PR for superheroes
Don’t worry, Snarkmarket isn’t going to become a comic-book blog. But this FAQ from DC, sent out to comic book stores, is super weird. This is what happens when you mix corporate PR (absurdity level: high) with comic-book continuity (absurdity level: absurd)…
Does The New 52 undo events or continuity that I’ve been reading?
Some yes, some no. But many of the great stories remain. For example – Batgirl. The Killing Joke still happened and she was Oracle. Now she will go through physical rehabilitation and become a more seasoned and nuanced character because she had these incredible and diverse experiences.
“Incredible and diverse experiences”??!!
But okay snark aside, the nuts-and-bolts business stuff later in the FAQ is actually kinda interesting.
P.S. “Incredible and diverse experiences”??
Having had some experience getting to know people w/paralyzing spinal injuries, I’m going to be very interested in how they handle Barbara Gordon going from Oracle –> Batgirl.
One thing I loved about Oracle (and love about Daredevil) is that she is a disabled superhero. Not a superhero with a secret weakness, but a superhero with a disability. Daredevil, sometimes they tip his radar super-senses too far, but Oracle was totally there. (Also, it’s just an awesome idea for a superhero: a broker in information and group coordinator/communicator who isn’t like an android, just a smart woman who knows how to hustle).
If they keep Batgirl a disabled superhero, someone who through hard work gradually and continually pushes against her physical limitations, at least at the Daredevil yes-she-is-but-we’ll-occasionally-act-like-she-isn’t-or-is-even-extra-capable levels, then I’ll be interested.
If she presto-chango gets some kind of superhero chiropractor to make things right and we never hear about it again, then DC can go fuck itself.