Oracle
Barbara as Oracle.
Promotional art for Birds of Prey #58 (2003).
Art by Ed Benes.
Publisher
DC Comics
First appearance
as Batgirl:
Detective Comics #359
(January 1967)
as Oracle:
Suicide Squad #23
(January 1989)
Created by
Gardner Fox
Carmine Infantino
Characteristics
Alter ego
Barbara Gordon
Affiliations
Birds of Prey
Batman Family
Seven Soldiers of Victory
Suicide Squad
Justice League
Notable aliases
Batgirl, Amy Beddoes, Oracle
Abilities
Skilled martial artist,
Genius-level intellect;
Barbara Gordon is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics and related media. From 1966 to 1988 she was the superhero known as Batgirl; since 1989 she has been known as Oracle.
Barbara Gordon 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. On her way to a costume ball dressed as a female version of Batman, Barbara 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.
In her original adventures during the Silver Age, Batgirl is depicted as a librarian by day, and a spirited crimefighter by night. After a handful of guest appearances in Batman stories, she was given her own back-up strip in Detective Comics. This allowed the character to be fleshed out considerably, with the shy, mousy, bookworm version of Barbara Gordon quickly giving way to a more modern, confident character. Devoid of her plain-Jane glasses and hair bun, Barbara starts to date what would become a succession of boyfriends, the most popular being Vietnam-veteran-turned-private-investigator Jason Bard.
Barbara proved to be more popular than her predecessor (Bette Kane, the Bat-Girl), as readers requested for her to appear in other titles. In addition to her appearances in both Detective Comics and Batman, Batgirl made a guest appearance in World's Finest Comics 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. She encounters Supergirl again in Adventure Comics #381 when both heroines separately investigate a female criminal gang.
Her back-up stories ran sporadically in Detective Comics until the mid 1970s. During this time, Barbara revealed her secret identity to her father (who had already discovered it on his own), and served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. She moved to Washington, D.C., intending to give up her career as Batgirl.
Editor Julius Schwartz brought her back in Superman #268, where she has a blind date with Clark Kent, establishing their friendship, and allowing Batgirl to fight alongside Superman. Batgirl and Superman team up twice more, in Superman #279 and DC Comics Presents #19. She also teamed up with Supergirl in Superman Family #171, and the two became close friends, with Batgirl delivering Supergirl's eulogy during the Crisis on Infinite Earths storyline.
In 1975, DC created the Batman Family comic book, which ran for 20 issues. Batgirl became one of the main features in the book, frequently teaming with Robin. Dick Grayson (Robin's alter ego) served as Barbara's summer intern, building a friendship between the two. Soon they discovered each other's alternate identities. During this time, Barbara dated Senator Tom Cleary. Dick, who was dating fellow college student Lori Elton, had a crush on Barbara that was not reciprocated. The "Dynamite Duo" teaming of Batgirl and Robin fought the criminal organization M.A.Z.E., supervillains Huntress, Sportsmaster, the Outsider, and Duela Dent, who later appeared in the Teen Titans as the Harlequin.
Barbara met Batwoman in Batman Family #10, when the retired superheroine returned to her crime-fighting career. The two fought Killer Moth and Cavalier, and learnt about each other's secret identities. They formed a friendship and teamed up twice more in Batman Family and again alongside the Freedom Fighters.
Barbara also met Helena Wayne, the Huntress and daughter of the Batman and Catwoman in the parallel universe "Earth-Two," in Batman Family #17.
When Batman Family ended at issue #20, the concept of the comic merged with Detective Comics, beginning with issue #481 in 1979, and Batgirl continued her adventures. Even after the "Batman Family" concept left Detective Comics, Batgirl continued to appear in the back-up features through issue #519 (October 1982). She returned to Gotham City and took a job as a social worker, fighting villains such as Lady Snake and the Velvet Tiger. Supergirl visited Gotham and shared an adventure with her. Later, Batgirl was shot and nearly killed by the criminal Commorant; while recovering, she had a serious crisis of faith and briefly retired. After a talk with Batman, however, she returned to face down and capture Commorant, and returned to crimefighting.
After her back-up series of stories ended, Barbara continued to be Batgirl, but increasingly felt unnecessary in a world filled with super-powered heroes. She expressed her doubts to Supergirl during the Crisis on Infinite Earths. Finally, after capturing the Commorant again in Batgirl Special #1 (1988), Barbara retired her Batgirl persona (although later stories revealed she occasionally put the costume back on for special cases).
Main article: Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths changed DC Universe continuity in many ways.
