Barbara Gordon | Batman Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Batgirl (1966–1988) Batgirl. Editor Julius Schwartz claimed that when planning the new Batgirl's comic book debut, he had considered the character to be a vehicle that might attract a female viewership to the Batman television series of the sixties. When producers William Dozier and Howie Horowitz saw rough concept artwork by artist Carmine Infantino during a visit to DC offices, they optioned the character in a bid to help sell a third season to the ABC television network. Actress Yvonne Craig portrayed the character in the show's third season. When interviewed on his involvement with creating Batgirl, Infantino states- Batgirl came up in the mid-’60s. The “Batman” TV producer called Julie and said Catwoman was a hit, could we come up with more female characters? Julie called me and asked me to do that. I came up with Batgirl, Poison Ivy and one I called the Grey Fox, which Julie didn’t like as much. Bob Kane had a Bat-Girl for about three stories in the ’50s, but she had nothing to do with a bat.

She was like a pesky girl version of Robin . I knew we could do a lot better, so Julie and I came up with the real Batgirl, who was so popular she almost got her own TV show. Barbara Gordon and alter ego Batgirl debuted in Detective Comics #359 (cover-dated 1967, although the comic was actually released in late 1966) as the daughter of Gotham City's Police Commissioner James Gordon . Barbara Gordon’s Batgirl had been preceded by an earlier Bat-Girl character, which was depicted as niece and sidekick to Batwoman. Gordon exceeded these earlier figures in popularity, and readers requested for her to appear in other titles. In an open letter to readership in Detective Comics #417 (1971), DC responded to the fan-based acclaim and criticism of the new character. I'd like to say a few words about the reaction some readers have to Batgirl. These are readers who remember Batwoman and the other Bat-girls from year's back... They were there because romance seemed to be needed in Batman's life. But thanks to the big change and a foresighted editor, these hapless females are gone for good.

In their place stands a girl who is a capable crime-fighter, a far cry from Batwoman who constantly had to be rescued from Batman . Barbara as Batgirl defeats her first villain, Killer Moth . Following the comic book debut of Barbara Gordon, Yvonne Craig also promoted the comic book incarnation of her character. The actress was featured in photo shoots reading her “favorite comic of all time,” "The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl." While actress Yvonne Craig as Batgirl appeared every week in the new season of Batman, DC Comics featured Batgirl on several covers of Detective Comics, often overshadowing Batman and Robin in order to promote the new heroine. On the cover of Detective Comics #369, Batgirl argues with Batman over whose sidekick Robin should be. Batgirl became a lighthearted departure from the tortured characters of Batman and Robin, each depicted as fighting crime to avenge the death of their parents. Gordon's motivation for crime fighting was written as being completely altruistic and, unlike Batwoman and Bat-Girl, independent of a male superhero. In her civilian identity, Dr. Barbara Gordon Ph.D.

is not only depicted as an independent woman with a doctorate in library science, she is head of Gotham City public library; "presumably one of the largest public libraries in the DC Comics version of reality." The character's civilian career as a library professional, coupled with her alter-ego as a crime-fighter is considered to be symbolic of the women's empowerment movement of the 1960s. Barbara as Batgirl Batgirl continued to appear in DC Comics publications throughout the late sixties and seventies as a supporting character in Detective Comics, in addition to guest appearances in various titles such as Justice League of America, World's Finest Comics, The Brave and the Bold, Action Comics and Superman. The character was also given a starring role in DC's Batman Family comic book which debuted in 1975. The original Robin Dick Grayson became her partner in the series and the two were frequently referred to as the "Dynamic Duo: Batgirl & Robin." Although this series ended after three years of publication, Batgirl continued to appear in back up stories published in Detective Comics until DC officially retired the heroine in the one-shot comic Batgirl Special #1 (1988).

Although permanently retired, Barbara Gordon's incarnation as Batgirl remains one of the most popular and high profile characters of the Silver Age of Comic Books. Batman: The Killing Joke (1988) As the years went on, however, Barbara found her role as Batgirl less and less fulfilling, and she eventually more or less retired. That's when The Joker showed up at her house, shooting and paralyzing her and when he kidnapped her Uncle Jim. Batman rescued Jim Gordon, but 19-year-old Barbara Gordon's career as a crime fighter was over. She spent a month in a deep depression. During the early eighties, Batman editors sporadically put Batgirl into retirement; the character resumed her role for special cases. In 1988, Alan Moore discussed writing The Killing Joke with editor Len Wein, and the two agreed that Barbara Gordon, currently in retirement, was disposable enough for the character’s career to come to a permanent end. Although events in The Killing Joke exert a great impact on the character, the story has little to do with Gordon. She is deployed as a plot device to cement the Joker’s vendetta against Commissioner Gordon and Batman.

Critical reception of The Killing Joke has been mixed — while some commentators have been appalled by the treatment of Barbara Gordon, others have regarded The Killing Joke as one of the greatest Batman stories of all time. Despite Moore's writing, Valerie D'Orazio, a former editor at Acclaim Comics and DC Comics has denounced the book, citing "It doesn't take the perspective of a woman into account. It doesn't take into account that some women might be so very disgusted with the book [and] what happens to Barbara Gordon in it." In response, Laura Hudson, Senior editor of Comic Foundry Magazine comments, "You’re supposed to be disgusted with what happens to Barbara Gordon...because it’s disgusting...As a woman and as an adult, I can deal with fictional characters performing reprehensible acts towards women...

When they’re used not gratuitously but for a purpose, as I believe they were in The Killing Joke, that's exactly what they're supposed to do." The Joker’s aggravated assault of Barbara Gordon has become a classic example of Women in Refrigerators syndrome, in which “severe injury or death of a female comic book character [occurs] as a means to antagonize a male superhero.” Following the release of the graphic novel, comic book editor and writer Kim Yale discussed how distasteful she found the treatment of Barbara Gordon with her husband, fellow comic writer John Ostrander. Rather than allow the character to fall into obscurity, the two decided to revive her as a character living with a disability. Oracle (1988–2011) Recognizing she could no longer be the kind of superhero she had been, she instead devoted all her time to developing one of the world's most complex and powerful computer systems and set to work accumulating information, renaming herself "Oracle." Blessed with a photographic memory, Barbara reads dozens of the world's top newspapers and magazines daily.

She's also constantly gathering information from other, less public sources, such as the CIA's mainframe, not to mention the data networks of the FBI, NSA and Interpol (all without their knowledge or consent). Oracle has proven an absolutely invaluable resource to the Batman and his allies, as well as countless other superheroes, few of whom know anything about the person behind the name. Oracle has formed an alliance with fellow heroes Black Canary and The Huntress to aid those in need. Together, they are the Birds of Prey , combining their unique abilities and skills in the war against crime and terror. Both Yale and Ostrander would oversee the development of Barbara Gordon's new persona as Oracle for the next several years. The character made her first comic book appearance as Oracle in Suicide Squad #23, anonymously offering her services to the government's Task Force X. In the following two years, Oracle, under pen of Ostander and Yale, made guest appearances in various DC titles until her identity was revealed to be Barbara Gordon in Suicide Squad #38 (1990) and she officially becomes a member of the Squad in issue #48 following an invitation from fictional government agent Amanda Waller.

In 1992, Dennis O’Neil gave Barbara Gordon’s Oracle a starring role in Batman: Sword of Azrael #1, where she became Batman’s sole source of information. This newly forged partnership established Oracle’s status as Batman's intellectual equal. Oracle. The success of Chuck Dixon’s Black Canary/Oracle: Birds of Prey (1996) lead to the comic series Birds of Prey starring the two title characters. Kim Yale and John Ostrander tell the origin of Oracle in "Oracle: Year One," a story arc contained in Batman Chronicles #5. Since the launch of Birds of Prey, the Oracle character has become a high-profile figure in the DC Comics universe - moving beyond her ties to the Batman Family and forging alliances with groups such as the Justice League of America . Gail Simone took over as writer of Birds of Prey with issue #56, taking the series in a "Bold New Direction!" In an interview with Columnist Jennifer Contino, Simone explains her fondness of Barbara Gordon: Kim Yale and John Ostrander picked up the character and made her into a brilliant master computer operator and one of the most fascinating characters in comics.

