HOME | DD

Published: 2007-09-06 08:11:02 +0000 UTC; Views: 24832; Favourites: 763; Downloads: 286
Redirect to original
Description
okay...I did it. I submitted American comics fanart. I'm GOING TO HELL!Not that you can tell who they are really...
This is Cassandra Cain, the last Batgirl in DC comics continuity.
The redhead Batgirl most are familiar with is Barbara Gordon, who got shot and paralzyed from the waist down by the Joker in the 1980's Batman comics. *shakes head* I'll never figure out what they were thinking...anyhoo...She's now a computer/intelligence wizard by the name of Oracle who helps out the superhero community and is part of the badass superhero female team called, Birds of Prey, alongside Black Canary and the Huntress.
My fave batgirl is Cass though.
Since birth, she had been raised and trained to be the world's best martial artist in complete isolation and silence. As a result, she can read body language and therefore predict her opponents movements and emotions. Fighting is her language.
Her father wanted her to be the best assasin and at the age of eight, she was sent on her first test to kill a mob leader with her bare hands. She succeeded.
However, because of her innate abilities, she was able to see death the way the man saw it as he died and it scared her shitless. She suddenly realized that "it was not a game" what her father wanted her to do and she ran away from him and swore to never kill again.
Fast Forward to a few years later and she encounters Oracle in a "No Man's Land" Gotham that is torn by an earthquake and plague, a real crime-war-zone. Here she becomes Oracle's messenger of sorts and eventually meets up with Batman and the others. After saving Commissioner Gordon's life, she is given the Batgirl mantle.
What follows is seven years of her own comic book series. We see her trying to overcome her guilt for killing that man, struggle against her training and not kill anyone, gain the ability to talk and lose her defensive abilities at the same time, regain her abilities, struggle to learn to read, struggle to fit in with the rest of the Bat family, fight various villains including world's best martial artist Lady Shiva, make friends, meet boys, lose friends, get her own batcave, apartment and then her own city (Bludhaven, Gotham's sister city).
Through it all, she keeps to her vow of "No Killing".
Near the end she desires to learn who her mother is and goes on a roadtrip that eventually lands her in Ras al Ghul's League of Assassins led by Ras al Ghul's crazy daughter Nyssa. Here she once again fights with Lady Shiva who she has discovered is her real mother.
Problem is Lady Shiva gave birth to her for the sole purpose that one day, Cass would be the best in the world and kill her. (Lady Shiva has a death wish). Cass sorta "kills" her, but leaves her mother hanging over a Lazarus Pit, possibly in hopes that when Shiva comes back to life, she will start anew. (there's this theme of death and rebirth with Cass and Shiva, don't mind it.)
In the end, Cass gives up the Batgirl mantle, probably realizing that she has outgrown it since she can no longer accept Batman's way of doing things. (she looked up to Batman more than anyone and wanted to BE Batman, but in the end realized that Batman didn't exactly have her best interests in mind...). So she decides to wander the world as a wanderer "simply named Cain."
Twas sad, to see her series end, but ya accept it. *shrugs*
What no one can accept is that DC crapped on her character in the Robin comic: ONE YEAR LATER (which is about a year after Batman took Robin and Nightwing on a year long journey about self-discovery with the means to become closer.) Basically, in the Robin comic book we discover that Cass has become the new leader of the League of Assassins and wants Robin to join her and but first, shoot her father, David Cain.
WTF? What about her no-killing vow? This is like...Rurouni Kenshin deciding to leave Kaoru after Jinchu to wander the world again, but coming back as crazy Battosai, asking Yahiko to join him in killing people to rid the world of evil...IT JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN!
Apparently, Cass becomes evil because she was drugged by Deathstroke (Slade for you Teen Titans fans). Though in the Robin series, she says she became the way she is because her father had another kid after her. Yeah, *facepalm* Stupid DC...
ANYWAYS, the other two boys are Tim Drake (Robin III) and Dick Grayson (Nightwing aka Robin I)
I originally tried to draw Damian Wayne (Batman and Thalia's son) and Jason Todd (Robin II whose come back from the dead) and make this picture a trio of Bat rejects. XD;;
But Damian came out looking too old. I wanted to draw him as an 11 year old. But he looks a lot like Tim Drake looked like when he was 15. (Timmy was sporting a spiked hair look for a while)...so I modified it a bit and now he looks more like Tim did before One Year Later happened.