In the new continuity, Barbara was born to Roger and Thelma Gordon, and is Jim Gordon's niece.
(In Batman: Gotham Knights #6, Batman discovered a letter that Barbara had been keeping in a safe deposit box that had been stolen. The letter revealed that Barbara knew Jim Gordon had dated her mother Thelma before she married Roger, and that there is a chance that Jim Gordon might be her biological father, although he is not aware of that. Barbara has stated that she has not confronted Jim about this, not because she is afraid it might be true, but because she is afraid it might not be).
She showed interest at a young age in superheroes, often dressing up as one. Barbara's mother and aunt were killed in a car accident, partly caused by her father's drinking. Roger began drinking heavily and started taking his aggression out on Barbara. Barbara took on a great deal of responsibilities to cover for her father, consoling herself by thinking her father was not the same man she had once known. Eventually Roger's drinking and self-abuse caused his death.
James Gordon adopted his orphaned niece. James "Jim" Gordon, his wife (also named Barbara), and their son lived in Gotham City, where he worked as a Police Captain (Batman: Year One). Although James and young Barbara initially did not get along, with time they grew close (Secret Origins #20) - Barbara came to think of him as her father (which he already was, legally).
Barbara was a highly gifted child, hard working in martial arts, and graduated from High School at an early age. In college she accepted a position as a research assistant at the Gotham Public Library, although she dreamed of one day working in law enforcement. This was a source of conflict between her and Jim, as she didn't even meet the height requirements and he felt she needed a less dangerous life. She attempted to enroll in the FBI as a field agent, but they dismissed her, mostly for her physical build.
Angry at her father, Barbara crashed the Gotham City Police Department's annual Ball dressed in feminine version of Batman's costume. However, Killer Moth, a costumed criminal, attempted to rob the event, and Barbara now found herself taking on the "Batgirl" persona she was dressed as to defeat him. This proved to be the start of a successful crime-fighting career for her. Batman and Robin soon took active role in training Barbara once she became Batgirl. Much of this training was covered in the nine-issue mini-series Batgirl: Year One, which updated her origin. Although Barbara's time as a Congresswoman has not been mentioned often, it was included in her post-Crisis on Infinite Earths origin story in Secret Origins #20 (1987), and again in Hawk and Dove #22-24 (1991). Since then, it has rarely, if ever, been mentioned.
Post-Crisis Supergirl did not arrive on Earth until Barbara has already established herself as Oracle. Many of her earlier adventures (including some shared with Batgirl) were retroactively participated in by Power Girl instead. In addition, Barbara and Dick Grayson had been lovers at some time in the past, and she had once been engaged to Jason Bard, who is no longer a Vietnam veteran but is still a private investigator (and former Gotham City policeman).
In Batman: The Killing Joke, a graphic novel by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland, the Joker, as part of his plan to drive James Gordon into madness, shoots Barbara, severing her spine and ending her career as Batgirl forever. As noted, she was selected because she was Commissioner Gordon's daughter; the Joker was ironically unaware of her connection to his arch-nemesis.
Initially, Barbara's paralysis plunges her into a period of depression. Eventually, she realizes that, in a world increasingly centered on technology and information, she had a tremendous repository of skills which could be potentially useful to fight crime. These qualities include a genius-level intellect, a photographic memory, a vast knowledge of computers and electronics, expert skills as a hacker, and her training as a librarian.
After having a dream where Barbara (in her previous Batgirl persona) sees an all-knowing woman (similar to Oracle at Delphi of Greek mythology), she adopts Oracle as her new codename. She now acts as an information broker, gathering and disseminating intelligence to law enforcement organizations and members of the superhero community. She has also trained under the tutelege of Richard Dragon, one of the world's premier martial artists, to engage in combat (usually eskrima) from her wheelchair should the need arise.
Barbara first uses the Oracle identity to assist her father on an extremely difficult murder investigation, and later takes it to the Suicide Squad. For a time, she relocates to Belle Reve prison in Louisiana to work with the team under the alias of "Amy Beddoes". After leaving the Suicide Squad, she returned to Gotham City and begins aiding Batman and his protegés frequently, as well as many other heroes. Just after her debut as Oracle in the pages of the Suicide Squad, Barbara appeared in the 12-issue mini-series The Hacker Files. This was her second appearance as a hacker in the DC Comics universe.
Later she joined the Justice League of America, and was an active member for some time, serving as the team's primary information and communications resource. She is currently on inactive status with the group. In mainstream DC continuity, an alternate-reality Batgirl/Barbara Gordon was granted posthumous honorary membership in the League after she sacrificed herself to defeat Parallax. Therefore, two different Barbara Gordons are members of the Justice League: one as Oracle, the other as Batgirl.
