Warning: Contains spoilers for Birds of Prey #14!!
Since inheriting the Batgirl title, Cassandra Cain has gone on a long journey of self-discovery. As she evolved from a young woman trained to speak only in body language and violence into one of Gotham’s most steadfast heroes, her look evolved with her. Now, as Cass takes on an undercover mission for the Birds of Prey, I’m excited to see a new chapter brought on by her fresh persona.
Birds of Prey #14 – written by Kelly Thompson, with art by Sam Basri – teases a new undercover mission for Cassandra Cain. On its own, that’s already a sign that Cass is trying something new. Her original Batgirl series was an epic journey toward her finding herself and discovering who she wanted to be as a person, outside of her training.
As a long-time Cass fan, when I see the clean-cut, stylish look crafted for BoP’s undercover “Shen” persona, I also see Batgirl finally getting to branch out and be creative.
Birds of Prey Reveals Batgirl’s Creative Side With An Exciting New Persona
Birds of Prey #14 – Written By Kelly Thompson; Art By Sami Basri & Adriano Lucas
Though the Birds of Prey preview images don’t reveal too many specifics about the upcoming mission, they reveal Cassie’s full alternative look and name: “Shen” sports an expertly tailored all-white vest and pants with sleek hair and gold accents. Other characters likely had a heavy hand in pulling the ensemble together, but I couldn’t help but notice a few nods to the real Batgirl in there, too. The outfit is fashionable without being revealing, which is very in line with her preferences, and the gold earrings could just as easily be two interlinked C’s instead of the “S” for Shen.
I appreciate
Birds of Prey
continuing to stick to that preference even as she begins getting out of her comfort zone, which masquerading as “Shen” certainly accomplishes.
Although clothing isn’t a typical focus for her, it has played an important role in Cassandra’s life at different points. She paid little mind to it originally, with Alfred Pennyworth providing many items in her closet after Batman took her under his wing. One of my strongest memories of Cassandra was her distaste for wearing the bikini Barbara Gordon convinced her to put on during a cruise, and I appreciate Birds of Prey continuing to stick to that preference even as she begins getting out of her comfort zone, which masquerading as “Shen” certainly accomplishes.
Batgirl’s Different Looks Over The Years Represent Different Chapters In Her Life
“Shen” Is A Major Departure For Cassandra Cain
Shen is radically different from Cassandra Cain’s typical looks. Since Barbara Gordon offered her the Batgirl moniker, Cass has very much embraced the Bat Family’s darker aesthetic. Arguably, her original Batgirl suit with its sharp, pointed ears and sewn-up mouth is one of the more intimidating looks in Gotham, which is a feat on its own. It was also clearly designed by and for Cassandra Cain, as she had no spoken language when she first took the Batgirl mantle. The suit still holds a great deal of meaning, and it’s been a relief to see her return to it recently.
Cassandra Cain made her New-52 debut in
Batman & Robin Eternal
#1, published in October 2015.
Batgirl is far from her only title, though, and Black Bat was the next step after she handed Batgirl off to Stephanie Brown. Cass still kept her costume dark, but adopted more yellow in the bat symbol and only hid part of her face with a mask. Her Orphan suit, which was another black design with yellow-gold accents and a hood, represented an identity carved out in Batman & Robin Eternal after the death of her father, David Cain (the original “Orphan”). Batgirl, Black Bat, and Orphan all share many common elements, easily showcasing as much of her look as Shen contrasts.
DC’s Birds of Prey Ongoing Allows Cassandra Cain To Explore Her Personality
Birds Of Prey #14 – Variant Covers By Serg Acuña, Sozomaika, & More; Available October 2
Aesthetics aside, adopting an undercover persona is indicative of much more than Cassandra’s willingness to trade black for white and put on a few bracelets. While the entire Bat Family is dedicated to their respective heroic duties, Cass has always been one of the most steadfast, unwavering heroes in Gotham. She’s deeply empathetic yet, at the same time, has never minced words or left people questioning where she stands. The combination of her upbringing and the life she built hasn’t always left room for creativity. She worked so hard to find herself and build an identity that she rarely plays around with it.
Birds of Prey is giving Cassandra Cain a chance to do something different. She’s built new friendships and become an invaluable member of the team. Even if “Shen” is short-lived, I’m still beyond excited to see what she does with it. It could be a chance to come up with her own “Bruce Wayne” style persona to adopt as needed or just prove to herself (and anyone else) that she’s capable of far more than fighting. I’m taking Batgirl’s new look for her Birds of Prey mission as a sign of exciting things to come for a character who deserves to let loose.
Birds of Prey #14 will be available on October 2, 2024 from DC Comics.
Birds of Prey (2023)
Dinah Lance is one of the DCU’s most elite fighters, and combined with her sonic scream, she’s a fearsome foe in any scenario…but sometimes even the Black Canary needs help. Faced with a personal mission brought to her by a mysterious new ally, and up against near-impossible odds, she re-forms the Birds of Prey with an unrivaled group of badasses — Cassandra Cain, Big Barda, Zealot, and Harley Quinn — and only one goal: extraction without bloodshed. What could possibly go wrong?
