Stephanie Brown is one of the more overlooked characters in the DC Batman Family, but that isn’t to say she is not an important or lackluster character. Quite the contrary, she was a powerful Robin who then became Batgirl in her own right, and the righters worked hard to make her character remain strong, silly (maybe even a little campy) and different than Barbara, rather than a copy-cat characters with no personality.
Stephanie Brown as Batgirl pre-new 52
Since the debut of the New 52 she has been missing, but go back months ago at the New York Comic Con when the question arose if Stephanie Brown is returning, the answer was yes.
“We know that they’re characters that you guys have been really vocal about. Your guys’ love of Stephanie Brown has been so inspiring to us. We’re really proud to announce that she’ll be coming back in [new weekly series ‘Batman: Eternal’], in a big way. Dan DiDio is in the audience to yell at us for telling you that.”
-Scott Snyder at the DC Comics’Â Batman panel at the NY Comic Con
And since then fans have been awaiting her arrival. Well, she is back and she’s as strong as ever. Reintroduced in Batman: Eternal #3, she is Spoiler wearing her trademark purple outfit and covering up only her lower part of the face, an artistic choice that gives her a fierce look when readers see the intensity in her eyes.
But her only appearance won’t be there.
Batman Eternal #22 takes a spotlight on Stephanie Brown as the ‘Spoiler’
It has been reported that Stephanie Brown will be taking center stage in Batman: Eternal #22 due the first week of September. Not only that, but her character’s story will continue in the series, especially in Batman: Eternal #24 with the official synopsis reading as follows:
“Spoiler goes head to head with her father, the deadly Cluemaster – and the fate of Gotham City hangs in the balance!”
In regards to her character, James Tynion also addressed the issue of her character being somewhat redundant in the past since there were Robins and Batgirls before her. Now Stephanie has a “specific role” that will make her character shine alongside side all the other strong female characters strutting around Gotham City.
Personally, it’s about damn time. Stephanie made herself into a hero in her own right, following the steps of the Robin’s that came before her, taking up the Batgirl mantle. But what’s better is the writers are re-creating the Spoiler aspect of her character as they stay true to who Stephanie is. She will be the Spoiler and no one else.
Source: Newsarama, Newsarama, Comic Vine, Comic Book, Comic Book Resources
