Gotham's Angels
Batgirls is a 2021 monthly comic book published by DC Comics as a part of their DC Infinite Frontier initiative, written by Becky Cloonan and Michael Conrad (Wonder Woman) with art by Jorge Corona. It began as a three-part backup comic in the main Batman comic.note
Mentored by Barbara Gordon (Oracle), the Batgirls, Stephanie Brown and Cassandra Cain, move to the other side of Gotham where Barbara can keep a better eye on them and rebuild the Oracle network while the hacker Seer is still invading their lives. Steph may be too rash sometimes, and Cass doesn’t speak much—but what they lack in similarities they make up for with their mutual respect and love for each other…and what makes them stronger together as Batgirls!
The comic would be canceled in June 2023 after a run of 19 issues.
Tropes applying to Batgirls (2021):
- The Alcoholic: Grace O'Halloran starts drinking as a way of dealing with the trauma of being put under Spellbinder's control, but she kicks the habit by the end of the series.
- Blonde, Brunette, Redhead: The three titular Batgirls: Steph (blonde), Cass (brunette), and Barbara (redhead).
- The Bus Came Back: Issue #13 features the return of Madame Zodiac, who hadn't appeared since 2008.
- The City Narrows: "The Hill", referred to by realtors as the "Jewel of Gotham" but the narration says the "Ghoul of Gotham" would be more accurate.
- Cool Bike: Averted. While none of the Batgirls are strangers to motorcycles, Babs could only get a pair of motor scooters for Cass and Steph. While, granted, they are very cool motor scooters—at least on paper—even Steph finds them embarrassing and gaudy.
- Cool Car: Cass and Steph take ownership of a stylish-muscle car after Cass swiped the keys from some street thugs that were harassing her. They call it "Bondo". Sadly, Steph sacrifices the car when she's forced to drive a bomb away from the ravaged Arkham Asylum, though she and Cass make plans to recover it at the end of the series.
- Curb-Stomp Battle:
- Cass delivers an offscreen one to a trio of street thugs after they earlier accosted her for a "move-in tax".
- Barbara does this to the new Spellbinder, even powering through his own version of the fear gas to defeat him.
- Didn't Think This Through: Spellbinder has captured Barbara and tied her up to a chair. Even when Babs gets free, he gloats that her legs are still bound. He quickly gets a reminder that she spent time in a wheelchair and that she strengthened her upper half to compensate.
- Eyepatch of Power: After losing an eye, Grace O'Halloran wears an eyepatch.
- "Freaky Friday" Flip: Issue #12 has Steph getting a mysterious coin from a fortune teller (later revealed to be Madame Zodiac) and having her and Cass switch minds as Steph wanted the two of them to spend a day in each other's shoes. Unfortunately, Cluemaster kidnaps Steph and Lady Shiva arranges a meeting between daughter and mother.
- Is the Answer to This Question "Yes"?: In issue 17:Cass: There! I saw [the sniper's muzzle flash]. Batgirl, can you run distraction?Stephanie: Does Catwoman look good in latex?
- Noodle Incident: In Batgirls #13, Bruce reveals to Barbara that John Constantine is permanently banned from Wayne Manor's Library (and its occult collection). He apparently left a cigarette butt in the Library's copy of Dante's Inferno.
- Not Now, Kiddo: Steph's concerns over their creepy neighbor are largely ignored.
- Not So Above It All: At first it seems Cass was willing to put her ego aside and willingly lose a fight to some street thugs to keep a low profile but we see later she snuck out and curb stomped all of them to get her bathrobe back. She's also just as eager as Steph to joyride in "Bondo" and joins in happily in naming the car.
- Parental Substitute: Crossing over with Team Mom, Barbara to Cass and Steph.
- Power Trio: The titular Batgirls.
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: Steph (Red) and Cass (Blue).
- Retcon: Oddly, issue 13 seemingly ignore the final issues of Young Justice (2019), suggesting that Steph and Cluemaster hadn't encountered each other after his near-death at the end of Batman Eternal.
- Serial Killer: The Hill Ripper who is called so for the numerous dismemberments and deaths in The Hills and has been operating since shortly before the series began. After spending several weeks of Steph thinking their neighbor Mr. Greene is the killer, Greene is killed by the Ripper and its revealed to have been a previously unseen individual called "Mr. Fun" who was a Mafia Hitman before suffering a massive Sanity Slippage.
- Shared Identity: Cass and Steph operate as a team using the Batgirl name, each using their very different costumes and personalities that can in no way be mistaken for the other.
- Shout-Out: One to A Nightmare on Elm Street, of all things, in issue 17:Stephanie: One, two, Batgirl's gonna get you! Three, four, better barricade the door! Five, six, eat a bag of -Cassandra: Ha - thanks, Batgirl.Stephanie: Anytime, Batgirl.
- Team Mom: Barbara to Cass and Steph.
