Batgirl #1 Preview

[Earth 2 Chris]

That may be but, the character was confined to a wheelchair for like 26 years. How did that happen when many writers and artists were banging on doors to restore Barbara as Batgirl? Could be DC's lawyers may have found a loophole or a way to overturn it. I asked my friend who told me this a long time ago to see if he can remember where he heard it. Maybe there's an interview somewhere's that mentions it. If I find it; I'll post the info here.

I always believed that the thought at DC was that to undo Oracle's condition would undermine the character, and take away a positive role model for wheelchair-bound readers. I've read several interviews over the years where creatives at DC pretty much said the same thing. Of course, with Paul Levitz gone (the last of the "old men" that were connected to DC since their youth), anything is fair game now, apparently.

Chris

[samurainoir]

Anticipation for Batgirl seems to be running high... It's the fourth of the new 52 books to sell out at the distributed level as retailers adjust their orders this week.
Action Comics #1 And Batgirl #1 Sell Out And Get Second Prints. Justice League #1 Gets Third. Bleeding Cool Comic Book, Movies and TV News and Rumors

Hopefully with Simone known for her track record on books, thevpeople that initially sample this book will stick with it.

With the fact that they are keeping her time as Oracle intact, I'm actually quite surprised that they did not go with the twist that whatever has "cured" her is for finite durations, and Babs is actually still wheelchair bound when she is not Batgirl.

As much as I've really enjoyed the new Batwoman... Particularly the art, if only one of them lasts, my hope is Batgirl with Simone at the helm.

[samurainoir]

I don't know if anyone reads the webcomic Gutters but it's a pretty funny commentary on the comic industry. I came across this one that kind of shocked me. It was that kind of shock where you know it's not right but you laugh because you didn't see it coming.

http://cdn.the-gutters.com/comics/ff...32a3178edb.jpg

Hey Carl, did you see the big huge hardcover gutters collection that they had at Fan Expo? It was quite tempting despite the price-point.

[johnmiic]

That Alan Moore thing is a urban myth, no way would DC ever agree to that on its flagship character just to stroke his ego.

That may be but, the character was confined to a wheelchair for like 26 years. How did that happen when many writers and artists were banging on doors to restore Barbara as Batgirl? Could be DC's lawyers may have found a loophole or a way to overturn it. I asked my friend who told me this a long time ago to see if he can remember where he heard it. Maybe there's an interview somewhere's that mentions it. If I find it; I'll post the info here.

She also admits she's going to buy the book.

You can't review the book unless you read it. Maybe she didn't hear Barnes & Noble will be carrying it and she could read it for free.

[boynightwing]

I don't know if anyone reads the webcomic Gutters but it's a pretty funny commentary on the comic industry. I came across this one that kind of shocked me. It was that kind of shock where you know it's not right but you laugh because you didn't see it coming.

[emeraldknight47]

Funny "DC Relaunch" Video

This is actually a pretty funny video. The guy in it reflects, I think, how a lot of long time readers perceive this "relaunch"...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=jH3W1gQYiD4

[The Bat]

She also admits she's going to buy the book.

"All that being said, I totally reserve the right to contradict myself in the next few months once I find out what’s actually happening to my favorite characters (because fans are fickle like that) but this is how I see it right now. Change needs to happen, let’s see where DC takes us."

[david_b]

Jill Pantozzi is a comic-girl and pretty upset about this whole Batgirl debacle. Arguably no other Batgirl has been as popular as Barbara Gordon but in an industry where cheap tricks and reboots in continuity reign Barbara Gordon as Oracle was a refreshing if tragic slice of reality. Jill also has a very good blog where she goes into it in great detail:

Newsarama.com : DCnU | OP/ED: ORACLE Is Stronger Than BATGIRL Will Ever Be

It was also my understanding that the events of The Killing Joke were most definitely in continuity. I had heard years ago, when Alan Moore wrote it, his agreement with DC was they would not un-do anything he wrote in it. Yet somehow they have.

I just started reading Jill's blog a few weeks ago. She showcases a lot of great in-depth commentary, not to mention she's gorgeous... Great ComicCon pics as well.

[The Bat]

I can't really comment on the whole 5 years ago thing and how it ties into Batgirl #1...as I haven't read the Comic yet. It'll be interesting to see how they explain it.

[BlackKnight]

^^^ The Cure ****ed me off.

[Nostalgiabuff]

Not true...here's a quote from the article:

Co-publisher Jim Lee said that while the relaunched character will be younger, they’re keeping her time as a paralytic as part of her history.
"We thought when you see her recovering from that, it would continue to add nuance and depth to the character," he said

well that does not really fit with the whole 5 years ago vibe they are going with then, does it. bottom line is they are trying to please both new and old fans and not going about it very well. much as I wanted Barbara back in the cowl, the time to do it was when they did the death of batman storyline and teased with the BG miniseries called "The Cure", after that crap i stopped caring

[ctc]

>but that kind of storytelling con only be sustained for so long before you need to reset the status quo again... Thus constant "shocking" events followed by reboots/retcons/one year later style stunts.

I can see that. I think it started WAY earlier with the non-events of the 80's. The original "Crisis" was SUPPOSED to change stuff and sort out the muddy bits, which it DID.... but for a perpetual book like any given superhero that trick only works so long before you have to do it again. Marvel lucked out when they did "Secret Wars" 'cos it was MEANT as the same sort of universe-shaking event, but ultimately had few lasting effects. 25 years down the road and we see the results; DC redoing EVERYTHING every year, and Marvel doing their yearly crossovers. Two sides of the same coin.

Don C.

[Cosmicman]

I think with all the jokes about Spandex and some guys looking like a wiener sausage maybe DC is having these designs created for some kind of "real life' explanation to what a modern super hero outfit looks like. I'm hoping it isn't armor like metal or some kind of padded gear. Maybe a new way to explain the super hero outfit without saying they are wearing the dreaded spandex.

[thunderbolt]

That Alan Moore thing is a urban myth, no way would DC ever agree to that on its flagship character just to stroke his ego.

[johnmiic]

Jill Pantozzi is a comic-girl and pretty upset about this whole Batgirl debacle. Arguably no other Batgirl has been as popular as Barbara Gordon but in an industry where cheap tricks and reboots in continuity reign Barbara Gordon as Oracle was a refreshing if tragic slice of reality. Jill also has a very good blog where she goes into it in great detail:

Newsarama.com : DCnU | OP/ED: ORACLE Is Stronger Than BATGIRL Will Ever Be

It was also my understanding that the events of The Killing Joke were most definitely in continuity. I had heard years ago, when Alan Moore wrote it, his agreement with DC was they would not un-do anything he wrote in it. Yet somehow they have.