From there, Chuck Dixon did wonderful things with her in his Birds of Prey run...She’s fantastic because even just sitting in a chair in a dark room by herself, she’s tremendously compelling. The DCU without her would be a much less interesting place. Throughout the course of the character's history, Barbara Gordon's intelligence has been one of the character's defining attributes. According to BusinessWeek, Oracle is listed as one of the top ten most intelligent fictional superheroes appearing in American comics and is the only female character to appear on the list. Critical and Editorial Commentary Despite the establishment of Gordon's persona as Oracle, some observers have argued for the character's mobility to be restored. Reacting to Batman: The Killing Joke and Barbara Gordon's later character development as Oracle in Batman: Gotham Knights, Ray Tate, a reviewer at Comics Bulletin, writes, Let's get this out of the way first. There is absolutely no reason why Barbara Gordon should be in a wheelchair. Alan Moore and Brian Bolland meant The Killing Joke as an imaginary tale dealing with the iconography of Batman and the Joker...[Batman] himself is a certifiable genius in biochemistry. There are countless examples of Batman employing that which is only theoretical in his fight against crime.

His knowledge of stem cell technology should surpass that of the real world. There is simply no reason for Barbara Gordon to be confined to that wheelchair. Regarding Gordon's representation as a character living with a disability, and her effectiveness as a hero compared to her incarnation as Batgirl, Tate comments, It's ridiculous to think somebody wakes up thinking how lucky they are to be confined to a wheelchair, and yet the attitude around DC and among the fans is that Oracle is the better character over Batgirl because of her handicap. Rubbish. Batgirl has fought more crime and done more to aid Batman as Batgirl than she has as Oracle. Batgirl has saved Batman's life on numerous occasions. Oracle has not. Barbara in this incarnation is not a bad character, but she is not better because she no longer hunts the night in cape and cowl. Alex Ross and Paul Dini have made attempts to return the character to her original conception. Ross explains in an interview: Paul Dini had this idea of putting Barbara Gordon in the Lazarus Pit to revive her...I thought it was a great idea, and we pitched then-Batman editor Denny O'Neil with these drawings of that costume design.

The idea of using the red instead of the traditional yellow was meant to invoke the idea that coming from the Lazarus Pit, she was in a way, more compromised as a character...And...that went nowhere. Denny shot it down, because, according to him, everybody loves Barbara Gordon as Oracle and as a handicapped character. The theory was that DC didn't have enough handicapped characters, so they weren't going to do anything with Barbara as she was. And the design went into the drawer." Kate Kane , the modern Batwoman introduced during 52, wears a variant of Gordon's Batgirl costume designed by Ross. Some argue that the Barbara Gordon character provides a greater service to DC Comics and its readers in her current status, regardless of the events which preceded Oracle's creation. DC Senior Vice President Dan DiDio comments, "Some stories... are so strong that undoing them would be a crime.

The DCU would be a lesser place without Barry's sacrifice, or the crippling of Barbara at the hands of the Joker." Although critical reception of Barbara Gordon's evolution into Oracle have been mixed among critics and other observers, according to John Ostrander- "We have, over the years, on those occasions when I have worked with the character, gotten some letters from those who have disabilities of one stripe or another and all have been very supportive. I feel very proud for my part in creating Oracle." Ostrander has also spoken about the value of Oracle to both DC Comics and its fan base: What makes the runaway success of the Oracle character more remarkable is that it began during an era where bleak heroes with big guns were ruling the day. Without much fanfare, Barbara Gordon has become the most popular handicapped character since Charles Xavier. In fact, Oracle's nature as a handicapped superhero and a role model is almost never mentioned by the company or fans...There WAS some idea of her being a role model, I think... We wanted her to cope with what had happened to her and becoming, in many ways, more effective as Oracle than she ever was as Batgirl.

And we knew that others with disabilities might look at her and feel good reading about her...I don't think people 'dance around' her disabilities as they don't want to focus on them but on her character. These shouldn't be stories about a disabled person; they are stories about a compelling fascinating character who HAPPENS to be in a wheelchair and I think that's correct. Barbara isn't her handicap; there's more to her than that. Silver Age Barbara Gordon's classic Batgirl costume was designed by artist Carmine Infantino. In her original adventures during the Silver Age of Comics, Batgirl is depicted as a librarian by day, and a spirited crime-fighter by night. In her debut story, while driving to a costume ball dressed as a female version of Batman, Barbara Gordon intervenes in a kidnapping attempt on Bruce Wayne by the villainous Killer Moth, attracting the Dark Knight's attention and leading to a crime-fighting career. After a handful of guest appearances in Batman stories, she was given her own back-up strip in Detective Comics. The character was fleshed out considerably, with the shy, mousy, bookworm version of Barbara Gordon giving way to a more modern, confident character.

Devoid of her plain-Jane glasses and hair bun, Barbara dates a succession of boyfriends, including Vietnam-veteran-turned-private-investigator Jason Bard . In addition to her appearances in both Detective Comics and Batman, Batgirl made a guest appearance in World's Finest Comics #169 (1967) where she met Superman, Supergirl, Bat-Mite, and Mxyzptlk for the first time. She also fights alongside the Justice League of America against the villainous Queen Bee. Supergirl and Batgirl encounter again in Adventure Comics #381 (1969) when both heroines separately investigate a female criminal gang. Her back-up stories appear sporadically in Detective Comics until the mid-1970s. Although she occasionally partners with Robin, she more frequently works with Jason Bard, a Vietnam War veteran with a chronic knee injury who becomes a private detective. Bard is a romantic interest of Barbara's, as well. Batgirl reveals her secret identity to her father (who had already discovered it on his own), and serves as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

She moves to Washington, D.C., intending to give up her career as Batgirl and in June 1972, appeared in a story entitled "Batgirl's Last Case." Editor Julius Schwartz brought her back a year later in Superman #268 (1973), in which she has a blind date with Clark Kent, establishing their friendship, and fights alongside Superman. Batgirl and Superman team up twice more, in Superman #279 and DC Comics Presents #19. Batgirl also guest-starred in other Superman related titles such as #453 of Adventure Comics, and in Superman Family #171, where she teams with Supergirl. Bronze Age In 1975, DC created the Batman Family comic book, which ran for 20 issues. Batgirl was one of the main features in the book, frequently teaming with Robin. Batgirl meets Batwoman in Batman Family #10, when the retired superheroine returns to crime-fighting. The two fight Killer Moth and The Cavalier , and learn about each other's secret identities.

When Batman Family ended at issue #20, stories featuring these characters were merged with Detective Comics, beginning with issue #481 in 1979, and Batgirl continued her adventures there. Even after the "Batman Family" feature left Detective Comics, Batgirl continued to appear in the back-up stories through issue #519 (October 1982). Barbara Gordon as portrayed early in her Batgirl career. Crisis on Infinite Earths, a limited mini-series published in 1985, was written in order to reduce the complex history of DC Comics to a single continuity. Although Batgirl is a featured character, her role is relatively small- she delivers Supergirl's eulogy at the conclusion of the story. The conclusion of Crisis on Infinite Earths changed DC Universe continuity in many ways. Following the reboot, Barbara Gordon is born to Roger and Thelma Gordon, and she is Jim Gordon's niece/adopted daughter in current canon. Post-Crisis, Supergirl does not arrive on Earth until Gordon has established herself as Oracle; many adventures she shared with Batgirl are now retroactively described as having been experienced by Power Girl.