SO yes, this is Tim Drake, aka the third and final Robin. And yes, Tim was a lot more innocent before.
Let's see...Tim lost his girlfriend (who was in comics for almost a decade), Stephanie, aka The Spoiler, who was tortured by a mad man and left to die by a family friend (wtf?)
Soon after that, another blow comes when he can't get to his father in time and is only able to hear him get killed through his earpiece.
Oh and to add further salt to the wound...his main best friend, Superboy, who was possessed and went on a rampage in which he broke Robin's arm, but eventually recovers and retires....comes back to the Teen Titans only to DIE in a HUGE battle.
It's funny how super-human Superboy dies from crashing into a building...yet Nightwing, a regular human...survives by jumping around to avoid falling wreckage.
*facepalm*
Nope, not the end. When he met Superboy, he also met Impulse, later Kid Flash, and the trio became best friends and formed their own little superhero team called Young Justice. Later on they were joined by Wonder Girl and had other members who'd come and go. Eventually, the four became the new Teen Titans, but my point is...
His first friends were Superboy and Kid Flash aka Bart Allen.
Yup, that's right. Bart dies too. First Bart disappears for a while and comes back an adult. O_o and goes off to become the Flash since Wally and the other Flashes are gone/retired. That was sad for Robin, but (like what? After a few issues of the Flash comics) Bart suddenly loses his powers and is beaten to death by a rogue of villains.
.__.
No joke. And Robin has to speak at his funeral too. So that makes it...girlfriend, father (only living parent), and two best friends all dead in the span of two years (a little over a year in comic continuity). Yup, sucks to be him.
Oh yeah, and his ally, Batgirl, goes crazy and tries to seduce him, and when that fails, goes off to continue killing more people. *facepalm*
I'm not surprised Robin's slated to go crazy in the comics. I'm serious. Apparently, the DC previews for the next few months state that Robin will finally go over the edge and its up to Batman and Nightwing to bring him back to his senses.
Oh, speaking of which, the older young man is Dick Grayson, aka Nightwing (and the first Robin). Teen Titan fans...this is YOUR Robin.
He was supposed to be Jason, but I can't seem to draw Jason right. He always ends up looking like Dick.
What can I say about Dick? The man's fucking gorgeous. Okay, forget that. Circus boy lost his parents and became the first Robin and helped put together the Teen Titans. Was the oh so fearless and intelligent leader of the Teen Titans for many years, and later on became the sexy, charming, Nightwing. As a youngin' he's Batman's cheerful Golden Boy. (Jason was Batman's Angry Robinboy and Tim is his Nerd Robinboy)
Dick's first love was Barbara Gordon (Batgirl) and second love was Kory (Starfire). He came pretty close to marrying both women but in the end didn't. Don't ask, I'm still not sure of the details. Currently, he's being a manwhore sleeping with several women after recently breaking up his engagement to Barbara. (he's about 26, I'd say...) and...well he's an antisocial jerk lately? I want to smack him hard lately...not sure why...maybe it's the sleeping around...or maybe I'm still mad about him quiting the Titans and the Outsiders (another superhero team) just because he doesn't want to get emotionally attached to anyone anymore.
Yeah...good luck with that, Dick. -_-
(his dear friend, Donna Troy died while they were the Titans and he could no longer stand it so made a promise to never get emotionally attached to a team...yeah, GET OVER IT DICK!).
So yes! A TOAST to my dear Bat family members from TWO YEARS AGO....when things were still a little bright, not insane, and just plain wrong. OH yeah, and Hope existed.
I like my angst, but this is ridiculous. *facepalm*
Damn you Chief Editor Didio!
Related content
Comments: 138
AyalasShadow In reply to ??? [2007-11-10 09:30:55 +0000 UTC]
Just finished watching Batman Forever tonight with my fiance, and only now I realized how much Nightwing referrences they elluding between Bruce Wayne's lectures to Dick during their arguments of crime fighting. I found it smart of the designers to use the Nightwing costume as well in the movie to keep up the spirit of the Batman legacy in the comics.
