Batgirl Vol 3 9

"Batgirl Rising: The Flood, Part One"

Batgirl #9
April 14, 2010
Written by	Bryan Q. Miller
Cover by	Stanley "Artgerm" Lau
Pencilled by	Lee Garbett
Inked by	Jonathan Glapion, Richard Friend
Colored by	Guy Major
Lettering by	Pat Brosseau
Edited by	Harvey Richards, Michael Siglain
Previous Issue	Red Robin #12
Next Issue	Batgirl #10

The conclusion to “Batgirl Rising” begins here with part one of the four-part “Flood” story line! A string of bizarre, technology-based “suicides” gets the attention of both Batgirl and Oracle, but for very different reasons. And the two heroes will soon realize that they’re the real targets of a nefarious madman Hell-bent on revenge...

Summary of Stephness: Stephanie is dragged along by a train as she rushes to dispatch the bomber inside. She ruefully thinks she needs to work on her upper body strength before hopping on the train. Babs informs her that dispatching the bomb is her call, and that she trusts her, causing Steph to react with pride, though she warns Babs "lets not get ahead of ourselves."

Steph is successful in taking down the bomber Johnny C, even causing him to fall in love with her. Steph is especially proud when not only does the whole train clap for her, but she gets praise from James Gordon for a job well done! He tells her that she reminds him of...before trailing off, and tells her to be careful. Steph is filled with elation, but a thunderstorm literally rains on her parade.

Meanwhile, Barbara is trying to comfort Wendy Harris who is still upset about the death of her brother and her super-villainous dad the Calculator. It was Oracle who apprehended The Calculator when he murdered people in an attempt to cure Wendy. Just as Wendy rebuffs Barbara's argument that she can move on and find happiness like Babs herself did with telling Babs she doesn't want to be an assistant professor in a third rate university in the murder capital of the world, Steph comes in and says that might change, but she means the murder rate, as the school's a hole at best. She introduces herself to Wendy, who tersely informs her they already met at the party.

Steph and Babs leave to set up a new headquarters under Babs' apartment. Steph is bored listening to Babs talk geek and set up computers for six hours. They discuss Wendy, and Babs informs Steph she's stubborn like "someone we know" to which Steph shoots back "meaning you?" Babs laughs and says Steph would like Wendy. Steph is called away but she an Babs share some banter as she dresses. Steph quips that Babs would rather have her fighting scum than in her hair, to which Babs replies "depends on the day" Then Steph asks if she should bring anything back and Babs says "besides you in one piece?" and Steph quips back "Again, lets not get ahead of ourselves". Babs decides to sarcastically ask for an air fern. Steph replies with a deadpan "I'll see what I can do."

Nick Gage is investigating the same murder Steph is. While he's in the building, the Calculator calls and infects both the worker and the security guard with some tech based virus that brainwashed them to follow his orders to kill. The security guard threatens Gage but Steph arrives in time to save him. The guard throws him out the window, and with a grumbled "this is gonna "suh-uck..." Steph ropes him with her batarang to break his fall. However, holding up a guy three times her size puts a strain on Steph. Even as Gage comes to help her, the Calculator remotely terminates the man's life. Then, the Batrope slips and the man falls.

Steph tries to throw herself after him, but Gage restrains her. She punches the wall in her anger and grief. They take the man to Ghoul the coroner, who performs an autopsy and sees the man has the same weird metal in his blood as previous victims. Steph apologizes to Oracle for the mans death, saying she wasn't strong enough. Oracle tells her the only variable she can control is herself, thinking that Steph can grieve later, but she needs to stay focused now. Then Oracle recognizes the technology in the blood as being the same Apokolips tech Calculator stole. She figures out who's behind this and demands Steph get back to the Batcave. The urgency in her voice causes Steph to tell Oracle she's freaking her out.

Meanwhile, the Calculator sits with the corpse of his son Marvin and terminates another woman. He is determined to get revenge on Oracle and get his daughter back.

Behind the Scenes: The two images of binary below are translated via ASCII code into "Slave of Calc" and "Terminate Obstacle"