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Description
This is a collage tribute to Frank Miller's All-Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder (illustrated by Jim Lee) featuring Batgirl, and a rebuttal to ignorant accusations that Frank Miller is sexist. Batgirl was portrayed by Frank Miller as a strong character, brave, cunning, hopeful, aggressive, heroic, very young, and very modern. She's a girl with her own personality and style and not a female Batman, not like a carbon-copy of Bruce Wayne. She fights two drug dealers to try to get them out of the Arcade so they wont get anymore kids hooked on hard drugs. She also tries to defend the drug dealers from getting killed by gamers forming into a brutally violent mob mentality.

She had dimensions to her. She had an alcoholic mother and an unfaithful father. She was trying to escape her depressing home life, and Batgirl was a means for her to escape. On the other hand she wanted to fight crime like her hero Batman, so that was another reason, and seek thrills. She wasn't an extremely complex dramatic character, neither was Batgirl in the Silver Age, nor did she need to be. She was refreshing lighter character in a book of many dark angst-ridden characters.

Batman inspired Batgirl, as Frank Miller explained in Comics Interview # 31 (1986), "Batman represents the common man. Batman represents the buried rage that has got people quivering these days. The will to resist. To say no to criminals. The ability of people to choose not to be a victim. For instance, Bernard Goetz, in New York, changed the color of New York life for a few weeks. He pulled something up out of what was going on, common to people's emotional states. What he actually did, as far as shooting the four youths, was a crime in itself that would have been very forgettable. But something was implied by it, represented by it. He became a symbol. And with Batman were talking about the epitome of the symbolic character - the will to resist. Batman represents a very powerful specific force that movie-makers attempt to represent with Dirty Harry, Paul Kirsey in Death Wish. I don't think it's necessarily simply a violent power fantasy. Society has made itself impotent to the point where people do not resist evil on a large level, particularly violent crime. New Yorkers carry bribe money to buy off muggers. I think there is a desire right now that the intelligentsia aren't aware of and can't relate to - the desire to take back the power that we've given away as human beings, to say no to criminals. Comic-book writers have largely avoided taking their material so seriously that they show what it's social consequences would be, and that particular question is the most fascinating one for me in the series. Batman changes the way people live by his presence."

This is a modernized version of the young upbeat walking, running and jumping Batgirl updated for contemporary times. Teens today go rolling around on skateboards and curse. This Batgirl is much more fun than the grim permanently paralyzed Barbara Gordon. I have no problem with the Batgirl character cursing in comics. I have a problem with DC censoring it. I oppose censorship. They didn't censor the cursing in Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns or The Dark Knight Strikes Again. I am against censoring words in books. I'm a supporter of freedom of speech. I don't want our rights lost over some semi-hysterical persons morality hang-ups. There are Christians out there going to war on art trying to restrict what we can read and see. I am disturbed to see DC censoring books. Instead of blacking out words they should grow a pair and just publish it uncensored. They could put "Suggested for Mature Readers" on the covers of All-Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder or add the Vertigo logo on it if they wanted to make it clear that this series isn't intended for little kids and release the issues uncensored. DC publishes mature titles. He should have the right to use the words in the stories without black bars over it.

For the uninitiated, despite the quaint title, "All-Star" is geared toward an older audience and presents an especially nasty and grim incarnation of Batman. This is not a children's book.

"That's right," Miller said, "it's not aimed at kids."
herocomplex.latimes.com/uncate…

