Post by Noctis on Sept 16, 2010 19:43:04 GMT -5
I really didn't want to do this! After reading a recent post somewhere on this site (I won't be naming names so if you're curious I suggest you start browsing around), I've been feeling quite...irked. I thought I should just leave it and let it be. However, after 3 days of constant heated internal monologues and deliberations, I decided that as a die-hard fan since 2000, I cannot and will not hold my tongue on this issue any longer! Don't count on seeing any baits/traps for unnecessary flamings against other users or characters. This site prides itself with its good-hearted banter and well-mannered comradeship. Therefore, I will try to do this in a very civilized manner.
[*Disclaimer: Please be reminded that these are my own personal opinions and should in no way be thought of as a reflection of anyone else']
By now, it shouldn't be a secret or surprise to know that I am a huge fan of Cassandra Cain. Over the years, I've had tons of people who [understandably] never even heard of Cass, people who think Cass should have been like Marvel's Mayday Parker/Spider-Girl and be in a different Batman comics continuity [*I defer to the infamous San Diego Comic Con "Cass vs Steph" debate of 2009] and, of course, people who think Cass was the best Batgirl there ever was and ever will be.
One of the major gripes and swipes that I've heard from the anti-Cassandra camp is that she's too much of a character overhaul of the "original" Batgirl (i.e. totally different costume *face palm*, totally different attitude, totally different reason to fight crime and just totally different).
Well, I personally see it this way: Cassandra Cain is Batman's "What If?". What if Batman was a girl? What if Batman was just as ruthless without the cape and cowl? What if Batman had a daughter? What if Batman (not the mild mannered playboy Bruce Wayne but the "strikes fear in the hearts of men", "man on an eternal mission against crime" BATMAN, if you catch my drift) had a clone?
Why do I love Cassandra? To me, Cassandra Cain is the female embodiment of Batman but with several exceptions, such as his Einstein IQ. As an Asian-American, Cass is also one of the few non-white heroes and characters with their own ongoing series in comic book history. Cassandra's past shows (albeit in an exaggerated way) how horrendous child abuse can be and the deep psychological harms and scars that it can leave behind. Cassandra also shows that despite having a very dark past, people can still become a good person.
How is Cassandra Cain a great Batgirl? Let me count the ways.
One, she is an excellent fighter. Bruce even admitted that Cassandra is a superior fighter than he is. One of Cass' crowning achievements was her victory over Lady Shiva; a feat that even Bruce admittedly has never done (and arguably could never do).
Two, Cassandra has proved to be a good detective. Despite her illiteracy during her early years behind the mask, Cassandra could still use her abilities, wits and street-smarts to investigate and solve crimes.
Three, Cassandra is genuinely unique. Before Cass, there was no other character that was even remotely like her. Additionally, if you focus on the Batfamily in particular, Cassandra was treated very, very differently than all of Batman's other sidekicks. In fact, both Bruce and Barbara (who pretty much hated how Bruce treated Cass) questioned time and time again whether Cassandra was being treated more like another one of Batman's crime-fighting tools rather than a fellow crime fighter. Also, Bruce repeatedly showed more care and concern for Cassandra than all his other sidekicks; often treating her like she was his real daughter (in other words, he acted like a very over-protective father especially when it involved relationships). On the flip side, the relationship between Babs and Cass was not just mentor-pupil but like that of siblings and even 'Mother-Daughter'-ish at times.
Four, Cassandra was everything Bruce wanted in a sidekick. Bruce often said to Babs that Cassandra reminded him of himself. He even told Babs that if he left the cowl, he wanted Cassandra to be his successor [*will add Issue # later]. Bruce gave Cassandra her own batcave. When Bruce temporarily fires Cass as Batgirl, he set her up with her own private apartment near Gotham University. In terms of her writing, I strongly believe that her writers made it so that Cassandra didn't follow Barbara Gordon's legacy as Batgirl. Instead, Cassandra followed Bruce's legacy as Batman--though I'm not entirely sure if I can still say 'legacy' since he's coming back.
Lastly, Cassandra Cain loved being Batgirl. It never got old for her. It was who she was. She proved that she was still Batgirl with and without the ghostly costume (and didn't really care about keeping her identity secret). When she was out on patrol she did her very best to be as good as Batman. Even with her metahuman-like fighting abilities and skills, she continually trained to become better. When Batman asked her to step down as Batgirl, she was devastated. When Babs told her to just move on because being Batgirl wasn't making her truly happy, Cass responded by saying that she was happy being Batgirl.