In Secret Origins #20: Batgirl and the Golden Age Dr. Mid-Nite (1987), Barbara Gordon's origin is rebooted by author Barbara Randal. Within the storyline, Gordon recounts the series of events that lead to her career as Batgirl, including her first encounter with Batman as a child, studying martial arts under the tutelage of a sensei, memorizing maps and blue prints of the city, excelling in academics in order to skip grades and pushing herself to become a star athlete. Modern Age: Exit Batgirl, Enter Oracle The Modern Age of Comic Books had significant changes to the comic book industry as characters became darker and psychologically complex, abandoning the light-hearted themes of earlier ages. After her back-up series of stories ended, Barbara Gordon continued to be Batgirl, but increasingly felt inconsequential in a world filled with super-powered heroes. After capturing the Commorant in Batgirl Special #1 (1988), Gordon retires her Batgirl persona. In Batman: The Killing Joke (1988), the Joker shoots Barbara, intending to drive her father James Gordon into madness. The bullet severs her spine, permanently paralyzing her from the waist down.

Gordon is grief-stricken upon learning the extent of her injuries, as is her ally and off-on again lover Dick Grayson, the original Robin currently known as Nightwing. Initially, Gordon's paralysis plunges her into a state of reactive depression. However, she soon realizes that her aptitude for and training in information sciences have provided her with tremendous skills that could be deployed to fight crime. In a world increasingly centered on technology and information, she possesses a genius-level intellect; photographic memory; deep knowledge of computers and electronics; expert skills as a hacker; and graduate training in library sciences. One night, Gordon has a dream in which an all-knowing woman (similar to Oracle at Delphi of Greek mythology) has her own face, it's then that she adopts "Oracle" as her codename. She serves as an information broker, gathering and disseminating intelligence to law enforcement organizations and members of the superhero community. In "Oracle: Year One," Oracle also trains under the tutelage of Richard Dragon, one of DC's premier martial artists, to engage in combat (using eskrima) from her wheelchair. She develops her upper-body strength and targeting skills with both firearms and batarangs.

In her second appearance as a hacker in the DC Comics universe, Oracle is featured in the 12-issue mini-series The Hacker Files (1993). In 2003, comic book authors Scott Beatty and Chuck Dixon revised Barbara Gordon’s origin with the mini-series Batgirl: Year One Gordon is a highly gifted child having graduated from high school early, but initially desires to join law enforcement as opposed to vigilantism in the previous origin myths. Former Batgirl Birds of Prey Following her paralysis and recovery from depression, Oracle founds the Birds of Prey, a team of female heroes, whom she employs as agents and extended members of the Batman team. After her unsuccessful partnership with Power Girl, Oracle later joins forces with the superheroine Black Canary. During Chuck Dixon's crossover series Hunt for Oracle, Barbara Gordon and Dinah Lance meet in person and establish a long-term friendship. They form the nucleus of the Birds of Prey organization. While Oracle serves as the basic head of operations, Black Canary becomes her full-time employee and field agent. During the 2004 cross-over event War Games, Black Mask commandeers Oracle's computers and satellites and engages in a fight to the death with Batman.

In order to prevent Batman from killing his adversary, Oracle initiates the Clock Tower's self-destruct sequence, provoking Batman to rescue her rather than continue the battle. This results in the destruction of Gordon's home and headquarters in the clock tower. Subsequently, Oracle decides to move on, and leaves Gotham City altogether. She cuts her ties with Batman, and after a temporary world trip with her team, relocates to Metropolis. In the events comprising Gail Simone's Birds of Prey: Between Dark and Dawn (2005), and Birds of Prey: The Battle Within (2005), Oracle is possessed by arch-villain Brainiac, an artificial intelligence entity, in order to become a biological being. Although Oracle overpowers Brainiac and expels him from her body, the advanced virus delivered by him remains despite his absence. The virus steadily causes cybernetic attachments to sprout all over her body. Oracle develops cyberpathic powers that allow her to psychically interact with computer information systems. Although she loses these abilities after the virus is rendered dormant following an operation by Doctor Mid-Nite, she discovers she can move her toes. However, this proves to be short-lived; Gordon remains paralyzed.

During the company wide cross-over Infinite Crisis (2005), Oracle teams with the Martian Manhunter in Metropolis to coordinate a counterstrike to the Secret Society's global jailbreak. The renewed romance between Barbara Gordon and Dick Grayson is also cut short by the Infinite Crisis storyline. When DC continuity jumps forward one year after the events of Infinite Crisis, Oracle and her team continue to work in Metropolis. Oracle works with Batman, although not on a regular basis as before. Oracle continues to lead the Birds of Prey, and expands the ranks of the operation. In Birds of Prey #99, Black Canary leaves the team and The Huntress becomes the team's de facto field leader, while Big Barda has been brought in as the group's heavy-hitter alongside a larger, rotating roster; Oracle also makes an attempt to reforge her alliance with Power Girl, however, when Oracle invites her to rejoin the team, she replies that she'll do so "when Hell freezes over." In "Whitewater," Gail Simone's final story arc on Birds of Prey (2007), Oracle and her team struggle for power with Spy Smasher, a government agent who has taken over the Birds of Prey organization.

Eventually, Spy Smasher is forced to admit her defeat and returns control of the Birds of Prey organization to Oracle. At the conclusion of the arc, Oracle also adopts Misfit into the Birds of Prey. In Countdown (2007), Oracle dispatches the Question and Batwoman to capture Trickster and Piper following their role in the murder of the Flash. She struggles to keep the identities of the world's heroes from being stolen and coordinates the response to a global crisis engineered by the Calculator, a villainous hacker and information broker. In issue #5 of the comic book series The All-New Booster Gold (2007), the title hero is given the mission of traveling back in time in order to prevent "a tragedy that he discovers never should've happened — the Joker shooting and paralyzing Barbara Gordon, Batgirl." Although Booster Gold makes several attempts to prevent the events which took place in Batman: The Killing Joke, he ultimately fails and Barbara Gordon's chronological history remains unchanged. Final Crisis and Beyond In the Final Crisis storyline, Darkseid , who has finally gained control of the Anti-Life Equation attempts to put the mind-control equation on the Internet.

Both Oracle and Mister Terrific make desperate attempts to stop Darkseid, even attempting to shut down the entire Internet. Unfortunately, they both fail and those affected ended up mindless slaves of Darkseid. Freed from Darkseid's control after the restoration of the Multi-verse, she attempts to shut down the criminal Unternet set up by her opposite number, the Calculator, as a Darkseid-free replacement for the regular Internet and still used by tech-savvy criminals. However, the Calculator, preventing her moves, takes control of the Kilg%re, gaining the ability to thrive in cyberspace by controlling digital and cybernetic avatars, and tracks Oracle down with his newfound powers. Even though Oracle foils him, she starts doubting her abilities and fears she's losing her edge and brilliance, which results in her disbanding the Birds of Prey team to do some soul-searching. Following the events of Batman: RIP and the Final Crisis, Oracle has returned back to Gotham City, and although the Birds of Prey are disbanded, she continues to summon them to help Nightwing and Robin deal with the growing crime in Gotham following the supposed death of Bruce Wayne.

The Calculator's plans finally come to their fruition, and Kuttler, hoping to save her dying daughter Wendy takes on the Babbage alias and begins prowling the digital world of Alta Viva, a virtual world game, for fragments of the Anti-Life Equation unleashed by Darkseid. Barbara, now living in a dilapidated apartment in Gotham, becomes aware of Kuttler's activities when Cheesefiend, one of her informants, is brutally killed, with the Anti-Life Equation itself, after coming in contact with Babbage. Hoping to stop the Calculator and prevent him from piecing together the fragments of the Anti-Life Equation in his possession, Oracle travels to Hong Kong, hoping to steal them back by the means of an advanced supercomputer programmed to track the chunk of data left behind by Babbage. However the Calculator discovers her attempts, swearing vengeance upon her. She manages to defeat Calculator, curing the Anti-Life Equation's fragments. Working with Leslie Thompkins, Barbara has begun to mentor the Calculator's daughter, Wendy, who was crippled following an attack at Titans Tower, which took the life of her brother Marvin.