As to the criticism that it's all just "shock value" for the sake of shock? It's shocking only to those that are unfamiliar with the classic comic books and are too lazy to do the research. Frank Miller's writing is not shocking me at all, but it is entertaining me. What's been so "shocking"? Batman as like an army drill Sargent "warring on crime" and Robin as like his "lieutenant soldier"? That's nothing new. In creator Bill Finger's text says Batman made an oath "And I swear by the spirits of my parents to avenge their deaths by spending the rest of my life warring on all criminals" in Detective Comics #33 (1939) and Batman #1 (1940). Bill Finger's text says "The Batman and his right hand lieutenant--Robin, the Boy Wonder" in Batman #6 (1940) "The Secret of the Iron Jungle." Superman and Wonder Woman kissing? Wonder Woman has had an attraction to Superman in the comics for decades (Wonder Woman # 130 (May, 1962) "The Mirage Mirrors" by Robert Kanigher and Ross Andru, Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane # 136 (February, 1974) "Wonder Woman: Mrs. Superman" by Cary Bates and John Rosenberger, DC Comics Presents # 32 (April, 1981) "The Super-Prisoners of Love" by Gerry Conway, Roy Thomas and Kurt Schaffenberger, Wonder Woman # 300 (February, 1983) "Let No Superman Put Asunder!" by Roy Thomas, Danette Thomas, Dan Mishkin and Rich Buckler, Superman Annual # 11 (1985) "For the Man Who Has Everything" by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, Wonder Woman # 8 (September, 1987) "Time Passages" by Len Wein and George Perez, Wonder Woman # 16 (May, 1988) "Bird of Paradise/Bird of Prey!" by George Perez, Action Comics # 600 (May, 1988) "Different Worlds" by John Byrne and George Perez, Kingdom Come (1996) by Mark Waid and Alex Ross, Wonder Woman # 141 (February, 1999) "Trinity 98 Part II" by Eric Luke and Yanick Paquette and cover by Adam Hughes, Wonder Woman # 162 (November, 2000) "God Complex" by Ben Raab and Derec Aucoin, Superman # 165 (February, 2001) "Superman and Wonder Woman" by Jeph Loeb and Ian Churchill, etc.). Conflict between Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson? In Bill Finger's text Bruce Wayne says to Dick Grayson "You reckless young squirt, I ought to whale you" in Detective Comics #38 (1940) written by Bill Finger. Batman slapped Robin in Batman #3 (1940) written by Bill Finger. Bruce Wayne spanked Dick Grayson 8 times, plus one "for good measure" and another "to grow on" in Batman #10 (1942) written by Joseph Greene. Batman slapped Robin in World’s Finest #153 (1965) written by Edmond Hamilton. Batman punched Dick Grayson in The New Titans #50 (1989) written by Marv Wolfman. Green Arrow punched Speedy in Green Lantern #86 (1971) written by Denny O'Neil. Robin (Jason Todd) slapped Batman to snap him out of freaking out in Batman: The Cult (1988) written by Jim Starlin. Batman saying hell and goddamn instead of heck and goshdarn? Batgirl cussing? Gasp? You'd never see that kind of language from characters in Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and The Dark Knight Strikes Again? Actually, you would. You'd never hear that kind of language from characters in Tim Burton's Batman films? Actually, you would. Vicki Vale showing cleavage and not wearing much? Gee, never seen anything like that before on comic book covers by Adam Hughes, huh? Uh..yeah. Vicki's a columnist...doing diction in her own apartment. People do walk around in their own apartments in their underwear alone at night. Gordon having a daughter named Barbara who is secretly Batgirl? Batman having a butler named Alfred? Wow, didn't see that one coming? Joker, gasp, killing somebody? So I don't believe Miller is out to shock us, just to simply entertain us, and remind us of the good old days when Barbara Gordon could walk and was Batgirl and Dick Grayson was Robin the Boy Wonder and Hal Jordan wore the original costume by Gill Kane and Superman wasn't married and didn't fly, he simply ran "faster than a locomotive." While Frank Miller is modernizing the characters, he's also harking back to a time in the Golden Age when comics were simply fun, not character shattering year long "major events" stunts like "R.I.P.", is Batman gonna die? Is Damian really Batman's kid? Who's gonna be the next Batman? And who's gonna get bastardized next in the next mega event? And now they have the whole New 52 reboot bastardizing all of the characters history and personalities and costumes.

