Warning: This article contains spoilers for Batgirl #50
The legendary superheroes of DC Comics aren’t on the clock 24 hours a day. These costumed do-gooders have lives outside of their public personas that include interests and hobbies unrelated to fighting crime. Wonder Woman owned her own boutique; the Flash dabbles in automotive repair; Superman and Batman occasionally double-date with Lois and Catwoman. One such extracurricular activity took place at a recent ladies night hosted by Batgirl that included a surprising game of Dungeons & Dragons. Though Huntress, Spoiler, Orphan, and Black Canary soon discover that Batgirl’s tabletop RPG is more than just fun and games.
In Batgirl #50, Helena Bertinelli, Stephanie Brown, Cassandra Cain, and Dinah Lance are hosted by Barbara Gordon for a girls-only game night. The Birds of Prey let their nerd flags fly and play the greatest of all tabletop RPGs: Dungeons & Dragons. For the uninitiated, D&D is a pencil and paper tabletop role-playing game that utilizes dice rolls to determine stats and actions. Batgirl runs the game as the Dungeon Master while the other participants portray mythical adventurers. Huntress is assigned an Elf magician, Spoiler a Dwarven Half-Orc bard, Orphan a Human paladin, and Black Canary a Tiefling rogue. The Birds of Prey initially balk at their unrepresentative character classes, but soon learn that there is method to Batgirl’s madness.
As Black Canary and company struggle in-game to defeat a giant monster, their cellphones notify them of criminal activity taking place at the wharf. Batgirl volunteers to stay behind and orchestrate the mission as Oracle. She suggests the team “try staying in character.” With this exercise in mind, the four crime-fighters arrive at the wharf. It becomes immediately apparent that a child trafficking ring is operating out of Gotham. Maintaining their D&D personas, the Birds of Prey attack. “Rogue” Black Canary abandons her sonic cry for a projectile. “Magician” Huntress relies upon a spell-like taser. “Paladin” Orphan chooses face-to-face combat over stealth. Spoiler even sings like a bard during battle. The ladies realize that Batgirl chose their unfitting characters as an exercise in thinking outside the box.
Batgirl was created in 1967 by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino for Detective Comics #359. The Birds of Prey wouldn’t be formed until Black Canary/Oracle: Birds of Prey #1 in 1996. At the time, Barbara Gordon was still-confined to a wheelchair after being paralyzed by the Joker. Dungeons & Dragons hit shelves some seven years after Batgirl debuted and, like many comic books in the 1950’s, was met with controversy. As the popularity of comic books and role-playing games increased, various religious and political groups warned of the dangers of such pastimes, especially to children. In recent years, these concerns have been largely dismissed.
Batgirl #50 serves as the series finale of the fifth volume of Barbara Gordon’s solo title. Writer Cecil Castellucci and artist Robbi Rodriguez have largely been praised for their work, and fans of the title are sad to see it end. Batgirl’s depiction of Barbara Gordon’s civilian life, including her personal relationships and pastimes, has been a refreshing take on the character. More comic book titles should delve into what superheroes do when they’re not being heroic. At the end of the day, the only way to fully appreciate the character behind the mask is to explore what they do behind closed doors.