The Mind Behind The Bats
Oracle: “A little over a year has passed since my old life ended, since I died and was reborn. The shadows remain, but only to give contrast to the light. I am no longer a distaff impersonation of someone else. I’m me. More me than I have ever been.”
Batman: Chronicle #5
A woman reads several computer monitors. There are attacks all over Gotham City. She directs heroes to the places they’re needed until an alert startles her. Batman’s vital signs are crashing. He needs help. She notes the address. It’s not far. She can be there in about three minutes. Just need to put the costume on and run! …Damn it.
The woman forces herself to stay calm and activates several remote functions of the Batsuit to stabilize him. A message pops up. A pair of heroes have finished their mission. She orders them to help Batman. As they take off, Barbara Gordon wheels away from her desk to take a moment. She knows the Batgirls will save the day.
Batgirl is one of the most famous female superheroes. She’s faced many challenges from villains and writers to forge an unquestionable niche in the DC Universe. So who is she? How did she become a hero? Why are there three Batgirls protecting Gotham City? Let’s find out.
Scene Select
Silver Screen to Four-Color Panel: Batgirl’s Backstory
Batgirl: “It’s funny. Never thought of joining the force because I thought it would be too violent. Then this happens. Never knew what I was missing.”
Batman: Batgirl (1997)
Batgirl debuted in Detective Comics #359 in 1966. She was created by Julius Schwartz, Gardner Fox, and Carmine Infantalio. TV producer William Dozier asked DC to create a female hero to get more women watching Batman. The creative team revamped an unpopular concept and gave Batgirl new life.
Barbara Gordon is Commissioner Gordon’s daughter. She made a feminine version of Batman’s outfit for a costumed police ball, but spotted Bruce Wayne being attacked by Killer Moth on the way. She fought off his minions before helping Batman and Robin capture Killer Moth. The adventure inspired her to become Batgirl.
Batgirl was a skilled ally, but had to endure condescension and sexism from the Dynamic Duo. They eventually got past their issues and accepted Barbara with open arms. Batgirl and Robin fell in love, though their relationship was complicated by his on-again, off-again interest in Starfire.
Barbara’s time as Batgirl ended in The Killing Joke. The Joker wanted to drive Commissioner Gordon mad and showed up at his home. He shot Barbara, paralyzing her legs before stripping and photographing Barbara to torment her father. She recovered and learned to use a wheelchair, but could no longer fight crime as Batgirl.
The Oracle at Gotham: Batgirl’s History
Oracle: “Grotesque mentioned he was working with the Dark Web. If that’s true, then the real threat is online. And legs or no legs, I kick butt online.”
Batgirl #28 (2018)
Barbara coped with the traumatic memories of Joker’s attack until the night she dreamt of an omniscient woman who looked like her. She studied computer science and learned to hack to become a mission coordinator, hiding her identity behind the username Oracle.
Oracle began a crusade of cybervigilantism by contacting Amanda Waller and coordinating The Suicide Squad. She also advised the Bat-Family and assembled the Birds of Prey. Oracle entrusted her role’s physical duties to a mute runaway that she named Cassandra. After Cass saved Commissioner Gordon from her father, assassin David Cain, Barbara passed on the Batgirl identity to Cassandra Cain.
Oracle became Batgirl’s mentor, but struggled to help her understand there was more to life than fighting crime. Another vigilante called Spoiler helped Batgirl become less introspective and she joined Oracle’s team. Spoiler was also given Oracle’s blessing to act as Batgirl.
In 2011, DC rebooted its universe and made Barbara Batgirl again. She was still paralyzed, but a special implant enabled her to walk. She met Cassandra and Spoiler in person and rebuilt their relationships after the universe was reset. The status quo was reset again a few years later, restoring their memories. Barbara resumed acting as Oracle, but the three Batgirls agreed to share the identity.
Bat.exe: Batgirl’s Powers and Personality
Oracle: “The tapes aren’t online. Grossly unfair to us cybervigilantes, if you ask me. I’m thinking of writing my congressman.”
Azrael: Agent of the Bat #80
Batgirl studied self-defense all her life and is a skilled martial artist. She is an expert at acrobatics, multiple martial arts, and all the usual bat gadgets. She learned to fight with escrima sticks to protect herself after being paralyzed. Her implant allows her to fight, but her acrobatics and fighting moves damage it.
Oracle has a photographic memory and studied information science while working as a librarian. She is an expert hacker armed with Waynetech’s most advanced supercomputers and a dozen satellites stolen from Lex Luthor.
Barbara is a sarcastic tech-wizard with a big heart. She lives with PTSD masked by her jokes and caring for others. Barbara pointedly refused any magic or sci-fi tech that her superhero friends offered to fix her paralysis unless it was made available to everyone. DC earned a lot of derision for walking that back after her implant.
The Actors Who Play Batgirl
Yvonne Craig – Batman (1966)
Dina Meyer – Birds of Prey
Melendy Britt – The New Adventures of Batman
Melissa Gilbert – Batman: the Animated Series, Batman & Mr. Freeze: Sub-Zero
Danielle Judovits – The Batman
Mae Whitman – Batman: The Brave and The Bold, DC Super Hero Girls
Alyson Stoner – Young Justice
Briana Cuoco – Harley Quinn
Krystal Joy Brown – Batman: Caped Crusader
Tara Strong – Batman: The Killing Joke
Gideon Aldon – Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham
Alicia Silverstone – Batman & Robin
Leslie Grace – Batgirl (unreleased for financial reasons)
Didya Get All That
The Brains Behind the Bat-Family
Jared Bounacos has written for Movie Rewind since 2016.
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