DC Just Revived My Favorite Batgirl Superpower, Returning to the Best Version of the Character in Official Lore

WARNING: Contains Potential Spoilers for BATGIRL#1 (2024) !

Cassandra Cain is hands-down my favorite Batgirl, so when I heard she was getting a new solo series, I was beyond thrilled—though I’ll admit, a bit apprehensive, as I’m incredibly picky about how she’s portrayed. But I’m thrilled to say that this series has already delivered one of the strongest takes on her character yet, thanks to the creative team’s brilliant revival of Cass’s signature ‘superpower.’

Some fans might be scratching their heads at my mention of an iconic Batgirl ‘superpower’ making a comeback in Takeshi Miyazawa, Mike Spicer, and Tom Napolitano’s Batgirl #1 by Tate Brombal, considering that Cass is a non-meta. When I say “superpower,” I’m using it loosely to refer to her iconic ability to read people’s body language with unmatched skill.

Cass’s aptitude in this area is so high that, in my opinion, it reaches a meta-level and absolutely deserves to be called a superpower. She’s essentially a walking lie detector, reading people like open books and anticipating their moves before they even make them.

Batgirl #1 FINALLY Returns Cassandra Cain to Her Purest Form

How Cassandra Cain Perceives the World Is Quintessential to Her Character

I wouldn’t go so far as to say DC has completely stripped Cass of her ability to read people in recent series, but I feel that ongoing titles like Birds of Prey haven’t done this skill justice, as they don’t put enough emphasis on it. Since “body language” was Cass’s first—and, for most of her life, only—language while she trained under her father, David Cain, her thoughts, internal monologue, and entire worldview should, in my opinion, be filtered through this “first language.” It’s not just a skill; it’s the lens through which she sees and interprets everything.

Put another way, every thought, every perception, and every interaction should be colored by Cass’s remarkable ability to read body language, and all narratives involving her should reflect this depth. To me, this skill forms the very core of Cassandra’s character. When this ability isn’t turned up to a ten, Cass reads as extremely out of character. Hence, I was over the moon reading Brombal’s Batgirl #1 because this issue goes above and beyond to put the spotlight back on Cass’s unique skill. It refocuses her narrative in a way that makes this one of the best interpretations of her character in recent memory.

“Before I Knew Speech, I Only Knew the Language the Body Speaks.”: Cassandra Cain’s Ultimate Superpower Shines in Batgirl #1

Cover C Card Stock Variant by Stanley ‘Artgerm’ Lau for Batgirl #1 (2024)

Batgirl #1 does an exceptional job of emphasizing Cass’s body language reading ability by tying her internal monologue—and even some of her spoken lines—directly to it. A large portion of Cass’s internal monologue is dedicated to her observations of subtle body movements and the conclusions she draws from them, conclusions that would be imperceptible to most people. For example, much of Cass’s monologue reads as, “Glance. Touch. Heartbeat. Smile,” as she observes her mother’s body language, analyzing each movement to confirm or question Lady Shiva’s words.

A particularly powerful moment comes when Cass directly acknowledges this “superpower” of hers: “Before I knew speech, I only knew the language the body speaks. To read a lie from a truth. To read the final pupil dilation of a man’s death…” This direct reference to her unparalleled skill, combined with an entire issue centered on her observing micro-expressions and body language, truly highlights the one ability that sets Batgirl apart from her peers. This focus makes the portrayal feel like the purest version of Cassandra Cain.

Another big win for this series is how the creative team handles Cass’s spoken dialogue, keeping it short, somewhat choppy, and to the point. This way of speaking is central to Cass’s character, reflecting both her background and her personal preference. Cass grew up isolated by her father without spoken language or hearing others speak. As a result, her speech style—direct and economical—is both a natural outcome of her upbringing and a likely personal choice.

Why Cassandra Cain’s Speech Journey Personally Resonates With Me

Cover B Card Stock Variant by Marcio Takara for Batgirl #1 (2024)

One of the reasons I feel so strongly about Cassandra Cain’s way of speaking and how her childhood and teenage years shaped her speech is because it’s something I can personally relate to. As a child, I had a speech impediment that made certain letter combinations difficult, caused me to get tongue-tied, and led me to have the odd habit of only saying the middle part of longer words. Although speech therapy helped me reach a point where no one would guess I had a speech impediment if they spoke to me now, I still avoid certain words and prefer to communicate through writing.

Because I struggled with verbal speech, I relate to Cassandra, who also went through her own learning curve when it came to speaking. My childhood speech struggles have shaped how I communicate today, and they’ve influenced my personal preference for written communication. Hence, in my mind, it makes perfect sense that a character who grew up without speaking would have her own unique way of speaking and distinct preferences for how she communicates. Batgirl #1 truly captures this by showcasing how Cass favors short, to-the-point sentences, in contrast to the way other characters speak.

Cassandra Cain’s ‘Body Language’ Superpower Has 1 Exception

Batgirl & Lady Shiva’s Team-Up Will Cause Cassandra to Question Her Abilities

While DC’s return of emphasis on Cass’s ability to read body language and her unique way of interpreting the world around her has brought back my favorite version of Batgirl, I’m also excited to see how Cass’s ‘superpower’ will affect her relationship with her mother. As Cass points out in the issue, Lady Shiva speaks the same “language” when it comes to body language. This creates a challenge for Cass, who is usually a walking lie detector. Since Lady Shiva is just as skilled in reading and manipulating body language, she can send false signals to deceive her daughter. This dynamic adds complexity to their mother-daughter relationship and will truly put Batgirl’s abilities to the test.

Batgirl #1 is available now from DC Comics!