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Guide to Stephanie Brown's Major Appearances in comics pre- Flashpoint

Have you ever wanted an exhaustive list of all of Steph's major appearances put in a reading order that makes the most chronological sense for story events? Well, this is the post for you.

The Steph wiki has a complete chronology of all the issues Steph's appeared in here, so that's the best guide for a completionist (the links for each issue often include a summary and/or scans)

However, publication order sometimes means you'll be reading events out of order--for example, a major thing will happen between Batman and Steph, but the fallout of that thing was actually published a month before that because comics are weird. So this list is trying to put things in an order that makes sense the best it could. The Wiki also includes a lot of one panel/one page cameo type appearances so this timeline leaves those off so you don't have to sort though it all.

Steph is straightfoward in that her major (preboot) appearances are mostly contained to Robin (1993), Batgirl (2000) (Cass' series) and Batgirl (2009) (her own series). If you cover those, you've basically got the scope of her. (And I rec just reading Cass's entire Batgirl series even beyond Steph appearances since it's a great comic)

However there are some one shots and side appearances to check out, and some of her appearances are more minor than others, so hence the point of this guide-- to help with all that. I also include some alternate continuity recs at the bottom!

A blanket warning for sexism, particularly in comics by Chuck Dixon (most obviously in how Tim treats Steph in early Robin comics, though she often calls him out too) and Bill Willingham (Robin 121-27). There's also a few surprise/nonconsensual kisses from both Steph's side and Tim's in the 90s tropey way, racism, and some very clumsy handling of social issues with Dixon in particular. It's kind of typical stuff for Bat-Comics of that era. I'll include more individual warnings for certain arcs.

Steph's debut in Detective Comics #647-649 is, obviously, the best way to start with her, though I also really rec reading her full backstory which you can find in:

Secret Origins 80 page Giant, in a short story titles "Daddy's Little Vigilante". (This summarizes her first appearance quickly and also goes into her childhood and backstory in more detail)

Robin #3-#5 (Steph's second major appearance, establishes a lot of things about her) Robin #15-16 (a nice little follow up to this arc).

Showcase '95 #5 "Uneven Parallels" short story (first solo story, major turning point)

Robin #26-27 (A school shooting PSA story that's fairly racist, but thare are some good Steph moments at least.) Robin #35

Robin #40-41 (clumsy handling of sexual assault trauma in the non-Steph parts of these) Robin #43-44

Robin #45 (3 page appearance, not major)

Robin/Argent Double Shot (Tim might be at his most insufferable towards Steph in this lol. Trademark Dixon misogyny in his depiction of Steph's ~jealousy~ too. Features chatroom antics that are pretty funny though)

Robin #50 (minor appearance, 2 pages, great sass toward Batman though)

Batman: Huntress/Spoiler: Blunt Trauma

Robin #54 (follows up on Huntress/Spoiler)

And now we get to Steph's first big arc, and one of her most famous. Her pregnancy arc, taking place from Robin #56-#64.

Unfortunately, this arc is written by an out-of-touch conservative and a lot of it is bad. Features anti abortion soapboxing and self loathing from Steph the writer clearly agrees with, but which I, as a normal person, find it in-character for Steph's terrible self esteem and read that way. But there's no shame in skipping most of this arc. If you want to avoid the worst parts, I recommend reading:

Robin#56 and #57 (the leadup, Tim and Steph's relationship begins, cute stuff) Read the first three pages of #58, which I have on the wiki here (There is a hint of abortion soap boxing , but you really need those pages for context. Don't read the last two pages because it gets much worse, and is unneeded!) Robin #59, 3 page appearance (Steph and her Mom do frame the pregnancy like Steph did something wrong (with her Mom blaming herself rather than Steph), but it's largely sweet and supportive, and I think important to get Mom's reaction.) There's a sweet part in #60 with lamaze class Robin #62- (two page appearance, skippable but sweet, Steph's VERY insecure about how she looks in a realistic way for someone her age though, so some fatphobia, Tim reassures her) The last three pages of #64 here (skip the first two pages to avoid annoyance) #65 (she has the baby, it's actually kind of well written and pretty heartbreaking)

Robin #68 (minor two-page appearance, leadup to next issue that is skippable)

Robin #69 (more major appearance, don't advise skipping)

Robin #71-#72 (minor 2 page appearances following up on 69)

Batman Chronicles #22 "Cry, Uncle" (cw: Steph's uncle is clearly a predator, but doesn't get farther than hitting on her, there's comeuppance)

Robin #74, Robin 80 Page Giant (my best guess for where the Giant makes sense timelinewise), Robin 75 (minor appearance)

Young Justice #30 (sexist 'girls fight over Tim' plot, but has some good moments and Peter David does a good job with Steph's voice)

Robin #80, Robin #82-#84, #87-88 (Steph's next important arc I really dislike #82-#83 because I feel it dumbs Steph down to make the plot work, and think those issues are skippable, but it's up to you)

Robin #92-94

Joker: Last Laugh #3, Robin #95 (both semi-major apperances) Last Laugh #6 (minor appearance) (pretty mid crossover, so you can skip it if you want, hard to place in the timeline too)

Batman: Gotham Knights #22

Green Arrow #5 (four page appearance, enjoy it a lot for Steph roasting Batman but not essential to her arc)

Robin #98, Birds of Prey #39 (minor appearance)-40, Robin #99

Young Justice #49-51 (VERY minor appearances, but she gets to be part of a big teamup!)

