Are you a fan of Barbara Gordon? Well, here are One Dozen Oracle Facts!
1. The producers of the "Batman" TV show requested writers William Dozier, Julius Schwartz, and Carmine Infantino to create a female counterpart to Batman so that the character could appear on the TV show. In "Detective Comics #359" in 1997, Barbara Gordon appeared as Batgirl and battled the villain Killer Moth on the night of a costume party. In the same year, Barbara Gordon appeared as Batgirl in the "Batman" TV show's third season. She appeared in all twenty-six episodes and was portrayed by Yvonne Craig.
2. In 1961, the character Bette Kane used the name "Bat-Girl" and was the sidekick to Kathy Kane's "Batwoman". These two characters were created to be love interests for Batman and Robin since there was a controversy that Batman and Robin were part of a homosexual relationship. Kathy would be killed off and replaced by her sister Kate Kane, and Bette Kane would become Flamebird. The Flamebird title is in reference to her former love interest Dick Grayson. Grayson took the name Nightwing from Kryptonian lore, as did Bette Kane.
3. Barbara's family includes her father Jim Gordon-Commissioner of the Gotham City Police Department, frequent ally of Batman, and short-lived successor to Batman-and James Gordon Junior-her younger brother who grew up to be a serial killer because he was psychologically damaged from an experience he had as an infant in "Batman: Year One". Her mother Barbara was killed by The Joker during her adult life.
4. Jim, Junior, and her mother Barbara are not actually her father, son, and/or mother. Barbara's birth parents named her after her aunt Barbara and they died when she was very young. She was left with Jim and Barbara and grew up seeing them as her definitive parents.
5. In Alan Moore's 1988 graphic novel "Batman: The Killing Joke", Barbara Gordon was shot and paralyzed by The Joker. This moment would be a defining moment for the character and kickstart the darker portrayal of the DC Universe. Moore did so as a motivator for Batman and even asked editor Len Wein if it were okay-either in canon or not-to cripple Babs. After a talk with a chief editor, Wein approved of it saying "Yeah, cripple the bitch". Because the story sold so well, DC Comics integrated it into continuity and when we saw Barbara again she was in a wheelchair.
6. Though paralyzed, Barbara returned to superhero duty as The Oracle in "Suicide Squad #23" in 1989. As Oracle, Barbara used her expert hacking and information gathering abilities to feed intel to Batman, Superman, Black Canary, Green Arrow, and The Justice League's other members. Thanks to her, superheroes in the DCU were always in the know about criminal activity. However, Babs' role as The Oracle was met with a split opinion. Some people saw the change as positive, sighting the fact that DC had a character who was handicapped AND a former female superhero. On the other side of the wall, some protestors saw her crippling as a type of mistreatment of a female character. Writer Gail Simone sighted in her movement "Women In Refrigerators". The fact that a female character-a hero no less-had to be either killed or mutilated in order for the male superhero to be emotionally driven and effective was disrespectful to both parties.
7. To fan the flames of Oracle's condition, DC Comics undid her paralysis in 2011 with The New 52. The universal reboot saw Barbara return to being Batgirl and her paralysis was simply cured using advanced technology. Again, there was debate. Some saw this as a step back for the character's progression and simply a way for DC to make Barbara sexually attractive again and/or not draw a wheelchair. The other side of readers appreciated the change when reading Gail Simone's run on the series, making Barbara's new issue be a form of PTSD from her experience in "The Killing Joke".
8. In the 2016, an animated film based off "The Killing Joke" was sent to DVD, Blueray, Digital release, and limited film screenings. This adaptation was written by Brian Azzarello (writer of "Joker" and "Luthor") and Bruce Timm (one of the minds behind "Batman: The Animated Series" and the DC Animated Universe). This adaption also featured Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill returning as Batman and The Joker, respectively. A fifteen-minute segment added to the story was a case in which Barbara Gordon/Batgirl was hunting down an original character who was a master criminal, martial artist, and-seemingly-sexual predator who lusted for Batgirl. After the ordeal with him, Batgirl and Batman argue about her involvement and have sex on a rooftop. This story element was met was overall disappointment. Bruce Timm has a long history with trying to hook the characters up, establishing a romance in "Batman: The Animated Series", it's films, and in "Batman Beyond".
9. Among her love interest, Barbara's most well-known is Dick Grayson, the former Robin, current Nightwing, and one-time Batman. The two developed feelings for one another early in their crime fighting careers and even had date nights spent fighting criminals. Even after Babs was crippled Dick tried to pursue a relationship with her. For numerous reasons the relationship has never stuck, but returns time and time again.
10. Barbara admitted to her friends after the death of Ted Kord/Blue Beetle II that the two of them were friends online and that she helped him from behind a computer on many occasions. Ted secretly had a crush on Babs, and Babs returned those feelings, but never had the heart to admit it to him.
11. As Oracle, Barbara has led her own superhero team called The Birds of Prey alongside The Huntress and Black Canary. Other members included Catwoman, Lady Blackhawk, and Powergirl to name a few. Barbara has also played mentor to both Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown, two of her successors to the Batgirl mantle.
12. In 2015, DC Comics ran a Variant Cover event called "Joker Month" in which a majority of their books would receive a variant cover featuring The Joker attacking various heroes. For the cover of "Batgirl", artist Rafael Abuquerque drew a homage the cover of "The Killing Joke", only instead of The Joker holding a camera he held Batgirl and drew a bloody smile on her face. The cover was attacked by protestors who claimed it showed a female character in a weakened and victimized state. Due to the sensitivity of the protestors the cover was pulled. But months later when a variant cover of then anti-hero Harley Quinn being arrested by the police while Batgirl took photos and laughed at her NOBODY SAID A DAMN THING.