...sorry, I'm a Nightwing fan. ;D
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
jbramx2 In reply to AyalasShadow [2007-11-10 10:03:15 +0000 UTC]
no, that's cool. Nightwing's awesome. gosh, it's been forever since I've seen that movie!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
AyalasShadow In reply to jbramx2 [2007-11-11 08:46:38 +0000 UTC]
Yeah, I'm more a fan of those than the new one (Batman Begins) all because it was done so whimsical by Tim Burton. The new one seems so much more blunt and flashy, in my opinion.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
jbramx2 In reply to AyalasShadow [2007-11-12 03:27:30 +0000 UTC]
*nods nods* I agree. But that could be a good thing on some points...some.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
AyalasShadow In reply to jbramx2 [2007-11-12 09:02:54 +0000 UTC]
I'm just accepting the new ones as a transition for the new generation, since horror is popular.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
me-n-pet In reply to ??? [2007-10-23 17:12:13 +0000 UTC]
I did like that in one series Dick Grayson/Robin/Nightwing and Starfire marries and has a daughter named Nightstar.
It's different from all the dark stuff DC writes usually.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
jbramx2 In reply to me-n-pet [2007-11-08 10:37:15 +0000 UTC]
ah! yes! what was it called? Kingdom Come? (what's funny is that their daughter ends up with Bruce and Talia's son...) yup, yup.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
TerraForever In reply to ??? [2007-10-17 09:08:49 +0000 UTC]
Hahah sweet awesomeness. The art is really well done! I totally knew who the characters were right off the bat!..um no pun intended
I <3 the Batman series and characters. Admittedly I prefer Barbara as Batgirl but I did like Cassandra as a replacement. I think she made a good Batgirl and a good twist of style and personality for the character.
I totally loved your comments about the storylines and the characters. They're SO TRUE. I'm sad about what they did with Cassandra so I refuse to think that that storyline exists (I seem to have to do that a lot with DC comics). I think you did a good job with her features; she's depicted as pretty Asian-looking in the comics despite only being half... I'm also sad about Robin/Tim Drake's character - seriously poor guy. They seem to like making the character tragedies increase exponentially as the series goes on. They killed tons of people in Nightwing's case (bunch of people were hurt when the Circus was attacked/on fire; his building exploded...) And man his love life... so annoying! I really like the Barbara/Dick relationship and I was really happy to see how Devin Grayson ended it when she left. But nooo they decided to do a complete turn around when they restarted the series after the Crises! And so now he's like Bruce sleeping around with all these women who are kinda shady and...well... meh.
What's up with Jason coming back and forth as Red Hood and now Jason pretending to be Nightwing and...wtf?
So yeah DC... I shake my fist of fury at you! *shakes fist of fury*
Sorry about the ranting. I'm glad there are people who understand my frustration tho since my bf just thinks I'm a silly comic-geek
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
jbramx2 In reply to TerraForever [2007-12-30 07:16:14 +0000 UTC]
yup, it's confusing. Took me a few months to sort out all the funny business. lol, squee, I do like Barbara too, she's a tough nut to crack. And she's always saying what no one is brave enough to say. hee hee.
As for Jason...uh, dunno. Did you see my other work? I gave a little description about him there. hey! your boyfriend best respect our geek-fu or else.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
girlwonder004 In reply to ??? [2007-10-09 16:43:04 +0000 UTC]
It is very rare for me to see my three favorite comic book heroes in the same picture, and have it look awesome. So, I applaud you. ^^
(And I really like Dick's hair. Just a side note.)
I totally agree about the insanity reguarding DC lately. So much for my future career. X_X Looks like I'm going back to Disney.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
jbramx2 In reply to girlwonder004 [2007-10-11 02:31:39 +0000 UTC]
aww! ;o; Maybe we should all just start our own company. XD;
aw, thank you! I actually drew him again here...[link] if you're curious. I think I like that one better. Thank you so much! squee! I love the trio too. I just wish DC wouldn't poop on them so much. TT;
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Leilawinters In reply to ??? [2007-09-12 19:55:16 +0000 UTC]
There's nothing more wrong with American/Western comics than other places.
This is really nice...everyone's features are really clear and your style fits well with the characters.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
minarho1 In reply to ??? [2007-09-11 20:54:41 +0000 UTC]
Hey! What's wrong with american comics fanart?!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
jbramx2 In reply to minarho1 [2007-09-12 01:18:28 +0000 UTC]
Nothing wrong with it. It's SOOO RARE! I have so much trouble finding some. TT (I'm going to hell because I'm mad at DC right now and yet I'm drawing fanart...)
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
minarho1 In reply to jbramx2 [2007-09-12 04:16:12 +0000 UTC]
I'm in the same boat. Soooo much to be irked with DC about. Bad writing, inconsistencies galore, out of character wtf-ness. And yet I'm doing DC fanart, too. Funny, how that happens, eh?
