When Absolute Batman swooped onto the DC comic scene, fans had some... strong opinions, to say the least. Thankfully, we've had time to adjust to the exaggerated Batman character design, and the series has won the hearts of many batfans, but this peace may be in peril thanks to a new design. Meet the new Batgirl.
In keeping with Absolute Batman's broody aesthetic, the new Batgirl character design is quite a shift from the slick, skintight costuming of the comic and film adaptations. While some feel it's a blasphemous stray from tradition, others are praising the transgressive new look, but will the design mark a complete new era for Batgirl?
Barbara Gordon, aka The Bat, takes on a menacing new look for Absolute Batman, sporting black combat boots, a slick batmask and her father, Commissioner Gordon's trench coat. Brandishing a huge (reportedly non-lethal) shotgun, her foreboding character design is intensified by broad shoulders and angular lines that give her a sharp, threatening look.
It's no secret that comic illustration has been guilty of hyper sexualising female characters in the past, and Batgirl is no different. A direct contrast to her usual skintight apparel, the straight, sharp lines of The Bat's character design give her an almost androgynous look. (Creator Nick Dragotta even resisted giving her a stray tendril of long hair just to prove she's a girl – look how far we've come!)
A devil for the details, one fan on X responded to the new design, writing, "Don’t get me wrong I love this look but WHERE'S THE PURPLE?!?!?" gesturing to Batgirl's historic design. Others weren't so complimentary, with many taking issue with her less feminine look. "Seems like a bad design for a Batgirl if you can't tell at a glance that she's a girl," another complained, while one disgruntled fan added, "More like Batboy. That doesn't look like a girl at all."
For more comic news, check out the "chonker" of a Batman logo that defined Absolute Batman's controversial beginnings or test your skills with our superhero logo quiz.
