#my dream scenario is Miller getting to write another Batgirl volume which I know is like. predictable as hell for a steph fan.

[teleportationmagic]

read batgirl 2009

I have read Batgirl 2009. I have reread Batgirl 2009. I am currently on my third reread of Batgirl 2009. It's very dear to me as the book that essentially got me to actually check out comics more broadly, and it occupies wayyyyyy too much of my brainspace at any given moment - hell I've written fic about it!

However, while it makes motions towards being a coming of age story - the biggest way probably being in settling Steph's relationships with the Batfamily more broadly and Tim and Bruce more specifically, there's not really as much exploration of Steph as I'd like - for example, where does she go after this? What does she want now? Who does she want to be? Batgirl for her is well, seeing something through. It's a promise she can't leave unfulfilled, and a chance to be more than what she was, but that's not... that's not an identity. That's a chance to explore what her identity could be, unhindered by other's expectations of her failure and her own desperation. And I think while it was going in that direction and might have gotten there if it had more time, it just... couldn't, cause the universe went boom. So we get to see threads of it, like her lean into hope as a part of her motivation, but there's just not enough.

(Every day I weep that we couldn't get to the angstier year 3. Ah well)

[ibmiller]

#ANOTHER STICKING POINT TO ME IS ALSO THAT WE GO FROM STEPH'S SPOILER AND ROBIN RUN WHERE SHE'S ANGRY AND DESPERATE AND CHEERY AND INSECURE #TO HER BATGIRL RUN WHERE SHE'S CLAWED HER WAY TO HOPE AND OPTIMISM #AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S A BAD ARC - IN FACT #I THINK IT'S PRETTY PREDICTABLE FOR HER CHARACTER #THE THING IS WE DON'T. REALLY GET TO SEE IT #DC #STEPHANIE BROWN #TELESPEAK #MY DREAM SCENARIO IS MILLER GETTING TO WRITE ANOTHER BATGIRL VOLUME WHICH I KNOW IS LIKE. PREDICTABLE AS HELL FOR A STEPH FAN. #I'M BASIC! WHAT CAN I SAY 

All so true, including the great tags commentary!

The crushing thing about Batgirl 2009, despite it being great and glorious, is that BQM clearly WAS setting up so much both fun and dark for the next several years of the comic. Something I don't see talked about enough is just how carefully structured Batgirl 2009 is - the first arc is all about Steph convincing the Batfamily one by one that she can be Batgirl - first Babs, then herself, then Batman and Robin, then Red Robin. Once she's done that, she saves the entire city and builds Team Batgirl herself. Then, in Year Two, she faces her past in her father and stands on her own two feet, as well as having earned Bruce's respect at least twice (in The Road Home and Batman Inc).

As for wanting BQM coming and writing another Batgirl run...I think 99% of the Steph fandom, most definitely including BQM himself, wants him to do exactly that! We'll all be basic together (I suppose that's the meaning of basic, but basic solidarity! :) )

read batgirl 2009

I have read Batgirl 2009. I have reread Batgirl 2009. I am currently on my third reread of Batgirl 2009. It's very dear to me as the book that essentially got me to actually check out comics more broadly, and it occupies wayyyyyy too much of my brainspace at any given moment - hell I've written fic about it!

However, while it makes motions towards being a coming of age story - the biggest way probably being in settling Steph's relationships with the Batfamily more broadly and Tim and Bruce more specifically, there's not really as much exploration of Steph as I'd like - for example, where does she go after this? What does she want now? Who does she want to be? Batgirl for her is well, seeing something through. It's a promise she can't leave unfulfilled, and a chance to be more than what she was, but that's not... that's not an identity. That's a chance to explore what her identity could be, unhindered by other's expectations of her failure and her own desperation. And I think while it was going in that direction and might have gotten there if it had more time, it just... couldn't, cause the universe went boom. So we get to see threads of it, like her lean into hope as a part of her motivation, but there's just not enough.

(Every day I weep that we couldn't get to the angstier year 3. Ah well)