me realize I could die doing this.  I should thank him.  He made me work harder.  Next time, he’s the one to take the fall.  I saw his face everywhere.  When the red rains came, when all the heroes left to save the world, I was left behind to fight him.  He was everywhere.  I’m chasing him now.  I’ll always be trying to catch him, and when I do…first, I’ll strip off his mask. Expose his secret identity.  Know his face.  I never forget a face.  I’ll make him as afraid of me as I was afraid of him.”

The red rains are reference to the Crisis on Infinite Earths.  Babs seems to be battling some PTSD when it comes to Coromant.  Apparently, Coromant is Barbara’s “perceived failure” during the Crisis.  I still like “my subconscious memories of Kara’s death” theory.  As far as I can tell, Secret Origins #20 is the first appearance of Coromant.  The Coromant panels also set-up the Batgirl special that came out later in the year.

This issue would top my personal list of essential Barbara Gordon issues. It establishes Barbara’s new origin, hits the pre-Crisis highlights of Batgirl’s career, and sets the stage for her next appearance.  You were able to get inside Barbara’s head and understand her motivations and fears.

Babs-a-thon, part 3 will feature the 1988 Batgirl Special, the Killing Joke, and a Death In the Family.

[sebeth]

Babs-a-thon, Part 3

Warning, Spoilers Ahead…

Batgirl Special (1988) by Barbara Randall and Barry Kitson.

Barbara Randall was the writer of Secret Origins #20.

We start with a Cormorant flashback: “Four years ago, Cormorant killed me.  I was so proud.  I thought I was cheating an assassin of his assignment.  But she wasn’t his target.  The bullets cut through my pride first.  In the pain, I completely forgot about his hostage. Luckily the girl ran away.  I saved myself.  He thought I was dead.  But he’d killed part of me, reduced my world to a haze of pain and self-protection.  I’d never been hurt before.  Not like that.  I’d been an innocent hero.  Cormorant changed that.’

I researched Cormorant and he debuted in Detective Comics #491 (1980) in the “Assassination of Batgirl” story.  I haven’t read the story and the images are a bit confusing.  We know from the Secret Origins flashback and from page 1 of the Batgirl special that Cormorant shot a dummy dressed like Batgirl and it fell from a building.  Bab’s narration implies that she herself was shot but the art doesn’t show any wounds. Has anyone read the original story – was Barbara actually shot?

I find it interesting that Barbara encountered many of the Gotham rogues and it’s a garden-variety assassin that deeply traumatized her.  I don’t doubt Barbara’s heroism but she did begin her Batgirl career with a “thrill of the adventure” motive.  Cormorant seemed to be her wake-up call that the vigilante lifestyle isn’t all fun and games.

We return to the present and Barbara has resumed her librarian career.  There is a dead man with a knife in his back laying in the aisle.

Bab’s immediately suspects Cormorant: “That was four years ago, but it never stops happening.  He’s been killing me in my dreams ever since. Every time I’m scared, I see him. Every time I dream of him, I wake up shaking.  And now this. A murder right under my nose, in my library.  Did he leave the hat to taunt me?  Does he know who I am?  Doesn’t matter.  This time I’ve got him cold.  Nice of him to leave his calling card.  Hope his head gets cold without it.”

There’s the Babs I know – she may be scared but she doesn’t back down from a challenge.

Barbara dispatches another librarian to call the police while she inspects the crime scene: “Cormorant’s behind this – I know it!  I should never have ignored him for so long.  How could I have been so stupid!  By not going after Cormorant after he tried to kill me, I’ve left him free to kill again!  He was my responsibility, and I’ve failed!  Well, now’s the time to fix things!”

The hat is a flimsy clue – Barbara’s trauma/fixation on Cormorant is causing her to exclude other suspects.

Babs removes a note from the dead body: “Sorry, guys.  But I know who the killer is and this may help me find him.”

Um, Barbara, you actually don’t know who the killer is.  Also, as the daughter of a police commissioner, you should know that removing possible evidence is a no-no.  It won’t to any good to catch Cormorant if you’ve removed evidence that could lead to his conviction.

The corpse is identified as David Scarrano.  Bab’s discovers he is the son Anthony Paul Scarrano a.k.a. General Scarr a.k.a. the man who hired Cormorant to assassinate Batgirl.

Babs researches David’s past: “He’s got a history of arrests without convictions – Scarr must be putting pressure on somebody big.  All his crimes are violent.  Cross-check shows all female victims.  His father must have decided he was becoming a liability and sent his top assassin after him.”

