Batgirl: Batgirl Rising

{{DC Database:Storyline Template
 * Title                  = Batgirl Rising
 * Image                  = Batgirl Batgirl Rising.jpg
 * OfficialName           = Batgirl Rising
 * Aliases                = Point of New Origin, Core Requirements


 * Universe               = New Earth
 * Locations              = Gotham City, Gotham University


 * Heroes                 = Batgirl (Stephanie Brown), Oracle (Barbara Gordon)
 * Villains               = Diesel, Dr. Phosphorus, Livewire, Riot, Roulette, Roxy Rocket, Scarecrow
 * Others                 = Batman, Commissioner Gordon, Crystal Brown, Damian Wayne, Detective Gage, Francisco Gracia, Jordi Spence, Leslie Thompkins, Wendy Harris


 * Titles                 = Batgirl
 * Collected              = Batgirl: Batgirl Rising
 * Creators               = Bryan Q. Miller; Lee Garbett; Tim Levins
 * First                  = Batgirl Vol 3 #1
 * Last                   = Batgirl Vol 3 #7


 * Quotation              = Bruce and Dick made a promise to one another on this very spot, a long time ago. He gave Dick the opportunity to leave his old life behind, a chance to make sure justice was served... Dick didn't take the easy way out. He didn't let his pain win -- I know you've already made that choice. This oath isn't about you... it's about me. I became Batgirl on my own. But the world is different now than it was then. And I'm in this chair as proof. "I pledge to you, Stephanie Brown -- my guidance. Support. For as long as you want it. When you go out at night, you won't be alone."
 * Speaker                = Barbara Gordon
 * QuoteSource            = Batgirl Vol 3 3


 * HistoryText            = Batgirl Rising is a Batgirl storyline written by Bryan Q. Miller with illustrations by Lee Garbett and Tim Levins. The storyline features Stephanie Brown succeeding Cassandra Cain as Batgirl with Barbara Gordon as her mentor. It's published as part of the Batman: Reborn crossover, establishing the Batman Family status quo in the aftermath of Battle for the Cowl and Bruce Wayne's disappearance during Final Crisis. This is the debut arc on Miller's Batgirl volume, followed by the Collision crossover and leading into his second storyline The Flood. The other storylines published simultaneously include Batman Reborn, The Deep, Elegy, The Grail, Hush Money, Long Shadows and Union.

Point of New Origin
Cassandra Cain decides to give up her career as Batgirl and pass the mantle on to Stephanie Brown. Although her mother Crystal Brown has made her promise to give up being a vigilante, Stephanie works hard to balance night-time super-heroics with beginning college at Gotham University. This involves taking down gang activity while Batman and Robin observe her, and saving the detective Nick Gage from a hostage situation. Barbara Gordon visits Stephanie in her home to confront her about being Batgirl. Barbara angrily insists that Stephanie is not ready to wear the bat-symbol, and forbids her from using the costume. In school Stephanie makes two new acquaintances Francisco Gracia and Jordanna Spence, leading her to a party where she discovers dealers pushing a new drug called Thrill. Barbara begrudgingly helps her through the suit, then takes her to the Batcave and threatens to call her mother if Stephanie goes out as Batgirl again. Detective Gage is injured taking the drug dealers to lock-up, and it's revealed that their boss is Scarecrow. Stephanie hunts Scarecrow down to an abandoned warehouse where he doses her with Fear Toxin. Despite this, she is able to overcome her fears and fight through the hallucinations to beat him down. Barbara finally gains respect for Stephanie and pledges over a candle to assist her in their never-ending fight against evil. In addition to this, Barbara begins reaching out to the crippled Wendy Harris at Leslie Thompkins' suggestion and starts teaching Stephanie's computer courses at Gotham University.

Field Test
Barbara has a new suit Batsuit designed for Stephanie so she can stop using Cassandra's, and they decide to test it in the field. There's a city-wide blackout, which Gage and Gordon track down to Livewire. Barbara continues reaching out to Wendy, although Wendy refuses to accept help and eventually breaks down crying about her brother's death. Stephanie fights Livewire and is outclassed by the lightning powers until she realizes her suit is insulated and punches her out. The next morning Crystal Brown wakes her daughter up in the morning after a long night of "studying" with no idea as to what she's really been doing.

Core Requirements
Batgirl has her first run-in with the new Batman and Robin when she's taking down an arsonist named Diesel. Grayson becomes furious when she freezes Damian in ice to stop him from blowing up in a gasoline explosion. This makes Damian take an immediate disliking to Stephanie, and Dick tells Barbara that she needs to be taken off the streets. Barbara meets Nick Gage for the first time as her father is trying to set them up, although their meeting does not go well. Stephanie gets asked out on a date by Francisco, although it's revealed that his father was involved with the arsonist and Francisco gets kidnapped. Batman and Robin help track down Francisco, which leads to more bickering between Damian and Stephanie. They discover that his father has gambling debts with Roulette and he intends to pay them off by helping organize a dangerous event in Gotham City. The Batmobile is attacked mid-flight by Doctor Phosphorus, Riot and Roxy Rocket with bets placed on who can kill the Batman first. Batgirl and Robin rush to Batman's aid on Robin's Motorcycle and the Ricochet. Batgirl takes down Rocket, Batman takes down Phosphorus and Robin takes down Riot while Oracle hacks into Roulette's systems. They hunt down Roulette together, and in the end Stephanie manages to gain Batman and Robin's respect while becoming on better terms with Damian.


 * Issues                 =
 * -- Batman: Reborn
 * -- Batman: Reborn
 * -- Batman: Reborn


 * Vehicles               =
 * Ricochet
 * Robin's Motorcycle
 * Items                  =
 * Scarecrow's Fear Toxin
 * Weapons                =

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 * Notes                  =
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 * RecommendedReading     =
 * Links                  =