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{{Short description|DC Comics character}}
{{About|the character|other uses|Barbara Gordon (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2012}}
{{Infobox comics character <!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics-->
| character_name = Barbara Gordon 
| image          =
| caption        = Batgirl and Oracle—the definitive iterations of the character. Art by [[Barry Kitson]] and [[Karl Kesel]], and colors by Anthony Tollin. From ''Who's Who In The DC Universe'' (vol. 1) #7 (February 1991).
<!-- |character_name = Barbara Gordon -->
| publisher      = [[DC Comics]]
| debut          = '''As Batgirl:'''<br />''[[Detective Comics]]'' #359<br /> (January 1967)<br />'''As Oracle:'''<br />''[[Suicide Squad]]'' #23<br /> (January 1989)
| creators       =  '''As Batgirl:'''<br />[[William Dozier]] (idea)<br />[[Julius Schwartz]] (concept)<br />[[Gardner Fox]] (writer)<br />[[Carmine Infantino]] (artist)<br />'''As Oracle:'''<br />[[John Ostrander]] (writer)<br />[[Kim Yale]] (writer)
| species        = [[Human]]
| alliances      = {{Plainlist|
* [[Justice League]]
* [[Birds of Prey (team)|Birds of Prey]]
* [[List of Batman supporting characters#Bat-Family|Batman Family]]
* [[Suicide Squad]]
* [[Batman Incorporated]]
}}
| partners       = [[Batman]]<br />[[Dick Grayson|Nightwing]]<br/>[[Tim Drake|Robin]]<br/>[[Cassandra Cain|Batgirl/Orphan]]<br/>[[Stephanie Brown (character)|Batgirl/Spoiler]]<br/>[[Huntress (Helena Bertinelli)|Huntress]]<br/>[[Black Canary (Dinah Laurel Lance)|Black Canary]]
| real_name   = Barbara Joan Gordon
| aliases        = [[Batgirl]]<br/>Amy Beddoes<br/>Oracle
| powers=
* Genius-level intellect
* Trained computer scientist and security hacker
* Highly skilled martial artist and hand-to-hand combatant
* Utilizes high-tech equipment and weaponry
* Expert detective
* Indomitable will
* [[Eidetic memory]]
}}
'''Barbara Joan Gordon''' is a [[superheroine]] appearing in [[American comic book]]s published by [[DC Comics]], commonly in association with the superhero [[Batman]]. The character was created by television producer [[William Dozier]], editor [[Julius Schwartz]], writer [[Gardner Fox]], and artist [[Carmine Infantino]]. Dozier, the producer of the 1960s ''[[Batman (TV series)|Batman]]'' television series, requested Schwartz to call for a new female counterpart to the superhero [[Batman]] that could be introduced into publication and the third season of the show simultaneously. The character subsequently made her first [[American comic book|comic-book]] appearance as '''[[Batgirl]]''' in ''[[Detective Comics]]'' #359, titled "The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl!" in January 1967, by Fox and Infantino,<ref>{{Citation|last=McAvennie|first= Michael|editor-last=Dolan |editor-first=Hannah |chapter= 1960s|title = DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle|publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley]] |year=2010 |isbn= 978-0-7566-6742-9 |page= 122 |quote = Nine months before making her debut on ''Batman'', a new Batgirl appeared in the pages of ''Detective Comics''...Yet the idea she is also seen as Batman's secretary on the debut of Barbara Gordon, according to editor Julius Schwartz, was attributed to the television series executives' desire to have a character that would appeal to a female audience and for this character to originate in the comics. Hence, writer Gardner Fox and artist Carmine Infantino collaborated on "The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl!"}}</ref> allowing her to be introduced into the television series, portrayed by actress [[Yvonne Craig]], in the season 3 premiere "[[Enter Batgirl, Exit Penguin]]", in September that same year.

Barbara Gordon is the daughter of [[Gotham City]] police commissioner [[Jim Gordon (character)|James Gordon]], the sister of [[serial killer]] [[James Gordon Jr.]] and is initially employed as head of the Gotham City Public Library. Although the character appeared in various DC Comics publications, she was prominently featured in ''[[Batman Family]]'' which debuted in 1975, partnered with the original [[Robin (character)|Robin]], [[Dick Grayson]], whom she has a history of working closely and being romantically involved with. In 1988, following the editorial retirement of the character's Batgirl persona in ''Batgirl Special'' #1, the graphic novel ''[[Batman: The Killing Joke]]'' depicts the [[Joker (character)|Joker]] shooting her through the spinal cord in her civilian identity, resulting in [[paraplegia]]. In subsequent stories, the character was reestablished as a [[technical advisor]], [[Hacker|computer expert]] and [[information broker]] known as '''Oracle'''. Becoming a valuable asset providing intelligence and computer hacking services to assist other superheroes, she makes her first appearance as Oracle in ''[[Suicide Squad]]'' #23 (1989) and later became a featured lead of the ''[[Birds of Prey (team)|Birds of Prey]]'' series. In 2011, as part of [[DC Comics]] ''[[The New 52]]'' relaunch, Barbara recovered from her paralysis following a surgical procedure and returned as Batgirl. Barbara has since featured in the eponymous ''Batgirl'' monthly title as well as ''Birds of Prey'' and other ''Batman'' books. Following the events of [[Joker War]], Barbara returned to her Oracle role while recovering from an injury, and continues to operate as both Batgirl and Oracle after the 2021 ''[[Infinite Frontier]]'' event.

The character was a popular comic book figure during the [[Silver Age of Comic Books]], due to her appearances in the ''Batman'' television series and continued media exposure. She has achieved similar popularity in the [[Modern Age of Comic Books]] under the ''Birds of Prey'' publication and as a disabled icon. The character has been the subject of academic analysis concerning the roles of women, librarians, and disabled people in mainstream media. The events of ''The Killing Joke'', which led to the character's paralysis, as well as the restoration of her mobility, have also been a subject of debate among comic book writers, artists, editors, and readership. Viewpoints range from sexism in comic books, to the limited visibility of disabled characters and the practicality of disabilities existing in a fictional universe where magic, technology, and medical science exceed the limitations of the real world.

As both Batgirl and Oracle, Barbara Gordon has been featured in various adaptations related to the [[Batman franchise media|Batman franchise]], including television, film, animation, video games, and other merchandise. Aside from Craig, the character has been portrayed by [[Dina Meyer]], [[Alicia Silverstone]] (as Barbara Wilson), and Jeté Laurence, and has been voiced by [[Melissa Gilbert]], [[Tara Strong]], Danielle Judovits, [[Alyson Stoner]], [[Mae Whitman]], [[Kimberly Brooks]] and [[Briana Cuoco]] among others. Barbara Gordon appeared in the [[Titans (season 3)|third]] season of the [[HBO Max]] series ''[[Titans (2018 TV series)|Titans]]'' as the new commissioner of Gotham City portrayed by [[Savannah Welch]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/titans-season-3-barbara-gordon-savannah-welch-1234886752/|title='Titans' Season 3 Casts Savannah Welch as Barbara Gordon (EXCLUSIVE)|date=January 19, 2021|access-date=January 19, 2021|archive-date=January 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210119191302/https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/titans-season-3-barbara-gordon-savannah-welch-1234886752/|url-status=live}}</ref> The character was slated for a [[Batgirl (film)|solo film]] set in the [[DC Extended Universe|DCEU]], starring [[Leslie Grace]] in the title role and intended to be released on [[HBO Max]]. The film was canceled in August 2022. In 2011, Barbara Gordon ranked 17th in [[IGN]]'s "Top 100 Comic Book Heroes".<ref name="Top 100 Comic Book Heroes">{{citation | url=https://www.ign.com/top/comic-book-heroes/17 | title=Top 100 Comic Book Heroes | publisher=IGN Entertainment | access-date=July 6, 2011 | archive-date=August 17, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110817050205/http://www.ign.com/top/comic-book-heroes/17 | url-status=live }}</ref>

==Publication history==
===''Detective Comics'', ''Batman Family'' and other appearances (1967–1988)===
[[File:Detective Comics 359 (Jan. 1967).jpg|thumb|upright|Cover of ''Detective Comics'' #359, "The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl" (Jan. 1967), art by [[Carmine Infantino]] and [[Murphy Anderson]]]]
Before the introduction of Barbara Gordon, the [[Batwoman (Kathy Kane)|Batwoman]] character and her sidekick Bat-Girl appeared in Batman-related publications but were eventually removed at the direction of editor [[Julius Schwartz]] for being outdated and unrealistic. Schwartz stated that he had been asked to develop a new female character to attract a female viewership to the ''Batman'' television series of the 1960s.<ref name="Daniels">{{citation |author = [[Les Daniels]] | title = Batman: The Complete History | publisher = Chronicle Books | year = 2004 | pages = 113, 115 |isbn = 0-8118-4232-0 }}</ref> Executive producer [[William Dozier]] suggested that the new character would be the daughter of Gotham City's Police Commissioner James Gordon, and that she would adopt the identity of Batgirl.<ref name="Back38">{{cite journal|last= Cassell|first= Dewey|date= February 2010|title= Growing Up Gordon: The Early Years of Batgirl|journal= [[Back Issue!]]|issue= 38|pages= 65–70|publisher= [[TwoMorrows Publishing]]}}</ref> When Dozier and producer Howie Horowitz saw rough concept artwork of the new Batgirl 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 [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] television network. Infantino reflected on the creation of Batgirl, stating "Bob Kane had 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 TV show."<ref>{{citation | author = Michael Fitzgerald | title = Carmine Infantino: Decades at DC and Beyond | year = 2007 | url = http://www.wizarduniverse.com/magazine/wizard/004812442.cfm | access-date =November 23, 2007|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071124223127/http://www.wizarduniverse.com/magazine/wizard/004812442.cfm |archive-date = November 24, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Yvonne Craig]] portrayed the character in the show's third season.<ref name="Daniels 1995 141">{{citation|first= Les |last= Daniels |title= DC Comics: Sixty Years of the World's Favorite Comic Book Heroes |year= 1995 |publisher= Bulfinch |page= 141 |isbn= 0-8212-2076-4}}</ref>

Barbara Gordon and her alter ego, Batgirl, first appeared in ''Detective Comics'' #359 (January 1967), titled "The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl." Introduced as the daughter of Gotham City Police Commissioner James Gordon, Barbara dons a Batgirl costume—a black bodysuit with yellow gloves, boots, utility belt, and bat symbol, along with a blue cape and cowl—while en route to a costume party. During the event, she thwarts a kidnapping attempt on Bruce Wayne by the supervillain [[Killer Moth (The Batman)|Killer Moth]], drawing Batman's attention and marking the beginning of her crime-fighting career. Despite Batman's initial objections due to her gender, Batgirl continues her vigilante activities.<ref name="supergirls">{{citation|first=Mike|last=Madrid|title=The Supergirls: Fashion, Feminism, Fantasy, and the History of Comic Book Heroines|publisher=Exterminating Angel Press|year=2009|pages=[https://archive.org/details/supergirlsfashio00mike/page/136 136–138]|isbn=978-1-935259-03-9|url=https://archive.org/details/supergirlsfashio00mike/page/136}}</ref>

