InsaneJournal

Super Steph Series pt 9- Steph vs. the Riddler...and death. Also, Batman family

Originally posted: 2007-10-28 11:27:00

We're going to start with Batman Family. The premise is that this lady, codename "Athena" wants to take out Batman and all of his "family" so she can control Gotham crime. She also happens to be an old friend of Martha Wayne and current acting CEO of Wayne Enterprises. Bruce is, of course, unaware of her villiany. There's a whole issue devoted to Steph in this little mini, and it's very good. By observing Spoiler, Athena figures out she is the least well trained. That's fair. But some how she also figures out Steph has daddy issues. Just by watching her fight. I have no idea how. Have this page of Steph kicking ass where she explains it.



Yeah, how the hell'd Athena figure all that out? I dunno. I love this art by the way. Very Pete Woods-ish. And the writers of Batman Family really get Steph, and write her as competent, which is rare to find.

Anyway, Freeway, one of Athena's cohorts, approaches Steph and tells her a woman needs her help to strike back against the mob.





Steph talks to Tim later on...





I really like the relationship between Steph and her Mom. She can't quite control her kid, ans might not even be sure she has a right, since she hasn't been much of a Mom to her most of her life, but she cares about Steph and loves her. Meanwhile, Steph loves her Mom, but is used to following her own path and taking care of herself, and will keep on keepin' on. It's really tense, and interesting.

So Steph decides to contact the woman Freeway said needed help.



But she does got after the accountant.



(Love her hanging out on the ledge in her street clothes)





Three guesses who that is...Louis and his *mysterious* bodyguard go to get the money, But Spoiler interferes.



The mystery! It is solved! (Also, love how Steph is randomly walking on her hands. Just for fun) But the Ruvaclavas are after Louis...



Then Louis grabs a gun ranting about how he's "sick of women, always walking all over him with their high heels!" but Selina saves Steph from getting shot by beaning Louis in the back of the head with her bag, quipping "I think you have some issues with women, Louis." Turns out she was undercover. It's pretty awesome, but this isn't a Super SELINA series, so we shall move on...





So, Steph gets played, but the issue makes it clear it's because she's undertrained and lonely, and also Athena's a master manipulator. Otherwise, she's competent and smart. I wish whoever wrote the Batman family would come back and write a Steph mini or something, since it's obvious they respect the character. And in issue #8 we get this little gem...



Go Steph!

We continue into a very trying point in Steph's life in Robin 109. Killer Charax clones are loose in Gotham. Or something. One of them is holed up in his house, all super strong and whatnot. Oracle calls Tim and tells him the cops saw "a civilian. Clad in purple." Sneak in the charax's house. Tim hurries over there to find the cops trying to figure out whether that masked nut was a guy or a girl. One cop saw...proturbances...see....



Eggplant, boys, eggplant! Steph makes her move against the impossible opponent...



Tim does what he does...




DO NOT MESS WITH TIM DRAKE'S GIRLFRIEND. HE WILL FREAKING KILL YOU. Unless he's too busy moping or something. In which case, he'll do absolutely nothing until Catwoman finally gets around to doing it for him.



Tim never gives up! It's in the job description, right under "You must suffer horrible tragedy."



"Stupid freaking masks! I hope you hit a powerline!" is the cop's line in the next page. Poor Gotham cops. Tim informs us about the Moth-men doing stuff, but then says "but you don't care about that do you?" Wow Tim, it's like you're reading my mind! "You're wondering the same thing I am." Why did you not correct Oracle when she said Steph was clad in purple?



There's a conversation stopper...





Tim gets zero points on being comforting, but a bunch of points on snapping her back to reality.








Awwww...

Let us move on, to Robin #111, one of my fave issues. It is both depressing and cute. (If you're wondering why I liked the ish, seeeeee this blog post: nevermore999.livejournal.com/4711.html

Steph is obviously sad, so Tim takes her on a date:




Awesome writing here, s'what I say,



Anyway, Steph tells that there was a brief period where her dad went straight (as in not a criminal) and he befriended a guy named Murray, who made eleven year old Steph uncomfortable. He often babysat for her and would ask questions that just struck Steph as a little wrong like "Want to show me some of your outfits? It'll be like a fashion show!" and the like. Innocent things that just seemed wrong, the way he said them. Well, one day...





In case you weren't convinced Arthur Brown was a horrible person.



Aw, he's crying! Um, I really like how Tim goes all "vengeful male" about the issue, but Steph shuts him down like, "Okay, obviously I've already taken care of it." And she didn't even want to take care of it out of revenge, but because she wanted to protect other girls. Nice touch there.



Though obviously she still harbors some anger.Who wouldn't?



Awwwwww. That fifth panel is one of my fave comic book panels ever. Evil!Steph is adorable.

And Tim, REMEMBER THOSE WORDS FROM LAST PANEL. GOOD ADVICE. Please

Steph mentions to Tim that she kind of wants to track down the Riddler, to see what he knows about her Dad. Tim warns her against it, saying he's "definitely not weak, but evil". BUT, the next time Tim is out of town, Steph calls Canary....







Le gasp! Does that little note she has there mean what we think it means?



Yep, it means Steph just totally played Dinah to track the Riddler down. Girl's got GUTS.






Steph is very good at the innocent act.


Next: Child wrestling! Bikers! Magic! Swords! Well, what else would you expect from a Jon Lewis comic?

Anyway,  Steph quickly drops the innocent act once inside Eddie's pad.



Someone answered these riddles on the old s_d. I remember the web one meant that Eddie was saying "I do riddles because I have to, Arthur does them because he wants to be something more." I don't quite remember the other one. Is the person from before still around? Anyone else have the answer?



Once again, remember the answer to the "day of the week" one was"the next day". as in, "Arthur always wanted to give up crime the next day," but not the others.



And the answer to that last riddle is "Zero" as in, "Sorry, I can't give you a straight answer." Anyway, love seeing Steph lose control here. Very poignant. As well as poor Eddie being so obsessed he can't give her a straight answer.

Next, we cover some "aftermath" bits of Jon Lewis's run, including Tim's B-day. Batgirl #38 as well! And after that, Robin!Steph.