It”s no secret that I”m a huge fan of Batgirl. I”m particularly fond of the “Batgirl of Burnside” – and everything the current team is doing to set Babs up as more than the sum of her Killing Joke past. So when I realized BATGIRL co-writer Brendan Fletcher was at DragonCon, I did what any fan with a modicum of power would do: I hightailed it over to his booth to get the scoop on what”s next!
To my surprise and delight, Fletcher was willing to go on the record with a tantalizing – if vague – promise of what the future hold”s in store for Barbara Gordon over the course of 2016.
“In 2016, it is going to be Barbara Gordon”s 50th anniversary as Batgirl. We”re all pushing for really incredible things to happen. One thing I can let you know is early in 2016 there will be an amazing status quo change – this sounds like such a cliche! But this is going to change the way the Bat-World works.”
Babs joined the Bat-Family on January 1, 1967 in DETECTIVE COMICS #359. Barbara inherited the Batgirl mantle from Betty Kane, niece of Kathy Kane…better known as Batwoman. Betty would live on as the superhero Flamebird, leaving Babs to swashbuckle and GRITTY DARKNESS™ her way through the decades with Batman.
While the details of Barbara”s 50th anniversary are under wraps, I”m sure more information will be released as we get closer to the holiday season!