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Can we have a case for the fourth wall? It seemed to have died in that episode. (cf:Batman (aside to camera) “And that’s why there was no case” *winks at camera*)
I’m in mixed feelings. I’m on record as wanting the case more than Steph’s return. Partly because, well, I didn’t want to retcon Batman from “Worlds Greatest Detective” to “World’s Second Rate Detective”. Let me tell you about the time Batman couldn’t prove that his nearest and closest medical ally smuggled his former Robin out from under his Batnose. Let me tell you about the way he bought Leslie’s alibi about killing Steph without question. Let me show you the way that Batman would totally not worry about another sidekick comeback from the grave. Let me show the way the as fabulous as it is to see Stephanie Brown back in the canon, back in the mask, and back from exile, it makes Batman look seriously… not Batman. C’mon, they didn’t even check the corpse? WTF? For serious? Batman is allegedly so paranoid and meticulous he’ll do weird isolation chamber meditation, but totally forgot to check the body in the box belonged to someone who had the wherewithal to break into the Batcave and steal one of the big secret game plans to trigger War Games?
Flipside, I have many many reasons to feel happy at seeing Spoiler back. I just have a large number of reasons to feel that the tidying up of a plot point before BATMAN: RIP (Retcon In Progress) was handled in a quite weird manner. So, yay! Spoiler! and WTF Batman?
I would like to see two things from the Batfranchise though…
- Tim’s relationship with Bruce become strained over “Oh, I suspected but forgot to mention it” particularly in light of Batman 676. Please tell me that someone at DC has a Batfreakingplan to write about this (or kill off Batman before it’s resolv…. oh yeah, BatmanRIP. Crud)
- Steph back in the franchise. Let’s not make this a one shot “There you go G-W people. Now STFU”. DC, invest a bit in Steph’s return. Run with it, make something of it. Give Spoiler fans a reason to spend more money with you
Speaking of the crossover arc of doom. I’m giving Batman:RIPtide a three issue margin of error. If they break out the fridge on Bruce’s girlfriend, then Steph or no Steph, I can’t keep giving money to a company that’s creatively bankrupt in the hero motivation department.
Tags: Batcave, Batman, case, robin, stephanie brown
I was just waiting for one of the GW bloggers to finally comment on this. Kudos.
Theoretically, Batman not being paranoid and following it up (or at least, doing it off panel) makes sense if A) he suspected it was Leslie who did it and B) he both wanted to let Leslie think she got away with it and wanted to give Steph some space. *Maybe*. This isn’t exactly the same as the deal with that bodyguard he fell in love with that got recruited by Checkmate – Batman has no reason to trust Checkmate, but Leslie is another story.
At any rate, I encourage everyone here to not let up for a second just because Steph’s back. Keep fighting the good fight, people.
‘Steph back in the franchise. Let’s not make this a one shot “There you go G-W people. Now STFU”. DC, invest a bit in Steph’s return.’
I totally agree – what I want, more than anything, is Steph in the Batgirl mini series, and I want them to realise and show the importance her return must have for Cassandra.
Re: Bruce’s girlfriend — it /is/ entirely possible that Jezebel Jet has been working for the main arc villain all along. Goodness knows that a lot of what’s come out of her mouth only makes sense if it’s intended as deliberate psychological warfare against Bruce.
If so, then anything bad that happens to her isn’t really ‘fridging’, is it? Villains get what’s coming to them, that’s the rule.
So does that mean Orpheus is coming back too? Cause if we’re just bringing people back from the dead…why not him too?