Barbara founds the Birds of Prey, a team of female heroes, whom she employs as agents. Her first agent is Power Girl. When an early case goes wrong and several deaths resulted from it, Power Girl quits working with Oracle on a regular basis. While she helps out Oracle occasionally afterwards, after the events of Infinite Crisis, when Power Girl is invited to rejoin the team she replies she would do so "when Hell freezes over".
Barbara regroups and joins forces with superheroine Black Canary. The two, who shared a similar background – both having lost their original abilities while fighting crime, yet managing to overcome – would later meet and become best friends (Birds of Prey #29), and form the nucleus of the Birds of Prey.
In time, the Huntress joins the team as a full-time agent, as do Lady Blackhawk and Vixen. Over time, Barbara's team grows and changes, but Huntress and Lady Blackhawk remain central agents.
During the "No Man's Land" storyline, Barbara keeps a record of what is happening in Gotham City by employing various teenagers to be her eyes and ears on the street. One of these teenaged agents is Cassandra Cain, who later saves Jim Gordon's life. Realizing that Cassandra is one of the world's top martial artists, and knowing that Batman needs as many allies as possible during this time, Barbara gives her blessing for Cassandra to become the new Batgirl. Barbara becomes Cassandra's guardian/mentor for a lengthy time period, teaching her how to become more human, since her father, David Cain, had only trained her to be a weapon.
After Batman usurps her computers and satellites during his battle with Black Mask in the "War Games" story line, which result in the destruction of her home and headquarters in the clock tower, Barbara decides that it is time for her to move on, and leaves Gotham. She cuts ties with Batman, and after a temporary world trip with her team, moves to Metropolis.
Barbara becomes infected with a virus from Brainiac and discovers that she has cyberpathic powers and can psychically interact with computer systems. After she kills the virus, she loses those abilities. As a side effect of the virus, when she is operated on by Doctor Mid-Nite with the help of Superman and Cyborg, she discovers she can now move her toes (Birds of Prey #85). She underwent some rehabilitation subsequently, but as of issue #100 still uses a wheelchair.
At long last, Barbara and Dick Grayson (who is now the superhero Nightwing) re-ignite their love affair, and it is carried out in the pages of Birds of Prey and Nightwing. Barbara later ends the relationship when she feels Dick is being over-protective of her. In truth, Dick is being attacked in all areas of his life by the Blockbuster. She and Dick still love each other and remain in each other's lives. After the destruction of Blüdhaven by The Society, Dick proposes to her and Barbara accepts.
Their romantic reunion is cut short by the Infinite Crisis storyline. Alexander Luthor's master plan of recreating the Multiverse relies in part on keeping the heroes of the world preoccupied with mass breakouts from every prison and mental institution in the country. In opposition, Oracle serves as a communication link between as many heroes as possible, assembling teams with the help of the Martian Manhunter. As the battle rages on in the heart of Metropolis, Oracle and the Martian Manhunter organize their counter-attacks until the rest of their allies arrive.
Dick is severely injured in the battle, and Barbara stays by his side as he recovers. When Batman asks Dick to join him on his quest to recreate Batman, Dick is torn because of his engagement to Barbara. Barbara returns the engagement ring because she feels that Dick needs a soul-searching quest as much as his mentor, and understands that she and Dick aren't ready for marriage. Dick goes with Batman, but leaves Barbara a note, the ring and a photograph of them as Robin and Batgirl, promising to come back to her.
Main article: One Year Later
A year after the events of Infinite Crisis, Oracle and her team continue to work in Metropolis and she is again working with Batman although not on a regular basis as before. Instead she prefers to work primarily with her agents. Oracle is not immediately aware of Cassandra's retirement as Batgirl, nor her subsequent actions of taking over the League of Assassins. Cassandra becomes a touchy subject with Oracle shortly there after, to the point that she slaps a girl pretending to be Batgirl, for merely mentioning Cassandra's name.
Barbara continues to lead the Birds of Prey, even after Black Canary leaves, and is currently engaged in a battle with Spy Smasher who is trying to take down the Birds of Prey organization.
As Oracle, Barbara has many technological skills, a genius-level intellect, photographic memory, a vast knowledge of computers and electronics, expert skills as a hacker, and her training as a librarian. Oracle's skills and knowledge are used not only by the Birds of Prey team she heads, but by many members of the DC Universe. Even Batman, who himself has a wide knowledge base and access to vast information resources, routinely consults Oracle for assistance.
