A Dark Night for Batgirl

(Mr. Grayson contacted me and donated another piece of art. He asked me to write a story to go with it, which I'm happy to do!)

Barbara Gordon had almost forced herself to forget that terrible episode in the Batcave when Batman -- her idol -- had violated her by forcibly pulling off her mask. Her most precious secret had been stolen from her against her will.

Since then Batman, Night Wing, the new Robin, and she had battled Gotham's worst super criminals side by side. They were a team and she felt that they always had her back.

Late one night, while out on patrol, Batgirl received a call on her secure Bat Communicator. "Barbara, this is Batman. I need you to meet me at the old Hardin warehouse on the edge of town. I'm sending the coordinates now!"

"Batman, what's wrong with your voice? You don't sound like yourself. And... that area wasn't on the patrol map for tonight."

"Change of plans!" The Dark Knight barked. "And I've just got a little laryngitis. Look, this is urgent! Get moving!"

"But -- Killer Croc and his gang. You said this was priority #1 for me."

"Are you questioning me, Gordon?" the voice on the other end snarled.

"No... sir," the Masked Maiden said with a submissive tone in her voice. "But please don't call me by my real name. What if somebody heard?"

"Just get over here!" He disconnected abruptly.

The heroine jumped on he Batgirl Cycle and sped off. "His laryngitis must be making him irritable," she told herself.

 Batgirl arrived at the warehouse as soon as she could. She didn't want to upset Batman again. The building was totally dark except for a little moonlight streaming down from holes in the ceiling. She pulled out her communicator as she walked into the rundown place. "Batman? This is Batgirl. I'm here. Where are you?"

"Good, you made it," the raspy voice said. "Just keep walking into the building. I'm downstairs in the old machine shop. You'll see the light."

Batgirl explored deeper into the warehouse, searching for the stairs to the basement. Batman sounded so different, she thought.  Of course, it wouldn't be anyone else on the communicator.  Just the Batman team had access to these transmissions and messages are highly encrypted.

Descending the steps she caught sight of a dim, orange-ish light coming from one of the rooms lining an utterly black hallway. "Batman," she said quietly. "Is that you?"

"Yes it's me. Get in here."

Barbara saw the figure of Batman in the dim light. He looked a little smaller than usual, thinner. "Must be sicker than he let on," she thought. He was standing in the far corner of the workshop, by an old wooden table where a vice and a few other abandoned tools she couldn't identify were attached. A block and tackle was overhead.

"Come over here and look at this!" the Dark Knight ordered. Batgirl obeyed. Batman backed away so she could get a closer look at the table.

"Hmm... shackles, chains, handcuffs. And this end of the workbench has been converted into a rack. Look, four leather restraints. Why, it almost looks like a dungeon!" Batgirl exclaimed.

 "Yes, it certainly does!" "Batman" commented. The raspy voice was gone, replaced by an all too familiar one. Batgirl recognized it immediately and instinctively knew what was happening. She spun around only to receive a face full of Bat Gas!

"Nightwing! No!" she coughed before collapsing to the cold cement floor.

When she finally awoke she found that her arms were securely shackled behind her. She'd been stripped to the waist and... he had taken off her mask!  "Nightwing -- Dick -- why?" Batgirl cried.

"I've been hot for you since before Batman brought you on, Barbara," Richard Grayson said. He pulled back his batmask and drew her closer. "I can't resist that rack any longer!  Besides, I know you want me. After all... 'I'm Batman!' "

Captives of Doctor Malevolent!

Star Bangled Bombshell and Solar Girl are gassed, tired and dreadfully abused by one of Dr. Malevolent's "Sexborgs. But Solar Girl has one more weakness that the 'foul physician' can exploit: her mask!

'Pretty Pussycat' Exposed by Scarecrow!

Catwoman's greatest fear is used against her -- unmasking!

CrusaderBat is Captured!

Crusader Bat is paralyzed with a puff of gas and finds herself helpless in the hands of the Jaguar, who then proceeds to torture and finally unmask our heroine!

Spider Woman Tricked!

"OK Spider Woman! That's it! Sell it girl! Show us what you've got!"

