12 Best Redesigns Of Superhero Costumes

Throughout the years, Batgirl was portrayed more often than not as the cutesy, kid-sister sidekick. She was a purple-clad add-on to the Bat-family, with red hair streaming out from underneath a cowl with truncated horns. She was, in short, an afterthought. Batman-lite in every form, including the name.

Then came the speechless martial artist Cassandra Cain, who brought a violent, no-nonsense style to Batgirl, and her costume reflected that. She looked like an assassin, a true threat to the criminal underworld that could inspire fear and awe.

Cloaked in black with only a yellow outline of the iconic Bat-symbol on her chest, she was a weapon. The sewn-up mask, reflecting her (short-lived) inability to speak, made her all the more menacing.

Batgirl never looked tougher, more credible, or more intimidating than when Cassandra Cain adopted the mantle.