In her civilian identity, Barbara Gordon, [[Doctor of Philosophy|Ph.D.]], is depicted as a career woman with a doctorate in library science, as well as being head of the Gotham City Public Library, "presumably one of the largest public libraries in the DC Comics version of reality."<ref name="The Image and Role of the Librarian">{{citation | first = Wendi | last = Arant | author2 = Candace Benefiel | title = The Image and Role of the Librarian | publisher = Haworth Press | year = 2002 | pages = [https://archive.org/details/imageroleoflibra0000unse/page/77 77–80] | isbn = 0-7890-2099-8 | url = https://archive.org/details/imageroleoflibra0000unse/page/77 }}</ref> She was given a regular backup slot in ''Detective Comics'' starting with issue #384 (February 1969), alternating issues with Robin until issue #404, after which she had the backup slot to herself. [[Frank Robbins]] wrote nearly all of these backups, which were penciled first by [[Gil Kane]] and later by [[Don Heck]].<ref name= Back38 /> Barbara Gordon's Batgirl exceeded the earlier Bat-Girl and Batwoman characters in popularity, and readers requested for her to appear in other titles. Although some readers requested that Batwoman also continue to appear in the publication, DC responded to the fan-based acclaim and criticism of the new character in an open letter in ''Detective Comics'' #417 (1971),<ref>{{citation | title= Detective Comics #417 |year= 1971 | publisher= DC Comics}}</ref> stating: "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 years back&nbsp;...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 [by] Batman."<ref>{{citation | url=http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/Batwoman/BatwomanHistory.htm | title=Remembering Kathy Kane: The First Batwoman | first= Fred |last= Grandinetti | publisher=Newsarama | access-date= September 19, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070929132840/http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/Batwoman/BatwomanHistory.htm |archive-date = September 29, 2007|url-status= dead}}</ref>

Batgirl continues to appear in DC Comics publications throughout the late 1960s and 1970s, as a supporting character in ''Detective Comics'', in addition to guest appearances in various titles such as ''[[Justice League|Justice League of America]]'',<ref name="Justice League of America #60">{{citation |first= Gardner |last= Fox |title= ''Justice League of America'' #60 |year= 1968 |publisher= DC Comics}}</ref> ''[[World's Finest Comics]]'',<ref>{{citation |author-link= Cary Bates| first= Cary| last= Bates |title= World's Finest Comics #176 |year= 1968 |publisher= DC Comics}}</ref> ''[[The Brave and the Bold]]'',<ref>{{citation |author-link= Bob Haney|first= Bob |last= Haney |title= The Brave and the Bold #78 |year= 1968 |publisher= DC Comics}}</ref> ''[[Action Comics]]'',<ref name="Action Comics #381">{{citation |author-link= Cary Bates|first= Cary |last= Bates |title= Action Comics #381 |year= 1969 |publisher= DC Comics}}</ref> and ''[[Superman (comic book)|Superman]]''.<ref>{{citation |first=Elliot |last= Maggin |title= ''Superman'' #268 |year= 1975 |publisher= DC Comics}}</ref> In the mid-1970s, Batgirl reveals her [[secret identity]] to her father (who had already discovered it on his own) and serves as a member of the [[United States 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."<ref>{{citation |title= Detective Comics #424|year= 1972|publisher= DC Comics}}</ref> Julius Schwartz brought her back a year later in ''[[Superman (comic book)|Superman]]'' #268 (1973),<ref>{{citation |title= The Amazing Adventures of Superman #268|year= 1973|publisher= DC Comics}}</ref> in which she has a blind date with [[Clark Kent]], establishing their friendship, and fights alongside [[Superman]]. Batgirl and Superman later team up twice more in ''Superman'' #279 and ''[[DC Comics Presents]]'' #19.

Batgirl also guest-starred in other Superman-related titles such as ''Adventure Comics'', and in ''[[Superman Family]]'' #171, where she teams up with Supergirl. The character is given a starring role in DC's ''[[Batman Family]]'' comic book which debuted in 1975.<ref>{{citation |first=Elliot | last= Maggin| title= Batman Family #1 |year= 1975 |publisher= DC Comics}}</ref> The original Robin [[Dick Grayson]] became her partner in the series and the two were frequently referred to as the "Dynamite Duo: Batgirl & Robin." Batgirl meets Batwoman in ''Batman Family'' #10, when the retired superhero briefly returns to crime-fighting (before Kane is murdered by the [[Bronze Tiger]]). The two fight [[Killer Moth]] and the [[Cavalier (character)|Cavalier]], and learn each other's secret identities. Batwoman retires once again at the conclusion of the story, leaving Batgirl to continue crime-fighting.<ref>{{citation |title= Batman Family #10| year= 1977|publisher= DC Comics}}</ref> Although this series ended after three years of publication,<ref>{{citation |first= David |last= Reed |title= Batman Family #20 |year= 1978 |publisher= DC Comics}}</ref> Batgirl continued to appear in back-up stories published in ''Detective Comics'' through issue #519 (October 1982).

[[File:Batgirl (Barbara Gordon).png|120px|thumb|left|Barbara Gordon as Batgirl, as she appeared on a pin-up page in ''Detective Comics'' #483 (May 1979). Art by [[Dick Giordano]].]]
''[[Crisis on Infinite Earths]]'', a limited miniseries published in 1985, was written 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 in issue #7 of the 12-part series.<ref>{{citation | author-link= Marv Wolfman| first= Marv |last= Wolfman|title= Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 |year= 1985|publisher= DC Comics | page=215 |isbn= 1-56389-750-4}}</ref> The conclusion of ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' changed [[DC Universe]] [[Continuity (fiction)|continuity]] in many ways. Following the [[Reboot (fiction)|reboot]], Barbara Gordon is born to Roger and Thelma Gordon, and she is Jim Gordon's niece/adopted daughter in post-crisis continuity. Post-''Crisis'', Supergirl does not arrive on Earth until after Gordon has established herself as Oracle; many adventures she shared with Batgirl are retroactively described as having been experienced by [[Power Girl]]. In ''[[Secret Origins]]'' #20 ''featuring Batgirl and the Golden Age Dr. Mid-Nite'' (1987), Barbara Gordon's origin is rebooted by author Barbara Randall. Within the storyline, Gordon recounts the series of events that led 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 blueprints of the city, excelling in academics to skip grades, and pushing herself to become a star athlete.<ref name=SO20>{{citation | first = Barbara |last= Randal | title = Secret Origins #20 featuring Batgirl and the Golden Age Dr. Mid-Nite | publisher = DC Comics |year = 1987 }}</ref>

===''Batgirl Special'' #1 and ''Batman: The Killing Joke'' (1988)===
{{Main|Batman: The Killing Joke}}
[[File: Batmanthekillingjoke.jpg|right|thumb|The [[Joker (character)|Joker]] shoots Barbara Gordon in ''Batman: The Killing Joke''. The injury results in the character's paralysis. Art by [[Brian Bolland]] and [[John Higgins (comics)|John Higgins]].]]
DC officially retired the hero in the one-shot comic ''Batgirl Special'' #1 (July 1988), written by [[Barbara Kesel]].<ref name="Batgirl Special #1">{{citation |author-link= Barbara Kesel| first=Barbara | last=Randall |title=Batgirl Special #1 |year= 1988 |publisher= DC Comics}}</ref>

Later that year, Barbara Gordon appeared in Alan Moore's ''Batman: The Killing Joke''. In this graphic novel, the [[Joker (character)|Joker]] shoots and paralyzes Barbara in an attempt to drive her father insane, thereby proving to Batman that anyone can be morally compromised. Although events in ''The Killing Joke'' exert a great impact on the character, the story has little to do with her.<ref name="Moore 1988">{{citation |first= Alan |last= Moore |title= Batman: The Killing Joke |year= 1988 |publisher= DC Comics|isbn= 978-0-930289-45-4}}</ref> In 2006, during an interview with ''[[Wizard (magazine)|Wizard]]'', Moore expressed regret over his treatment of the character calling it "shallow and ill-conceived."<ref name="bitch">{{citation|first=Shannon | last=Cochran|title=The Cold Shoulder: Saving Superheroines from Comic-book Violence|newspaper=[[Bitch (magazine)|Bitch]]|year=2007}}</ref> He stated before writing the graphic novel, "I asked DC if they had any problem with me crippling Barbara Gordon—who was Batgirl at the time—and if I remember, I spoke to [[Len Wein]], who was our editor on the project", and following a discussion with then-Executive Editorial Director Dick Giordano, "Len got back onto the phone and said, 'Yeah, okay, cripple the bitch.'"<ref name="bitch"/> Although there has been speculation as to whether or not editors at DC specifically intended to have the character's paralysis become permanent, Brian Cronin, author of ''Was Superman A Spy?: And Other Comic Book Legends Revealed'' (2009) noted that DC had hired Barbara Kesel to write the ''Batgirl Special'' specifically to retire the character and set her in place for ''The Killing Joke''.<ref name="Spy">{{citation| first=Brian | last= Cronin|title=Was Superman A Spy?: And Other Comic Book Legends Revealed|publisher= Penguin|year=2009|pages=45, 47|isbn= 978-0-452-29532-2}}</ref>

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.<ref name="A (Perhaps Unnecessary) Guide to Oracle's Formative Years">{{cite web | first = Brian | last = Cronin | title = A (Perhaps Unnecessary) Guide to Oracle's Formative Years | date=February 15, 2007 | url = https://www.cbr.com/a-perhaps-unnecessary-guide-to-oracles-formative-years/ | access-date = January 1, 2023 | archive-date = October 11, 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071011220128/http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/02/15/a-perhaps-unnecessary-guide-to-oracles-formative-years | url-status = live }}</ref>

[[Gail Simone]] would include the character's paralysis in a list of "major female characters that had been killed, mutilated, and depowered", dubbing the phenomenon "[[Women in Refrigerators]]" in reference to a 1994 ''[[Green Lantern (comic book)|Green Lantern]]'' story where [[Kyle Rayner|the title character]] discovers his [[Alexandra DeWitt|girlfriend]]'s mutilated body in his refrigerator.<ref name= curves>{{citation|first=Jeffrey A. |last= Brown|title=Dangerous Curves: Action Heroines, Gender, Fetishism, and Popular Culture|publisher= [[University Press of Mississippi]]|year= 2011| page= 175|isbn= 978-1-60473-714-1}}</ref>

===''Suicide Squad'', ''Birds of Prey'' and other appearances (1989–2011)===
{{Overly detailed|section|date=November 2017}}
[[File:Oracle (Suicide Squad).jpg|thumb|upright|left|Barbara Gordon as Oracle, in ''Suicide Squad'' #38 (January 1990). Art by Luke McDonnell and Geof Isherwood.]]
Yale and Ostrander oversaw the development of Barbara Gordon's new persona as Oracle for the next several years.<ref name="A (Perhaps Unnecessary) Guide to Oracle's Formative 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.<ref>Manning, Matthew K. "1980s" in Dolan, p. 239: "Barbara [Gordon] set herself as an information guru...Called Oracle, Barbara was recruited by the Suicide Squad in the pages of issue #23 of the Squad's comic, written by John Ostrander and Kim Yale, and penciled by Luke McDonnell.</ref><ref>{{citation | first = John | last = Ostrander | title = Suicide Squad (Vol. 1) #23 | publisher = DC Comics | year = 2007 | url = http://www.dccomics.com/graphic_novels/?gn=8207 | isbn = 978-1-4012-1491-3 | access-date = September 12, 2007 | archive-date = October 11, 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071011184931/http://dccomics.com/graphic_novels/?gn=8207 | url-status = live }}</ref> In the following two years, Oracle, under the pen of Ostrander 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 [[Amanda Waller]]. In 1992, Dennis O'Neil wrote Oracle as Batman's sole source of information in ''[[Azrael (DC Comics)|Batman: Sword of Azrael]]'' #1. This newly forged partnership established Oracle's status as Batman's intellectual equal.<ref>{{citation | first= Dennis |last= O'Neil | title = ''Batman: Sword of Azrael'' #1 | publisher = DC Comics | year = 1993 | isbn = 978-1-56389-100-7}}</ref> She is subsequently featured in the 12-issue miniseries ''[[The Hacker Files]]'' (1993).<ref>{{citation| first= Lewis |last=Shiner | title = The Hacker Files| publisher = DC Comics | year = 1993}}</ref> In "Oracle: Year One"—a story arc contained in ''[[The Batman Chronicles]]'' #5 (1996)—Yale and Ostrander tell the origin of Barbara Gordon's new persona as Oracle. 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.<ref name=":0">{{citation | title = The Batman Chronicles #5 | publisher = DC Comics | date = June 1996}}</ref>