Spider Woman struck dynamic poses on the roof of an office building in downtown Manhattan. Even though she was a well known superheroine, she couldn't help but be flattered to be in this photoshoot. Especially since she was asked personally by Peter Norman himself, the world famous fashion photographer.

But unfortunately, even famous fashion photographers can be blackmailed...

"Alright Spider Woman, let's go inside and take some shots there too. I have a portable studio all set up on the floor below us."

"Certainly, Mr. Norman," replied the heroine.

Once more she struck every pose the photographer requested... unaware that her enemy the KingPin had arranged for this room to be rigged with small gas jets. As she obediently posed she was also inhaling an odorless, colorless gas that slowly sapped her mind's ability to resist suggestions.

"Alright Spider Woman, now I would like..." The poor man didn't really want to do this. But the Kingpin had made it quite clear that this was the only way to save the lives of his wife and daughter. He had to.

"I would like to get a few pictures of you without your mask."

"Wha-- what did you say?" She asked almost timidly.

"Just a few of you... unmasked. I'm afraid that I must insist. It will be, um, perfect for this spread," Norman said.

"But... I... I..." the helpless heroine protested, weakly. And then, "Certainly, Mr. Norman."

"I've been instructed to shoot some sexy photos as well, Spider Woman. How about a saucy pose with you glancing over your shoulder. Smile my dear..."

Photo after photo was taken. Finally, after a half an hour, the voice of the Kingpin blared out over a hidden speaker.

"Lovely, lovely, quite lovely my dear Spider Woman... Or should I say Jessica Drew! Yes, that's right. I now know your secret identity. Not to mention possessing dozens of very professionally done photos of you, masked and unmasked... I've gotten what I need to to finally have you under my thumb, Ms. Drew -- at my mercy!"

"Oh yes, you are right to shiver, 'Spider Babe!' I have you right where I want you!

"Now, you will go with these men who just entered the room. They will bring you to my penthouse where I will... 'entertain' you for the rest of the night!"

Silver Flame: Gassed and Unmasked!

Silver Flame makes a deal with a black market dealer to take a brief look at crucial documents he has. But as she peers into his briefcase a thick cloud of gas billows into her masked face, leaving her weak and helpless. Now the villain can get what he came for: the mask of the Silver Flame!

Silver Flame: Gassed and Unmasked by unmasker

[Slight Nudity] The Unmasking of DarkWing!

By popular demand here is the unmasking sequence from 'DarkWing: Flying Solo.'

(Note: Dailymotion knew what this was and refused to upload it the first time, hence the boring, non-descriptive title to get them to take it. I don't know how long that will work though, so enjoy it while you can.)

BlankVideo by unmasker

Batgirl is Chloroformed and Unmasked!

Batgirl is chloroformed into oblivion and her mask pulled off!

(A colored rendition of another fabulous work by Monsieur Paul. The original drawing is below.)

Catwoman: Taken Advantage of!

"So, the famous Catwoman, pinned down in my bed. How delightful! Now just inhale these fumes deeply... in and out. You can't fight it, you know. Yes... there we go, masked woman... completely at my mercy. Well, you won't be masked much longer, my dear. I can blackmail you into doing whatever I desire, my dear Catwoman, if I can find out who you really are.

So now, let's just slip off your mask and have a look at  your pretty face, shall we? Pulling it up your nose... up to your eyes... I must say this is rather exciting! And then up to the top of your head... and the mighty Catwoman is unmasked at last! Ha ha! And look at her lovely face... I believe our little cat is really Selina Kyle! How delicious! There are a lot of very powerful people who would kill to have you like I have you right.

Hmmm.. so many possibilities..."

Or, if you prefer...

Exposed to the World!

Dave the Dude's version of a 3-D Batgirl adventure!

The classic 1960s Batgirl is ambushed and unmasked on worldwide TV!

Thief Reveals Spider Woman's Identity!

The lovely Spider Woman discovers an art burglary in progress but is quickly gassed into unconsciousness. The thieves carry her over to a secluded corner and tie her securely to a column so they can get on with their business. But one of the criminals is a little more curious than the others about their masked prisoner. He slips away from the gang for a few moments with the sleeping girl.

