And then what?
Recently, DC Comics VP Dan DiDio did an interview with the New York Times and stated that the character of Batwoman would be making a return to the DC Universe this summer. The woman donning the cape and cowl is called Kate Kane (an homage to the original Batwoman from the 60's version Kathy Kane) and the big news is that she will be portrayed as a closeted "lipstick lesbian". Whoopdeedoo. All lesbians on TV, in movies and in comics are basically lipstick lesbians. Show me a big bull dyke and I'll be much more impressed that you're edgy. And no, Bea Arthur on the Golden Girls doesn't count.
The history and continuity of comics can be very complicated and convoluted (damn, that was some nice alliteration if I do say so myself). There was a former BatGIRL that was more mainstream and the alter ego was named Barbara Gordon. She was shot by the Joker during a storyline back in the late 80's and rendered unable to walk. Confined to a wheelchair, she became the data gathering Oracle and acts as pretty much the CIA of the DC Universe.
Ever since the story in the times, a lot of fans have been outraged that DC is not putting Gordon back into the suit and healing her ailment. One fan even wrote, "Oracle is a much more important character to the overall universe, but I just think it would be cool to have Barbara back in the suit."
I don't envy writers. This is the type of second guessing they have to put up with on a daily basis. A lot of the die hard fanboys (be it wrestling, comics, sci-fi, movies...at al) do a lot of vocalizing and comdemning on just that fact..."well I think it would be much cooler".
But once you do that, then what?
It's called "hotshotting". You write something because it would be cool or totally unexpected...but then where do you go from there? Sure, it would be cool to have something happen with Barbara that magically restores her ability to walk and allows her to take the mantle back, but what happens next? You lose a very important character in Oracle and now you're stuck with Batgirl, who the fans that demanded her return will get tired of in a few months.
I prefer slow, logical builds to stories as opposed to hotshotting. It's much more satisfying to have a story weave and twist to a more logical, yet surprising conclusion. Characters that act in character and make moves and decisions that make sense. And then when there is a point to it, those surprises can be all the more exciting.
Just my .02...
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