Recently it came to Barbara's attention (thanks to Dick Grayson) that Cassandra Cain has once again stepped down from the role of Batgirl, and has been replaced by Stephanie Brown . Still seeing Stephanie as an impulsive young girl, Barbara tries to talk her out of being Batgirl. When a new recreational drug known as "Thrill" is hitting the streets of Gotham, Barbara and Stephanie work together to stop the drug trade which they discover to be run by Scarecrow and Black Mask. After Dick discovers that Barbara has approved of Stephanie as Batgirl, he and Barbara had an intense argument over Barbara's decision which eventually made him leave to resume his patrol in the city. Her father has been trying to set Barbara up on a blind date with Gotham PD's newest recruit from Coast City, Detective Nicholas Gage. After they've finally meet there was a miscommunication between the two: as Barbara thought the detective was discriminating her because of her disability but it is really because Gage senses Barbara wants to be with someone else (Dick Grayson). His instincts prove to be somewhat true, as Dick and Barbara begin working together on a kidnapping case, and despite some early attitude, begin to flirt playfully like they used to.

Blackest Night During Blackest Night, Green Lantern crashes into the Bat-Signal after a fight with the Black Lantern Martian Manhunter. Barbara and Commissioner Gordon are both present. After sending Green Lantern's intel to every superhero community across the planet of the Black Lanterns, the Gordon's find themselves being attacked by the original Dark Knight's deceased rogue gallery members, whom are all reanimated by the Black Lantern Corps. Barbara and her father are forced to fight for their lives as they witness the Black Lanterns are massacring everyone on sight at Gotham Central. During the crisis, Barbara falls under the control of Deadman , channeling Barbara's athletic capability and apparently using his own super-natural ability to allow her to stand on her own two legs, to save Commissioner Gordon from the reanimated King Snake and the Trigger Twins . After being rescued by Dick Grayson, Damian Wayne, and Tim Drake, the Gordon's are later being attacked by Dick and Tim's parents with their saviors, the reanimated Grayson's and the Drake's. While Grayson and Drake battle the Black Lanterns, Robin takes the Gordon's to their underground base where Alfred Pennyworth tends her and her father's wounds.

Barbara is later approached by Huntress and Renee Montoya (the new Question) for help in tracking down a mysterious criminal who ordered a hit on them through Philo Zeiss . DCnU Babs explains how she regained the use of her legs After the events of Flashpoint, Barbara Gordon has recovered from her injuries by the hands of Joker, and has returned to the streets as Batgirl. One of her nights back in action as Batgirl has her stopping a trio of crooks attempting to murder a couple. The fight almost turns sour when one of the crooks launches himself and her out the window. Thankfully, the couple rescued the two before they could fall (though Barbara had to correct them as they accidentally called her Batwoman). The next morning, despite James Gordon's parental protests, Barbara moves away from home, moving in with another girl with a more independent streak. However, the settling in had to wait - there was an attack at a hospital where the criminal she had stopped earlier was staying at. Arriving at the scene, she found herself confronting a murderer known as The Mirror, whose modus operandi was to kill people who survived major accidents.

Barbara attempted to stop him from taking the man's life, but she found herself paralyzed when he aimed his gun at her gut, allowing him to launch the man out the window. The police officer there opted to brand her a murderer for not being able to stop him. Back with the Birds. After she reclaimed the Batgirl mantle, Barbara handed over the reigns of the Birds of Prey to Black Canary . When Dinah formed a new team of Birds, Barbara initially declined membership, though agreed to be a part-time member as of issue 6. Powers and abilities Martial artistry According to the character's fictional biography, Barbara Gordon took numerous self-defense classes in judo and karate prior to her tenure as Batgirl and is described as being a "star athlete." Following the events of The Killing Joke, Barbara Gordon continued to train in the martial arts as Oracle, despite being paralyzed from the waist down. She has extensive skills with eskrima fighting sticks, small firearms and batarangs; she customarily keeps a pair of eskrima sticks stored in the armrests of her wheelchair as a contingency.

Technological skill Prior to the character's career as a vigilante, Barbara Gordon developed many technological skills, including vast knowledge of computers and electronics, expert skills as a hacker, and graduate training in library sciences. Gordon is also written as having a genius-level intellect and naturally possessing a photographic memory. Like Batman, Barbara Gordon originally used a wide variety of computer electronics and gadgets during her early adventures as Batgirl. These included an infrared scanner built into the cowl of her costume, various bat-inspired weaponry and the "Batgirl Cycle." According to Gail Simone, Oracle maintains control over the twelve technologically advanced satellites that were created by Lex Luthor during his tenure as President of the United States. Information broker Oracle places her considerable skills and knowledge at the disposal of many of the DC universe's heroes. She is a skilled hacker, capable of retrieving and dispersing information from private satellites, military installations, government files, and the properties of Lex Luthor. Batman, himself a genius with a wide knowledge base and access to vast information resources, routinely consults Oracle for assistance. Romance Barbara Gordon has been romantically linked to Dick Grayson , aka Nightwing. At a young age they shared their passion as Robin and Batgirl.

Nightwing was shocked and disturbed to learn of the effects of the Killing Joke, resulting in Barbara's paralysis. After the events of No Man's Land , the two fall in love. Before Infinite Crisis, Nightwing drops to one knee and proposes. Barbara tearfully accepts. During the Crisis, Grayson was shocked by raw energy, and was taken into care of Barbara's arms. When Batman asks Nightwing to help him rediscover himself, Dick is hesitant due to his engagement to Barbara. She allows him to go, telling him they were not ready for marriage. Dick sends her engagement ring with a picture of them as Robin and Batgirl, promising to return to her when the time is right. Both show genuine romantic affection towards the other, though not as a couple anymore. Grayson is rejoining the JLA with Starfire, however a recent issue of Titans stated that Dick has moved on of his past relationship with her. Barbara's father has start trying to set her up with a hotshot young detective who've just transferred from Coast City, Nicholas Gage, although he's apparently more interested in the newest Batgirl ( Stephanie Brown ) along with the fact that Barbara senses he keeps secrets despite being a supposedly honest police officer.

Another brief romance was with Jason Bard, her ex-fiancee. When Grayson left Gotham and rejoined Koriand'r , Babs found comfort in the young man's arms. The relationship fizzled and the engagement was cancelled. In a Birds of Prey comic book, the two are reunited on a mission. However, this does not last as Babs shoves him out of her life once again in favor of Grayson. In the new 52, Grayson and Babs have never officially dated, though it is clear they both seem to have feelings for each other. Gallery Batgirl Facts Batgirl Facts DC Comics Super Hero Batgirl Facts & Stats Batgirl Source: DC Comics Who's Who 1987 Now known as the Oracle Who's Who 85 has her as Height: 5'6" Base of Operations: Gotham City Marital Status: Single First Appearance: BATMAN #567 (July, 1999) Powers: martial arts skills History: Batgirl Barbara Gordon began her career by saving Bruce Wayne from a criminal called Killer Moth. She worked alongside Batman and the original Robin Dick Grayson. Her career as Batgirl was ended when she was shot by the Joker.

Now she operates as the Oracle helping fight crime with her computing skills. Batgirl II: The Huntress took over the role of Batgirl for a time but handed the mantle on to Cassandra Cain. Batgirl III: The daughter of assassin David Cain, Cassandra spent years being molded into the perfect assassin. Denied vocal stimuli, she was trained to communicate with violence. But Cain was unsuccessful in supplanting her conscience, and she eventually escaped, seeking asylum in Gotham. Since then, she has rapidly acquired language skills and made a few very deadly enemies, including Lady Shiva Wu-San, perhaps the greatest martial artist alive. Batgirl aids Batman has been taken under the wing of the original Batgirl Barbara Gordon who now goes under the name of Oracle. Allies: Batman, Robin, Oracle Batgirl Biography Batman the Animated Series (cartoon-1992) Batman & Robin (live action movie-1996) Superhuman Powers: Photographic memory; utility belt which contains battarang (bat boomerang), tear gas pellets, bola, smoke bombs, mini-binoculars, swingline with grapple; utility pocket book which has other helpful aids. She also has keen athletic and acrobatic skills.

