Batgirl was originally developed as a way to try and attract female viewers to the Batman television series of the mid-1960's and was used as a way to get a third season of the show. While that gambit failed, she was a reasonably popular member of the Batman "Family," keeping enough readers to warrant back-up features or a guest appearance every so often through the years until DC retired the character in 1988. That's right, Nerdlingers - the character was retired in the 1988 Batgirl Special before she was critically shot by the Joker in The Killing Joke, so don't get all fanboy on me. Not everything revolves around Alan Moore.
So, anyway, here she is from Detective #364:
This sequence is the second time I've seen it, the first being when she debuted in Detective #359, and I think the details are a problem. I can appreciate that she is able to hide her costume in plain sight like that, but that also has an unintended consequence.
Namely, she has to wear the same outfit every day if there is the slightest possibility Batgirl will be needed. Which means she shows up to work every day dressed thusly:
Yes. Every. Day.
And she was a librarian. I realize the fashion requirements probably weren't as cutting edge as some other occupations, but I'm pretty sure people started wondering why she was wearing a black leotard and yellow boots all the time. Don't act like you don't see it.
This confused me as well:
What? Where did that come from? Barbara was a librarian, for crying out loud! Do librarians always carry laser-strafers in their purses? I suppose it's more effective than pepper spray, but dang!
Enough of that. It's time for Fun with Out of Context Dialogue! (tm!):
That's a Quizno's where you'd best get your sandwich "to go."
See you tomorrow!
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11 comments:
Good article, Adam. Just want to point out, though - Batgirl was used to either get a fourth season of the TV show, or her own series as a spinoff (I'm not sure which one. I know there's a Batgirl pilot floating around somewhere.). The season she showed up in actually was the third season.
Yeah I have no idea what the hell you mean with the out of context dialogue. Unless you have some sort of really weird twisted mind.......
And the thing about the "laser strafer" that confuses me is....it looks like it shoots out 360 degrees so how does Batgirl avoid getting as injured as the people she is using it on when she is in the same room? Did the next panel show that she had ducked behind something?
"Where did that come from? Barbara was a librarian, for crying out loud! Do librarians always carry laser-strafers in their purses? I suppose it's more effective than pepper spray, but dang!"
This was an era when outrageous gimmicks were part of heroes' and villains' arsenals.
Remember the Monarch of Menace?
Even heroes who already had weapons, like the Golden Age Sandman and Dr Mid-Nite ditched them for really-weird stuff like "cybertubers".
"I know there's a Batgirl pilot floating around somewhere"
The "pilot" was a "test reel" featuring Killer Moth that sold ABC on introducing Batgirl into the third year of Batman.
Besides having a slightly-different costume, Batgirl is a lot sassier than the polite crimefighter we ended up seeing on-screen.
Plus, we see, for the only time, the show's "Batgirl" logo.
It's available on several pd dvds including "BatClips", and it's on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDnlrfq5tQE .
Cool. Thanks for the link!
Britt is a wealth of info and is always a good source of accurate information, which is something I prefer with which not to concern myself. I'd rather just spit out whatever comes into my head and hope I happen to have my facts straight.
Geez, I'm blushing...
Think of me as the Spock to your Kirk.
Now who's McCoy? ;-)
MarvelX42... he's the one who I always expect will be the first to grumble about something. ;-)
"Bat Lock-Breaker Ray". Classic. I loved that show.
As a librarian, I'm obliged to think Batgirl is awesome.
Damn it Adam, I'm a reader not a Doctor!
Fascinating, Adam.
He reacted just as you predicted!
Most illogical.
(Raises eyebrow)
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