Comic book writers need a kick in the arse

[gemfyre]

Arrrgghhh. Why is Barbara Gordon completely MISSING from the Knightfall arc?

Bruce is paralysed, and here is a brilliant opportunity to explore how he feels about it and how she feels about and the fact that she probably seriously resents the fact that he was able to walk and do everything else at the end of it and she was still stuck in a wheelchair.

Arrghh!!

I finished the novelisation of Knightfall a couple of weeks ago and read part 1 of the comic thread a while back. I just watched this which brought it up again.

Comments

[lotus79.livejournal.com]

Probably because only boys read comics, and everyone knows boys aren't interested in that touchy feely crap. (Just like there are no girl gamers. Or girls on the internet. Blaah.)

At least she isn't in the fridge?

[gemfyre.livejournal.com]

Babs was seriously fridged in The Killing Joke by Alan Moore - the storyline where she was shot and paralysed by the Joker. Thing is - fridging her is COMPLETELY in character for the Joker, he's the kind of guy who would deliberately do something like the metaphorical shoving a woman in the refrigerator. So you can't get too pissed about that.

Then the writers turned her into Oracle and she became one of the most powerful characters in the DC universe. By the time Knightfall was written she was well and truly in her role as Oracle.

I guess the writers wanted to focus more on the Rogues Gauntlet and Bane and Jean-Paul Valley (the guy who replaced Bruce Wayne as Batman briefly). But man, so many thought provoking options if they included Babs. Shit, the novel even completely omits Dick Grayson - who did show up later in the comic storyline.

[gemfyre.livejournal.com]

Ah yes, and comics have been catering for girls for many many years.

I'm not sure when Supergirl was introduced, but Wonder Woman has been around forever and the original incarnation of Barbara Gordon was introduced in the 60's specifically to appeal to girls. There was also Betty Kane, the original Batwoman, but she was hardly a good role model (she was subjected to a lot of, "No you're a woman, it's too dangerous for you out there, stay in the kitchen and make me bacon and eggs"). Apparently the Batman Beyond version of her is kicks a lot more ass and is also a lesbian.

[gemfyre.livejournal.com]

P.S. The guy playing Azrael/Jean-Paul in that Youtube video reminds me of Cat from Red Dwarf. :)