Warning: contains spoilers for Batgirls #16!Stephanie Brown has gone by many codenames over the years, including her current moniker, Batgirl. But her new and terrifying monster form gives her one more name for the list: Girl-Bat.

Stephanie Brown transforms into Girl-Bat during an adventure with fellow Batgirl Cassandra Cain in Batgirls #16 by Becky Cloonan, Michael Conrad, Neil Googe, Geraldo Borges, Rico Renzi, and Becca Carey. The Batgirls are on the trail of Alice in Wonderland-themed villain the Mad Hatter when Steph is accidentally hit by some sort of strange gas. Though Cass avoids it, the gas cause Steph to completely transform. Batgirl has become a human-size (and purple) bat-monster similar to Kirk Langstrom's alter ego, the Man-Bat. In fact, after Cass names this new version of her best friend "Girl-Bat," Barbara Gordon, over comms, makes the assumption that this gas is a version of Langstrom's Man-Bat serum and tells Cass that Batman has an antidote - but only if she can control and protect this monstrous version of Stephanie Brown until Babs can get the antidote.

Batgirl Gets the Classic Man-Bat Treatment

batgirl new costume girl-bat

Batgirl's transformation into Girl-Bat comes on the heels of a completely different traumatic experience for her. The Batgirls' previous adventure involved Steph being kidnapped by her own villainous father, Cluemaster, who had just come back from the dead thanks to some Lazarus Resin. Though Steph was able to confront her abusive father - with her best friend's help, especially after Cass arrived to rescue her - there's no question that the experience was difficult for her, Stephanie Brown began her vigilante career in the 1990s as the Spoiler, an amateur vigilante whose only goal was to thwart her dad. Cluemaster is the reason Steph is the hero she is, but that doesn't mean he was in any way a good influence.

Girl-Bat Is Just the Latest Trauma for Spoiler

batgirl vs batgirl monster form

Batgirl's transformation into Girl-Bat in Batgirls #16 is the perfect representation of how Stephanie must feel after having to, once again, physically battle to stop her father. More than that, fellow Batgirl Cass Cain knows that Steph needs this opportunity to embrace her anger. After Cass manages to calm Steph down and remind her who she is, they both take down the Mad Hatter and fly around the city before Steph takes the antidote. Cass protects her friend by being by her side and giving Steph the chance to be a monster - at least for a little while.

Batgirl Turns Her Monstrous Transformation into a Positive

batgirl vs girl-bat

Stephanie Brown's change into Girl-Bat might seem like a goofy gimmick, but it reflects a more turbulent and sensitive side to her character. It also acts as tribute to her sense of belonging in the Bat-Family, where such transformations are essentially a rite of age. These kinds of action-oriented character moments are an essential part of the Batgirls title, and they will be sorely missed by Steph and Cass fans when the series ends this June. Until then, fans can spend time with Batgirl and Girl-Bat in Batgirls #16, available now from DC Comics.

Check out Batgirls #16, available now from DC Comics!