[[File: Oracle (Barbara Gordon).jpg|thumb|upright|Barbara Gordon as Oracle in ''Oracle: The Cure'' #1 (May 2009), art by Guillem March]]
In a world increasingly centered on technology and information, she possesses a [[genius]]-level intellect; [[eidetic memory|photographic memory]]; deep knowledge of computers and electronics; expert skills as a [[Hacker (computer security)|hacker]]; and graduate training in library sciences. One night, she has a dream in which an all-knowing woman (similar to the [[Pythia|Oracle at Delphi]] of [[Greek mythology]]) has her face; it is then that she adopts "Oracle" as her codename. She serves as an information broker, gathering and disseminating intelligence to [[Police|law enforcement]] organizations and members of the superhero community. She trains under the tutelage of [[Richard Dragon]], one of DC's premiere [[Martial arts|martial artists]], to engage in combat (using [[eskrima]]) from her wheelchair. She develops her upper-body strength and targeting skills with both firearms and [[batarang]]s.<ref name=":0" />

The success of [[Chuck Dixon]]'s ''Black Canary/Oracle: Birds of Prey'' (1996) led to the comic series ''[[Birds of Prey (team)|Birds of Prey]]'' starring the two title characters.<ref>{{citation | first1 = Chuck |last1=Dixon |first2= Jordan |last2= Gorfinkel | title = Black Canary/Oracle: Birds of Prey | publisher = DC Comics | year = 1996 | isbn = 1-56389-484-X}}</ref> During Chuck Dixon's crossover series ''Nightwing: Hunt for Oracle'',<ref>{{citation| author = Chuck Dixon |title= Nightwing: Hunt for Oracle| year= 2003 |publisher= DC Comics| isbn= 978-1-56389-940-9}}</ref> 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. In 2000, the first ''Batgirl'' monthly comic was launched with [[Cassandra Cain]] as the title character. Oracle appears as a supporting character throughout the series, acting as a mentor to the new Batgirl, alongside Batman. Gail Simone took over as writer of ''Birds of Prey'' with issue #56.<ref name="Simone-interview">{{citation|first=Jennifer |last=Contino |title=Interview with Gail Simone |publisher=Mania Comics |year=2006 |url=http://www.mania.com/53133.html |access-date=September 12, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012183111/http://www.mania.com/53133.html |archive-date=October 12, 2007 |df=mdy }}</ref> Simone integrates the [[Huntress (Helena Bertinelli)|Huntress]] into the comic, making her a central character in the series as Oracle's secondary field agent. In 2003, comic book authors [[Scott Beatty]] and Chuck Dixon revised Barbara Gordon's origin with the miniseries ''[[Batgirl: Year One]]''.<ref name=":1">{{citation| first1= Chuck |last1= Dixon |first2= Scott |last2= Beatty |title= Batgirl: Year One |year= 2003 |publisher= DC Comics |isbn= 978-1-4012-0080-0}}</ref> 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.

[[File:OracleBrainiacVirus.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Oracle infected with the [[Brainiac (character)|Brainiac]] virus, art by [[Adriana Melo]]]]
During the 2004 crossover event ''[[Batman: War Games]]'',<ref>{{citation | first1= Ed |last1=Brubaker |first2= Bill | last2= Willingham | title = Batman: War Games | publisher = DC Comics | year = 2004 | isbn = 1-4012-0431-7}}</ref> [[Black Mask (character)|Black Mask]] commandeers Oracle's computers and satellites and engages in a fight to the death with Batman. 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 destroys 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 (comics)|Metropolis]]. In the events comprising Gail Simone's ''Birds of Prey: Between Dark and Dawn'' (2005),<ref>{{citation |first= Gail |last=Simone |title= Birds of Prey: Between Dark and Dawn |year= 2005 |publisher= DC Comics | isbn = 1-4012-0940-8}}</ref> and ''Birds of Prey: The Battle Within'' (2005),<ref>{{citation|first= Gail |last= Simone |title= Birds of Prey: The Battle Within |year= 2005 |publisher= DC Comics | isbn = 978-1-4012-1096-0}}</ref> Oracle is possessed by arch-villain [[Brainiac (character)|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 supernatural abilities 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 crossover ''[[Infinite Crisis]]'' (2005),<ref>{{citation | author = Geoff Johns |author2= Phil Jimenez |author3=George Perez |author4=Jerry Ordway |author5=Ivan Reis |author6=Andy Lanning | title = Infinite Crisis | publisher = DC Comics | year = 2005 | isbn = 978-1-4012-0959-9}}</ref> Oracle teams with the [[Martian Manhunter]] in Metropolis to coordinate a counterstrike against the [[Secret Society of Super Villains|Secret Society's]] global jailbreak. The renewed romance between Barbara Gordon and Dick Grayson is also cut short by the ''Infinite Crisis'' storyline.<ref>{{citation |first= Marc |last= Andreyko |title= Nightwing Annual 2 |year= 2007 |publisher= DC Comics}}</ref>

When DC continuity jumps forward [[One Year Later (comics)|one year]] after the events of ''Infinite Crisis'', Oracle and her team continue to work in [[Metropolis (comics)|Metropolis]]. Oracle works with Batman, although not regularly 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]] is brought in as the group's heavy-hitter alongside a larger, rotating roster. Oracle also attempts to reforge her alliance with Power Girl. However, when Oracle invites her to rejoin the team, she replies that she will do so "when Hell freezes over."<ref>{{citation |first= Gail |last= Simone |title= Birds of Prey: Blood and Circuits |year= 2007 | publisher= DC Comics | isbn = 978-1-4012-1371-8}}</ref>

In the crossover event ''[[Countdown to Final Crisis]]'' (2007),<ref>{{citation |first1= Paul |last1= Dini| first2= Sean |last2= McKeever |title= Countdown #39 |year= 2007 |publisher= DC Comics}}</ref> Oracle dispatches the [[Renee Montoya|Question]] and Batwoman to capture [[Trickster (DC Comics)|Trickster]] and [[Pied Piper (DC Comics)|Piper]] following their role in the murder of [[Bart Allen]]. 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 (character)|Calculator]], a villainous hacker and information broker. In ''The All-New [[Booster Gold]]'' #5 (2007),<ref name="Booster">{{citation |first1= Geoff |last1=Johns |first2= Jeff |last2= Katz |title= The All-New Booster Gold'' #5'' |year= 2007 |publisher= DC Comics}}</ref> 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."<ref name="Booster"/> 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. [[Rip Hunter]] convinces him that Barbara's destiny is to become Oracle.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Geoff Johns]] |cowriters=[[Jeff Katz]] |penciller=[[Dan Jurgens]]|inker=[[Norm Rapmund]]| title= Booster Gold |issue=5|volume=2|publisher=DC Comics|date=December 2007}}</ref> Later, Batman reveals that he kept Joker's photos of Barbara and Booster Gold for years and waited until Booster Gold's correct age before confronting him. Batman then thanks Booster Gold for trying to stop the Joker and offers him his friendship.<ref>{{cite comic|writer=Geoff Johns and Jeff Katz|penciller=Dan Jurgens | inker= Norm Rapmund |title=Booster Gold|issue=1000000|volume=2|publisher=DC Comics|date=July 2008}}</ref>

In "Whitewater", Gail Simone's final story arc on ''Birds of Prey'' (2007),<ref>{{citation|first= Gail |last= Simone |title= Birds of Prey: Whitewater |year= 2007 |publisher= DC Comics}}</ref> Oracle and her team struggle for power with [[Spy Smasher#Katarina Armstrong|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. After the arc, Oracle also adopts [[Misfit (DC Comics)|Misfit]] into the Birds of Prey. [[Sean McKeever]] temporarily took over as author of ''Birds of Prey'', writing issues #113–117, ''Birds of Prey: Metropolis or Dust'' (2008). The following arc of the series ''Birds of Prey: Platinum Flats'' (2008) is written by [[Tony Bedard]]. In the company-wide 2008 ''[[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 (Michael Holt)|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 [[Multiverse (DC Comics)|Multiverse]], 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 [[Maxwell Lord#Publication history|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.<ref>{{citation|first=Antony J. L. |last= Bedard|title=Birds of Prey #127|publisher=DC Comics|year=2009}}</ref> ''Birds of Prey'' received cancellation in early 2009, with the final issue being #127.

Oracle is subsequently featured in ''Oracle: The Cure'', a limited series written by [[Kevin VanHook]] and a crossover arc with ''[[Batman: Battle for the Cowl]]'' (2009). The story chronologically follows the events of the ''Final Crisis'' and ''[[Batman R.I.P.]]'' (2008). Oracle has returned to Gotham, 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. The Calculator's plans finally come to their fruition, and Kuttler, hoping to save his dying daughter [[Wendy, Marvin and Wonder Dog|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. Oracle, now living in a dilapidated rented apartment in Gotham, becomes aware of Kuttler's activities after "Cheesefiend", one of her informants, is brutally killed, with the Anti-Life Equation itself, after coming in contact with Babbage.<ref>{{citation| first= Kevin |last= VanHook| author-link= Kevin VanHook |title=Oracle: The Cure ''#1''|publisher=DC Comics|year=2009}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{citation|first= Kevin |last= VanHook|title=Oracle: The Cure ''#2''|publisher=DC Comics|year=2009}}</ref> She manages to defeat Calculator, rendering the Anti-Life Equation's fragments useless.<ref>{{citation|first= Kevin |last= VanHook|title= Oracle: The Cure ''#3''|publisher=DC Comics| year= 2009}}</ref>

In 2009, the ''Batgirl'' comic book was relaunched with [[Stephanie Brown (character)|Stephanie Brown]] starring as the title character. Although Oracle initially tries to discourage Brown from crime-fighting, she eventually comes to accept her as Batgirl. She also mentors the Calculator's daughter, [[Wendy, Marvin and Wonder Dog|Wendy Harris]], who was disabled following an attack at [[Titans Tower]].<ref name=Batgirl3>{{citation|author-link= Bryan Q. Miller |first=Bryan Q. |last= Miller|title= ''Batgirl'' #1|publisher=DC Comics|year=2009}}</ref> Oracle later takes a job as an assistant professor at Gotham University.<ref name=Batgirl3 /> During the [[Green Lantern]] limited series ''[[Blackest Night]]'', [[Hal Jordan]] crashes into the [[Bat-Signal]] after a fight with the [[Black Lantern]] [[Martian Manhunter]]. Oracle and Commissioner Gordon are both present.<ref>{{citation|first= Geoff |last= Johns|title=Blackest Night #2|publisher=DC Comics|year=2009}}</ref> ''Origins & Omens'' hints towards an involvement in the storyline. After sending Green Lantern's intel to every superhero community across the planet of the Black Lanterns, the Gordons find themselves being attacked by the original Dark Knight's deceased rogue gallery members, who are all reanimated by the Black Lantern Corps. Oracle and her father are forced to fight for their lives as they witness the Black Lanterns massacring everyone on sight at [[Gotham Central]]. During the crisis, Oracle is rendered unconscious by an explosion and is possessed by [[Deadman (DC Comics)|Deadman]], who uses Oracle's body to save Commissioner Gordon from the reanimated [[King Snake]] and the [[Trigger Twins]]. After being rescued by Batman, [[Damian Wayne|Robin]], and [[Tim Drake|Red Robin]], the Gordons were attacked by Batman and Red Robin's parents with their saviors, the reanimated Graysons and the Drakes. While Grayson and Drake battle the Black Lanterns, Robin takes the Gordons to their underground base where [[Alfred Pennyworth|Alfred]] tends her and her father's wounds.<ref>{{citation|first= Peter J. |last= Tomasi|title=Blackest Night: Batman #2|publisher=DC Comics|year=2009}}</ref>