In the span of a year, they had murdered, raped, maimed and downplayed just about everyone in the JLI or Superbuddies. Like they had a vendetta against one of the last bastions of fun, wittyness, humor and innocence in the DCU. It's so awful and yet its almost impressive. They really know how to punish something for having quality. That takes.... drive? Focus, maybe?
To make a long rant short, being a DC fan is difficult at times!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
jbramx2 In reply to minarho1 [2007-09-12 08:22:37 +0000 UTC]
You're built of sturdier stuff? X)
ugh...don't remind me. I'm slowly getting over my bitterness.
Seriously!! It is! I was crazy-loyal to them before. I loved the Batgirl comic...But when they made Batgirl-Cassandra into a cheesy Bond-villainess in the Robin comic...oh God, I just snapped. My defense mechanism kicked in and I dropped all American comics. (even comics from Marvel). I just pretty much had it. I didn't want to keep exposing myself to disappointment like that.
But dangit! Now I'm keeping track of the DC titles again, ever since I read that Cass was drugged, in hopes of seeing her redeemed. But I'm scared, I really am.
And I'm so CHEAP. I can't bear the thought of spending money on DC titles. ; Especially when many a series running in a hit or miss fashion. It's so frustrating!
So for now, I draw Cass and Batfamily fanart in a discreet manner (I put it in my scraps instead of my gallery...). But, thanks for commenting! I guess it's nice to know I'm not alone in my suffering.
; DC suffering fans UNITE!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
minarho1 In reply to jbramx2 [2007-09-12 08:40:34 +0000 UTC]
I second you on all of that. What they did to Cass was horrible. Just bad bad writing. The mind controll thing at the end by Slade just seemed to pat and convenient, and STILL NO EXCUSE FOR BAD WRITING!
*joins you in cheap bitterness*
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
jbramx2 In reply to minarho1 [2007-09-12 22:37:24 +0000 UTC]
YES! Exactly. And it doesn't help that we still haven't seen anything of Cass. Though Didio was reported saying that Cass will show up in Gotham Underground alongside the Bat Family.
eee! I'm scared! What if they screw up again!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Jedd-the-Jedi In reply to ??? [2007-09-11 02:35:16 +0000 UTC]
Beautiful work! I love the way they're all gazing upwards.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
jbramx2 In reply to Jedd-the-Jedi [2007-09-12 09:26:35 +0000 UTC]
They are? Well I know Nightwing is. But Cass is definately looking downward. But thank you so much! ^o^ I really appreciate it!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Steelelf In reply to ??? [2007-09-07 19:25:25 +0000 UTC]
PREACH IT, SISTER!!!!
Geez. DC needs a reboot.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
jbramx2 In reply to Steelelf [2007-09-07 23:21:19 +0000 UTC]
LOL! I'd say YES, but I fear what new crap they'd come up with...TT; They've done several "reboots" in the past though, haven't they? Crisis and then Infinite Crisis? Or am I getting the names wrong...>_>;
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Steelelf In reply to jbramx2 [2007-09-08 00:45:49 +0000 UTC]
No, you've got the names right....
Yeah, knowing DC if they rebooted now, they'd just kill all the bats.
Which would make me VERY mad.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
jbramx2 In reply to Steelelf [2007-09-08 08:01:39 +0000 UTC]
or they'd kill all the young ones...or kill all the older ones. O_o; It's beginning to annoy me that they're seriously planning to kill a major character now. -_- It's like...why do they gotta do that? I have an inkling it'll be Nightwing...TimRobin...or Batman. That or one of the Green Arrows. 9_9 I just know it...
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
DaRkCoUnTeSsB In reply to ??? [2007-09-07 00:24:25 +0000 UTC]
Wow, have you ever thought of submitting to DC or something because that's really good.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
jbramx2 In reply to DaRkCoUnTeSsB [2007-09-07 23:13:17 +0000 UTC]
What?! no way! I'm a girl, it'd never work. LOL, j/k...sorta.
But thank you so much! Wow, that's one huge ego-booster if I've ever gotten one. Thank you so much! ^o^
Actually, no way, because i'm nowhere good enough to draw my comic. I don't think anyone would hire me. I struggle enough trying to finish my doujinshis (to date I have yet to finish one...)
ha ha, but with how they've treated Cass, I kinda wish I could buy that character and do my own thing with her. Cuz I get the feeling that whatever I come up can't be any worse than what DC did to her.