Barbara heads home and inspects her gear: “I have a particular routine I follow when I’m going to go out.  It’s a weapons check, but more.  My personality is also checked, reined in – I’m all business on a case.  After all, my life depends not only on careful preparation, but on my staying alert and aware…Everything checks out but me.  I’m so tired and scared I’ve got to sleep or I’ll tremble myself to death…Cormorant’s been quiet for years…Why’d he choose now to come back?  And what am I going to do when I see him?  What if he hurts me again?”

5:04 am: A body is dropped in front of the Gotham City Police 13th Precinct Station. The body has a note attached to it: “I don’t care for killing, but it must be done.  This man and others like him have committed foul crimes against woman and gone free.  If no one else will come forward to stop the abuse, the fear, them I must.  I am justice.  I am the hand that delivers womankind from fear with a single slash.”

Yeah, it’s safe to say Cormorant isn’t the killer.  Gotham media names the killer “Slash”.

9:05 am: Barbara is woken by the arrival of Marcy.  Marcy, Barbara’s childhood best friend, debuted in Secret Origins #20.

Babs is wearing a “U2” nightgown so Babs must be a fan of Bono and company.

Marcy has a few questions for Barbara: “What the hell do you think you’re doing?  Did you think I wouldn’t who ‘Batgirl’ was?  Do you think this is a game or something?  Did you ever stop to think about how worried I’d be when I found out you were out there risking your life just to get your jollies? Do you want to get yourself killed or something?”

Babs calms Marcy down and the girls spend the morning catching up.  Babs brings out a photo album that contains photos of Jason Bard.

Jason was the great romance of pre-Crisis Barbara.  Babs notes “Jason Bard.  I spent a lot of time with him.  We lost touch when I ran off to Congress.”

The above line indicates the Babs-Jason romance is over but early issues of Birds of Prey (written by Chuck Dixon) have the couple engaged.  Barbara reveals the engagement ended because Jason “couldn’t protect her” from the Joker.

I’m not sure how Jason would be able to protect Barbara as he wasn’t even in the building during the Killing Joke.  Let’s chalk it up to an out-of-character moment for Babs due to Chuck Dixon’s desire to kickstart the Babs-Dick romance.  Dixon needed to end Bab’s only major romance so he went with the easy option of “my man couldn’t protect me” route.  The engagement and subsequent break-up is completely unnecessary as the “Batgirl Special” states that the duo couldn’t make the long-distance relationship work.

Slash murders Mr. Iverson: “I have just killed you.  I have done this because of your crimes against women.  You will die here on the street, Mr. Iverson, and no one will help you. Just as no one could help them: Leticia Munoz, Crystal Kale, Kathryn Bautier.”

Slash is masked and sporting a trench coat and a Cormorant-style hat.  Slash later removes the coat revealing a Frances Kane-style costume with plenty of knives.  Slash is definitely female.

Barbara researches Cormorant’s current location – a home in Westchester County registered under the name of Edward Wells.  

Babs’ obsession with Cormorant continues.  The police and media have ascertained the killer is female but all Babs sees is Cormorant.

Babs heads to Westchester County to confront Cormorant: “If I don’t face up to him alone. I’ll never stop being afraid of him!  And I’ll never know if I could.”

Cormorant is watching tv as his bruised wife brings him dinner.  Cormorant receives a call – he has been hired to eliminate Slash.  The identity of the caller isn’t revealed but a safe bet would be General Scarr.

Cormorant’s excited to hunt Cormorant: “This Slash’s been pretty brave against unarmed men.  We’ll just have to see how she handles someone tougher…”

Batgirl cases the house from a nearby tree: “He’s cleaning weapons.  But I haven’t actually seen him commit any crimes.  Even if I know he’s guilty, I can’t attack him.  But he’ll try again, try to kill someone else. When he does, I’ll be ready for him. But not now.”

Marcy pulls up and orders Babs into the car.  Marcy wisely points out that Babs should call in Batman or the cops to assist her in the case.

The duo enter Gotham and Babs hears a scream.  Babs tracks the source of the scream only to discover Nightwing and Robin have beaten her to it.  Yay for Dick and Jason working together!

An anonymous woman hires Slash to kill Cormorant.  We can safely guess the identity of the woman.

Babs investigates the next likely murder victim – Anthony Caterino.

Marcy warns Babs: “You’ve got to watch it.  Being too obsessed can get in the way of your instincts.  Don’t blind yourself to the obvious.  You really need to ease off or you’ll crack!”