Batgirl (2000) #20-21, #26-#28 ( Some of my favorite writing for Steph! Cass and Steph's friendship is one of my fave relationships in comics. )

Batgirl #32-33 (On the other hand, I'd advise skipping this filler two parter by Dixon. Incredibly mediocre and acts like Cass and Steph aren't friends. I'd have to put it between after Robin #88 but before Batgirl #20/21 to make sense of it, but why go through the effort)

It's time for Jon Lewis' run on the Robin title, also some of my all time favorite writing for Steph! I really suggest simplifying just reading #100-#120, it's all great character work for Steph and Tim. Onto the chronology:

Robin #100-105 (Robin #101 is part of the World Without Young Justice crossover ft. StephRobin! Reading the whole crossover isn't necessary, but the list of issues are here if you do want to)

Young Justice #54 (minor appearance but follows up on #30. Young Justice is another comic I just recommend the entirety of!)

Birds of Prey #43 (minor 3 page appearance, very perfunctory about booting Steph off the team. Skippable)

Robin #106 (Big conversation about events with Steph but she's not in it. But uh. this is really contradictory timelinewise to Gotham Knights 37 no matter what order you put things in. Since GK going first would spoil (heh) a bigger twist in 107 though, I’d suggest using this reading order)

Batman: Family (good little miniseries, Steph appears in #2 and #8)

Robin #107-111

(content warning for Robin #111 for a backstory involving an adult attempting to sexually assault a child, not shown, handled fairly well imo (especially for comics), with the psychological impact fully explored)

Gotham Knights #37 (This is a great issue if you want to despise Bruce Wayne, but if you don't feel like seeing him be horrible and crush Steph, you can skip it, they basically covered what happened in Robin.) (Again, this should not go here timelinewise But if I don't put it here, we spoil the events in Robin #107-111.)

Robin #112-113 #116, #119, #120 (Again, I suggest just reading 100-120 to simplify)

Batgirl #38

Robin #120-#125 (these aren't especially good comics, so you can skip if you feel like it, but it is leadup to Steph's tenure as Robin. Speaking of which...)

Steph as Robin:

Robin #126

Batgirl #53

Detective Comics #796

Teen Titans #13 (more minor appearance, could be skippable)

Solo #10 "Second Chance" (published way after the others, but it's great)

Robin #127-128

Batgirl #54 (minor appearance, but heartbreaking)

Then we have War Games, in which Steph is sexualized while being brutally tortured and then dies. Don't read this, it's bad. You just have to know she dies.

Batgirl #61 (minor, one page)-62, #72 (one page but what a page)-73 (ghostly appearances by Steph)

Robin #170-#174 (Steph's return-from-the-dead arc)

(Steph is also technically in the Gotham Underground series, but it's very confusing, contradicts stuff in other comics as well as logic, features no real character development and is totally skippable).

Robin/Spoiler Special

Teen Titans #66 (cute but not essential)

Robin #175-#183 (Not good imo, just very forced drama that's ooc, so I'd skip it, you just have to know that Steph and Tim have a falling out)

Gotham Gazette: Batman Dead? and Gotham Gazette: Batman Alive? (not essential, but it's decent stuff I guess)

Red Robin #2 (minor appearance that's mostly Tim yelling at Steph, but it does really impact her emotionally in future issues)

And finally, we get to Steph's time as Batgirl, and her critically acclaimed Batgirl series!

Steph as Batgirl

Batgirl (2009) #1-#7

World's Finest (2009) #3-#4 (Steph meets Supergirl)

The Web #3 (completely skippable)

Red Robin #9, Batgirl #8, Red Robin #10-#12 (crossover with Red Robin, Tim's title at the time)

Wonder Woman #600 (VERY minor appearance, but it's so cool to see her team up with Wondy! And it means she gets drawn by George Perez!)

Batgirl #9-14

Bruce Wayne- The Road Home: Batgirl #1

Batman: The Return (minor, 2 page, super skippable)

Red Robin #15, #20 (both minor 1-2 page appearances)

Batgirl #15-#24

Batman Incorporated Special #1

And that's it for preboot Steph. I am not an expert on her appearances after this era.

I'm not going to list all the alternate continuities she appears in, you can look around the Steph wiki for that, but here's some recs:

Batgirl: Futures End #1 "Darker in the Soul" (Potential Future where Steph is part of a League of Batgirls)

The All New Batman: The Brave and the Bold #13 (time traveling Robins teamup featuring lots of Steph)

DCeased: Hope at World's End (Steph suits up as Robin for the zombie apocalypse)

Future State: The Next Batman #2, #4 (Almost entirely for edgy future Steph w/ her gay haircut and eyepatch, but also some nice StephCass stuff and drama etc)

She's also in the webtoon Wayne Family Adventures--it's all ages and tonally different, so Steph is flattened a bit and some Steph fans don't like it, but I've seen it be an entry point for a lot of new Steph fans and tbh, I just think it's cute and like seeing people actually be nice to her for once.

Tiny Titans #33 and #45- Steph features in the Robins and Batgirls issues, extremely cute and light.

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