Description
This is a collage tribute to Frank Miller's All-Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder (illustrated by Jim Lee) featuring Batgirl, and a rebuttal to ignorant accusations that Frank Miller is sexist. Batgirl was portrayed by Frank Miller as a strong character, brave, cunning, hopeful, aggressive, heroic, very young, and very modern. She's a girl with her own personality and style and not a female Batman, not like a carbon-copy of Bruce Wayne. She fights two drug dealers to try to get them out of the Arcade so they wont get anymore kids hooked on hard drugs. She also tries to defend the drug dealers from getting killed by gamers forming into a brutally violent mob mentality.

She had dimensions to her. She had an alcoholic mother and an unfaithful father. She was trying to escape her depressing home life, and Batgirl was a means for her to escape. On the other hand she wanted to fight crime like her hero Batman, so that was another reason, and seek thrills. She wasn't an extremely complex dramatic character, neither was Batgirl in the Silver Age, nor did she need to be. She was refreshing lighter character in a book of many dark angst-ridden characters.

Batman inspired Batgirl, as Frank Miller explained in Comics Interview # 31 (1986), "Batman represents the common man. Batman represents the buried rage that has got people quivering these days. The will to resist. To say no to criminals. The ability of people to choose not to be a victim. For instance, Bernard Goetz, in New York, changed the color of New York life for a few weeks. He pulled something up out of what was going on, common to people's emotional states. What he actually did, as far as shooting the four youths, was a crime in itself that would have been very forgettable. But something was implied by it, represented by it. He became a symbol. And with Batman were talking about the epitome of the symbolic character - the will to resist. Batman represents a very powerful specific force that movie-makers attempt to represent with Dirty Harry, Paul Kirsey in Death Wish. I don't think it's necessarily simply a violent power fantasy. Society has made itself impotent to the point where people do not resist evil on a large level, particularly violent crime. New Yorkers carry bribe money to buy off muggers. I think there is a desire right now that the intelligentsia aren't aware of and can't relate to - the desire to take back the power that we've given away as human beings, to say no to criminals. Comic-book writers have largely avoided taking their material so seriously that they show what it's social consequences would be, and that particular question is the most fascinating one for me in the series. Batman changes the way people live by his presence."

This is a modernized version of the young upbeat walking, running and jumping Batgirl updated for contemporary times. Teens today go rolling around on skateboards and curse. This Batgirl is much more fun than the grim permanently paralyzed Barbara Gordon. I have no problem with the Batgirl character cursing in comics. I have a problem with DC censoring it. I oppose censorship. They didn't censor the cursing in Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns or The Dark Knight Strikes Again. I am against censoring words in books. I'm a supporter of freedom of speech. I don't want our rights lost over some semi-hysterical persons morality hang-ups. There are Christians out there going to war on art trying to restrict what we can read and see. I am disturbed to see DC censoring books. Instead of blacking out words they should grow a pair and just publish it uncensored. They could put "Suggested for Mature Readers" on the covers of All-Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder or add the Vertigo logo on it if they wanted to make it clear that this series isn't intended for little kids and release the issues uncensored. DC publishes mature titles. He should have the right to use the words in the stories without black bars over it.

For the uninitiated, despite the quaint title, "All-Star" is geared toward an older audience and presents an especially nasty and grim incarnation of Batman. This is not a children's book.

"That's right," Miller said, "it's not aimed at kids."
herocomplex.latimes.com/uncate…