Biography: The original Batgirl was created by Bob Kane in 1961. Betty Kane was the niece of Batwoman. Betty Cane was not a popular character during her first appearance in DC Comics. Batgirl became popular when ABC introduced Batman to TV in 1966. In this series, Batgirl was introduced as Barbara Gordon, the niece of Police Commissioner Gordon. In 1967, DC Comics reintroduced Batgirl as the niece of Commissioner Gordon as well. Barbara's mother Thelma died in a car accident when she was a young girl. Her father Roger became an alcoholic, and her uncle, James Gordon, gained custody of her when she was thirteen. She attended Gotham State University and graduated with a degree in library science. She was also accomplished in Juno, Karate, gymnastics and running. Her journey as Batgirl began with an invitation to a costume ball. Barbara decided to go as Batgirl. On her way to the ball, she saw a villain, Killer Moth, trying to kidnap Bruce Wayne. She rescues Wayne, eventually helps to capture Killer Moth, and decides to lead a life as a masked superheroine helping to protect the community from crime.

She continued to fight crime until she was shot by the Joker in the back, which paralyzed her (1989). Since she was confined to a wheelchair, Barbara continued as Oracle, a cyber-superheroine. She used her knowledge of computer skills to aid all of the superheroes in Gotham City and beyond. Two more Batgirls emerged in 1999. Helena Bertinelli, also known as the Huntress, becomes Batman II. Later in the same year, Batman and Oracle pass on the Batgirl mantle to an Asian-American assassin, who is mute. So Many Characters, So Little Time: When considering the evolution of the Batgirl character, it is interesting to consider why Betty Kane did not survive as Batgirl. Although she was reincarnated as a character named Flamebird in the Teen Titans series, she spent six years in limbo. It is possible that Catwoman, who appeared for the first time in 1940, overshadowed her good-doer counterpart. Interestingly enough, Batgirl's aunt, Batwoman, who was created in 1956, did not survive as a superheroine either. She died in 1979.

These two characters call into question the loyalty to good women in the comic book world. They start a trend of superheroines who are stripped of their powers after a period of time, while their villianness enemies continue to thrive over the years. Catwoman's popularity is also evident after the creation of her own comic book in 1993, while Batgirl III just received her own book in 2000. People seem more intrigued by evil women than good ones, at least in the realm of supernatural.

1000+ images about DC Comics: Barbara Gordon on Pinterest | Steampunk, Phil noto and Tim drake Forward Batgirl Pencil by Adam Hughes ✤ || CHARACTER DESIGN REFERENCES | キャラクターデザイン | çizgi film • Find more at & if you're looking for: bandes dessinées, dessin animé #animation #banda #desenhada #toons #manga #BD #historieta #sketch #how #to #draw #strip #fumetto #settei #fumetti #manhwa #anime #cartoni #animati #comics #cartoon || ✤ See More Barbara Gordon - Zimbio Barbara Gordon No articles yet. Overview A community portal about Barbara Gordon with blogs, videos, and photos. According to Wikipedia.org: Barbara Gordon is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics and related media. From 1967 to 1988 she was the superhero known as Batgirl ; since 1988 she has been known as Oracle.

Featured Stories Barbara Gordon (New Earth) | DC Database | Fandom powered by Wikia Barbara Gordon (New Earth) Copy Edit Needed This article suffers from a lack of quality writing . You can help the DC Database by copy editing this page, improving grammar and sentence structure to bring this article to a higher standard of quality. Poor Perry's gonna have a heart attack if you don't. History Early Life Barbara Gordon was born the daughter of Roger C. Gordon and his wife Thelma in the suburbs of Ohio . Even as a young girl, Barbara wanted nothing more than to be a super-hero . Her best friend Marcy and she would spend endless hours designing super-hero costumes and heroic identities for themselves. At this precocious age, the seeds of Barbara's future crime-fighting career began to foment. When Barbara was 13, her mother and father were tragically killed in an automobile accident (due largely to her father's drinking problem). Barbara adjusted as well as she could. After the accident, her uncle, Jim Gordon , adopted the orphaned Barbara. Jim and his wife (also named Barbara) lived hundreds of miles east in Gotham City , where James worked as the police Captain.

Barbara immediately became infatuated with the Gotham City's most legendary phantom of the night – the Batman . Barbara had become completely obsessed with the Batman and learned everything that she could about him. One evening, she snuck into her father's private home office to discover him engaged in a secret conversation with the Batman. Barbara had no idea that her adoptive father actually worked with the mysterious Dark Knight. Her obsession with the vigilante only intensified. The following morning, Barbara insisted that James enroll her in martial arts classes. While reluctant at first, he recognized that the daughter of Gotham City's police captain could definitely benefit from some knowledge of self-defense. Barbara excelled in her training and earned her black belt within a short span of time. As dedicated as she was towards her physical development, Barbara equally committed herself towards her academic achievements. Gifted with a photographic memory , she easily rose through the ranks of Gotham Heights High School, and graduated early at the age of sixteen. That same period, Barbara earned herself a scholarship to Gotham State University. She became one of the University's youngest students, graduating with honors before she was even a legal adult.

She became friends with Katarina Armstrong , but that friendship ended when Katarina tripped Barbara on the running track and won the race. They did not speak again for several years. Barbara continued with her self-defense training, this time learning the art of Jujitsu under a sensei named Dragoncat . To supplement her income, she accepted a position as a research assistant at the Gotham Public Library. Her true dream however, was to one day work in the field of law enforcement. She asked her father about joining the police academy, but James laughed at her, claiming that she did not even meet the height requirements. She also attempted to enroll at the local FBI office as a field agent, but they dismissed her, citing many of the same reasons. Batgirl Main article: Batgirl: Year One A few nights later, Barbara found an opportunity that would ultimately change her life forever. The Gotham City Police Department decided to host the Million Dollar Masquerade Ball at the Bristol Country Club. Dozens of Gotham City's most affluent leading citizens, including the likes of Bruce Wayne and J. Devlin Davenport , were expected to attend. Barbara sewed a stylish, feminine version of Batman's costume based upon designs that she first conceived as a child.

For the most part, she intended on crashing the party as this "Batgirl" merely to spite her father. [1] When she arrived however, she found that somebody else had decided to crash the party before her. A costumed criminal named Killer Moth and his cronies raided the country club, grabbing Bruce Wayne as a hostage. It was their intent to rob the charity proceeds as well as extort hundreds of thousands of dollars from Gotham's wealthiest patrons. Batgirl Barbara now found herself acting as Batgirl in deed as well as in name. She tackled Killer Moth in the hopes of rescuing Bruce Wayne from his clutches. What she did not realize though, was that Bruce Wayne was actually Batman. He allowed Batgirl to "rescue" him so that he could sneak off to change into his "work" clothes. Returning to the scene with his sidekick, Robin , Batman discovered that Killer Moth had gotten the better of Batgirl. In order to free her from the morass of Killer Moth's silk-spinner gun, they were forced to let the criminals get away. Batman chided Batgirl harshly for her foolish antics, and warned her against pursuing such a reckless lifestyle.

Hearing such criticism from a man she idolized for so long was a shock for Barbara, but it did not deter her from her chosen path. Despite his disapproval, he sent her batarangs via Dick Grayson, who subtly revealed to her that he was Robin. Barbara was able to solve the case, and by of the story, Batman swore her in an oath and also revealed his identity. The Killing Joke Joker shoots Barbara As the years went on, however, Barbara found her role as Batgirl less and less fulfilling, and she eventually more or less retired. That was when the Joker showed up at her house, shooting and paralyzing her before kidnapping her Uncle Jim. Batman rescued Jim Gordon, but 19-year-old Barbara Gordon's career as a crime fighter was over. She spent a month in a deep depression. Oracle Recognizing she could no longer be the kind of superhero she had been, she instead devoted all her time to developing one of the world's most complex and powerful computer systems and set to work accumulating information, renaming herself "Oracle." Oracle's avatar Blessed with a photographic memory, Barbara read dozens of the world's top newspapers and magazines daily.

