Warning! Contains spoilers for Birds of Prey #10!
Summary
TheBirds of Preyalways attempt to do good in the world — which is why it’s so surprising that one new character states that formerBatgirlBarbara Gordon kills her mother in the future. While it’s still unclear exactly what circumstances lead to this future, it seems that Barbara Gordon is destined to murder an old C-list villain, who has finally reached her full potential as a cosmic threat.
Barbara Gordon has been kidnapped by a villainwho seems to have a very personal interest in killing her. While it’s nothing new for Barbara to anger villains, this latest attack against the former Batgirl seems even more personal than usual. Black Canary and the rest of the Birds learn exactly how and why the villain is attacking the team’s founder inBirds of Prey#10 by Kelly Thompson and Robbi Rodriguez.
While questioning the new character Cela on why Barbara was captured,Cela reveals the bombshell that she is one of several massively super-powered daughters of former Batgirl villain the Velvet Tiger— now known as Lani Lockhart — and that Barbara Gordon, with the help of the Birds of Prey, will murder Lani in the future.
The Birds of Prey Debut New Jungle Costumes - Perfect for Fighting Dinosaurs
The Birds of Prey get all-new looks as they travel through a prehistoric jungle and battle dinosaurs on their journey to rescue Barbara Gordon.
Batgirl Villain the Velvet Tiger Gives Birth to Seven Children with Cosmically-Threatening Powers
Created by Barbara Kesel and Trevor von Eeden, the Velvet Tiger Debuted in 1982’sDetective Comics#518
Originally known as Lani Gilbert,theVelvet Tiger debuted as an extortionist who specialized in blackmail.All she wanted in the world was power, and she was willing to do anything to get it. She crossed paths a few times with Barbara Gordon, who made her dislike of the Velvet Tiger well known. Despite having a fairly cool looking design, Lani never seemed to achieve much, as she wasessentially sacrificed to Loboby DC to try and lighten up his book. This “sacrifice” didn’t work, and she reappeared in other DC comics, popping up here and there but never really getting a major role.
Barabara Gordon once said about Velvet Tiger: “She’s manipulative and arrogant, and doesn’t respect anything but her own whims. She was going to kill her own brother! She’s the kind of woman who makes me ashamed to be one.”
After the New 52 DC reboot, the Velvet Tiger appeared again asan antagonist to Barbara Gordon during herBatgirl of Burnsideera. But once again, she seemed ultimately unimportant and was quickly forgotten. It seems that the most important thing Lani Gilbert has done so far is give birth to super-powered children and be murdered by Barbara Gordon. But exactly why Babs would murder such a forgotten villain is unclear. Whatever the reason, Lani’s daughter Maia seems hellbent on getting revenge, and she has already murdered the rest of her sisters and consumed their powers to do it, with only her sister Cela surviving.
Lani Gilbert’s Daughter Is Quickly Becoming a Cosmic Threat
While Lani herself was an unremarkable extortionist, her daughter Maia has incredible powers, such as creating pocket dimensions and taking ona dark monster formwith her shapeshifting. She’s also shown the ability to possess people as powerful as Big Barda. Overall, Lani Gilbert was a forgotten Batgirl villain who never accomplished anything, and yet her murder seems to have put the entire universe at risk. It remains to be seen ifBatgirland theBirds of Preycan defeat Maia or solve the murder of Lani Gilbert.
