It's January 26th, and that means it's the most important day of the year, Cassandra Cain-Wayne's birthday!

To celebrate this year, I'll be going over my 10 favorite versions of Cass from across the multiverse and what I love about each of them.

#10: Bombshells!Cass, as written by @EvilMarguerite.

We never got to spend much time with this version of Cass, but the little we did see was enticing. As Black Bat, she led the Bats of Blood & Iron, wore a cool black and gold gi, and ended up becoming the leader of China.

#9: YJ!Cass, created by Greg Weisman.

Another Cass with little time to shine, the only true adaptation of Cass showed off several of her core traits (her impulsiveness, her combat skill, and her body reading), but loses points for a lack of screentime and for going by "Orphan"

#8: Futures End!Cass, as written by @GailSimone

While only existing for one issue, this Cass ruled. The way she hogs all the fights for herself, her love for Steph's goofiness and bravery, and her protectiveness over Tiffany are all amazing.

The way Simone has Babs describe what she loves about Cass also works on both a surface and meta-level, and the League of Batgirls is a great concept. I really hope she comes back to write Cass again one day.

#7: Post-Flashpoint!Cass, as primarily written by @JamesTheFourth and @bryanedwardhill.

I really wish I could put the current main-canon version of Cass higher up on the list, but while there are many things I love about her, there are just as many things holding her back.

Let's start with the good: She's canonically neurodivergent, she learned to speak and read in a more organic way than the original, her new relationships with Harper, Duke, and Clayface are really nice, and seeing her bond with Shiva was excellent.

Now for the bad: Despite being around since 2015, she's only had 3 stand-out issues and she's been stuck in team books that don't show the depth of the character. Tynion had a good voice for her, but infantilized her, while Hill got her character right, but couldn't get her voice

What really brings down this version of the character however is her status as "Orphan". It is a codename that is downright insulting as well as nonsensical, to the point that Hill even made fun of it in-universe, and she has been reduced to an extended family member.

She's wearing her Batgirl costume again, but we still don't know for sure that the Orphan name is really gone. If it isn't, I am gonna stop reading all DC books, because having her wear her Batgirl suit while not calling her Batgirl is a spit in the face.

Make her Batgirl, give her a solo ongoing, treat her as a core member of the family, restore all of her old relationships, and have Bruce adopt her, and she can eventually make her way higher up onto the list.

#6: Connor!Cass, as written by @AmandaRantsAlot and @jpalmiotti

We've only known her for 3 issues and we'll be saying goodbye to her next week, but I've come to REALLY enjoy this unique take on Cass.

This completely silent version of Cass is a Cass with all of her angst and pain removed. Drawn to be incredibly expressive and cute as a button, this Cass is vibing through life with her phone, magazines, and endless supply of gum, but can also easily whoop the Joker.

With how serious Post-Flashpoint!Cass is always written to be, seeing her just enjoying herself with her friends is a real blast. Plus, hey, she's Batgirl here!

#5: Psu!Cass, as written and drawn by @psuedofolio AKA @drawin_casscain

If DC says everything is canon, then that means fanwork counts too, and no artist has contributed more to the Cass fandom than Psu!

They've been making Cass content for well over a decade, and if you've been in the fandom for any length of time, you've seen their work. Funny and silly Cass, wholesome tiny Cass, dark and angsty Cass, crossover Cass's, Psu does it all!

There are plenty of people who've worked on Cass in the past who I'd love to see return to the character, but Psu has also absolutely earned the chance to write her in a comic published by @DCComics

#4: Tiny!Cass, as written by @artbaltazar and Franco Aureliani

THE MOST POWERFUL CASS IN THE MULTIVERSE! BOW BEFORE HER GREATNESS!

#3: DCeased!Cass, as written by @TomTaylorMade

Taylor is my 2nd favorite writer working in modern monthly comics and the best writer Laura Kinney's ever had, so I fully expected him to nail Cass, but I had no idea just how far he'd surpass my expectations.

In Unkillables, we basically get a Cass plucked straight out of the Post-Crisis universe and put into a zombie apocalypse. She's Batgirl, she's a Wayne, she talks like classic Cass, and she acts like classic Cass. It's just a delight to see.

For new stuff, we get nice stuff between her, Jason, Jim, and Ace (featuring her BUFF muscles), we get a more nuanced take on her relationship with Shiva, and Cass being Mary Marvel's mentor is a concept I just adore.

Moving onto Dead Planet, I was pretty worried that Cass wasn't gonna get anything to do here. But then #5 happened AND MADE THE FANDOM EXPLODE.

Starting off with the nice note of Cass being highly protective of what's left of her family, no one saw what happened next coming.

CAZZAM! CASS WITH THE POWER OF CAPTAIN MARVEL! CONFIRMATION THAT SHE'S PURE OF HEART AND THE BEST FIGHTER ALONGSIDE SHIVA. 10/10. PERFECTION.

Cass ends up surviving the series and is made a member of the Justice League. I cannot WAIT to see her take on Anti-Life Superman and Darkseid.

...

Pls let her live.

#2: Shadow!Cass, as written and drawn respectively by @sarahkuhn and @NicoleGoux.

Shadow of the Batgirl is the best Cass story since the Puckett/Scott era and its take on Cass is the perfect modernization of the character.

Meant primarily for a YA audience, this take on Cass was taught to speak but retains her difficulty communicating, and lacks some of the darker elements and edge of other depeictions, but Kuhn makes sure this Cass is still Cass in every way that counts, while also making her BABY

Seeing Cass and Babs back together was amazing, and the new characters of Eric and Jackie are both fantastic additions. Would love to see them join in the main canon.
This little gremlin has so much love and compassion, so much pain to overcome, and is such a goof.

I REALLY hope Kuhn and Goux get their sequel and get to tell more stories about the defender of the library turned champion of Gotham. I love her so much.

And #1, it couldn't be anyone else: OG!Cass, as originally written by Kelley Puckett, drawn by @DamionScott2, and edited by @JosephPIllidge.

My favorite character in all of fiction, and the most complex, relatable, and lovable superhero of all time.

Batgirl Vol. 1 #1-#37 is the best run in all of comics, and Cass's journey across those issues is a site to behold. Surrounding the story of Cass's death wish and her path to becoming the DCU's greatest fighter, we see her compassion and love for all life...

...her silly and goofy side, her laconic snark, her love for fighting contrasted against her hatred for killing, her ego regarding her skills contrasted against her lack of self-worth, her difficulties communicating with others...

...the lesson that fighting can't solve all the world's problems, her learning to be a detective, and her complex and beautiful relationships with Bruce, Babs, Steph, Tim, and Shiva.

And the thing is, there's even MORE greatness outside of just the Puckett/Scott run. Her friendship with JPV in NML, her dedication to the Bat from Horrocks' run, her learning to have a civilian life, and making friends with Brenda in Gabrych's run...

the respect she had, her friendship and brief fling with Superboy, the countless other friends and acquaintances she made across her many, many minor appearances in other books, along with more fun and insightful moments, all culminating in her happy ending in Gates of Gotham.

The OG Cass is the best, and while I love all Cass's, she'll always be the best. The Cass with the best stories, the most nuanced Cass and, excluding an era I'm deliberately ignoring, the most respected Cass.

Which Cass is your favorite? What does your list look like? Whatever your answer is, I hope you'll join me in saying...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CASSANDRA CAIN-WAYNE!