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Rumored for a little while now, it was finally officially annouced Sunday in Toronto: Geoff Johns and JG Jones will team next year to start off All Star Batgirl, starring Barbara Gordon.
We caught up with Johns while he was in Toronto for an inside look.
Newsarama: Geoff, you were tied to rumors about half a dozen All Star books for a while there. Why, when the spinner did stop, did it land on Batgirl?
Geoff Johns: Well, first off, All Star Batgirl won't be out until the end of next year but in this day and age, since we just got "official" approval it would've leaked on to the internet anyway so we thought we'd announce early because we're psyched. It's a mystery in the vein of Batman: Long Halloween that revolves around the "new" Batgirl, Barbara Gordon. It will be completely from her point-of-view. JG Jones and I are
planning on doing the first six issues. Were approaching it like Loeb and Sales' Batman books and Darwyn Cookes New Frontier.
As for how it came about? JG and I had been watching the finishing line to 52 coming up and we were talking about doing something together afterwards. Were about four or five months away now from finishing completely so we finally found the character and story we wanted to tell a mystery centering around Barbara Gordons transformation into Batgirl. Id been in discussion for a lot of different All Star books, and obviously, Im a big fan of the classic, Silver Age DCU. And like three years ago when they were getting All Star Batman and Robin going, they asked me to do an arc on Batman and Robin. I wanted to introduce Batgirl, and I had the whole story laid out and was really excited about it but they ended up going a different way.
So awhile later, JG Jones and I were talking about working together again. Wed been talking about doing something for a long time, and hed been working on 52 with us, and the Batgirl idea was still with me - to do the origin story of Barbara Gordon as Batgirl. I wanted to do something like Power Girls arc in JSA Classified again and I wanted to do something fun like that, but set in the Bat-universe. Itll still have an edge to it, of course, because its in Batmans world, but its really the story of a girl trying to win back her father.
NRAMA: To clarify, this is, as you said, set apart, that is, this isnt the DCU Batgirl, necessarily, so people neednt be thinking, Well, this is all fun and games until she gets shot by the Joker
GJ: Well see Batgirl confront the Joker. But our take is supposed to be out and on its own. Again, we want to do something like Grants doing on All Star Superman he and Frank have down their own take on the heroes, sticking very close to the iconic status of them, but they are set in their own universe.
NRAMA: Going back, you said there was talk of doing this as an arc in All Star Batman and Robin. Does that mean this Batgirl, though not connected to the DCU, is connected to that version of Batman and Robin?
GJ: Nope. The Superman in All Star Batman and Robin is totally different from the Superman in All Star Superman. JG and I see this as our opportunity to do whatever we want with Batgirl, and it doesnt have to fit in with anything else. Come to think of it, its probably the first superhero project that Ive done
that doesnt fit into continuity.
NRAMA: That would be a new feeling for you, Id suppose
GJ: It is. Its kind of liberating, and at the same time, I want to use all the toys in the Batman universe, and so does JG shes going to be Commissioner Gordons daughter, shes going to have the long red hair and a sense of humor, shes going to have all sorts of tricks that Batman doesnt have. And were going to have a lot of fun playing with the relationship between Dick and Barbara that relationship is going to be very different than what people are used to. Her origins, however, will be different.
NRAMA: Given that this is the iconic interpretation of Barbara as Batgirl, shes doing this because she can, and it will be fun, right?
GJ: Thats a lot of it, but theres more to her motivation than that. Why does she need this outlet of fun? What is happening in Gotham and in Batmans world that requires a need for Batgirl? There's a mystery that involves her that she has to solve.
NRAMA: But whats at the root of her doing it? Whats the motivation to do this, frankly, rather risky thing?
GJ: It has a lot to do with her having a father whos obsessed with Batman, who turns on a big signal and talks to him on the roof. A dad who now comes home in the morning, because hes been fighting costumed maniacs with Batman all night. Her trophies from Junior High and High School have been moved off the mantle and a mock up of Batmans utility belt is there as an ongoing problem and challenge for Gordon to try
and figure out how it works.
Our story is going to about a girl who is in the shadow of Batman in a lot of different ways, and trying to come out of it.
NRAMA: And becoming Batgirl is, in a way, her means of connecting with and talking to her father
GJ: In a way. Shes able to finally connect with him on a level he hasnt been able to since her mom died. And all of this will be tempered against how Batman reacts and how Robin reacts to her, not to mention how the Scarecrow and Joker and the other villains react. Weve also got some unique takes on supporting cast as well.
Were shooting for something like Allan and Terrys Wonder Woman in tone. Exciting, fun but focused on character. Thats one of my favorite books out there right now.
NRAMA: Will she have any key villains tied to her or her origin? Back in the day, it seemed like Killer Moth always gravitated toward her for better or usually worse.
GJ: Were probably going to steer clear of Killer Moth, because they did Batgirl: Year One, which focused on him a lot. Plus Id rather see JG draw Poison Ivy and Clayface.