She was also constantly gathering information from other, less public sources, such as the CIA mainframe, not to mention the data networks of the FBI, NSA and Interpol (all without their knowledge or consent).[ citation needed ] Oracle proved an absolutely invaluable resource to the Batman and his allies, as well as countless other superheroes, few of whom know anything about the person behind the name. Oracle was responsible for finding information about the Order of St. Dumas and shared it with Batman. [2] Oracle formed an alliance with fellow heroes Black Canary and The Huntress to aid those in need. Together, they were the Birds of Prey , combining their unique abilities and skills in the war against crime and terror. Having left Gotham, and after a temporary world trip with her team, Barbara relocates to Metropolis . Infected After becoming herself infected with an advanced virus delivered by Brainiac , Barbara developed cyberpathic powers that allowed her to psychically interact with computer information systems. Although she lost these abilities after the virus is rendered dormant. Following an operation by Doctor Mid-Nite, she discovered she could move her toes. However, this proves to be a short-lived effect, and Barbara remained paralyzed.

Although Barbara and Dick Grayson (now Nightwing) re-ignited their romance, Barbara ends the relationship when she feels Dick is being over-protective of her. In truth, the villain Blockbuster is attacking all areas of Dick's life. Barbara and Dick still love each other and remain in each others lives; after the destruction of Blüdhaven by The Society, Dick proposed and Barbara accepted. However, their romance is cut short. Alexander Luthor's master plan to recreate the multiverse relied upon diverting the attention of the world's heroes. Dick was severely injured in the battle for Metropolis, and Barbara stayed by his side as he recovered. When Batman asked Dick to join him on his quest to recreate Batman, Dick is torn because of his engagement to Barbara. Barbara returned the engagement ring because she felt that Dick needed a soul-searching quest as much as his mentor, and understood that she and Dick were not ready for marriage. Dick went with Batman, but left Barbara a note, the ring, and a photograph of them as Robin and Batgirl, promising to come back to her.

One Year Later Oracle and her team were still working in Metropolis when Barbara started working with Batman, although not on a regular basis as before; as she preferred to work primarily with her own agents. Oracle was not immediately aware of Cassandra's retirement as Batgirl, nor her subsequent take-over of the League of Assassins (Cassandra becomes a sore point with Oracle: she slaps Misfit, a metahuman girl pretending to be Batgirl, for merely mentioning Cassandra's name). The Birds of Prey split up Barbara continued to lead the Birds of Prey, and expanded the ranks of the operation. Black Canary left the team, having decided to devote herself to raising her adopted daughter, Sin . Huntress remained as the de facto field leader for the team, and Big Barda was brought in as the group's heavy-hitter alongside a larger, rotating roster. Oracle and her team struggled for power with Spy Smasher , a government agent who had taken over the Birds of Prey organization. After the completion of a mission in Russia in which the team rescues the resurrected Ice , Barbara challenged Spy Smasher to a hand-to-hand fight: the winner takes the Birds of Prey.

Although Barbara won the fight, Spy Smasher reneged on the deal. Every agent Oracle had ever employed, male and female, appeared to provide support. Black Canary leads the group and, deploying reason and threats, convinces Spy Smasher that the Birds of Prey cannot exist without Oracle in charge. Spy Smasher is forced to admit defeat. Barbara found Misfit, discovers she is an orphan, and adopts her into the Birds of Prey. Countdown Main article: Batman: Battle for the Cowl When Darkseid gained control of the Anti-Life Equation , he attempted to put the mind-control equation on the Internet. Both Oracle and Mister Terrific made desperate attempts to stop Darkseid, even attempting to shut down the entire Internet. Unfortunately, they both failed and those affected ended up mindless slaves of Darkseid. Facing the Joker again Freed from Darkseid's control after the restoration of the Multiverse , she attempted to shut down the criminal "Unternet" set up by her opposite number, the Calculator, as a Darkseid-free replacement for the regular Internet and still used by tech-savvy criminals.

However, the Calculator, preventing her moves, took control of the Maxwell Lord , gaining the ability to thrive in cyberspace by controlling digital and cybernetic avatars, and tracked Oracle down with his newfound powers. Even though Oracle foiled him, she started doubting her abilities and feared she was losing her edge and brilliance, which resultsed in her disbanding the Birds of Prey team to do some soul-searching. [15] After Bruce Wayne's apparent death, Barbara learned of Nightwing's hardships and visited him at his base in New York City , where she managed to break in and upgraded his security systems as a favor. [16] Some time later, on her birthday, Dick took Barbara skydiving. [17] When Nightwing returned to Gotham, he summoned a group of heroes that would team up to maintain order in the city. Oracle returned to Gotham and resumed her position as main informant for the Bat-Family, and her first act was the summoning of the Outsiders to Gotham. [18] Later, she reported Arkham Asylum's destruction to Nightwing and also about a mysterious assassin whose M.O. resembled to that of Azrael.

[19] Oracle's surveillance system spotted this new Azrael [20] and also a new vigilante acting as Batman. [21] Later, she was able to locate Damian , allowing Nightwing to go to the kid's location. [22] Oracle: The Cure Having settled in a low-rent apartment, Barbara started searching for the fragments of the Anti-Life Equation and discovered that the Calculator was collecting them, hoping to save his dying daughter Wendy with it. [23] Later, Oracle organized a plan of action when she uncovered a gambling rake by Hugo Strange , which she disabled with help from Batgirl, Huntress, Manhunter, Misfit and Ragman . [24] Hoping to stop the Calculator from getting the Anti-Life Equation, Oracle travelled to Hong Kong to steal Calculator's data by the means of an advanced supercomputer, but after getting the data, Calculator tracked her signal and almost destroyed her. [25] Oracle returned to Gotham, where she managed to defeat Calculator, curing the Anti-Life Equation's fragments and she vowed to help Wendy, who had become paralyzed, just like Barbara.

[26] Batgirl Rising Powers: martial arts skills more info Brief History: Batgirl Barbara Gordon began her career by saving Bruce Wayne from a criminal called Killer Moth. She worked alongside Batman and the original Robin Dick Grayson. Her career as Batgirl was ended when she was shot by the Joker. Now she operates as the Oracle helping fight crime with her computing skills. Batgirl II: The Huntress took over the role of Batgirl for a time but handed the mantle on to Cassandra Cain. more info Batgirl III: The daughter of assassin David Cain, Cassandra spent years being molded into the perfect assassin. Denied vocal stimuli, she was trained to communicate with violence. But Cain was unsuccessful in supplanting her conscience, and she eventually escaped, seeking asylum in Gotham. Since then, she has rapidly acquired language skills and made a few very deadly enemies, including Lady Shiva Wu-San, perhaps the greatest martial artist alive. Batgirl aids Batman and has been taken under the wing of the original Batgirl Barbara Gordon who now goes under the name of Oracle. Allies: Batman, Robin, Oracle Enemies: The Joker, Penguin, Riddler, Two-face, Mr.

Freeze, Poison Ivy, Catwoman, etc more info Media: Movies: Batman & Robin 1997 - Alicia Silverstone as Batgirl Television: Batman TV series 1966-1968 - Yvonne Craig as Batgirl Birds of Prey 2002 - Dina Meyer as Oracle and Batgirl Cartoons: The Adventures of Batman 1969 The New Adventures of Batman on CBS ( Later became the Batman/Tarzan Adventure Hour) Batman the Animated Series 1992 Batman Beyond 1999 - Batman in the future where older Barbara Gordon appears. Justice League 2001 Batgirl | Ultimate Pop Culture Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Ultimate Pop Culture Wiki Share Ad blocker interference detected! Wikia is a free-to-use site that makes money from advertising. We have a modified experience for viewers using ad blockers Wikia is not accessible if you’ve made further modifications. Remove the custom ad blocker rule(s) and the page will load as expected. Art from Wizard Magazine (2006), featuring Barbara Gordon and Cassandra Cain as Batgirl. Art by Matt Haley and Davud Hahn .