In Greg Rucka's ''Detective Comics'' #862, Barbara Gordon is approached by Huntress and [[Renee Montoya]] (the new [[Question (character)|Question]]) for help in tracking down a mysterious criminal who ordered a hit on them. Montoya is flabbergasted upon discovering that "Commissioner Gordon's daughter" is a superhero.<ref>{{citation|author=Greg Rucka|title=Detective Comics #862|publisher=DC Comics|year=2010}}</ref> In 2010, ''Birds of Prey'' was relaunched with Gail Simone returning to write the comic. The first arc is a tie-in with the Green Lantern ''[[Brightest Day]]'' limited series. Oracle reforms the Birds of Prey, this time with [[Hawk and Dove|Dove]] and the recently resurrected [[Hank Hall|Hawk]] as members.<ref>{{citation|first= Gail |last= Simone|title=Birds of Prey ''#1'' |publisher=DC Comics|year=2010}}</ref> A new villainess calling herself the White Canary begins menacing the Birds, and publicly reveals Black Canary's civilian identity and frames her for a murder. While the team contends with White Canary in the streets of Gotham, Oracle is kidnapped by her former associates, [[Savant (DC Comics)|Savant]] and [[Creote]].<ref>{{citation|author=Gail Simone|title=Birds of Prey ''#2''|publisher=DC Comics| year= 2010}}</ref><ref>{{citation|author=Gail Simone|title=Birds of Prey ''#3''| publisher= DC Comics| year= 2010}}</ref> This is eventually revealed to be a ruse in order to trick White Canary. Following the team's victory against White Canary, Oracle fakes her death during a battle with Calculator.<ref>{{citation|first= Gail |last= Simone|title=Birds of Prey #9|publisher=DC Comics|year=2010}}</ref> With most of the criminal underworld now believing that she is dead, Oracle cuts off ties with all but a select few Gotham heroes, and is shown refusing to help [[Blue Beetle (Jaime Reyes)|Blue Beetle]], [[Manhunter (Kate Spencer)|Manhunter]], and Booster Gold when they attempt to call her for assistance during battle.<ref>{{citation|first= Gail |last= Simone| title= Birds of Prey ''#10'' |publisher= DC Comics|year=2010}}</ref>

In Grant Morrison's ''Batman: The Return'' (2010), an installment of the limited series ''[[Bruce Wayne: The Road Home]]'' (2010), Batman enlists Oracle to help him run [[Batman Incorporated]], a new global team of Batmen. He tasks her with helping him fight crime on a virtual front and shows her a new modified Batgirl design that acts as her virtual avatar.<ref>{{citation|author=Grant Morrison|title=Batman: The Return #1|publisher=DC Comics|year=2010}}</ref> Oracle is later shown directing Cassandra Cain, now known as "Black Bat", on a mission in Hong Kong, where she captures some heroin smugglers for Batman.<ref>{{citation|author=Grant Morrison|title=Batman Incorporated #6|publisher=DC Comics|year=2011}}</ref> In Scott Snyder's ''Black Mirror'' storyline, Barbara Gordon is kidnapped by her brother, James Gordon Jr., who had returned to Gotham after a lengthy absence to become a serial killer.<ref>{{citation|author=Scott Snyder
|title=Detective Comics #880|publisher=DC Comics|year=2011}}</ref> He stabs her in both of her legs, positioning the knives so that if she removes them, she will bleed to death. As she slowly bleeds, she can use her wits to distract him long enough for Batman and Commissioner Gordon to arrive and defeat her brother.<ref>{{citation|author=Scott Snyder
|title=Detective Comics #881|publisher=DC Comics|year=2011}}</ref>

===''The New 52'': ''Batgirl'', ''Birds of Prey'', and other appearances (2011–2016)===
In September 2011, following the company-wide relaunch, Barbara Gordon stars in a new ''Batgirl'' series—one of ''[[The New 52]]'' titles featuring the company's most iconic characters. The conclusion of the limited series ''[[Flashpoint (comics)|Flashpoint]]'' (2011) establishes a new continuity within the DC Universe, with all characters regressing to a younger age and earlier stage in their careers while remaining in a modern timeline. DC Senior VP of Sales, Bob Wayne, explained that with each of their titles reverting to issue #1, "our creative teams have the ability to take a more modern approach—not only with each character, but with how the characters interact with one another and the universe as a whole, and focus on the earlier part of the careers of each of our iconic characters."<ref name="New 52">{{citation|author=Michael Doran|title=DC Releases New "The New 52" Info & Answers to Retailers|url=http://www.newsarama.com/comics/dcnu-the-new-52-retailer-info-110701.html|publisher=Newsarama|date=July 1, 2011|access-date=July 7, 2011|archive-date=July 4, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110704210023/http://www.newsarama.com/comics/dcnu-the-new-52-retailer-info-110701.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Barbara Gordon is biological daughter of James Gordon and Barbara Eileen Gordon in this continuity. Wayne also stated that "''The Killing Joke'' still happened and she was Oracle. Now she will go through physical rehabilitation and become a more seasoned and nuanced character because she had these incredible and diverse experiences.<ref name="New 52"/> Public reaction to the change has been mixed and has included criticism that DC has reduced the diversity of their character lineup, as well as "being disrespectful of the power the character had gained as a symbol to the disabled community in her role as Oracle."<ref name="OP/ED: ORACLE Is Stronger Than BATGIRL Will Ever Be">{{citation|author=Jill Pantozzi|title=OP/ED: ORACLE Is Stronger Than BATGIRL Will Ever Be|url=http://www.newsarama.com/comics/oracle-is-stronger-than-batgirl-110606.html|publisher=Newsarama|date=June 6, 2011|access-date=July 7, 2011|archive-date=June 10, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610115421/http://www.newsarama.com/comics/oracle-is-stronger-than-batgirl-110606.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{citation|title=Batgirl Triumphant: The Price of Restoring DC Comics' Disabled Heroine |url=http://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/06/06/batgirl-barbara-gordon-disabled/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609185128/http://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/06/06/batgirl-barbara-gordon-disabled |archive-date=June 9, 2011 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{citation|title="Fixing" Barbara Gordon's Legs: The Politics of Retconning a Disability|url=http://www.sequart.org/magazine/1236/fixing-barbara-gordons-legs-the-politics-of-retconning-a-disability/|access-date=June 15, 2011|archive-date=December 28, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111228053848/http://www.sequart.org/magazine/1236/fixing-barbara-gordons-legs-the-politics-of-retconning-a-disability|url-status=live}}</ref>

DC Comics co-publisher [[Dan DiDio]] explained the decision by stating that "[w]e didn't want to turn our back on the diversity issue, but she'll always be the most recognizable [Batgirl]. We are working with concerns to diversify the line. We're always looking to re-position to be reflective of today's audience."<ref>{{citation|author=Jen Doll|title=Comic Fans to Gather in Times Square at Midnight for Launch of 'The New 52'|url=http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2011/08/dc_comics_new_52.php|newspaper=[[The Village Voice]]|date=August 30, 2011|access-date=September 3, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120214191053/http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2011/08/dc_comics_new_52.php|archive-date=February 14, 2012|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Gail Simone, who will be writing the series, stated: "For many years, I got to write the character as Oracle, and there is to this day, no character who means more to me. This is classic Barbara as she was originally conceived, with a few big surprises. It's a bit of a shock, to be sure, but we're doing everything we can to be respectful to this character's amazing legacy, while presenting something thrilling that a generation of comics readers will be experiencing for the first time&nbsp;... Barbara Gordon leaping, fighting, and swinging over Gotham. Now, when citizens of that city look up, they are going to see BATGIRL. And that is absolutely thrilling."<ref name="update"/>

In the new, revised continuity, the events of ''The Killing Joke'' took place three years before the current storyline, and while it is established she was paraplegic during that time, Barbara Gordon is written as having regained her mobility after undergoing experimental surgery at a South African clinic.<ref name="background">{{citation|author=Vaneta Rogers|title=GAIL SIMONE on Revelations About BATGIRL's Miraculous Cure|url=http://www.newsarama.com/comics/gail-simone-batgirl-cure-revelations-120111.html|publisher=Newsarama|date=January 12, 2012|access-date=February 22, 2012|archive-date=January 29, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120129223515/http://www.newsarama.com/comics/gail-simone-batgirl-cure-revelations-120111.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Series writer Gail Simone stated that while the character is "one of the smartest and toughest women in comics&nbsp;... One thing the book is truly about, is that the after-effects of something like PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) or other trauma-related syndromes, can strike even very smart, very intellectually tough people, even soldiers and cops", a subject that is generally overlooked in comic books. She also explained the method of the character's recovery is based upon real-life experiences in that "some of the best real world work in the field of mobility rehabilitation is coming from South Africa. People have been talking about this as if it's some sort of mystical thing like returning from the dead, but there are treatments and surgeries that can restore mobility in some cases. Barbara's spine was not severed. That makes her a candidate."<ref name="background"/>