NRAMA: And speaking of working with JG
GJ: He did just a beautiful job with Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia and Wanted, and the 52 covers are just consistently gorgeous. Weve talked for years about finding something that would be really fun to do. Were aiming to tell the best action mystery adventure story we can about how and why Barbara Gordon becomes Batgirl.
We caught up with Johns while he was in Toronto for an inside look.
Newsarama: Geoff, you were tied to rumors about half a dozen All Star books for a while there. Why, when the spinner did stop, did it land on Batgirl?
Geoff Johns: Well, first off, All Star Batgirl won't be out until the end of next year but in this day and age, since we just got "official" approval it would've leaked on to the internet anyway so we thought we'd announce early because we're psyched. It's a mystery in the vein of Batman: Long Halloween that revolves around the "new" Batgirl, Barbara Gordon. It will be completely from her point-of-view. JG Jones and I are
planning on doing the first six issues. Were approaching it like Loeb and Sales' Batman books and Darwyn Cookes New Frontier.
As for how it came about? JG and I had been watching the finishing line to 52 coming up and we were talking about doing something together afterwards. Were about four or five months away now from finishing completely so we finally found the character and story we wanted to tell a mystery centering around Barbara Gordons transformation into Batgirl. Id been in discussion for a lot of different All Star books, and obviously, Im a big fan of the classic, Silver Age DCU. And like three years ago when they were getting All Star Batman and Robin going, they asked me to do an arc on Batman and Robin. I wanted to introduce Batgirl, and I had the whole story laid out and was really excited about it but they ended up going a different way.
So awhile later, JG Jones and I were talking about working together again. Wed been talking about doing something for a long time, and hed been working on 52 with us, and the Batgirl idea was still with me - to do the origin story of Barbara Gordon as Batgirl. I wanted to do something like Power Girls arc in JSA Classified again and I wanted to do something fun like that, but set in the Bat-universe. Itll still have an edge to it, of course, because its in Batmans world, but its really the story of a girl trying to win back her father.
NRAMA: To clarify, this is, as you said, set apart, that is, this isnt the DCU Batgirl, necessarily, so people neednt be thinking, Well, this is all fun and games until she gets shot by the Joker
GJ: Well see Batgirl confront the Joker. But our take is supposed to be out and on its own. Again, we want to do something like Grants doing on All Star Superman he and Frank have down their own take on the heroes, sticking very close to the iconic status of them, but they are set in their own universe.
NRAMA: Going back, you said there was talk of doing this as an arc in All Star Batman and Robin. Does that mean this Batgirl, though not connected to the DCU, is connected to that version of Batman and Robin?
that doesnt fit into continuity.
NRAMA: That would be a new feeling for you, Id suppose
GJ: It is. Its kind of liberating, and at the same time, I want to use all the toys in the Batman universe, and so does JG shes going to be Commissioner Gordons daughter, shes going to have the long red hair and a sense of humor, shes going to have all sorts of tricks that Batman doesnt have. And were going to have a lot of fun playing with the relationship between Dick and Barbara that relationship is going to be very different than what people are used to. Her origins, however, will be different.
NRAMA: Given that this is the iconic interpretation of Barbara as Batgirl, shes doing this because she can, and it will be fun, right?
GJ: Thats a lot of it, but theres more to her motivation than that. Why does she need this outlet of fun? What is happening in Gotham and in Batmans world that requires a need for Batgirl? There's a mystery that involves her that she has to solve.
NRAMA: But whats at the root of her doing it? Whats the motivation to do this, frankly, rather risky thing?
GJ: It has a lot to do with her having a father whos obsessed with Batman, who turns on a big signal and talks to him on the roof. A dad who now comes home in the morning, because hes been fighting costumed maniacs with Batman all night. Her trophies from Junior High and High School have been moved off the mantle and a mock up of Batmans utility belt is there as an ongoing problem and challenge for Gordon to try
and figure out how it works.
Our story is going to about a girl who is in the shadow of Batman in a lot of different ways, and trying to come out of it.
NRAMA: And becoming Batgirl is, in a way, her means of connecting with and talking to her father
GJ: In a way. Shes able to finally connect with him on a level he hasnt been able to since her mom died. And all of this will be tempered against how Batman reacts and how Robin reacts to her, not to mention how the Scarecrow and Joker and the other villains react. Weve also got some unique takes on supporting cast as well.
Were shooting for something like Allan and Terrys Wonder Woman in tone. Exciting, fun but focused on character. Thats one of my favorite books out there right now.
NRAMA: Will she have any key villains tied to her or her origin? Back in the day, it seemed like Killer Moth always gravitated toward her for better or usually worse.
GJ: Were probably going to steer clear of Killer Moth, because they did Batgirl: Year One, which focused on him a lot. Plus Id rather see JG draw Poison Ivy and Clayface.
NRAMA: And speaking of working with JG
GJ: He did just a beautiful job with Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia and Wanted, and the 52 covers are just consistently gorgeous. Weve talked for years about finding something that would be really fun to do. Were aiming to tell the best action mystery adventure story we can about how and why Barbara Gordon becomes Batgirl.
