DC Comics Executive Editor Dan DiDio is either throwing rocks at a hornet’s nest or dropping not-so-subtle hints about the return of a character who’s become a bit of a hot-button issue.

I’m going with the latter.

This week’s installment of “DC Nation” — the editorial page that appears in all DC Universe titles — features a list of holiday wishes from several of the publisher’s characters. Beside Robin’s name we see, “A memorial for Stephanie Brown,” but it’s crossed out with a note that reads, “Can’t do!”

I don’t think DiDio would go out of his way to taunt those fans who have been campaigning for a memorial case in the Batcave for the fallen Spoiler/Robin (of course, he’s probably tired of hearing the Memorial Case Question at virtually every DCU convention panel). So, odds are this is another piece of the promotional puzzle that began in October with the appearance of Spoiler — a Spoiler? — on the assembled covers for the Gotham Underground miniseries. Plus, there are the solicitations for Robin #170-171.

Or maybe I’m not cynical enough.

But Heidi MacDonald ferrets out a thread at Millarworld that makes up for my sunny disposition:

… [T]here is a very passionate group of fans out there (largely, but not exclusively, female) for whom this is a major cause celebre. The furor about it kind of peaked a few months ago, and in the wake of various other “outrages,” seemed to have simmered down.

Now you or I, we’d have just put this behind us– no point in stirring things back up, right? Particularly since at least some of these folks are (or were and might be again) paying customers.

Evidently, though, Mr. Didio has decided to tweak those darn feminists again.

[snip]

So there, Stephanie Brown-ites, you haven’t been forgotten, after all.

Elsewhere, Shelly of Shelly’s Comic Book Shelf peruses the wish list, pausing on the Stephanie Brown item — “She should have gotten the memorial. Then, if/when she returns from the dead, Bats can take it down.” — and a few others, including the seemingly newly departed Connor Hawke.

Oddly, though, the “DC Nation” mention hasn’t yet made an appearance in “The Return of Spoiler?” thread on the DC message boards.

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