Prior to release, ''Batgirl'' #1 sold out at the distribution level with over 100,000 copies printed in its first run according to [[Diamond Comic Distributors]]. Along with ''Action Comics'' #1, ''Justice League'' #1, ''[[Batman (comic book)|Batman]]'' #1, ''[[Batman and Robin (comic book)|Batman and Robin]]'' #1, ''[[Batman: The Dark Knight]]'' #1, ''Detective Comics'' #1, ''[[The Flash (comic book)|Flash]]'' #1, ''[[Green Lantern (comic book)|Green Lantern]]'' #1, and ''[[Superman (comic book)|Superman]]'' #1, retailers were required to order a second printing.<ref>{{citation|author=Vaneta Rogers|title=Ten NEW 52 Titles Exceed 100k, DC Touts Sales Success|url=http://www.newsarama.com/comics/dc-touts-new-52-sales-success-110912.html|publisher=Newsarama|date=September 12, 2011|access-date=September 12, 2011|archive-date=November 1, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111101155832/http://www.newsarama.com/comics/dc-touts-new-52-sales-success-110912.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{citation|first=Mark|last=Langshaw|title='Action Comics' No. 1, 'Batgirl' No. 1 sell out at distribution level|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/comics/news/a338458/action-comics-1-batgirl-1-sell-out-at-distribution-level.html|publisher=[[Digital Spy]]|date=September 2, 2011|access-date=September 2, 2011|archive-date=September 22, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120922173834/http://www.digitalspy.com/comics/news/a338458/action-comics-1-batgirl-1-sell-out-at-distribution-level.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Calvin Reid of ''[[Publishers Weekly]]'' states in a review of the first issue: "The artwork is okay though conventional, while Simone's script tries to tie up of the end of the previous Barbara Gordon/Oracle storyline and setup up the new Batgirl. Her formula: murderous villains, blood splattering violence and high flying superheroics mixed with single-white-female bonding&nbsp;... plus a cliffhanger ending to the first issue that offers a nifty [segue] into the new world of Barbara Gordon and Batgirl."<ref>{{citation|first=Calvin|last=Reid|title=The New 52: 'PW Comics World' Reviews DC Comics' New Series|url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/book-news/comics/article/48604-the-new-52--pw-comics-world-reviews-dc-comics-new-series.html|newspaper=[[Publishers Weekly]]|date=September 8, 2011|access-date=September 8, 2011|archive-date=October 21, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111021135429/http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/book-news/comics/article/48604-the-new-52--pw-comics-world-reviews-dc-comics-new-series.html|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[The New York Times]]'' critic George Gene Gustines wrote: "Unlike some of the other DC comics I read this week, Batgirl achieves a deft hat trick: a well-shaped reintroduction to a character, an elegant acknowledgement of fundamental history and the establishment of a new status quo. This is a must-buy series."<ref>{{citation|first1=George Gene|last1=Gustines|first2=Adam W.|last2=Kepler|title=Rating the No. 1's: 'Batgirl' and More|url=http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/08/rating-the-no-1s-batgirl-and-more/|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=September 8, 2011|access-date=September 8, 2011|archive-date=September 10, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110910221111/http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/08/rating-the-no-1s-batgirl-and-more/|url-status=live}}</ref> Earning a B+ rating in a review from ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'', Ken Tucker writes that Simone "[takes] her Birds of Prey storytelling powers and focuses them on the newly revived Barbara Gordon as Batgirl. The result is a burst of exhilaration, as Barbara/Batgirl revels in her new freedom even as she encounters a so-far not-terribly-chilling villain called Mirror."<ref>{{citation|first=Ken|last=Tucker|title=Comic-book consumer guide: Grading the new DC #1s, 'Batgirl,' 'Detective Comics,' and more|url=http://shelf-life.ew.com/2011/09/07/batgirl-batman-detective-comics-dc-superman/|newspaper=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=September 7, 2011|access-date=September 7, 2011|archive-date=November 12, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111112225916/http://shelf-life.ew.com/2011/09/07/batgirl-batman-detective-comics-dc-superman/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Since the series relaunch in September 2011, ''Batgirl'' has remained within the top 30 of the 300 best-selling monthly comic book publications sold in North America. Monthly estimated sales figures are as follows: ''Batgirl'' #1 with 81,489 copies (ranked 12th overall),<ref>{{citation|first=John|last=Jackson Miller|title=September 2011 Comic Book Sales Figures|url=http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/2011/2011-09.html|website=comichron.com|date=September 2011|access-date=2012-03-07|archive-date=May 14, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120514045935/http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/2011/2011-09.html|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Batgirl'' #2 with 75,227 (ranked 14th),<ref>{{citation|first=John|last=Jackson Miller|title=October 2011 Comic Book Sales Figures|url=http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/2011/2011-10.html|website=comichron.com|date=October 2011|access-date=2012-03-07|archive-date=May 14, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120514051805/http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/2011/2011-10.html|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Batgirl'' #3 with 62,974 (ranked 18th),<ref>{{citation|first=John|last=Jackson Miller|title=November 2011 Comic Book Sales Figures|url=http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/2011/2011-11.html|website=comichron.com|date=November 2011|access-date=2012-03-07|archive-date=May 14, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120514050550/http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/2011/2011-11.html|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Batgirl'' #4 with 53,975 (ranked 23rd),<ref>{{citation|first=John|last=Jackson Miller|title=December 2011 Comic Book Sales Figures|url=http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/2011/2011-12.html|website=comichron.com|date=December 2011|access-date=2012-03-07|archive-date=January 18, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118213104/http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/2011/2011-12.html|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Batgirl'' #5 with 51,327 (ranked 26th),<ref>{{citation|first=John|last=Jackson Miller|title=January 2012 Comic Book Sales Figures|url=http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/2012/2012-01.html|website=comichron.com|date=January 2012|access-date=2012-03-07|archive-date=August 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170812173432/http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/2012/2012-01.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and ''Batgirl'' #6 with 47,836 (ranked 30th).<ref>{{citation|first=John|last=Jackson Miller|title=February 2012 Comic Book Sales Figures|url=http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/2012/2012-02.html|website=comichron.com|date=February 2012|access-date=2012-03-07|archive-date=March 17, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317040040/http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/2012/2012-02.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The hardcover edition of volume 1, ''Batgirl: The Darkest Reflection'', which collects issues #1–6, made [[The New York Times Best Seller list|''The New York Times'' Best Seller list]], alongside ''Animal Man: The Hunt'', ''Batman & Robin: Born to Kill'', ''Batman: Detective Comics'', ''Wonder Woman: Blood'', ''Batwoman: Hydrology'', ''Green Lantern: Sinestro''.<ref>{{citation|author=Calvin Reid|title=DC Comics' 'New 52' Drives Graphic Novel Sales|url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/book-news/comics/article/53451-dc-comics----new-52--drives-graphic-novel-sales.html|publisher=Publishers Weekly|date=2012-08-06|access-date=2012-08-06|archive-date=August 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120808212531/http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/book-news/comics/article/53451-dc-comics----new-52--drives-graphic-novel-sales.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Additionally, Barbara Gordon makes an appearance in ''Birds of Prey'' #1, where Black Canary offers her a spot on the new Birds of Prey roster. She declines Canary's invitation, suggesting that [[Katana (DC Comics)|Katana]] take her place instead.<ref>'' Birds of Prey'' (vol. 3) #1</ref> Series writer Duane Swierczynski has stated that Batgirl will join the team in issue #4.<ref>{{citation|author=Duane Swierczynski|title=3 Things to Know About the Birds of Prey|url=http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2011/11/18/3-things-to-know-about-the-birds-of-prey/|publisher=DC Comics|date=November 18, 2011|access-date=November 18, 2011|archive-date=November 20, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111120173128/http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2011/11/18/3-things-to-know-about-the-birds-of-prey/|url-status=live}}</ref> He commented that while she "is an essential part of this team", she is not the focus of the series, as she is hesitant to be associated with the other characters because of their status as outlaws.<ref>{{citation|author=Josie Campbell|title=THE BAT SIGNAL: Swierczynski Discusses Crime, Batgirl & "Birds Of Prey"|url=https://www.cbr.com/the-bat-signal-swierczynski-discusses-crime-batgirl-birds-of-prey/|publisher=Comic Book Resources|date=January 30, 2012|access-date=January 1, 2023|archive-date=June 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120610010510/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=36637|url-status=live}}</ref>

In October 2014, the monthly Batgirl title underwent a soft [[reboot (fiction)|reboot]] with the new creative team Brenden Fletcher (writer) [[Cameron Stewart]] (writer, layouts), [[Babs Tarr]] (artist) and Maris Wicks (colors). The first six-issue story explored Barbara Gordon's attempt to start a new life as a PhD student in the hip Gotham borough of Burnside. While seemingly light and engaging compared to Gail Simone's darker preceding run, the new arc ultimately dealt with Babs' inability to fully escape her [[Batman: The Killing Joke|earlier trauma]] and the villain was revealed as her own brain scans, an algorithm similar to the pre-New 52 Oracle.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Brooker|first1=Will|last2=LeBas|first2=Samantha|title=The Burnside HOOQ-Up: Special Edition – I Made A Backup (The Oracle Theory)|url=http://multiversitycomics.com/annotations/the-burnside-hooq-up-special-edition-i-made-a-backup-the-oracle-theory/|website=Multiversity Comics|date=February 5, 2015|access-date=9 March 2015|archive-date=May 12, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150512043537/http://multiversitycomics.com/annotations/the-burnside-hooq-up-special-edition-i-made-a-backup-the-oracle-theory|url-status=live}}</ref> While the reboot was highly praised for its innovative use of social media, its fun and energy, and particularly for Tarr's art,<ref>{{cite web|title=Batgirl #36|url=https://www.cbr.com/batgirl-36/|website=Comic Book Resources|date=November 17, 2014|access-date=January 1, 2023|archive-date=April 28, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150428154318/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=user_review&id=7993|url-status=live}}</ref> several critics condemned the villain Dagger Type in issue #37 as a transphobic caricature.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Stevens|first1=Rachel|title=Disappointment Again: Batgirl 37 is Transphobic|url=http://womenwriteaboutcomics.com/2014/12/12/disappointment-again-batgirl-37-is-transphobic/|website=Women Write About Comics|date=December 12, 2014|access-date=9 March 2015|archive-date=May 3, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150503043600/http://womenwriteaboutcomics.com/2014/12/12/disappointment-again-batgirl-37-is-transphobic/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=J. Skyler |title=Batgirl And The Perpetual State Of Transphobia In Media |url=http://comicsalliance.com/batgirl-and-the-perpetual-state-of-transphobia-in-media/ |publisher=[[Townsquare Media]] |date=16 December 2014 |access-date=6 February 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160302043015/http://comicsalliance.com/batgirl-and-the-perpetual-state-of-transphobia-in-media/ |archive-date=March 2, 2016 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Jessica Lachenal|title=Why the Batgirl #37 Controversy is the Conversation We Need Right Now|url=http://www.themarysue.com/batgirl-37-controversy-conversation/|publisher=[[Dan Abrams|Abrams Media]]|date=15 December 2014|access-date=6 February 2016|archive-date=February 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160216153138/http://www.themarysue.com/batgirl-37-controversy-conversation/|url-status=live}}</ref> In response, the creative team issued a joint apology and revised the issue for the subsequent collected edition, ''Batgirl Vol. 1: The Batgirl of Burnside''.<ref>{{cite web|author=Ira Madison III|title="Batgirl" Creative Team Issues Apology After Transphobia Allegations|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/iramadison/batgirl-creative-team-issues-apology-after-transphobia-alleg|publisher=[[BuzzFeed]]|date=13 December 2014|access-date=6 February 2016|archive-date=June 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170612134004/https://www.buzzfeed.com/iramadison/batgirl-creative-team-issues-apology-after-transphobia-alleg|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Aja Romano|title=DC Comics' Batgirl writers are rewriting one of their issues to remove transphobic art|url=http://www.dailydot.com/geek/batgirl-issue-37-rewriting-transphobic-panels/|newspaper=[[The Daily Dot]]|date=12 June 2015|access-date=6 February 2016|archive-date=February 7, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207104916/http://www.dailydot.com/geek/batgirl-issue-37-rewriting-transphobic-panels/|url-status=live}}</ref>

On March 13, 2015, DC Comics released 25 Joker-themed variant covers for its various monthly series for release that June, in celebration of the character's 75th anniversary. Among them was a cover to ''Batgirl'' #41 by artist [[Rafael Albuquerque (artist)|Rafael Albuquerque]] that took its inspiration from ''The Killing Joke''. The cover depicts the Joker standing next to a tearful Batgirl, who has a red smile painted across her mouth. The Joker has one hand holding a revolver draped over Batgirl's shoulder and is pointing to her cheek with the other hand as if gesturing to shoot her.

The cover quickly drew criticism for highlighting a dark period in the character's history, especially when juxtaposed with the youthful, more optimistic direction of the series at the time. The [[hashtag]] #changethecover drew hundreds of posts on Twitter and Tumblr asking DC to not release the variant. DC ultimately withdrew the cover from publication at the request of Albuquerque, who stated, "My intention was never to hurt or upset anyone through my art...For that reason, I have recommended to DC that the variant cover be pulled."<ref>Ching, Albert (March 16, 2015). [https://www.cbr.com/dc-comics-cancels-batgirl-joker-variant-cover-at-artists-request/ "DC Comics Cancels 'Batgirl' Joker Variant Cover at Artist's Request"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160224014233/http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/dc-comics-cancels-batgirl-joker-variant-at-artists-request |date=February 24, 2016 }}. Comic Book Resources.</ref>

===''DC Rebirth'': ''Batgirl'' (vol. 5) and ''Batgirl and the Birds of Prey'' (2016–2020)===
[[File:Batgirl (Barbara Gordon circa 2018).png|upright|thumb|left|Barbara Gordon as she appeared on the variant cover of ''Batman'' (vol. 3) #50 (September 2018) by [[J. Scott Campbell]].]]
[[File:Barbara Gordon Batgirl Vol 5 34 Variant.jpg|thumb|upright|right| From ''Batgirl'' (vol. 5) #34 (June 2019). Art by [[Joshua Middleton]].]]

