Writer Gail Simone is departing the ‘Batgirl’ comic book and a new team will be taking over. And with this new team comes a new look for Batgirl!
Cameron Stewart and Brenden Fletcher will co-write the book and newcomer Babs Tarr will illustrate. (Coincidentally, Barbara Gordon’s nickname is Babs.) Stewart and Tarr both co-redesigned Barbara’s look, giving her a “girlie-er” appearance, swapping out her gauntlets for short gloves and her treaded boots for Doc Martens. Interestingly, Fletcher said their inspiration for the new look was the song “212” by Azealia Banks featuring Lazy Jay. The writer said “Now, imagine her running across rooftops to THIS!”
Tarr, for her part, enthusiastically expressed: “The whole thing has been pretty surreal! I was surprised, as a newcomer, at how super welcoming and collaborative everyone has been! Being approached to do ‘Batgirl’ and being met with such open arms toward my art style and ideas has just been beyond my wildest imagination. ‘Batgirl’ will be my first comic, and I could not be more honored and excited about the challenge! I am excited to draw Cameron and Brenden’s ‘Batgirl!’ The story so far is right up my alley. I know I have big shoes to fill but I am up for the challenge!”
What direction will the book be taking? Stewart says:
“Batgirl has really been put through the wringer in recent years – after being attacked and paralyzed by the Joker, her brother turning out to be a serial murderer, the trauma of her family breaking apart and the series of gruesome villains she’s had to contend with, we figured she deserved a break from all that. Just prior to the start of our story she’s pushed to the breaking point and decides that she’s had it with misery and darkness and wants a change. She wants the opportunity to have some fun and live the life of a young, single girl in the city, so she packs up and moves to Burnside, the cool, trendy borough of Gotham, to focus on grad school.”
Hipster Batgirl? Sounds like it, as Fletcher continues:
“And that’s where we kick off our run – introducing this part of the city known for expensive coffee, fixie bikes, vintage shops and breakout bands. Barbara allows herself to be immersed in youth culture for the first time, exploring the social side of life in Burnside. That’s not to say there isn’t mystery, of course! Try as she might to live a ‘normal’ life, Barbara very quickly finds herself drawn back into the world of crime fighting. Our take on Batgirl mixes the best elements of ‘Veronica Mars’ and ‘Girls’, with a dash of ‘Sherlock’ thrown in for good measure. “
So it sounds like Batgirl will be drinking a lot of PBR and eating vegan.
Oh by the way… SELFIE!!!
Batgirl has Instagram?!
Maybe I’m just getting too old, but Barbara has, for basically my whole life, been a full grown adult with jobs, living on her own. She’s never been a teenager. It’s just a bit jarring and a lot to process. Also, they kind of lost me at “fixed wheel bike.” I go out of my way to avoid the hipster part of town. Except they have an amazing record store and awesome (mostly vegan) restaurants. Am I a borderline hipster? Someone come kill me.
Here is the book’s official solicitation:
BATGIRL #35
Written by CAMERON STEWART and BRENDEN FLETCHER
Art by BABS TARR
Cover by CAMERON STEWART
MONSTERS Variant cover by KEVIN NOWLAN
On sale OCTOBER 8 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED TBarbara Gordon is no stranger to dusting herself off when disaster strikes… so when a fire destroys everything she owned, she spots the opportunity for a new lease on life — and seizes it! Following the rest of Gotham’s young adults to the hip border district of Burnside, Barbara sets about building an all-new Batgirl… and discovers all-new threats preying on her peers! It’s a re-invention of Batgirl from the boots up, by the incredible creative team of Cameron Stewart (BATMAN INC.), Brenden Fletcher (WEDNESDAY COMICS), and rising star artist Babs Tarr!
Oh and just in case you were curious, here’s the Azealia Banks song that inspired the writers (EXPLICIT LANGUAGE):
Source: MTV
