You have to give Scott Snyder credit—The “Absolute Universe” has been expanding slowly and carefully, particularly the Absolute Batman titles!
‘THE BAT,’ NOT BATGIRL
Recently, Absolute Batman #24 hit the stands, bringing what nearly everyone knows by now is Barbara Gordon as the newest member of the Bat-family, now called “The Bat.”
I particularly enjoyed the main cover, which clearly is an homage to the now-classic cover to Absolute Batman #1.
I will be particularly interested in seeing how she and this particular Bruce Wayne work together, if at all. Initially in the past, Barbara’s identity was known to Batman although she didn’t know the Dark Knight’s alter ego at first.
Eventually she became a full-fledged member of Batman’s inner circle, also developing a close relationship with Dick Grayson over time. (Of course, in Batman Beyond, Barbara became a second “Commissioner Gordon” and also became more intimate with Bruce instead of Dick, something I still feel today was way too “on the nose.”)
Of course, in the “All In” Universe, “Batgirl” is a name also used by Stephanie Brown and Cassandra Cain as well. And “Batwoman” previously has been the name for Kathy Kane on Earth-2, so it could also be available before too long.
‘THE BAT,’ NOT ORACLE
Of course, the other code name Barbara has used was “Oracle,” a computer persona she adopted when she was restricted to a wheelchair. I never liked that one because literally anyone could be Oracle. In fact, they briefly replaced her with a person of color although he apparently didn’t go over well with the fans because that didn’t last long at all. I have to admit, though, that I still don’t quite get how Barbara was able to leave the wheelchair behind eventually.
I mean, I understand that some groups like to have a member of the Bat-family who can act as something of a representative for their situations, but Barbara Gordon has always been associated with Batgirl, particularly in the general public and even among comics fans, especially fans of the Dark Knight.
But having her in a wheelchair really limits what Barbara can do when she has to face the bad guys and gals if she gets boxed in by them. It’s better when in combat that she has the use of her legs, seems to me. I do understand that it is good for a representative to “speak” to other groups besides the other members of the Batman brigade.
IT MAY BE BETTER TO AVOID THE ‘GIRL’ OR ‘WOMAN?’
If the “Absolute Universe” is going through anything similar to what we are experiencing in the “real world” today, where it can be a tricky situation to define just what a “woman” is, it might be best to avoid the terms at all costs.
Will she eventually have a Bat-cycle or her very own mode of transportation in the “Absolute Universe?” Given the huge Batmobile that Batman has to drive around in, she will need something at least comparable in order to take on the crazies in this universe.
Still, that costume makes it pretty clear that there is a female under there, so the naming could change over time. We’ll just have to keep reading and see how this all works out!
For instance, I was intrigued when the “Robins” actually worked for the Joker this time around. It appears that one of them has left the universe, as it were, but who knows what the creators have in store for the rest of them or even Tim Drake. I have always been happy that Alfred is back, even the “new and improved” version that is a major spy of sorts. I wonder if he actually has considered making Aunt Harriet a member of the universe, as weird as that might be for fans of Batman ’66. But that might be a stretch too far for this universe!
Scott has apparently learned a lot from previous DC “reboots” like the “New 52” where we were inundated with mountains of “new” versions of characters we knew and enjoyed, so I’m optimistic about the future here. Still, I have to wonder what will happen when he has finally translated pretty much every Bat-character around. Will that be time for a new writer? Or does he have more cards up his sleeve when it comes to the Dark Knight? What will we encounter next? I’m anxious to find out!
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