comics musing

[burntcopper]

Well, apart from derryderrydown's musing on abuse in the superhero community, (she's worked it out that everyone in the Outsiders except Anissa and the people who literally haven't been alive for more than a few months has been a victim of sexual abuse, which is bloody scary, and I'm going to be talking about Birds of Prey, of whom all the main characters - Babs, Dinah and Helena have been)

Re-reading BoP#75. And wondering exactly how Babs can be so blind. Seriously. Dinah's clearly shown, and written, as caring for Babs deeply. We're not talking about just best friends here. This isn't random, either. Over the last several issues, it's been constant. Constant worrying, constant affection, etc, etc. Christ, even the artist is drawing large amounts of touching that is both tasteful and obvious. (yes, we are talking Ed Benes, the master of the innappropriate butt shot) Babs is even shown as expecting it, too. And this is not a touchy-feely girl.

And the back-up story with Eduardo Barretto focussing on Lady Blackhawk... dammit, that was cool. And great at showing her as having different, 40s-era sensibilities and uncomfortability with being used as PR. But :wails: Why can't we have him as the main artist?! He draws leggy and pretty, it's just that his leggy and pretty is close to reality and does not constantly show off butt-cheeks.

Last thing : Dinah is technically older than Babs, right? (but has been made a few years younger due to the Lazarus Pit) Dinah started superheroing when she was 18, same time as Barry Allen, Hal Jordan, Batman and Supes, and Babs started at about 17 or 18 a couple of years later. How much longer after Robin came on the scene did Batgirl start? Anyone?

Comments

[minim_calibre]

It was never clearly stated post crisis, but the retcon with Batgirl, Year One makes it seem like it was a couple or three years after Robin started with Batman. (At this point I shall note that the ONLY age for Dick Grayson's start point--which is frequently contradicted within the books themselves--that allows me to line up anything at all is 13.)

Any actual logical attempts to pindown their ages will make your brain explode. Hard-core.

Which is why I used to do it when I commuted, working backwards from stated ages/times in comics.

(Last year or so, there was the little one off story where Bruce is talking about how it's been 25 years since his parents were murdered. Which would make him 33, as the 8 remains constant. At this point, Tim was 16, and we know Tim started at 13, so Tim started as Robin when Batman was 30. I can't remember if there were 2 or 3 years of Jason--so he's either coming in when Bruce is 27 or 28. Now, Dick leaves at around 18/19, just before Jason. He's been with Bruce for what? About five or so years? (I knew the dates better when first thinking too hard about this.) So he comes along when Bruce is around 23, in about the third year of Bruce as Bats. Meaning Bruce gets his start at 20. And this is the only way I can make the Batman/Robin timelines line up.)