POP Funko - SPOILER!

POP! Heroes #505 - Batman: Joker War Zone - Stephanie Brown - Funko 2024

Stephanie Brown needs so much more merchandise. I have high hopes we'll be seeing this new design in the McFarlane DC Multiverse line soon. The recent Cassandra Cain Target Exclusive figure was branded with the Batgirls comics title (which is a current ongoing series featuring Cass and Steph patrolling the city with Babs in their earpiece). So my hopes are high. But in the meantime, Funko has graced us with both ladies in their Pop line for Batman: The Joker War Zone (a 2020 comic that first focused on these two teaming up). Having Cass and Steph in Pop form really expands the Funko Bat-roster. My wishlist is now only an unlikely Kathy Kane Batwoman, Bette Kane Bat-Girl, Helena Wayne Huntress, and Bluebird. And that's a very short list for me. This design of Spoiler is an interesting blend of her traditional Spoiler costume with her Batgirl uniform, but I like it a lot. FYI In the Batgirls comic, Steph (wearing this same outfit) now goes by Batgirl. Let's check out Spoiler below!

Imaginext - STEPHANIE BROWN BATGIRL!

Imaginext - DC Super Friends - Batman Family Multipack - Fisher-Price 2023

I think my absolute favorite DC character is Stephanie Brown - specifically her brief stint as Batgirl from 2009-2012. She is primarily known as Spoiler, a teen vigilante introduced in 1992 hellbent on thwarting (spoiling) her father's crime - Arthur Brown, the Cluemaster. She was a regular feature (and eventual love interest) in the pages of Robin. Then after twelve years she had the notoriety of becoming the first in-canon female Robin, and promptly being killed. Luckily she didn't stay dead for long. And by 2009 she was back and took on the mantle of Batgirl when Cassandra Cain stepped down. This was when I fell in love with Steph. The comic was funny and fresh with great art and relatable stories. It had a Spider-Man sense of playfulness with the grittiness of Gotham and all the tropes of a Coming of Age storyline. It was just great. Unfortunately it was a victim of the infamous New52 reboot of all DC titles. Steph is still around as Spoiler thankfully, but her brief time in the cowl will always be special.

DC Multiverse Stephanie Brown as SPOILER!

DC Multiverse (Lex Luthor) Walmart Exc Gotham Girls - Spoiler - Mattel 2018

Stephanie Brown is one of those comic book characters that I just can't get enough of. She first appeared as a secondary character in the pages of Robin. She was a vigilante with the single-minded purpose of "spoiling" her villainous father's (the Cluemaster's) plans. I honestly didn't really like her costume back then, so I didn't grow to appreciate her until much later when she briefly became Robin. Like all "brief" Robins, she was killed. But also like all slain Robins, she came back - this time as Batgirl in a fantastic run from 2009-2011 until the New 52 reboot happened and Barbara Gordon reclaimed the cowl. She was then off the radar until 2014 when she reappeared as Spoiler again in the pages of Batman Eternal with this great new look (which is a hybrid of her previous costumes). She is quite a survivor and her stories are always smart, fresh, and fun. But I was frankly shocked when she was announced in the Multiverse lineup. Considering her fan-favorite status, she never gets much merchandise.

DC Comics Kubrick - SPOILER!

Kubrick - Batman: Series 1 Secret (1:96) Figure - Spoiler - Medicom 2003

I never thought I would get my hands on this figure. As one of the only pieces of Spoiler merchandise out there, it's been on my radar for over a decade. However, being the rare "Secret" figure of Series 01 makes her especially hard to find. The Kubrick collectors are pretty thorough, too, so that doubles the competition trying to get their hands on lil' ol Steph here. You can almost always find her on eBay for around $100, but that was always far beyond my budget for a tiny, undetailed brick figure. Luckily I snagged her super-duper cheap recently and I'm ecstatic. Stephanie Brown was completely off my radar until she became Robin in 2005. Unfortunately that was a very brief (and tragic) stint. I didn't notice her again until she became the new Batgirl in 2009. Then I was completely hooked. I quickly backtracked and became obsessed with her earliest incarnations as Spoiler, daughter of Cluemaster who was dedicated to "spoiling" the criminal plans of her father and other Gotham villains. Then New52 got her. She was shockingly absent in comics for years, but thankfully re-emerged again as Spoiler in 2014. Let's check her out!

Stephanie Brown BATGIRL!

The Most Underrated Batgirl Ever - Batman: Reborn - Series 1 - DC Direct 2010

Stephanie Brown has had a long history of getting kicked out the DC Universe.  She was introduced in 1992 as the daughter of the Batman villain Cluemaster who disapproved of her father's antics and became a vigilante named the Spoiler to thwart ("spoil") his evil deeds.  She earned a fan following pretty quickly, but I was definitely not one of them.  She maintained a low profile in the Bat-universe but was a consistent b-character nonetheless.  At one point, she even became the fourth (and first in-continuity female) Robin.  That was right before she was brutally tortured and killed by the Black Mask.  Or so we thought.  Steph returned as the Spoiler several years later (after much fan controversy surrounding her death.  Then a few years later in 2009, the new mysterious Batgirl in the DC Universe (after Cassandra Cain stepped down) is revealed to be Stephanie Brown.  This is where I joined the Steph bandwagon.  She quickly proved herself to me and much of the fan community (and may actually be my favorite Batgirl ever).  I'm so glad we got a figure of her during her brief time in the mantle.  Let's check her out below!