In March 2016, DC Comics announced it would be relaunching all of its monthly titles in an initiative called ''[[DC Rebirth]]''. The relaunch restored elements of the pre-"[[Flashpoint (comics)|Flashpoint]]" DC continuity while maintaining elements of The New 52 as well.<ref>{{cite web|author=Borys Kit|title=WonderCon: DC Relaunching Comics With Rebirth, Dropping Price of Comics|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/wondercon-dc-relaunching-comics-rebirth-878493/|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=2016-03-26|access-date=2023-01-01|archive-date=2021-10-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211030014956/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/wondercon-dc-relaunching-comics-rebirth-878493/|url-status=live}}</ref> The DC Rebirth Batgirl would remain Barbara Gordon,<ref>Schedeen, Jesse (July 28, 2016). [https://www.ign.com/articles/2016/07/28/comic-book-reviews-for-july-27-2016?abthid=579a0bc350b7327c0b000006 "Comic Book Reviews for July 27, 2016"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201184418/https://www.ign.com/articles/2016/07/28/comic-book-reviews-for-july-27-2016?abthid=579a0bc350b7327c0b000006 |date=December 1, 2020 }}. [[IGN]].</ref> who would star in two monthly series: ''Batgirl'' (vol. 5), written by Hope Larson, and ''Batgirl and the Birds of Prey'', written by Julie Benson and Shawna Benson.<ref>{{cite web|author=Jevon Phillips|title=DC bets big on Rebirth: A re-centering of characters, and the Joker's real name|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/herocomplex/la-et-hc-dc-bets-rebirth-jokers-real-name-20160326-story.html|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=2016-03-27|access-date=2016-03-29|archive-date=December 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204175307/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/herocomplex/la-et-hc-dc-bets-rebirth-jokers-real-name-20160326-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The two comic book titles debuted in July<ref>[http://comicbookroundup.com/comic-books/reviews/dc-comics/batgirl-(2016) "Batgirl (2016)"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170418083609/http://comicbookroundup.com/comic-books/reviews/dc-comics/batgirl-(2016) |date=April 18, 2017 }}. Comic Book Roundup. Retrieved April 17, 2017.</ref> and August 2016, respectively.<ref>[http://comicbookroundup.com/comic-books/reviews/dc-comics/batgirl-and-the-birds-of-prey "Batgirl and the Birds of Prey"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170418083538/http://comicbookroundup.com/comic-books/reviews/dc-comics/batgirl-and-the-birds-of-prey |date=April 18, 2017 }}. Comic Book Roundup. Retrieved April 17, 2017.</ref> In volume five of ''Batgirl'', Barbara Gordon is a student attending Burnside College in the trendy Burnside neighborhood of [[Gotham City]].<ref>''Batgirl'' (vol. 5) #7</ref>

Barbara later resumes her role as Oracle, providing comms and tactical support to the Birds of Prey and the [[Batman Family]] once again, as part of the 2020 [[Infinite Frontier]] relaunch, which restores much of the DC Universe status quo from before The New 52. She takes on the role during the ''[[Joker War]]'' storyline when the team needs a greater tactical advantage than ever to overcome the Joker's latest plot, and after her spinal support implant begins to show signs of overuse. However, she retains the right to join [[Cassandra Cain]] and [[Stephanie Brown (character)|Stephanie Brown]] in suiting up as Batgirl again in the future.

===''Infinite Frontier'': ''Batgirl'' (2020–2021)===
{{update section|date=August 2023}}

===''Dawn of DC'': ''Batgirl'' (since 2023)===
In the ''[[Knight Terrors]] ''story arc of 2023, Batgirl engages battle with [[Punchline (DC Comics)|Punchline]] and [[Royal Flush Gang]], after discovering them trying to infiltrate the Clock Tower while other members of the [[Batfamily]] are away in the Knightmare Realm.<ref>Knight Terrors: Punchline #1</ref>

==Alternative versions==
Various alterations of the Barbara Gordon character have appeared in storylines published in and out of mainstream continuity titles. Variants of the character within continuity often appear in stories that involve time travel, such as the crossover limited series ''[[Zero Hour (comics)|Zero Hour: Crisis in Time]]'', a follow-up story preceded by the 1985 limited series ''[[Crisis on Infinite Earths]]'' which altered mainstream continuity. Notable imprints of DC Comics such as ''[[Elseworlds]]'' and ''[[All Star DC Comics]]'' have also featured alternate versions of the character.

===Elseworlds===
Barbara Gordon, as both Batgirl and Oracle, has made several appearances in ''Elseworlds'' comics since 1997. The ''Elseworlds'' imprint takes the company's iconic characters and places them in alternate timelines, places and events making heroes "as familiar as yesterday seem as fresh as tomorrow."<ref>{{citation|author=M. Keith Booker|title=Encyclopedia of Comic Books and Graphic Novels|publisher=ABC-CLIO|year=2010|page=53|isbn=978-0-313-35746-6}}</ref> The character is given starring roles in the [[Film noir|noir]]-style storyline ''Thrillkiller: Batgirl & Robin'' (1997),<ref name="Chaykin 1997">{{citation |author= Howard Chaykin |title = ''Thrillkiller: Batgirl & Robin'' |year = 1997 |publisher = DC Comics}}</ref> its sequel ''Batgirl + Batman: Thrillkiller '62'' (1998),<ref>{{citation |author= Howard Chaykin |title = ''Batgirl + Batman: Thrillkiller '62'' |year = 1998 |publisher = DC Comics}}</ref> and the one-shot comic ''[[Elseworld's Finest: Supergirl & Batgirl]]'' (1998),<ref>{{citation |author1=Tom Simmons |author2=Barbara Kesel |title = ''Elseworld's Finest: Supergirl & Batgirl'' |year = 1998 |publisher = DC Comics}}</ref> all of which depict worlds where Barbara is Gotham's first bat-themed hero (Bruce Wayne is a police detective who becomes Batman in the 1960s-set ''Thrillkiller'' series, and merely serves as essentially her 'Alfred' in ''Elseworld's Finest'' in a timeline where Jim Gordon was killed rather than the Waynes).

[[File:Barbara Gordon Batgirl.jpg|thumb|upright|Barbara Gordon on the cover of ''Batgirl: Futures End'' #1 (Nov. 2014), art by [[Clay Mann]]]]
In addition, the character has supporting roles in ''[[JLA: The Nail]]'' (1998), ''[[JLA: Created Equal]]'' (2000),<ref>{{Citation |author = [[Fabian Nicieza]] |title = ''JLA: Created Equal'' |year = 2000 |publisher = DC Comics}}</ref> ''[[Superman & Batman: Generations]]'' (2003),<ref>{{Citation |author = [[John Byrne (comics)|John Byrne]]|title = ''Superman/Batman Generations II'' #2 |year = 2003 |publisher = DC Comics}}</ref> ''[[Batman: Year 100]]'' (2006), and ''[[Batman: Earth One]]'' (2012). A version of her appears as "Nightwing" in the [[Smallville (TV series)|Smallville comic series]], replacing Stephanie Brown as previously promoted.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bleedingcool.com/2012/07/12/stephanie-brown-dropped-from-smallville-in-favour-of-barbara-gordon/|title=Stephanie Brown Dropped From Smallville In Favour Of Barbara Gordon?|author=Rich Johnston|work=Bleeding Cool Comic Book, Movie, TV News|date=July 12, 2012|access-date=July 30, 2012|archive-date=October 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211030014951/https://bleedingcool.com/comics/stephanie-brown-dropped-from-smallville-in-favour-of-barbara-gordon/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Barbara Gordon aka '''Nightwing''' is featured as Batman's partner in the ''[[Smallville]] Season 11'' digital comic based on the [[Smallville|TV series]], in addition to being a valued member of [[Wayne Enterprises]] R&D.<ref>''Smallville Season 11 Detective'' #2-4</ref>

===All Star Batgirl===
In 2005, DC Comics launched its ''All-Star'' imprint—an ongoing series of comics designed to pair the company's most iconic characters with the most acclaimed writers and artists in the industry. Similar to ''Elseworlds'', ''All-Star'' is not restricted to continuity and establishes a fresh perspective for the latest generation of readership. According to [[Dan DiDio]], "[t]hese books are created to literally reach the widest audience possible, and not just the comic book audience, but anyone who has ever wanted to read or see anything about Superman or Batman."<ref>{{citation|author=[[Rik Offenberger]] |title=Dan DiDio: DC Comics' All-Star |publisher=Silver Bullet Comics |year=2007 |url=http://www.silverbulletcomicbooks.com/features/111605849050665.htm |access-date=September 11, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011204926/http://www.silverbulletcomicbooks.com/features/111605849050665.htm |archive-date=October 11, 2007 |df=mdy }}</ref>

An alternate Barbara Gordon was adapted into [[Frank Miller]]'s ''[[All Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder]]'' (2005) as a teenage Batgirl. In addition, another variation of the character had been set to star in an eponymous ''All Star Batgirl'' title, written by [[Geoff Johns]]; however, the series was canceled prior to publication.<ref>{{citation |author= Ben Morse| title = HEY NOW, YOU'RE AN ALL STAR |work=[[Wizard (magazine)|Wizard]] | year = 2006 | url = http://www.wizarduniverse.com/magazine/wizard/001559179.cfm | access-date =November 23, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071012141004/http://wizarduniverse.com/magazine/wizard/001559179.cfm |archive-date = October 12, 2007}}</ref>

===Future's End===
In ''[[The New 52: Futures End|Batgirl: Futures End]]'' #1 (Nov. 2014), set in an alternate future, a trio of Batgirls include Casandra Cain, Stephanie Brown, and newcomer Tiffany Fox—the daughter of [[Lucius Fox]] and the first African American character to be portrayed as Batgirl.<ref>{{cite web|author=Matt Santori-Griffith|title=Review: BATGIRL: FUTURES END #1|url=http://www.comicosity.com/review-batgirl-futures-end-1/|publisher=Comicosity|date=2014-09-10|access-date=2016-03-30|archive-date=October 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171023064133/http://www.comicosity.com/review-batgirl-futures-end-1/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===DC Bombshell===
In 2015, DC began publishing ''DC Bombshells'', a title that places its characters in an alternate history primarily set during the 1930s and 1940s. In digital issue #42 (collected as print issue #14), Harley Quinn tells Pamela Isley about encountering "the Belle of the Bog", who appears to be a vampire version of Batgirl.<ref>{{cite web|title=DC Comics Bombshells #14|date=March 15, 2021|url=http://www.dccomics.com/comics/dc-comics-bombshells-2015/dc-comics-bombshells-14|access-date=May 25, 2016|archive-date=May 17, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160517130614/http://www.dccomics.com/comics/dc-comics-bombshells-2015/dc-comics-bombshells-14|url-status=live}}</ref> ''DC Comics Bombshells Annual'' #1, published on 31 August 2016, reveals that Barbara Gourdon was a French fighter pilot during World War I. After she lost her boyfriend during the war, she traveled to Louisiana and did indeed become a vampire.<ref>{{cite web|title=DC Comics Bombshells Annual #1|date=May 16, 2016|url=http://www.dccomics.com/comics/dc-comics-bombshells-2015/dc-comics-bombshells-annual-1|access-date=May 25, 2016|archive-date=August 15, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160815111430/http://www.dccomics.com/comics/dc-comics-bombshells-2015/dc-comics-bombshells-annual-1|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Batman '89===
In the ''[[Batman '89 (comic book)|Batman '89]]'' miniseries (which takes place in an alternate continuity of the Tim Burton films), Barbara Gordon is a Sergeant in the GCPD and Harvey Dent's fiancée. She has a strained relationship with her father and works with Dent to bring Batman down as both see him as a threat. She turns on Dent after a freak accident disfigured his face and drove him to become a criminal and attempted to arrest him, but her efforts were thwarted by Catwoman. Following the deaths of both her father and Dent, she receives a posthumous package from Dent revealing Batman's secret identity and a letter from Catwoman offering her partnership to incriminate Batman and Gotham's power elite.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dccomics.com/blog/2021/07/15/first-look-step-back-into-the-gotham-of-tim-burton%E2%80%99s-seminal-classic-%E2%80%98batman%E2%80%99-movies|title=FIRST LOOK: Step Back Into the Gotham City of Tim Burton's Seminal Classic 'Batman' movies!|date=July 15, 2021|website=DC|access-date=August 11, 2021|archive-date=August 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210810150042/https://www.dccomics.com/blog/2021/07/15/first-look-step-back-into-the-gotham-of-tim-burton%E2%80%99s-seminal-classic-%E2%80%98batman%E2%80%99-movies|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.dccomics.com/comics/batman-89-2021/batman-89-1|title = Batman '89 #1|date = July 27, 2021|access-date = August 11, 2021|archive-date = August 10, 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210810192704/https://www.dccomics.com/comics/batman-89-2021/batman-89-1|url-status = live}}</ref>