Batgirl is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics , depicted as female counterparts to the superhero Batman . Originally created by Bob Kane and Sheldon Moldoff , the first incarnation of the character, the "Bat-Girl" Betty Kane , debuted in Batman #139 (1961). Following the promotion of Julius Schwartz to editor of the Batman-related comic book titles in 1964, the Bat-Girl character was removed from publication and replaced by the "new" Batgirl Barbara Gordon in 1967. The new character was introduced in Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino 's Detective Comics #359, entitled "The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl". The Barbara Gordon version of Batgirl made regular appearances in Batman-related comics from 1966 to 1988. The official retirement of Batgirl took place in Batgirl Special #1 (June 1988), which was published a few months after Barbara Gordon's shooting by The Joker in the graphic novel Batman: The Killing Joke (March 1988).

Editor Kim Yale and comic book author John Ostrander later reinvented Barbara Gordon as Oracle , the premier information broker of the DC Comics Universe and leader of the Birds of Prey organization. In the 1999 story Batman: No Man's Land , Helena Bertinelli briefly assumes the role of Batgirl, until she is stripped of the identity by Batman towards the conclusion of the story for violating his stringent codes. Within the same year, a new character introduced during the No Man's Land series, named Cassandra Cain , created by Kelley Puckett and Damion Scott , becomes the third Batgirl, and she is mentored by Batman and Oracle. Cassandra Cain was the first version of the Batgirl character to be featured in an eponymous monthly series, which was canceled in 2006, ending with Cain relinquishing her title as Batgirl.

During the "Headhunt" arc of the Birds of Prey comic book series, the Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe character created by Gail Simone temporarily took the name of Batgirl, but was eventually forced to abandon the role by Oracle and subsequently adopted the alias " Misfit ." Following the events of the limited series 52 (2006), the Cassandra Cain character reclaimed her former identity as Batgirl. DC has announced a new "Batgirl" comic series will begin August 2009, but the company has not specified which version of the character will star. Contents Main article: Betty Kane Following the accusations of homosexuality between Batman and Robin as described in Fredric Wertham 's book Seduction of the Innocent (1954), a female character, Kathy Kane the Batwoman , was introduced in 1956 as a love interest for Batman. [1] In 1961, a second female character was introduced as a love interest for Robin. [1] Betty Kane the "Bat-Girl" was depicted as the niece and side-kick to Batwoman and first appeared in Batman #139 (1961).

[2] The creation of the Batman Family, which included Batman and Batwoman depicted as parents, Robin and Bat-Girl depicted as their children, the extraterrestrial imp Bat-Mite and the "family pet" Ace the Bat-Hound , caused the Batman-related comic books to take "a wrong turn, switching from superheroes to situational comedy". [1] These characters were abandoned in 1964 when newly appointed Batman editor Julius Schwartz concluded they were inappropriate. [3] Schwartz had asserted that these characters should be removed, considering the Batman related comic books had steadily declined in sales, and restored the Batman mythology to its original conception of heroic vigilantism. [1] Bat-Girl, along with other characters in the Batman Family, were retconned out of existence following the 1985 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths . [4] However, even though Bat-Girl did not exist in the Post-Crisis continuity, a modified version of the character, Mary Elizabeth "Bette" Kane, was introduced as the superhero Flamebird , who continues to appear in DC Comics publications.

[5] Barbara Gordon Main article: Barbara Gordon A new Batgirl -- Barbara "Babs" Gordon, the daughter of Batman supporting character Police commissioner James Gordon -- debuted in Detective Comics #359 (cover-dated January 1967, but released in November 1966). [6] In her debut, Gordon is on her way to a masquerade ball dressed as a female version of Batman when she disrupts a kidnapping attempt on Bruce Wayne by the villainous Killer Moth . This attracts the attention of Batman and leads to her establishing a crime-fighting career. This new character, jointly created by Editor Julius Schwartz, artist Carmine Infantino and author Gardner Fox, was a collaboration between DC Comics and the Batman television series of the late 1960s which aired on ABC . When television producer William Dozier sought to renew the Batman program for a third season, he asked Schwartz for a new female character to be introduced in the comic book medium, which could be adapted into the television series in order to attract a female audience. [1] The new version of Batgirl was written as an adult, having earned a doctorate in library science and maintaining a career as head of Gotham City Public Library.

[7] As Batgirl, Barbara Gordon proved to be more popular than the previous Bat-Girl and Batwoman characters combined. Barbara Gordon appeared as Batgirl in both Batman and Detective Comics, as well as other DC Comics publications unrelated to Batman. The character also received a starring role in the Batman Family comic book series which debuted in 1975, where she became part of the "Dynamite Duo: Batgirl & Robin" with Dick Grayson. [8] Described as one of the most popular characters to appear in publications during the Silver Age of Comic Books, [7] Barbara Gordon appeared as Batgirl regularly from 1966 to 1988, and she is frequently featured as Batgirl in "flashback" stories in current DC Comics publications. After relinquishing her role as Batgirl in the 1988 one-shot comic Batgirl Special #1, [9] Barbara Gordon is shot through the spinal cord and crippled by the Joker in Batman: The Killing Joke. [10] The plot, which led to Gordon's paralysis, subsequently became a point of controversy among critics and commentators.

[11] Editor Kim Yale and author John Ostrander revive the character in Suicide Squad #23 (1989) under the guise of Oracle, a freelance information broker and expert hacker. [12] As Oracle, Barbara Gordon is written as an ally to various DC Universe superheroes, but is most notable as the founder and head of operations of the Birds of Prey organization. Helena Bertinelli Main article: Huntress (Helena Bertinelli) Eleven years after the editorial retirement of Barbara Gordon as Batgirl, a new version of the character was introduced in Shadow of the Bat #83 during the maxiseries Batman: No Man's Land (1999). [13] In Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #120 (1999), the new Batgirl is revealed to be Helena Bertinelli, an established DC comics superhero alternatively known as the Huntress. [14] Bertinelli is eventually forced to abandon the mantle by Batman. [15] After reclaiming her identity as the Huntress, Bertinelli later joins Oracle's Birds of Prey, becoming the second former Batgirl to be on the team's roster.

[16] Cassandra Cain Main article: Cassandra Cain Depicted as a martial arts child prodigy , Cassandra Cain is written as a young woman of partly Asian descent who becomes the third in-continuity Batgirl, with the approval of both Batman and Oracle, following her introduction in Batman #567 (1999) as part of the Batman: No Man's Land crossover. [17] Cassandra Cain wears the same Batgirl costume worn by Helena Bertinelli. Raised by assassin David Cain , Cassandra Cain was not taught spoken language, but instead was taught to "read" physical movement. Subsequently, Cain's only form of communication was body language. [18] The parts of the character's brain normally used for speech were trained so Cain could read other people's body language and predict, with uncanny accuracy, their next move. This also caused her brain to develop learning functions different from most, a form of dyslexia that hampers her abilities to read and write. Despite Cain's disability, author Andersen Gabrych describes the character's unique form of language as the key factor in what makes Cain an excellent detective; the ability to walk into a room and "know" something is wrong based on body language.