;
*CheesyBondVillainessMYFRIGGINASSthoseJER KS!!*
Only then, would I approach DC. They kinda pissed me off with what they've been doing lately. So yeah...no.
Not that I hold myself higher than the professionals already working there, NO WAY. I am a huge fan of Ale Garza. His stuff's very fun and always pretty. ^^
*Ish SO PISSED she missed getting his autograph when he visited her local comic book store* TT;
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
DaRkCoUnTeSsB In reply to jbramx2 [2007-09-13 23:46:26 +0000 UTC]
You're welcome, I dunno I think you are good enough, just try if you ever get the chance. I think you could do it. Btw, thanks for the fav.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
jbramx2 In reply to DaRkCoUnTeSsB [2007-09-14 23:19:09 +0000 UTC]
Aw! It's no problem! Your vincent and real is sooo beautiful and sexy, how could I not?! Wee, but thank you so much! ^o^
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
DaRkCoUnTeSsB In reply to jbramx2 [2007-09-17 19:36:30 +0000 UTC]
You're welcome, I want to draw more of Vincent but it'll have to be later on lol.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Hoshu In reply to ??? [2007-09-06 20:04:57 +0000 UTC]
I can proudly say I read all of that. ^^ I saw the picture and was like "Is that NIghtwing and Robin? O.o" So I continued to read it all and was quite impressed. I'm gonna go watch my Batman DVDs now! ^^
Damn you for opening a very old and very forgotten obsession! My family is going to hate me now. XD
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
jbramx2 In reply to Hoshu [2007-09-07 23:19:06 +0000 UTC]
Aww! Thank you! I really appreciate you taking the time to do so. I figured I should put up some background info on them in case SOMEONE' interested. I know most of my watchers are unfamiliar with the current American comics.
aww! But Batman in movies and animation is so much fun! (I dare say he's sometimes better in the animation than in the comics...) Do you have Batman Begins? Christian Bale is such a beautiful man...he makes a wicked cool Batman.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Hoshu In reply to jbramx2 [2007-09-13 18:18:03 +0000 UTC]
I do have that movie! ^^ I love Batman Begins so much! Yes, yes, Christian Bale does. ^^ I was hoping that maybe they might be remaking some of the movies because of the Joker card at the end. ^^ Oh god! The Joker is the most badass of villains. heehee.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
jbramx2 In reply to Hoshu [2007-09-18 23:18:20 +0000 UTC]
ah, yeah, he is going to be in the next sequel. heath Ledger is playing the Joker.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Hoshu In reply to jbramx2 [2007-09-20 05:31:36 +0000 UTC]
Heath Ledger...? I hope that turns out okay, Joker is my favorite.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
jbramx2 In reply to Hoshu [2007-09-20 07:24:46 +0000 UTC]
...yeah, my reaction was a bit more like....
But uh...well...he...uh...dunno. I'll give him this...his joker makeup is really creepy. ^_^; And his voice is...not what you imagine for Heath Ledger. It's definately different! In conclusion...I can't make up mind about him. I'll just have to wait to see the movie.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Steffel In reply to ??? [2007-09-06 14:05:03 +0000 UTC]
I have to admit that the only western comics I ever read are the Star Wars Kotor ones, but this is so pretty that I just had to comment.
The style seems a bit different from your usual way of drawing but it looks really good on them. Especially the hair is lovely. Great work!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
jbramx2 In reply to Steffel [2007-09-07 22:48:42 +0000 UTC]
Waii! Thank you! ^o^ Yes, I TRIED to do a more American/realistic style. But my manga influences keep popping up in the eyes especially. TT; I think the hair's kinda the same though. Oo;
Though I am very happy with how Tim's hair turned out. I always struggle with the spiky hair-look. Not a lot of anime characters with that look anymore...
As for faces, I'm most comfortable with Cass's face as far as drawing in a realistic sense. I think I finally got the Asian look down, where they don't look scary or manga-ish.
(JB's pet peeve in american comics is that artists tend to draw the asian characters, looking somewhat scary...it's like...damn you! My best friend is Chinese and her face is adorable! How dare you always get it wrong! )
Actually, I've drawn Cass better or more Asian than I have here, but I liked her soft expression, so I stuck with it. She's actually half Asian; her dad's caucasian, so it's not too bad.
Wee! Thank you again!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
<= Prev |