Everything doesn't have to be about fear. There's room in our line of work for hope, too. 
Batgirl (Volume 3) #5 is an issue of the series Batgirl (Volume 3) with a cover date of February, 2010. It was published on December 9, 2009.
Synopsis for "Batgirl Rising: Core Requirements, Part One"
Batgirl tries to put out a fire at a Gracia Global housing development, in Devil's Square, and fight the supervillain Diesel with ice-generating batarangs. Batgirl tells Oracle Diesel isn't intelligent enough to have masterminded this scheme, but before she can act on this realization, Batman and Robin show up. Batman wraps his grapple around Diesel while Robin knocks him down. Petrol pours out of Diesel's veins, and to save them all, Batgirl throws more batarangs—stopping the fire, but freezing Robin.
Back at the Batcave, Barbara becomes furious with Dick when he hypocritically yells at her for letting someone as "reckless" as Stephanie out in the field while he's made the far more reckless and volatile Damian Robin. When Dick says Bruce would never have let Steph out in the field alone, especially since Black Mask is back, Barbara says, “Bruce isn't here anymore, is he?” Dick tells her to get their crap out of the Batcave and storms off.
At Gotham University, Steph overhears a conversation between Jordanna and Francisco that alerts her to a possible motivation for the arson: Francisco's father owned the building, and Stefano is into “shady stuff.” Francisco says, “This is something I have to do for him,” before Jordanna notices Steph eavesdropping and leaves. Steph tries to get Francisco to talk about his father, but he answers evasively and suggests they hang out later. Steph asks whether Jordanna will mind, and he says she isn't his girlfriend. Damian finds her and asks what makes her tick because she isn't particularly skilled or interested in vengeance; Steph answers that vigilantism doesn't need to be about fear, there is room for hope too.
Commissioner Gordon sets Barbara up with Detective Gage without telling either of them, though Barbara isn't surprised because Gordon has been talking Gage up. He hasn't been talking up Barbara to Gage, though. When Gage says Barbara therefore has a “leg up” on him, a split second before noticing she uses a wheelchair, she snaps at him as a proxy for Dick. He quickly realizes she is using him as a punching bag and tells her they should try again when she isn't pretending he's someone else.
Batgirl is patrolling when she comes across Francisco sitting in a diner, arguing with his father on the phone. She borrows a slip and a trench coat from Oracle so Stephanie Brown can run into Francisco. Francisco warns her she shouldn't be there as a truck drives up, filled with masked criminals, and though Steph fights them to the best of her abilities, Francisco is kidnapped from the diner. One shoots Steph, the bullet grazing her head, and she passes out.
Appearing in "Batgirl Rising: Core Requirements, Part One"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Alfred Pennyworth
- Batman (Dick Grayson)
- Francisco Gracia
- James Gordon
- Jordanna Spence
- Nick Gage
- Oracle (Barbara Gordon)
- Robin (Damian Wayne)
Antagonists:
- Diesel (First appearance)
Other Characters:
- Gotham City Police Department
- Mr. Bursar (Mentioned only)
- Stefano Gracia (First appearance)
- Gotham City Fire Department
- Chief Nguyen
Locations:
- Gotham City
- Batcave
- Caroline's Diner
- Devil's Square
- Gotham University
- Gracia Global Housing Development
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- Damian mentions that he was looking forward to meeting Cassandra Cain, as she "sounds wonderful." He actually does meet her for the first time during Gates of Gotham and he's kind of a dick to her also.[1]
Trivia
- There is an Omen (movie) reference made towards Damian, it isn't the first time the connection was made.
See Also
Recommended Reading