Marcy is full of great advice – it’s too bad we never see her again after this issue.  It’s established that Marcy has moved to Gotham but we never see her again.  Did Babs push Marcy away in the aftermath of the Killing Joke?

Batgirl interrupts Slash’s murder of Anthony Caterino.  Slash requests Batgirl to join her.  Babs informs Slash: “I catch them, not kill them.  I let the courts decide who’s guilty.

Slash gains the upper hand and murders Caterino.

Batgirl warns Slash: “Watch your back, woman.  I’m coming to get you.  I don’t buy your lies.  No killing is justified ever.”

“Once upon a time, Cormorant killed me.  I’ve been dying ever since.  But I’ve never let it stopped me.  Never. Until now.  Then the dream comes and he’s after me again, only now he’s got a partner.  They chase me and kill me, over and over and over again.  I’m too scared to stop them.  Why bother?  Just let them come and end the pain, end my…no.  I give up.  I’m tired of hurting.  God, I can’t feel my arm!  I can’t do this!  I give up. I quit.  Batgirl’s through.”

I love Bab’s characterization in the Crisis of Infinite Earths, Secret Origins, and the Batgirl Special.  Bab’s doubts and the struggles she endures ring true to me.  

Bab’s returns home and Marcy patches her up.  Marcy reminds Babs: “You’ve got your memory.  Your intelligence.  Use them.”

Despite the “I quit” moment from the night before Babs is back on the case: “I can’t stand the thought of leaving loose ends.”

Babs patrols from 1 am to 7am but doesn’t see any action as any potential encounter is resolved by another hero: “I’m just a minor force among heroes these days.  This city – this world – is well protected without my help.”

Barbara decides to leave the capture of Slash for the other heroes and focus on Cormorant: “When he’s caught, Batgirl can retire in peace!”

Batgirl confronts Cormorant at his house only to be interrupted by Slash.  A three-way brawl interrupts and Babs contemplates leaving: “I could just let them kill each other, then step in and sort out the pieces. No, that’s not what being a hero’s all about.”

Cormorant has Babs cornered and she throws a knife to save him from Slash: “Who do I save – him or myself? There’s no choice.  I can’t let anyone take a life I can save!”

Cormorant exclaims: “Hey! You knifed her!  You saved me! Just like all women, eh?  Pretend to hate men, then do anything to save us! Well, babe, I appreciate the save, but it doesn’t mean you’re off the hook!  I’m still gonna take you out…now, Batgirl, we’re gonna have some fun.”

Babs disgustedly states “No” and opens a can of whup-ass on Cormorant.

Cormorant’s wife hands Slash a gun while the duo fight.  Slash shoots Cormorant in the head.

Babs heads home and hands Marcy her Batgirl costume: “I just finished my last case.  Batgirl’s all finished.  There’re others out there now who can do this as well or better than me, with less pain.  I’ll help them, maybe without letting them know.  But I’m done going out there myself…It’s like starting a brand-new life, one where I don’t need this.”

Marcy wonders if “there’s another little Babs out there right now?”

Babs responds: “I hope not. But if there is, maybe I’ll talk her out of it.  Or give her the costume.”

DC had been attempting to retire Batgirl since the late 1970s.  The ‘Batgirl Special” nicely accomplishes it.  Babs has hung up the costume but can be brought back as Batgirl at any time.  We even have foreshadowing for an Oracle-type role or as a mentor to a new Batgirl.

The end of Barbara’s story, right?  Not exactly. Instead of leaving Barbara on a shelf where a future writer can remove for a story, she’s rudely stuffed into a fridge in “The Killing Joke”.

I’m not spending much time on the “Killing Joke”.  A subpar story with the only positive being Brian Bolland’s art.  The story is insulting to Babs – she’s off-handedly crippled by the Joker and the photos adds more salt to the wound.  Batman sharing a laugh with the Joker at the end? Completely infuriating!

Barbara receives a one-panel cameo in “A Death In The Family” when she attends Jason Todd’s funeral. Bet you’re not laughing now, Bruce!

Barbara was not close to the Wayne family at this point in the comics – she isn’t aware of Batman or either Robin’s secret identities so I assume she’s attending the funeral to support her father – a close friend of Bruce Wayne.  Babs is wheelchair-bound so “A Death In The Family” takes place soon after “The Killing Joke”.

Babs-a-thon part 4 will feature the early days of Oracle: Batman Chronicles, the Suicide Squad, and Showcase.