"So, just who are you anyway, Ms. Spider Woman..." he murmurs as he slowly lifts her mask... revealing the pretty face of Jesssica Drew!"

My "Perfect" Unmasking

I just posted a comment on Siggi's MaskRipper blog where we're discussing our perfect unmasking scenario. So I thought I'd post it on my own blog too for posterity.

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My perfect unmasking, gee... I'm a pan-unmasking guy; I like almost any heroine unmasking. But for the unmasking that would explode my brain: She would have to be Batgirl (or possibly the red suit Spider Woman). She has to be gorgeous, but in a "girl next door" way. Her costume is based on the overall pattern established by some of the cartoon series Batgirls -- jet black suit and mask, yellow boots, gloves and insignia. I think DarkWing Flies Solo's costume got pretty close (except the mask, which I'll get into, and the front zipper, (although i DID like the result!).

I don't like anybody's Batgirl mask. Maybe there's one out their, but I've never seen it. Maybe it's impossible to make right. To me it needs to be all one piece with her cape, even covering her throat but with her hair flowing out a slot in the back. And it needs to be made, at least for the most part, out of substantial, very tight fitting cloth -- but not spandex. Just perfectly fitted cloth. That way it can tear in a struggle (my preferred form if battle damage -- ripped costume) but on good enough that it doesn't shift on her head and takes some real effort to remove once she's defeated. It's not as important to me that it will protect her head like a helmet or anything. My overall goal is a particular way for the mask to come off, which is for the criminal to have to reach his fingers beneath the nose area and pull it up and back over her head until it lays at the nape of her nape of her neck like a hoodie. Don't ask me why, but to me that's the sexiest way of all to unmask Batgirl, and the sexiest mask to use.

There has to be an epic battle where it is completely obvious,

Courtesy of Nostalgic Source

especially to Batgirl, that the only goal is to get her mask. Not too picky about where but I do especially like a scenario where BG is fighting a gang that's working for a Kingpin who wants her mask at any cost. There have to be lots of 'almost unmaskings' during the fight -- little ones where a thug tugs at one of her bat ears to get an advantage, and big ones where it finally looks like she's doomed but she barely gets away. It should be clear that her mask is her weakness and BG should feel that way to. And it may be the influence of the Batman and Wonder Woman shows but my favorite way for BG to finally be defeated is by being gassed -- not chloroform on a hanky but a billowing cloud of white narcotic smoke squirted in her face. And then she should be tied up - hanging from the ceiling, trussed up and thrown on a filthy bed, probably taunted and abused. Or, if the Big Boss is there I like a gang holding her arms behind her back while he slowly has his triumph.

Last of all, Batgirl's motivations are extremely important  to my perfect unmasking. Normal people don't run around in capes challenging criminals. Something's psychologically off, damaged with Barbara Gordon that she does this. Like the original comic book concept I see her as the shy, quiet, fearful (tho hiding it), uptight librarian. I get the feeling she hasn't had many dates, is somewhat reclusive, and may still be a virgin  in her 20's. In many cultures donning a mask confers power. Works for Batman! I think that's why she's Batgirl. Her power is in the mask. But that means having it taken from her is her weakness. When she learns that these men are dedicated only to forcibly unmasking her, it's her greatest fear and the greatest threat they could make. As they get closer to unmasking her she should become more and more panicky, begging, pleading, tears in her eyes. And when they finally carry it out it should utterly ruin her -- perhaps driving her temporarily mad. Weeping hysterically she goes back to her weak, fearful, powerless self, now in the hands of Gotham's most depraved criminals.

There needs to be a powerful sexual undertone to capturing and unmasking her. It can't be a super hero business transaction, just part of the job. Not, "Damn, now you know who I am." It would be sexual in the since that every guy fighting her really wants Batgirl in her tight costume and they're constantly grabbing her in the fight. But also sexual that there a lot of sadism/masochism and bondage/domination in wanting to capture a pretty girl, tie her up, and then use what you know is her greatest vulnerability to destroy her before the whole world.