WARNING: Contains Potential Spoilers for Robin story in DC's Lex and the City #1!
Batgirl has just undergone one of the most drastic makeovers in her comic history, trading her Gotham City hero status for the mantle of one of the Bat-Family’s most notorious and despised villains. With this new costume and codename—no matter how temporary—now is the perfect time to revisit Stephanie Brown’s various aliases over the years, including two you may have never heard of before.
...The Beast could one day become a unique addition to her identity arsenal.
DC’s 2025 Valentine’s special, Lex and the City, is out now and a special treat for fans, serving as an anthology that collects eight short stories following some of DC’s most iconic heroes and villains on their quest for love.
Among them is the Robin-centric tale To Live and Date in Gotham by Brendan Hay, Stephen Byrne, and Carlos M. Mangual. This story follows Damian Wayne as he seeks dating advice from his older brother, Tim Drake. Former Robins Jason Todd and Stephanie Brown also make guest appearances, with Stephanie debuting her new costume as The BEAST.
Stephanie Brown Becomes the Heir of KGBeast with New Costume
Comic Comes DC’s Lex and the City #1 (2025) – Story: To Live and Date in Gotham – Art by Stephen Byrne
To Live and Date in Gotham follows Tim taking Damian on a practice date, teaching his younger brother the three crucial elements guaranteed to make a date successful: an activity, a meal, and a view. As part of their practice run, Tim stages an unexpected interruption by a ‘villain,’ helping Damian learn how to adapt to unforeseen developments without letting the date go downhill. This ‘villain’ turns out to be a masked female figure who introduces herself as The Beast. Based on the name and costume, it’s clear this persona is inspired by KGBeast—the infamous villain responsible for shooting Nightwing in the head.
Damian handles the attack with ease, quickly unmasking The Beast to reveal none other than Stephanie Brown—former Batgirl, former Robin, and the current Spoiler. While Stephanie taking on the mantle of Beast is obviously a temporary move, done purely for Tim’s training exercise, it remains a notable moment. This persona is a stark departure from Stephanie’s usual heroic roles, especially given its villainous nature. Her full-face mask and studded black-and-red attire also create a sharp contrast to her signature purple costumes, further emphasizing just how different The Beast is from her typical identities.
Stephanie Brown’s Various Aliases Throughout the Years: Spoiler, Batgirl, Robin, & More
Main Cover by Stanley Lau for Batgirl #12 (2010)
To Live and Date in Gotham also features an unexpected visit from the actual KGBeast, pitting Beast against Beast. After the fight, though, the comic then transitions to the present and former Robins, now suited up in their usual gear, overlooking Gotham City—Stephanie included, once again wearing her signature purple and black Spoiler outfit. This confirms that The Beast was merely a temporary change for the heroine. However, that doesn’t mean the persona won’t resurface in DC’s narratives. The Bat-Family is known for juggling multiple aliases, and since Stephanie has yet to debut a criminal alter ego, The Beast could one day become a unique addition to her identity arsenal.
Speaking of Stephanie Brown’s aliases, she has taken on several over her decades-long history in comics. Her most notable, of course, is Spoiler—her first codename and the one she currently uses in mainstream continuity. She has also assumed the mantle of Batgirl multiple times, following in the footsteps of the original Batgirl, Barbara Gordon, alongside Cassandra Cain, who currently stars in an ongoing Batgirl run. Stephanie is also notable for briefly becoming Robin in mainstream continuity, a role she later reclaimed in Elseworlds stories such as Tom Taylor’s DCeased, where she once again donned the mantle after Damian Wayne took up the Batman title.
Stephanie Brown’s Aliases Go Beyond Canon: Meet Fanon’s Minnie Malone
Main Cover by Chris Burnham & Nathan Fairbairn for Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #3(2012)
Another notable—albeit short-lived—alias of Stephanie’s was Girl-Bat, which she adopted during an adventure with fellow Batgirl Cassandra Cain in Batgirls #16 by Becky Cloonan, after being transformed into a horrifying bat-like creature. However, Stephanie’s aliases extend beyond canon, as she has also gained a popular fanon identity: Minnie Malone. Batman fans are likely familiar with Bruce Wayne’s criminal persona, Matches Malone—a disguise so beloved by the Bat-Family fandom that variations of it have been assigned to other , with Stephanie taking on the nickname Minnie Malone. With this in mind, this former Batgirl's transformation into The Beast isn’t the first time she’s had a criminal alias—at least in the eyes of fanon.
DC's Lex and the City #1 is available now from DC Comics!