==Critical and editorial commentary==
{{quote box
| quote = One could argue that curing Barbara and allowing her to be Batgirl again would simply allow her to do more good fighting crime than she ever could in a wheelchair, but then you look insensitive to the ability and usefulness she has in other capacities as Oracle. Conversely, you could say that removing Barbara from her wheelchair drastically alters her character, but then wouldn't that indicate that this is a character defined by her handicap? This begs the question of why so many fans adore her: is it because she's a bold and daring leader that rivals the Calculator in brains? Or is it because she's all of that, but stuck in a wheelchair? Think about the question, and surely many of you will find an answer you don't like.
| source = — [[CraveOnline]], 2009<ref>{{citation|title=The Life and Times of Barbara Gordon |url=http://www.craveonline.com/comics/articles/146996-the-life-and-times-of-barbara-gordon |publisher=[[CraveOnline]] |date=March 30, 2009 |access-date=July 6, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120605214208/http://www.craveonline.com/comics/articles/146996-the-life-and-times-of-barbara-gordon |archive-date=June 5, 2012 }}</ref>
| width = 370px
}}

In the aftermath of ''Batman: The Killing Joke'', Barbara Gordon's paralysis has been the subject of debate, with arguments in favor of, and against, restoring her mobility. Writers, artists, editorial staff, and critics have spoken at great length about the nature of the subject, citing responses from the readership, issues of sexism, diversity, and representation, as well as other considerations that have impacted decisions regarding the character's portrayal.

===Commentary in favor of Batgirl===
Reacting to ''The Killing Joke'' and Barbara Gordon's later character development as Oracle in ''Batman: Gotham Knights'', Ray Tate, a reviewer at [[Comics Bulletin]], wrote "[t]here 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&nbsp;... [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."<ref name=" LINE OF FIRE REVIEWS: Batman Gotham Knights #12">{{citation|author=Ray Tate |title=LINE OF FIRE REVIEWS: Batman Gotham Knights #12 |date=December 31, 2000 |url=http://www.comicsbulletin.com/reviews/97832472765596.htm |access-date=November 25, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522191812/http://www.comicsbulletin.com/reviews/97832472765596.htm |archive-date=May 22, 2011 }}</ref> Regarding her representation as a character living with a disability, and her effectiveness as a hero compared to her incarnation as Batgirl, Tate asserts "[i]t'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."<ref name="LINE OF FIRE REVIEWS: Batman Gotham Knights #12"/> In an article for ''[[Bitch (magazine)|Bitch]]'' magazine entitled "The Cold Shoulder: Saving Superheroines from Comic-book Violence", Shannon Cochran noted a long history of inequality regarding the treatment of female heroes. She quotes Gail Simone, who discussed the gender difference in the treatment of Batman and Batgirl regarding paralysis: "Both had their backs broken [Batman broke his in a dramatic Batcave confrontation with the villain Bane; Batgirl broke hers when she was ambushed in her home and shot in the spine by the Joker, never given a chance to fight]. Less than a year later, Batman was fine. Batgirl—now named Oracle—was in a wheelchair and remained so for many years."<ref name="bitch"/>

Artist [[Alex Ross]] and writer/producer [[Paul Dini]] made attempts to return the character to her original conception. Ross explained in an interview that he and Dini had planned to restore her mobility by placing her in a Lazarus Pit, a naturally occurring chemical pool in the DC Universe that has rejuvenating effects when a person is submerged within it. He stated that "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&nbsp;... 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."<ref name="ALEX ROSS: GIVING BATWOMAN HER LOOK">{{citation | author = Dave Johnson | title = Alex ross: giving Batwoman her look | publisher = Newsarama | year = 2006 | url = http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/52/Batwoman/BatwomanRoss.html | access-date =September 12, 2007|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071011204921/http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/52/Batwoman/BatwomanRoss.html |archive-date = October 11, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> Kate Kane, the modern Batwoman introduced during ''[[52 (comics)|52]]'', wears a variation of what would have been Gordon's new Batgirl costume designed by Ross.<ref>{{Citation |author1=Geoff Johns |author2=Grant Morrison |author3=Greg Rucka |author4=Mark Waid |others=Keith Giffen; J.G. Jones (Illustrator) |title=Infinite Crisis |publisher=DC Comics |year=2007 |url=http://www.dccomics.com/graphic_novels/?gn=7125 |isbn=978-1-4012-1353-4 |access-date=September 13, 2007 |archive-date=June 21, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130621160601/http://www.dccomics.com/comics?gn=7125 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Commentary in favor of Oracle===
{{Quote box|quote=Without much fanfare, Barbara Gordon has become the most popular handicapped character since [[Professor X|Charles Xavier]]&nbsp;... There WAS some idea of her being a role model&nbsp;... 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&nbsp;... I don't think people 'dance around' her disabilities as they don't want to focus on them but 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.|source= — John Ostrander, Comic Book Resources<ref name="OSTRANDER ON ORACLE">{{citation | author = Beau Yarbrough | title = OSTRANDER ON ORACLE, MARTIAN MANHUNTER AND MARVEL'S WESTERN HEROES | publisher = Comic Book Resources | year = 1999 | url = http://www.comicbookresources.com/columns/index.cgi?article=326 | access-date = November 22, 2007 | archive-date = December 19, 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071219044955/http://www.comicbookresources.com/columns/index.cgi?article=326 | url-status = live }}</ref>|width=350px}}

Although critical reception of Barbara Gordon's evolution into Oracle has 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."<ref name="OSTRANDER ON ORACLE"/> Supporters of Oracle argue that the Barbara Gordon character provides a greater service to DC Comics and its readers as a disabled character, regardless of the events that caused her paralysis. In her persona as Oracle, Barbara Gordon is not limited to the Batman Family, serving a unique and universal role in the DC universe. DC Senior Vice President [[Dan DiDio]] comments, "Some stories&nbsp;... are so strong that undoing them would be a crime. The DCU would be a lesser place without [[Barry Allen|Barry]]'s sacrifice or the crippling of Barbara at the hands of the Joker."<ref>{{cite web| author = Jordan Justin | title = WW PHILLY: Crisis counseling with Dan DiDio: DC jumps one year into the future | date = June 3, 2005 | url = https://www.cbr.com/ww-philly-crisis-counseling-with-dan-didio-dc-jumps-one-year-into-the-future/ | access-date = January 1, 2023| archive-date = January 12, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090112224515/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=5129 | url-status = live }}</ref>

The character went through possible restoration during ''Birds of Prey'' when she is infected with microscopic machines known as nanites by the supervillain Brainiac, which attempted to repair her DNA. Marc Dipaolo, author of ''War, Politics and Superheroes: Ethics and Propaganda in Comics and Film'' (2011) commented that DC writers and editors would not allow her to recover completely, and that "[t]he decision was made because there were not enough handicapped superheroes in the DC Universe to justify 'curing' one, and because it would have been odd to see Barbara Gordon escape from her wheelchair in the world of fiction when [[Christopher Reeve]] never had that opportunity."<ref>{{citation|author=Marc Dipaolo|title=War, Politics and Superheroes: Ethics and Propaganda in Comics and Film|publisher=McFarland|year=2011|page=145|isbn=978-0-7864-4718-3}}</ref>

===Restoration of the character's mobility and aftermath===
In June 2011, DC announced that Barbara Gordon would be returning to the role of Batgirl in September 2011, in her own eponymous monthly comic, as part of a company-wide relaunch of all of their titles. In addition, former ''Birds of Prey'' writer Gail Simone would be writing the series.<ref name="update">{{citation|author=Michael Doran|title=UPDATE 7: More DCnU Batman Reveals, BATMAN, INC. Info|url=http://www.newsarama.com/comics/dcnu-detective-batman-titles-110606.html|publisher=Newsarama|date=June 6, 2011|access-date=July 7, 2011|archive-date=June 23, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110623042058/http://www.newsarama.com/comics/dcnu-detective-batman-titles-110606.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> This announcement became one of the most controversial aspects of the DC Comics relaunch.<ref>{{citation|author=Dareh Gregorian|title=She's Bat in Action!|url=http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/she_bat_in_action_khKyEe07oducT2eV8Fk0EJ|newspaper=[[New York Post]]|date=August 29, 2011|access-date=September 10, 2011|archive-date=November 24, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111124003032/http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/she_bat_in_action_khKyEe07oducT2eV8Fk0EJ|url-status=live}}</ref> Supporters of Barbara Gordon in her persona as Oracle expressed dismay over losing an iconic character for the disabled community. Journalist and blogger Jill Pantozzi, who is diagnosed with [[muscular dystrophy]], stated that "people being disabled is part of the real world, it is essential it be part of the fictional world as well... Writer Kevin Van Hook did a great job showing what disabled individuals have to go through in the mini-series Oracle: The Cure. It's that type of honesty I expect more of&nbsp;... While some diverse characters were mishandled over the years, Oracle was always treated with the utmost respect but this move is the most disrespectful I've seen in a long time."<ref name="OP/ED: ORACLE Is Stronger Than BATGIRL Will Ever Be"/> Gail Simone responded directly by stating that at times when others had attempted to restore Gordon's mobility, she fought to keep her as a disabled character, even in light of requests from readers who also had disabilities that wished to see the character healed.<ref name=" Gail, Jill, and Babs: A Conversation about BATGIRL & ORACLE">{{citation|author=Jill Pantozzi|title=Gail, Jill and Babs: A Conversation about BATGIRL & ORACLE|url=http://www.newsarama.com/comics/gail-simone-dicusses-batgirl-and-oracle-110609.html|publisher=Newsarama|date=June 9, 2011|access-date=July 7, 2011|archive-date=June 13, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613032857/http://www.newsarama.com/comics/gail-simone-dicusses-batgirl-and-oracle-110609.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> However, part of her reasoning for reversing her decision and writing ''Batgirl'' with Gordon as the title character was that "[a]rms and legs get ripped off, and they grow back, somehow. Graves don't stay filled. But the one constant is that Barbara stays in that chair. Role model or not, that is problematic and uncomfortable, and the excuses to not cure her, in a world of [[Purple Ray|purple rays]] and magic and super-science, are often unconvincing or wholly meta-textual. And the longer it goes on, the more it has stretched credibility. But now, everything has changed. If nearly everyone in the DCU, not just Batgirl but almost everyone, is now at a much earlier stage in their career, then my main objection no longer applies, because we are seeing Barbara at an earlier starting point."<ref name=" Gail, Jill, and Babs: A Conversation about BATGIRL & ORACLE"/>

Former Batman writer and editor Dennis O'Neil and Oracle co-creator John Ostrander have expressed disappointment over the change. O'Neil stated that during his tenure at DC, "[W]e had hordes of people in spandex beating up criminals&nbsp;... We didn't have anybody like Oracle, who overcame a disability and was just as valuable and just as effective in a way that didn't involve violence."<ref name="endure">{{citation|author=Vaneta Rogers|title=Why They Endure(d): ORACLE Remembered by Creators, Advocates|url=http://www.newsarama.com/comics/why-they-endured-oracle-110907.html|publisher=Newsarama|date=September 7, 2011|access-date=September 7, 2011|archive-date=September 25, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110925021047/http://www.newsarama.com/comics/why-they-endured-oracle-110907.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> However, he also stated that from an alternate point of view, "Barbara Gordon's perception in the mainstream public as Batgirl would be a very valid consideration."<ref name="endure"/> Ostrander continues to view Oracle as a stronger character than Batgirl but has also expressed faith in Gail Simone's skills as a writer. He commented that "[t]imes change and characters and people evolve. I changed things when I wrote characters, including changing Barbara to Oracle. Others do the same for this era&nbsp;... Gail Simone is a good friend and a wonderful writer and I'm sure her work will be wonderful."<ref name="endure"/>

