Unbeknownst to Nightwing, Batgirl is harboring a crush on a surprising Gotham-based villain. Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon may be in a secure relationship, but even DC’s hottest couple has a few secrets they hide from one another. In Batgirl’s case, it has everything to do with the first bad guy she was ever attracted to.
In Birds of Prey #84 by Gail Simone and Joe Bennett, the Huntress returns home after a botched mission only to find the Birds of Prey member Barbara Gordon. Huntress wants nothing to do with Oracle, who reveals some of her most closely guarded secrets as a way of apologizing to Helena.
Among other things, Barbara reveals that she had a crush on the first supervillain she ever encountered, the anti-Batman Killer Moth. Oracle also admits that this is something she hasn’t even told Nightwing about. Barbara apologizes to Huntress once more and leaves her with all of Batgirl’s secrets.
Batgirl Had a Huge Crush on Killer Moth
Barbara’s story about crushing on the first villain she ever encountered references her battle against Killer Moth in Batgirl: Year One. Barbara first met Killer Moth when he attempted to kidnap Bruce Wayne from a masquerade ball. As Batgirl, she assisted Batman and Robin in defeating Killer Moth, leading to him upping his game by teaming up with the psychopathic arsonist Firefly. After a couple of minor setbacks, the two became legit threats and started laying waste to Gotham. However, Batgirl managed to stop the two, helping her ingratiate herself within the growing Bat-Family.
Batgirl wouldn’t be the first superhero or even Bat-Family member to ever crush on a villain (lest anyone forget Bruce’s numerous dalliances). That said, Batgirl speaks of her crush in the past tense and Barbara no longer pines for Killer Moth. So fans can rest easy knowing that Batgirl’s relationship with Nightwing isn’t in any danger. That said, it’s a bit humorous that Barbara hides this secret, even from the love of her life. While she may be the only Killer Moth fangirl in the DC Universe, crushing on the brightly-colored villain isn’t something Batgirl shouldn’t have to hide.
Batgirl’s Embarrassing Crush is Nothing to Be Ashamed Of
Everyone has odd or embarrassing crushes growing up. For Batgirl, Killer Moth was one of the first people who saw her as a legit superhero, not a kid playing pretend. But she doesn’t need to explain the how or the why behind her feelings. She also doesn’t need to be embarrassed about them. It’s not like she still secretly harbors affection for the B-lister and Dick certainly wouldn’t look at her any differently (even though he’d definitely get in a playful jab or two). While it’s kind of funny, Batgirl shouldn’t worry too much over her first supervillain crush.
