Speaking as one of them. Being part of that WHOLE era. Why the waterworks started when holding a physical copy Shadow of the Batgirl and then the damn opening when reading that introduction by writer Sarah Kuhn.
I never thought IN A MILLION years. That Cassandra Cain would ever be given ANYTHING like that again. All the stuff that happened from 2006-2020. I'll fully admit I was beaten and trained by what DC did. Always waiting for them to change their mind, and pull the rug out from under me. Like they did when they walked back on her being EVIL. When they brought her back as Batgirl. When they said they had "big plans". And so on... and so forth with this little dance they gave... dangling that possibility. Then yanking it and we're given limbo.
Just the complete mismanagement by DC Comics. Because simply put, the character ages Bruce and Babs, and they saw NOTHING in the character.
While fans did see things. So many of us did. We did our best with what we had. Writing. Drawing. So many years trying to keep the character afloat. Showing others what we saw.
But that period broke so many. Many gave up with the New 52 being the final straw. Just the absolute. But I didn't. I saw what "they saw" and said, "NO!" I kept that fire burning best I could via anything social media, via my secondary job (at the time) being a part of theOuthousers (which I worked for during the New 52 era until the site's closure).
I tried my very best to just hope for that happy ending.
And... we got Shadow of the Batgirl.
Like... holding that copy. Opening to that introduction reading that graphic novel awakens all the emotions of what was endured. And.. I'm actually holding a solo graphic novel that stars Cassandra Cain. Not only that. Stars her as Batgirl. That treats her and Babs. Adds things to the mythos. Kuhn was much a fan as me. She did it. She got it. Nailed everything.
That's why I cry. A grown-ass old fan just crying his eyes out over a fictional character because a creative team understands them and delivers a banger story too.
Part of me wants to meet Kuhn one day. But another part of me doesn't. Because I'll be a balling mess.I already met artist Nicole Goux and thanked her to the heavens for what she drew in that book. I even got a commission to her drawing Cass for me:
Why I'm more mellow when it comes most when something happens to Cass (say the way she acts or was drawn in Batgirls), the cameos in Tom Taylor's Nightwing (fun stuff). Or Tynion's stuff. But I will criticize when it needs to be critical (i.e. "Gotham War" or the lack of positive exposure in the current Batman run). In truth, I'd probably shake James Tynion IV's hand and thank him repeatedly if he wasn't impossibly hot right now in the comic book world. That and Jessica Chen.
I've been through it all. I'll admit I raged in '06. Those who know me I threw A FIT. Probably wrote the worst Cass Toon because of it (though I still enjoy the "Doctor" joke in it and the other one with the Master taking over DC Comics). But I realized something with age. You have a favorite character? Just keep fighting with instead on WHY you love this character. WHY this character means the world to you. Do it via what you can. Find your method. But never give into the heat. Never target the creatives behind it. Because sometimes its not by their choice they do these things. Even the editorial who might or might not. I'm just tired of being angry. I just want to read a story where a creative team gets this character at the very least.
Why at my older age. I'm chilling and enjoying every second of this. IT IS A GIFT TO ME. A GIFT I'm cherishing every month since 2020. I'll keep doing this till either I just can't or just real life does something. But I just hope I did my job. Just showing WHY I loved this character Cassandra Cain, and just forever grateful we've gotten this period.
From so many glorious Detective Comic runs that had her. DCeased franchise. Dark Knights of Steel. DC Festival of Heroes: The Asian Superhero Celebration #1. Batman: One Bad Day- Two-Face. Batman: Urban Legends. Batgirls (every issue even THE BAD TWO) I bought all covers save FOUR variant covers. I ADORED the gift that was #14 too. Spirit World. Birds of Prey.
I'm just gonna keep enjoying the ride and if there's an end. At the very least a much better one than ANYTHING from 2006-2011 or the choices from 2016-2020.
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