Barbara was infected with a sentient computer virus, and gained the ability to mentally interact with computers. However, she lost this power when the virus was surgically removed.
Despite being paralyzed from the waist down, Oracle still utilizes her martial arts training, and has extensive skills with escrima fighting sticks and batarangs; she customarily keeps a pair of escrima sticks stored in the armrests of her wheelchair as a contingency.
In the Amalgam Comics title Bruce Wayne, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., Barbara Gordon and Black Cat are merged together as Black Bat.
In Batgirl and Robin: Thrillkiller, Barbara Gordon is a rebellious young woman in the early 1960s who becomes a thrillseeking vigilante with her boyfriend, a circus acrobat named Richard Greystark, who used the alias Dick Grayson. A sequel, Thrillkiller '62, teamed her with Bruce Wayne as Batman.
In Superman & Batman: Generations, Barbara is James Gordon's granddaughter.
The Lovecraftian Elseworld The Doom That Came to Gotham features a version of Oracle. Completely paralyzed following an undisclosed accident, Barbara Gordon's artificial voicebox also gives her the power to speak to the dead.
In the one-shot comic "Elseworld's Finest: Supergirl & Batgirl," Barbara Gordon, as a wealthy novelist, is depicted as a take-no-prisoners Batgirl in a world where Batman and Superman never existed. Other heroes fear and respect Batgirl, but eventually she and Supergirl become crimefighting partners and friends. In this story, Bruce Wayne's playboy behavior is not an act, as his parents are very much alive and have taken Babs in. Bruce is not only her foster brother, but also serves somewhat as her "Alfred".
Wizard Entertainment announced that Geoff Johns will team with J.G. Jones in an All-Star Batgirl series. In his interview with Wizard, Johns on the series says, "We’re doing the first six issues, the first of which will hit in late 2007 well after J.G. and I are done with 52, so it’s monthly. It’s a mystery revolving around Barbara Gordon and Arkham Asylum, why she’s become Batgirl and more importantly why she remains Batgirl. It’s essentially our Batman: The Long Halloween or Superman For All Seasons for Batgirl."
Barbara Gordon and Batgirl were portrayed by Yvonne Craig in the third season of the Batman television series in 1967-1968. Craig once again appeared as Batgirl in a 1972 television commercial supporting women's rights (specifically, equal pay).
Oracle was adapted as one of the main characters in the WB television series, Birds of Prey, in which she was played by Dina Meyer. The series was loosely based on the comic book of that name. Meyer also suited up as Batgirl in both flashback scenes and modern-day scenes where technology would allow her to walk.
In Smallville episode "Justice", Chloe made use of Oliver Queen's advanced technological databases as "Watchtower" in a role resembling Oracle's in aiding Smallville's incarnation of the Justice League. She continues this role in the online spin-off series Smallville Legends: Justice & Doom.
The Barbara Gordon version of Batgirl made her first animated appearance in the 1968 series Batman with Robin the Boy Wonder. Jane Webb provided her voice.
Barbara Gordon, this time working in the District Attorney's office, made several appearances in both her civilian persona and as her alter ego in the 1977 Saturday morning animated series The New Adventures of Batman. Despite the fact that Adam West and Burt Ward reprised their roles to provide the voices for Batman and Robin, Batgirl was voiced by Melendy Britt.
In 2005, the Barbara Gordon Batgirl began making guest appearances on episodes of the The Batman animated series, voiced by Danielle Judovits. Barbara is a normal teenager who is best friends with Pamela Isley. After an incident at Chlorogene with Temblor and Batman, Pamela transforms into the villainous Poison Ivy. Inspired by the Dark Knight, Barbara makes a costume and primitive version of his weapons to become Batgirl.
Although she appears before Robin in this series, Robin still becomes Batman's "official partner," which Batgirl resents at first. Batman finally lets her into the fold and revealed his secret identity to her. After this, Batgirl begins to accept Robin more. An older version of Barbara, in the guise of Oracle, voiced by Kellie Martin, also appears in the Season Four episode "Artifacts". Her appearance, set in 2027, shows her using a wheelchair and operating as control center for Batman. She mockingly claims to have trouble remembering that Dick Grayson changed his codename from "Robin" to "Nightwing".
