Author: Danja
Disclaimer: Birds of Prey, its characters, and concepts are the property of Warner Brothers, Tollin-Robbins Productions & DC Comics.
Author's Note: I'm not a hard-core comics fan … don't shoot me if I'm not absolutely, positively, letter-perfect. For the record, I did do a little research on Spoiler … so I'm not COMPLETELY off base. :)
I figure, if the TV show can take some liberties with the comics, so can Yours Truly. Besides, the Spoiler of the comics is incidental to my story -- so it doesn't matter anyway, eh? ;)
Spoiler
Chapter One
From The New Gotham Gazette (July 7th):
Gotham Heights "Avenger" Strikes Again
by Tim Quinlan
Gazette Staff Writer
GOTHAM HEIGHTS -- It seems that for the first time in a long time, Gotham Heights' mysterious "Masked Avenger" has struck again. Police and witnesses have reported seeing what one described as a "superhero" wearing purple tights, a mask, a hood, and a cape. Over the past week, this masked "avenger" has been reported to foil burglaries, purse-snatchers, muggers, and illicit drug deals at the intersection of 10th Street and Pine Avenue -- an area known for its heavy drug traffic.
The identity of this "masked avenger" is presently unknown. Police declined to speculate on just why he or she has resumed their activities.
"Think it's her?" asked Helena.
Oracle turned around towards Huntress and shook her head. "She was last active ten years ago. That's a mighty long time to be away from The Job."
"Who is this 'Spoiler'? " asked Dinah.
"First of all, she hated that name," replied Oracle.
"You knew her?"
Oracle nodded. "What she called herself … if anything … no one knows. It was something Batman bestowed upon her. She was always underfoot. She'd show up and take care of business before Batman or any of us lieutenants could get there … hence, the name. And those were just the times we KNEW about her activities."
"Who is she?" asked Helena.
Oracle turned around, made a few keystrokes on her PC, and pulled a personnel file onto the overhead plasma screen. "This is the Spoiler I knew … Name: Stephanie Brown. Occupation: High School Student. Area of Operations: Gotham Heights. Her father was a criminal called The Cluemaster. She originally got into the business to bust HIM." Oracle then turned back around to face Helena and Dinah. "She was active for awhile … and then she dropped out of sight. There was a rumor floating around that she got pregnant … whether there was any truth to that, I couldn't tell you. I never saw a belly on her."
"Did you two work together?"
Oracle shook her head. "I rarely saw her. She and I … or rather, she and Batgirl …weren't all that close."
"So … you think someone else has taken up her cause?"
"Probably. If she DID have a child, I don't see how she could've continued … being active. God knows Black Canary couldn't do it…" Oracle then glanced at Dinah. "Or more accurately, she couldn't do it for very long. If Canary couldn't do it, I don't see how Spoiler could. The risk would be too great."
"So … what do we do about her?"
"For now, I'm going to keep an eye on her."