New Batgirl Series Gives The Bat-Family's Women Center Stage
The Batgirls are joining forces in a new team-up series announced by DC Comics. Batgirls will bring together Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown, creating a new crime-fighting dynamic duo that could rival Batman and Robin. After all, these two have been trained by the best to be the best.
The solicits for DC Connect #17 have arrived and with them, several new upcoming series have been revealed, as well as new details for upcoming issues of DC Comics. This includes a Batman Beyond series and the appearance of a new foe for Batman. Stephanie and Cassandra were both seen in DC's Future State event and have been thinking back on their time as Batgirls in Batman: Urban Legends, where this new series seems to have been hinted at.
This December, Stephanie and Cassandra will receive their own ongoing series. It will be written by Becky Cloonan and Michael Conrad with art by Jorge Corona. Cloonan and Conrad have been working on Wonder Woman and Corona provided art for We Are Robin. Batgirls will feature these two heroines working with Oracle after they move to a new side of Gotham. Check out the covers and solicit for the first issue here:
BATGIRLS #1
- Mentored by Oracle, the Batgirls move to the other side of town where Barbara Gordon can keep a better eye on them 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! This rebellious group of Super Heroes team up to kick ass, and try to make it as normal teenagers in this pizza slumber party of a series, packed with energy, attitude, and friendship.
- Written by Becky Cloonan and Michael W. Conrad
- Art and cover by Jorge Corona
- Batgirls (masked) variant cover by InHyuk Lee
- Batgirls (unmasked) variant cover by InHyuk Lee
- (These two variant covers connect into one image!)
- 1:25 variant cover by Rian Gonzales
- 1:50 variant cover by Dan Hipp
- Team variant cover by Amano Yoshitaka
- $3.99 US | 32 pages | Variant $4.00 US (Card stock)
- ON SALE 12/14/21
This is a big step for these former members of Batman's team. Following their time under the Batgirl mantle, both Cassandra and Stephanie had become independent heroes - Orphan and Spoiler. Instead of remaining independent, these two are now joining up with the original Batgirl, to create a super team of Batgirls. Their uniforms were already updated with bat-symbols in Batman: Joker War Zone #1, so they're ready to jump back into representing the Bat-Family in their own way. With so many Robins, why shouldn't there be a team of Batgirls? Especially when Stephanie has worn the mantle of both! The covers for Batgirls #1 exemplify the friendship between these heroines that is only going to keep growing as they fight together, butt heads, and learn to co-exist in a way they haven't before. The sneak peek at this new series doesn't end here. DC has also revealed the solicit and cover for the second issue:
- With their new secret muscle car and their new secret patrol route, Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown find moving to their new neighborhood - thanks to Oracle instructing them to "lay low" - that much easier to bear because they have each other. Steph begins witnessing some strange actions through the window of the building across the street and can't help but investigate if the recent murders are connected to them! Meanwhile, Oracle realizes the most effective way for the girls to wear her newly upgraded comms is by piercing their ears, and Cass freaks out!
- Written by Becky Cloonan and Michael W. Conrad
- Art and cover by Jorge Corona
- Variant cover by Hicham Habchi
- 1:25 variant cover by Rian Gonzales
- $3.99 US | 32 pages | Variant $4.99 US (Card stock)
- ON SALE 1/11/22
The solicit for the second issue reveals an unexpected aspect of this series. Batman's team is known for having top-notch gear, but accessorizing usually isn't a problem. After all, Batman's signature utility belt just gets snapped on. Cass isn't going to be so lucky. While earrings are typically fashionable, superhero ones get bonus functions. Yet getting ears pierced at a later age isn't always the most comforting idea. This series seems like it will take Cassandra and Stephanie out of their comfort zones in more ways than one - and in ways many readers largely would not be expecting! In addition to these covers and solicit details, DC has also released a preview page for the first issue:
This page reveals that the girls' previous base of operation has been infiltrated and trashed. This will likely be a big part of spurring their move to a new area of the city. Their foe is a literal homewrecker. This hideout should've taken more notes from the Batcave if it wanted to remain a secret longer. With so many changes coming, this series will be one to keep an eye on. Gotham's vigilante nightlife is changing and a new era of the Bat-Family is coming. As the family grows, so does its influence on the streets of Gotham. Fans will be able to see more of this trio of Batgirls when the first issue releases on December 14, 2021.