"Paul Dini had this idea of putting Barbara Gordon in the Lazarus Pit to revive her
spine, I guess," Ross said. "At least, that's what he would've done in the television show had they continued doing more cartoons, and her spin was broken the way it was. I thought it was a great idea, and we pitched then-Batman editor Denny O'Neil with these drawings of that costume design. The idea of using the red instead of the traditional yellow was meant to invoke the idea that coming from the Lazarus Pit, she was in a way, more compromised as a character, much like they're doing with the Red Hood now. Going into the Lazarus Pit is a metaphorical deal with the devil - you almost lose a bit of yourself. It doesn't allow you to come out without leaving its touch on you. So it was a slight new spin on her look, so it was getting her back in her classic style costume, but adding in this slight coloring difference, which had a reason to be there.