As to the criticism that it's all just "shock value" for the sake of shock? It's shocking only to those that are unfamiliar with the classic comic books and are too lazy to do the research. Frank Miller's writing is not shocking me at all, but it is entertaining me. What's been so "shocking"? Batman as like an army drill Sargent "warring on crime" and Robin as like his "lieutenant soldier"? That's nothing new. In creator Bill Finger's text says Batman made an oath "And I swear by the spirits of my parents to avenge their deaths by spending the rest of my life warring on all criminals" in Detective Comics #33 (1939) and Batman #1 (1940). Bill Finger's text says "The Batman and his right hand lieutenant--Robin, the Boy Wonder" in Batman #6 (1940) "The Secret of the Iron Jungle." Superman and Wonder Woman kissing? Wonder Woman has had an attraction to Superman in the comics for decades (Wonder Woman # 130 (May, 1962) "The Mirage Mirrors" by Robert Kanigher and Ross Andru, Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane # 136 (February, 1974) "Wonder Woman: Mrs. Superman" by Cary Bates and John Rosenberger, DC Comics Presents # 32 (April, 1981) "The Super-Prisoners of Love" by Gerry Conway, Roy Thomas and Kurt Schaffenberger, Wonder Woman # 300 (February, 1983) "Let No Superman Put Asunder!" by Roy Thomas, Danette Thomas, Dan Mishkin and Rich Buckler, Superman Annual # 11 (1985) "For the Man Who Has Everything" by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, Wonder Woman # 8 (September, 1987) "Time Passages" by Len Wein and George Perez, Wonder Woman # 16 (May, 1988) "Bird of Paradise/Bird of Prey!" by George Perez, Action Comics # 600 (May, 1988) "Different Worlds" by John Byrne and George Perez, Kingdom Come (1996) by Mark Waid and Alex Ross, Wonder Woman # 141 (February, 1999) "Trinity 98 Part II" by Eric Luke and Yanick Paquette and cover by Adam Hughes, Wonder Woman # 162 (November, 2000) "God Complex" by Ben Raab and Derec Aucoin, Superman # 165 (February, 2001) "Superman and Wonder Woman" by Jeph Loeb and Ian Churchill, etc.). Conflict between Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson? In Bill Finger's text Bruce Wayne says to Dick Grayson "You reckless young squirt, I ought to whale you" in Detective Comics #38 (1940) written by Bill Finger. Batman slapped Robin in Batman #3 (1940) written by Bill Finger. Bruce Wayne spanked Dick Grayson 8 times, plus one "for good measure" and another "to grow on" in Batman #10 (1942) written by Joseph Greene. Batman slapped Robin in World’s Finest #153 (1965) written by Edmond Hamilton. Batman punched Dick Grayson in The New Titans #50 (1989) written by Marv Wolfman. Green Arrow punched Speedy in Green Lantern #86 (1971) written by Denny O'Neil. Robin (Jason Todd) slapped Batman to snap him out of freaking out in Batman: The Cult (1988) written by Jim Starlin. Batman saying hell and goddamn instead of heck and goshdarn? Batgirl cussing? Gasp? You'd never see that kind of language from characters in Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and The Dark Knight Strikes Again? Actually, you would. You'd never hear that kind of language from characters in Tim Burton's Batman films? Actually, you would. Vicki Vale showing cleavage and not wearing much? Gee, never seen anything like that before on comic book covers by Adam Hughes, huh? Uh..yeah. Vicki's a columnist...doing diction in her own apartment. People do walk around in their own apartments in their underwear alone at night. Gordon having a daughter named Barbara who is secretly Batgirl? Batman having a butler named Alfred? Wow, didn't see that one coming? Joker, gasp, killing somebody? So I don't believe Miller is out to shock us, just to simply entertain us, and remind us of the good old days when Barbara Gordon could walk and was Batgirl and Dick Grayson was Robin the Boy Wonder and Hal Jordan wore the original costume by Gill Kane and Superman wasn't married and didn't fly, he simply ran "faster than a locomotive." While Frank Miller is modernizing the characters, he's also harking back to a time in the Golden Age when comics were simply fun, not character shattering year long "major events" stunts like "R.I.P.", is Batman gonna die? Is Damian really Batman's kid? Who's gonna be the next Batman? And who's gonna get bastardized next in the next mega event? And now they have the whole New 52 reboot bastardizing all of the characters history and personalities and costumes.