[18] During the first arc of the Batgirl comic book series entitled Silent Running, Cassandra Cain encounters a psychic who "reprograms" her brain, enabling her to comprehend verbal language, while simultaneously losing the ability to predict movements. [19] This issue is resolved during the second arc of the series, Batgirl: A Knight Alone, when Batgirl encounters the assassin Lady Shiva who agrees to teach her how to predict movement once again. [20] Six years after its debut, DC Comics canceled the Batgirl comic book series with issue #73 (2006), ending with Cain relinquishing her role as Batgirl. [21] When DC Comics continuity skipped forward one year after the events of the limited series Infinite Crisis , Cassandra Cain is revived as leader of the League of Assassins , having abandoned her previous characterization as an altruist . The character's progression from hero to villain angered some of her fans and was accompanied by heavy criticism. [22] Cain reprised her role as Batgirl in the " Titans East " (2007) storyline of Teen Titans , [23] where it was discovered that she had been influenced by a mind-altering drug administered by supervillain Deathstroke the Terminator .

Following the conclusion of the storyline, DC Comics has restored Cain's original characterization as a superhero and the character has been given a supporting role in the comic book series Batman and the Outsiders . Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe Main article: Misfit (DC Comics) During the "Headhunt" arc of Birds of Prey by Gail Simone, a "new" Batgirl emerges in Gotham City, who is soon revealed to be a teenager named Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe; a young girl with inherent superpowers. [24] [25] After encountering Oracle face to face, Gage-Radcliffe is forced to abandon her career as a vigilante. However, the character later returns in Birds of Prey #101 under the alias "Misfit", becoming the third former Batgirl to be affiliated with Oracle's organization. [26] Character attributes Edit Betty Kane's Bat-Girl was primarily interested in vigilantism in order to develop a relationship with the original Robin, Dick Grayson, as her introduction into publication was a deliberate attempt to avoid further allegations of homosexuality that Seduction of the Innocent presented to the public.

[14] Depicted as the niece of Batwoman, Bat-Girl had developed a crush on Robin after arriving in Gotham City and decided to fashion her own superhero persona based on Robin's costume. Her appearance in comic books primarily displayed her character attempting to develop a romantic relationship with Robin, despite his embarrassment or lack of interest. [1] When Julius Swartz asked Carmine Infantino for a redesign of the Bat-Girl character, Infantino recalled Betty Kane's character as a "pesky girl version of Robin", and decided to come up with something more original. [27] Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino's new "Batgirl" was written as an adult and as a career woman working as head of Gotham City Public Library. Though the Barbara Gordon character saw Batman as her inspiration and idol, fashioning her crime-fighting persona after him, her primary concern was solving cases and often worked independently from Batman and Robin. Batgirl was primarily featured in Detective comics in stories separate from the Dynamic Duo. [7] Adaptations in other media Main article: Barbara Gordon in other media Batgirl as portrayed by Yvonne Craig in the 1960s Batman television series.

A pop culture icon , the Barbara Gordon version of Batgirl has been adapted into all media relating to the Batman franchise including merchandise , television , animation , video game, [28] and feature film . The Barbara Gordon Batgirl, jointly inspired by producer William Dozier and DC Comics editor Julius Schwartz, [14] appeared in the final season of the live-action Batman television series in 1967, promptly following the character's comic book debut. [29] Actress Yvonne Craig was featured in a promotional short, which was shown to ABC executives in order to not only add Batgirl to the cast, but ensure a third season for the television series. [30] As Barbara Gordon, Craig was a replica of her comic book counterpart, working as a librarian for Gotham City Public Library; she led a double life as Batgirl, helping Batman, Robin and the Gotham City police department to solve an array of cases. [30] Although Craig's addition to the cast was able to renew the program for a third season, it did not save the series from cancellation; [31] Batman was officially canceled in March 1968.

[32] Barbara Gordon's Batgirl made her first animated appearance in Batman with Robin the Boy Wonder [33] in 1968 and was also adapted into its successor animated program The New Adventures of Batman in 1977. [34] During the 1990s and 2000s, Barbara Gordon appears as Batgirl in the series of animated programs and animated films which comprise the DC Animated Universe ; these include Batman: The Animated Series , [35] Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero , The New Batman Adventures , [36] and Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker . A younger version of the Barbara Gordon character also played a recurring role in the animated series entitled The Batman . [37] In addition to animated adaptations, the Barbara Gordon version of Batgirl served as the inspiration for the character Barbara Wilson in the 1997 feature film Batman & Robin . Departing from the comic book character's history, the alternate version of Barbara is portrayed by Alicia Silverstone as the niece of Alfred Pennyworth , Bruce Wayne's butler and Batman's loyal assistant.

[38] The short-lived Birds of Prey television series, which aired on The WB network in 2002, features a paralyzed Barbara Gordon donning her Batgirl costume after creating a device that allows her to walk. [39] The series featured Dina Meyer as Barbara Gordon, in a future where she has been paralyzed by the Joker and operates as Oracle. [38] Cultural impact Edit The depiction of the Barbara Gordon incarnation of Batgirl as a career-oriented woman, coupled with her alter-ego as a crimefighter, is considered to be symbolic of the women's empowerment movement of the 1960s according to critic and historian Peter Sanderson . [40] Gordon's career as a librarian also represented a "valued and honored profession" within mainstream American comics, despite the fact that comic books were not considered to be a respectable pastime by library professionals.

[7] ...likely explanations for why Batgirl's alter ego was a librarian are (a) librarianship was at the time an established and acceptable occupation for a(n) (unmarried) young woman, and (b) Barbara Gordon's job as a seemingly meek and passive librarian had to be considered an ideal contrast to her truly significant (and exciting) work as Batgirl. [7] Actress Yvonne Craig , who was cast as Batgirl during the final season of the Batman television series, also portrayed the character in the 1972 public service announcement for the United States Department of Labor advocating equal pay . [41] Craig has stated her portrayal of Batgirl remains a symbol of women's empowerment. [42] Despite this, the Batgirl character has often been criticized for being an uninspiring female variation of Batman. [43] Compared to Wonder Woman, described as "the principal icon of superhero women", Batgirl has been disregarded as a derivative of her male counterpart.

[44] When Yvonne Craig portrayed Batgirl in the Batman television series, she was not allowed to engage in hand-to-hand combat; her fight scenes were all based on choreographed dance routines of Broadway showgirls, some claimed this made her appear as an inferior version of Batman but it actually made her appear more graceful. [45] See also Daniels, Les. Batman: The Complete History. Chronicle Books , 2004. ISBN 0811842320 Daniels, Les. DC Comics: Sixty Years of the World's Favorite Comic Book Heroes. Bulfinch , 1995. ISBN 0-821-22076-4 Early, Frances H. Kennedy, Kathleen. Athena's Daughters: Television's New Women Warriors. Syracuse University Press, 2003. ISBN 0815629680 Flood, Michael. International Encyclopedia of Men and Masculinities. Routledge , 2007. ISBN 9780415333436 Mainon, Dominique. Ursini, James.

The Modern Amazons: Warrior Women on Screen. Hal Leonard, 2006. ISBN 0879103272 Nolen-Weathington, Eric. Modern Masters Volume 3: Bruce Timm. TwoMorrows Publishing , 2004. ISBN 1893905306 Terrace, Vincent. Crime Fighting Heroes of Television: Over 10,000 Facts from 151 Shows, 1949-2001. McFarland, 2002. ISBN 0786413956 Zimmerman, David A. Comic Book Character: Unleashing the Hero in Us All. InterVarsity Press, 2004. ISBN 0830832602 </dl> 1000+ images about DC:: Barbara Gordon on Pinterest | Batgirl costume, Supergirl and Phil noto Pinterest • The world’s catalog of ideas DC:: Barbara Gordon 193 Pins167 Followers Barbara Gordon, the second Batgirl made and one of the most popular thanks to 1960's Batman with Yvonne Craig.

She is the duaghter of Commissioner Gordon and partner to Batman. She first came a long with the alias of Batgirl and worked side by side with Batman and Robin(Dick Grayson) until she was shot in the spine paralyzing her for life by Joker in the Killing Joke when he came for her father. After that she took up the alter ego of Oracle, helping the bat family from the bat computer.

Question: By what name was Barbara Gordon known in DC Comics from 1967 to the mid-1980s?
Answer: BATGIRL