I know there will always be anti-Cassandra camps out there much like there are anti-Edward and anti-Jacob camps *shudders* . Still, I strongly believe that Cassandra Cain deserved the title of Batgirl. Cassandra Cain would gladly take a bullet and risk her life and future well-being for the sake and lives of others. Cassandra Cain dedicated herself to live up to Batman's expectations. Cassandra Cain fought to faithfully represent the symbol of Batman. Cassandra Cain was BATGIRL!!!
*Please forgive the bad grammar and spelling. Will go back and edit...eventually.
[*Disclaimer: Please be reminded that these are my own personal opinions and should in no way be thought of as a reflection of anyone else']
By now, it shouldn't be a secret or surprise to know that I am a huge fan of Cassandra Cain. Over the years, I've had tons of people who [understandably] never even heard of Cass, people who think Cass should have been like Marvel's Mayday Parker/Spider-Girl and be in a different Batman comics continuity [*I defer to the infamous San Diego Comic Con "Cass vs Steph" debate of 2009] and, of course, people who think Cass was the best Batgirl there ever was and ever will be.
One of the major gripes and swipes that I've heard from the anti-Cassandra camp is that she's too much of a character overhaul of the "original" Batgirl (i.e. totally different costume *face palm*, totally different attitude, totally different reason to fight crime and just totally different).
Well, I personally see it this way: Cassandra Cain is Batman's "What If?". What if Batman was a girl? What if Batman was just as ruthless without the cape and cowl? What if Batman had a daughter? What if Batman (not the mild mannered playboy Bruce Wayne but the "strikes fear in the hearts of men", "man on an eternal mission against crime" BATMAN, if you catch my drift) had a clone?
Why do I love Cassandra? To me, Cassandra Cain is the female embodiment of Batman but with several exceptions, such as his Einstein IQ. As an Asian-American, Cass is also one of the few non-white heroes and characters with their own ongoing series in comic book history. Cassandra's past shows (albeit in an exaggerated way) how horrendous child abuse can be and the deep psychological harms and scars that it can leave behind. Cassandra also shows that despite having a very dark past, people can still become a good person.
How is Cassandra Cain a great Batgirl? Let me count the ways.
One, she is an excellent fighter. Bruce even admitted that Cassandra is a superior fighter than he is. One of Cass' crowning achievements was her victory over Lady Shiva; a feat that even Bruce admittedly has never done (and arguably could never do).
Two, Cassandra has proved to be a good detective. Despite her illiteracy during her early years behind the mask, Cassandra could still use her abilities, wits and street-smarts to investigate and solve crimes.
Three, Cassandra is genuinely unique. Before Cass, there was no other character that was even remotely like her. Additionally, if you focus on the Batfamily in particular, Cassandra was treated very, very differently than all of Batman's other sidekicks. In fact, both Bruce and Barbara (who pretty much hated how Bruce treated Cass) questioned time and time again whether Cassandra was being treated more like another one of Batman's crime-fighting tools rather than a fellow crime fighter. Also, Bruce repeatedly showed more care and concern for Cassandra than all his other sidekicks; often treating her like she was his real daughter (in other words, he acted like a very over-protective father especially when it involved relationships). On the flip side, the relationship between Babs and Cass was not just mentor-pupil but like that of siblings and even 'Mother-Daughter'-ish at times.
Four, Cassandra was everything Bruce wanted in a sidekick. Bruce often said to Babs that Cassandra reminded him of himself. He even told Babs that if he left the cowl, he wanted Cassandra to be his successor [*will add Issue # later]. Bruce gave Cassandra her own batcave. When Bruce temporarily fires Cass as Batgirl, he set her up with her own private apartment near Gotham University. In terms of her writing, I strongly believe that her writers made it so that Cassandra didn't follow Barbara Gordon's legacy as Batgirl. Instead, Cassandra followed Bruce's legacy as Batman--though I'm not entirely sure if I can still say 'legacy' since he's coming back.
Lastly, Cassandra Cain loved being Batgirl. It never got old for her. It was who she was. She proved that she was still Batgirl with and without the ghostly costume (and didn't really care about keeping her identity secret). When she was out on patrol she did her very best to be as good as Batman. Even with her metahuman-like fighting abilities and skills, she continually trained to become better. When Batman asked her to step down as Batgirl, she was devastated. When Babs told her to just move on because being Batgirl wasn't making her truly happy, Cass responded by saying that she was happy being Batgirl.
I know there will always be anti-Cassandra camps out there much like there are anti-Edward and anti-Jacob camps *shudders* . Still, I strongly believe that Cassandra Cain deserved the title of Batgirl. Cassandra Cain would gladly take a bullet and risk her life and future well-being for the sake and lives of others. Cassandra Cain dedicated herself to live up to Batman's expectations. Cassandra Cain fought to faithfully represent the symbol of Batman. Cassandra Cain was BATGIRL!!!
*Please forgive the bad grammar and spelling. Will go back and edit...eventually.