Barbara Gordon has also appeared in as Batgirl, in Batman: The Animated Series, where she was voiced by Melissa Gilbert, while in The New Batman Adventures and Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman she was voiced by Tara Strong. Mary Kay Bergman also provided her voice in the animated movie Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero, which was made between the two series. An older Barbara Gordon, now Police commissioner, appeared in Batman Beyond, voiced first by Stockard Channing and later by Angie Harmon. Harmon reprised her role in the film Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, and Tara Strong provided the voice of the younger Barbara Gordon during flashback sequences.
She was introduced as Barbara Gordon in the first season of Batman: The Animated Series two-part episode "Heart of Steel." In the second season premiere, "Shadow of the Bat" (another two-part episode), Commissioner Gordon is framed for corruption. Barbara contacts Batman and asks him to appear at a rally to support Gordon, but Batman declines, citing more important things to do. Barbara decides to impersonate Batman, intending only to be seen in the shadows. However, when there is a drive-by shooting, she leaps into action to assist. Robin appears as well, and attempts to grab her, but only succeeds in ripping the back of her mask, causing her hair to spill out.
She discovers who is behind the frame-up and goes to rescue her father, only to complicate the rescue already underway by Batman and Robin. In the end, she is the one who captures the criminal. Although Batman had been critical of her at first, he changes his mind. After making only a few appearances in Batman: The Animated Series, Batman allows her into the Batcave, and she becomes a main character during The New Batman Adventures. She develops a relationship with Dick Grayson/Robin, but it does not last very long.
In Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero, Barbara Gordon is kidnapped by an associate of Mr. Freeze because she is an exact match for a transplant needed to save Freeze's wife. Batman and Robin rescue her; she plays little more role in this film than as a "damsel in distress."
The character in this continuity also made several brief cameo appearances in the Justice League series. Once in "The Savage Time pt.1", in the alternate timeline where she can be seen kissing an alternate Dick Grayson (this was confirmed by the producers of the show). She was also mentioned briefly in "Comfort and Joy", when Clark Kent asks his mother where Supergirl was. Mrs. Kent responded, "She's skiing with Barbara." (Batgirl and Supergirl had been established as close friends in the New Batman Adventures episode "Girl's Night Out".)
Originally, Barbara was going to appear in the Justice League Unlimited episode "Double Date". The episode would have her getting injured during a case as Batgirl. Since Batman forbids her from participating, she would recreate herself as Oracle, and get in touch with Black Canary and Huntress to finish her case. Neither of them would meet her in person. Because of the restrictions on Batman-related characters, however, Batgirl was replaced with Green Arrow and The Question.
In the movie Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman, Barbara appears briefly when she calls Bruce to find out who the Batwoman is. She expresses jealousy, and Bruce dodges the issue by faking cellular phone problems. It is revealed in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker that she and Bruce Wayne/Batman developed a relationship, and they were a couple when the Joker kidnaps Robin (Tim Drake) and brainwashes him to be "Joker Junior." Joker tells Drake to kill Batman, and he instead kills the Joker. Batman and Batgirl bury the Joker under Arkham Asylum and cover the events with the aid of Commissioner Gordon. It is strongly suggested that these events are what ended the relationship with Batman and her career as Batgirl.
In "Rebirth", the pilot for Batman Beyond, an aging, retired Bruce Wayne tells Terry McGinnis to take evidence to "Police Commissioner Barbara Gordon." Terry is prevented from doing so, which leads to him becoming the new Batman. In later episodes, Terry meets her, and she resents Bruce dragging another kid into his world, but she develops respect for the new Batman when he assists her in defending her husband, Gotham District Attorney Sam Young, from the assassin Curare. She also proves that she is still skilled with a batarang.
When the Joker seemingly returns from the dead, Terry goes to her when Bruce refuses to talk about how he knows that this cannot be the Joker. She not only tells him how the real Joker died, but also explains her history with the original Batman and helps reconcile the friendship between the two.
The Barbara Gordon Batgirl was the inspiration for the Barbara Wilson version that was portrayed by actress Alicia Silverstone in the 1997 movie Batman and Robin. In the movie, Barbara is the niece of Alfred Pennyworth.
In Batman Begins, a child is seen briefly at Detective James Gordon's apartment. Through the window, the detective's pregnant wife was nursing their two-year old daughter. According to Dennis O'Neil's novelization, the infant was a young Barbara Gordon. The detective's wife's was also name Barbara, whom the child was named after, and is played by Ilyssa Fradin. Her maiden name was Kean.
Oracle also appeared in the Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox game Batman: Dark Tomorrow.
Batgirl is a playable character in the Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox game, Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu.
Batgirl is a playable character in the video game adaption of Batman & Robin for the Sony Playstation.