For more on the cover controversy: http://panelbiter.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-groaning-joke.html
Thanks for reading!
2. In 1961, the character Bette Kane used the name "Bat-Girl" and was the sidekick to Kathy Kane's "Batwoman". These two characters were created to be love interests for Batman and Robin since there was a controversy that Batman and Robin were part of a homosexual relationship. Kathy would be killed off and replaced by her sister Kate Kane, and Bette Kane would become Flamebird. The Flamebird title is in reference to her former love interest Dick Grayson. Grayson took the name Nightwing from Kryptonian lore, as did Bette Kane.
3. Barbara's family includes her father Jim Gordon-Commissioner of the Gotham City Police Department, frequent ally of Batman, and short-lived successor to Batman-and James Gordon Junior-her younger brother who grew up to be a serial killer because he was psychologically damaged from an experience he had as an infant in "Batman: Year One". Her mother Barbara was killed by The Joker during her adult life.
4. Jim, Junior, and her mother Barbara are not actually her father, son, and/or mother. Barbara's birth parents named her after her aunt Barbara and they died when she was very young. She was left with Jim and Barbara and grew up seeing them as her definitive parents.
5. In Alan Moore's 1988 graphic novel "Batman: The Killing Joke", Barbara Gordon was shot and paralyzed by The Joker. This moment would be a defining moment for the character and kickstart the darker portrayal of the DC Universe. Moore did so as a motivator for Batman and even asked editor Len Wein if it were okay-either in canon or not-to cripple Babs. After a talk with a chief editor, Wein approved of it saying "Yeah, cripple the bitch". Because the story sold so well, DC Comics integrated it into continuity and when we saw Barbara again she was in a wheelchair.
6. Though paralyzed, Barbara returned to superhero duty as The Oracle in "Suicide Squad #23" in 1989. As Oracle, Barbara used her expert hacking and information gathering abilities to feed intel to Batman, Superman, Black Canary, Green Arrow, and The Justice League's other members. Thanks to her, superheroes in the DCU were always in the know about criminal activity. However, Babs' role as The Oracle was met with a split opinion. Some people saw the change as positive, sighting the fact that DC had a character who was handicapped AND a former female superhero. On the other side of the wall, some protestors saw her crippling as a type of mistreatment of a female character. Writer Gail Simone sighted in her movement "Women In Refrigerators". The fact that a female character-a hero no less-had to be either killed or mutilated in order for the male superhero to be emotionally driven and effective was disrespectful to both parties.
7. To fan the flames of Oracle's condition, DC Comics undid her paralysis in 2011 with The New 52. The universal reboot saw Barbara return to being Batgirl and her paralysis was simply cured using advanced technology. Again, there was debate. Some saw this as a step back for the character's progression and simply a way for DC to make Barbara sexually attractive again and/or not draw a wheelchair. The other side of readers appreciated the change when reading Gail Simone's run on the series, making Barbara's new issue be a form of PTSD from her experience in "The Killing Joke".
8. In the 2016, an animated film based off "The Killing Joke" was sent to DVD, Blueray, Digital release, and limited film screenings. This adaptation was written by Brian Azzarello (writer of "Joker" and "Luthor") and Bruce Timm (one of the minds behind "Batman: The Animated Series" and the DC Animated Universe). This adaption also featured Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill returning as Batman and The Joker, respectively. A fifteen-minute segment added to the story was a case in which Barbara Gordon/Batgirl was hunting down an original character who was a master criminal, martial artist, and-seemingly-sexual predator who lusted for Batgirl. After the ordeal with him, Batgirl and Batman argue about her involvement and have sex on a rooftop. This story element was met was overall disappointment. Bruce Timm has a long history with trying to hook the characters up, establishing a romance in "Batman: The Animated Series", it's films, and in "Batman Beyond".
9. Among her love interest, Barbara's most well-known is Dick Grayson, the former Robin, current Nightwing, and one-time Batman. The two developed feelings for one another early in their crime fighting careers and even had date nights spent fighting criminals. Even after Babs was crippled Dick tried to pursue a relationship with her. For numerous reasons the relationship has never stuck, but returns time and time again.
10. Barbara admitted to her friends after the death of Ted Kord/Blue Beetle II that the two of them were friends online and that she helped him from behind a computer on many occasions. Ted secretly had a crush on Babs, and Babs returned those feelings, but never had the heart to admit it to him.
11. As Oracle, Barbara has led her own superhero team called The Birds of Prey alongside The Huntress and Black Canary. Other members included Catwoman, Lady Blackhawk, and Powergirl to name a few. Barbara has also played mentor to both Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown, two of her successors to the Batgirl mantle.
12. In 2015, DC Comics ran a Variant Cover event called "Joker Month" in which a majority of their books would receive a variant cover featuring The Joker attacking various heroes. For the cover of "Batgirl", artist Rafael Abuquerque drew a homage the cover of "The Killing Joke", only instead of The Joker holding a camera he held Batgirl and drew a bloody smile on her face. The cover was attacked by protestors who claimed it showed a female character in a weakened and victimized state. Due to the sensitivity of the protestors the cover was pulled. But months later when a variant cover of then anti-hero Harley Quinn being arrested by the police while Batgirl took photos and laughed at her NOBODY SAID A DAMN THING.
For more on the cover controversy: http://panelbiter.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-groaning-joke.html
Thanks for reading!
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