==Characterization==
===Silver Age===
[[File:Batgirl (Barbara Gordon circa 1967).png|thumb|upright|Barbara Gordon debuting as Batgirl in ''Detective Comics'' #359 (January 1967). Art by Carmine Infantino.]]
At the time of her conception, Barbara Gordon's character was intended to reflect the [[women's liberation movement]] as an educated, career-oriented young woman, as well as a capable crimefighter. Batgirl is considered to be one of the most popular characters to have emerged during the [[Silver Age of Comic Books]].<ref name="The Image and Role of the Librarian"/> In ''The Supergirls: Fashion, Feminism, Fantasy, and the History of Comic Book Heroines'' (2009), author Mike Madrid states: "While she embodied the spirit of a new wave of liberated superheroines, in the backdrop of the history of comic books, Batgirl carried on the tradition of the gutsy female vigilantes of the '40s who struck out on their own to right wrongs."<ref name="supergirls"/> Although she is discouraged by Batman to engage in crime-fighting, she defiantly ignores his objections.<ref name="Gina Renée Misiroglu">{{citation|author=Gina Renée Misiroglu|title=The Superhero Book: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Comic-book Icons and Hollywood Heroes|publisher=Visible Ink Press|year=2004|pages=[https://archive.org/details/superherobookult0000unse/page/724 724–726]|isbn=978-1-57859-154-1|url=https://archive.org/details/superherobookult0000unse/page/724}}</ref> Her career choice as a librarian is speculated to be due in part to the fact that it works as a convincing cover for her much more dangerous work as Batgirl. To conceal her identity from not only her enemies, but her father, Commissioner Gordon, and Batman and Robin, she initially conforms to appearance and personality traits stereotypical of a librarian. In her civilian identity, she is seen with her hair "tied up tightly in a bun. And she wears traditionally conservative—not to say dowdy—clothing. In other words, she embodies the stereotypical image of the female librarian of the day—busy doing clerical tasks while attired and made up in such a way as to guarantee to minimize whatever physical attractiveness she might possess beneath her frumpy exterior."<ref name="The Image and Role of the Librarian"/> Although her introduction was intended to embody feminist ideology, aspects of her persona were also considered to be sexist, such as the fact that "[m]uch of her arsenal was carried in a Bat-purse attached to her utility belt[.]"<ref name="Gina Renée Misiroglu"/>

===Bronze Age===
Despite shortcomings in her characterization during the late 1960s, "by the early 1970s, Batgirl had matured, using her keen intellect, athletic dexterity, and burgeoning detective skills to solve petty and not-so-petty thefts". Her color scheme from the '' Adventures of Batman'' cartoon is used as her primary outfit.<ref name=" Gina Renée Misiroglu"/> However, by the end of the [[Bronze Age of Comic Books]] in the mid-1980s (and with the dark, gritty influence of [[Frank Miller]]'s work on the Batman-related titles), Batgirl became less valuable to the franchise "where there was not as much room for a librarian fighting crime in high heels".<ref name="Spy"/> In this environment, Barbara Gordon becomes increasingly skeptical of her effectiveness as Batgirl until she decides to give up crime-fighting permanently.<ref name="Gina Renée Misiroglu"/>

===Modern Age===
Robin Anne Reid, in her 2008 book, ''Women in Science Fiction and Fantasy: Overviews'' notes a lack of characterization given to Barbara Gordon by Alan Moore in ''Batman: The Killing Joke'', stating, "Barbara Gordon was not portrayed as the intelligent and resourceful woman who assumed the Batgirl persona; she was portrayed as a cocoa-serving homemaker overly concerned with the mess her father was making cutting and pasting news clippings."<ref name=" RAR"/> Following the character's recreation as Oracle, she is shown having overcome her paralysis at the hands of the Joker by utilizing her intellect to once again engage in crime-fighting as an information broker. Speaking on her characterization as a person living with a disability, comic writer [[Devin Grayson]] stated that being "[h]yper-defensive about her [paralysis], she has, if anything, overcompensated. However, her very determination to remain self-reliant, though admirable and inspiring, has made her less willing than ever to accept support or aid of any kind."<ref name="The Superhero Book">{{citation|author=Gina Renée Misiroglu|title=The Superhero Book: The Ultimate Encyclopedia Of Comic-Book Icons And Hollywood Heroes|publisher=Visible Ink Press|year=2004|isbn=978-1-57859-154-1|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/superherobookult0000unse}}</ref>

A defining characteristic of Barbara Gordon is her sense of morality, which differs from that of Batman and her primary field agent Black Canary. She has demonstrated a willingness to use lethal force, such as in Chuck Dixon's ''Birds of Prey'' issue #10, "State of War", which contradicts the methodology used by her closest allies and most DC Comics characters. Dixon stated in an interview that "[s]he's less morally conflicted than other characters. She's very 'means to an end' oriented. She sees that sometimes you have to kill to save lives. She's not comfortable with that but accepts it. She would do anything to avoid using deadly force but, when push comes to shove, she'll drop the hammer."<ref>{{citation|author=Loren Di Iorio |url=http://www.comicsbulletin.com/features/96477345452404.htm |title=Chuck Dixon Chats with Loren Di Iorio |publisher=[[Comics Bulletin]] |date=July 28, 2000 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090422141903/http://www.comicsbulletin.com/features/96477345452404.htm |archive-date=April 22, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> She demonstrates a similar moral ambiguity in Gail Simone's ''Birds of Prey: Of Like Minds'' when she argues with Black Canary over using illegally obtained information, which denies criminals the right of [[due process]].<ref>{{citation|author=Gail Simone|title=Birds of Prey #59|publisher=DC Comics|year=2003}}</ref> Although the Huntress has never been opposed to using lethal force, she also comes into conflict with Oracle over the fact that she will use the psychological impact of a mission to subconsciously manipulate her field agents into conforming to her ideology.<ref name="Hero Hunters"/>

In an interview, Simone explained her fondness for Barbara Gordon, stating: "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."<ref name="Simone-interview" />

===''The New 52''===
As part of DC Comics' 2011 relaunch, ''The New 52'', Barbara Gordon's paralysis is described as lasting only three years. In ''Batgirl'' (volume 4), the character's age is reduced, and she is depicted as a recent college graduate, having earned a degree in [[forensic psychology]].<ref>{{cite comic|writer=[[Gail Simone]]|penciller=Ardian Syaf|inker=Vicente Cifuentes|title=Batgirl|issue=3|volume=4|publisher=DC Comics|date=February 2012|page=10}}</ref> Although she resumes her work as Batgirl one year after recovering her mobility, she continues to have [[posttraumatic stress disorder]], causing her to hesitate in battle when exposed to gunfire that could result in receiving new spinal damage.<ref name=" background"/> The character also exhibits [[survivor guilt]] because she has made a full recovery from her paralysis while others have not.<ref name="background"/> In a September 2011 interview, Gail Simone stated, "I'm enjoying writing Batgirl at this stage in her life. She's younger, she doesn't know everything, she's been immersed in school and her life plan. Events conspire to change that plan, and she's nervous about that. I love writing Barbara under pretty much any conditions, but this really is a key time for her."<ref>{{citation|author=Josie Campbell|title=Simone Adds "Batgirl," "Fury of Firestorm" to DC's New 52|url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=34263|publisher=Comic Book Resources|date=September 7, 2011|access-date=September 7, 2011|archive-date=April 4, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404105940/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=34263|url-status=live}}</ref>
In Batgirl #45, Barbara Gordon began a romantic relationship with [[Batwing (DC Comics)|Luke Fox]], the son of [[Lucius Fox]] and the new Batwing.<ref>{{citation|title='Batgirl's' creative team pops a new romantic question: Is three company, or a crowd?|author=David Betancourt|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2015/10/28/batgirls-creative-team-pops-a-new-romantic-question-is-three-company-or-a-crowd/|date=October 28, 2015|access-date=August 8, 2016|archive-date=August 26, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826224806/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2015/10/28/batgirls-creative-team-pops-a-new-romantic-question-is-three-company-or-a-crowd/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic|writer=Brenden Fletcher, Cameron Stewart|artist=Babs Tarr|title=Batgirl|issue=45|volume=4|date=October 28, 2015}}</ref> Some of the character's background and previous relationships were erased. According to the artist of the new Batgirl series, [[Babs Tarr]], Barbara Gordon and [[Dick Grayson]] were never romantically involved in the New 52 continuity.<ref>{{cite web|title=BATGIRL Breaks DICK's Heart For FOX, Readies for 2016 Status Quo Change|author=Vaneta Rogers|url=http://www.newsarama.com/26551-batgirl-team-on-dick-grayson-s-heartbreak-status-quo-change-for-barbara.html|date=October 28, 2015|access-date=August 8, 2016|archive-date=June 15, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160615014012/http://www.newsarama.com/26551-batgirl-team-on-dick-grayson-s-heartbreak-status-quo-change-for-barbara.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===''DC Rebirth''===
For DC's 2016 ''[[DC Rebirth]]'' launch, Barbara Gordon headlines two monthly series: ''Batgirl'' (vol. 5) and ''Batgirl and the Birds of Prey''. ''Batgirl'' (vol. 5), which is written by [[Hope Larson]] and illustrated by [[Rafael Albuquerque (artist)|Rafael Albuquerque]], begins with Barbara touring Asia to train with Eastern fighters.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.dccomics.com/comics/batgirl-2016/batgirl-1|title = Batgirl #1|date = March 15, 2021|access-date = April 9, 2017|archive-date = April 10, 2017|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170410052317/http://www.dccomics.com/comics/batgirl-2016/batgirl-1|url-status = live}}</ref> ''[[Batgirl and the Birds of Prey]]'', which is written by Julie and Shawna Benson, and is illustrated by Claire Roe, reunites her with former teammates the [[Black Canary]] and the [[Huntress (Helena Bertinelli)]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dccomics.com/comics/batgirl-and-the-birds-of-prey-2016/batgirl-and-the-birds-of-prey-rebirth-1|title=Batgirl and the Birds of Prey: Rebirth #1|date=March 15, 2021|access-date=April 9, 2017|archive-date=April 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170410051414/http://www.dccomics.com/comics/batgirl-and-the-birds-of-prey-2016/batgirl-and-the-birds-of-prey-rebirth-1|url-status=live}}</ref> The first arc of the series restores her prior history as "Oracle", as the team works to track down an impostor using the alias.<ref>Benson, Julie; Benson, Shawna (2016). ''Batgirl and the Birds of Prey Rebirth'' #1. DC Comics</ref> In the ''[[DC Rebirth]]'' continuity, Barbara continues to operate in Burnside after training in Asia.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.dccomics.com/comics/batgirl-2016/batgirl-7|title = Batgirl #7|date = March 15, 2021|access-date = April 9, 2017|archive-date = April 10, 2017|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170410132818/http://www.dccomics.com/comics/batgirl-2016/batgirl-7|url-status = live}}</ref> She also shows a renewed romantic interest in [[Dick Grayson]], but is unsuccessful due to him already being in a relationship.<ref>Benson, Julie; Benson, Shawna (2016). ''Batgirl and the Birds of Prey'' #7. DC Comics</ref>

At the conclusion of the [[Joker War]] story arc (which spanned several Batfamily titles), Barbara Gordon appears to take a break as Batgirl and, for now, shift more to working tech support again as Oracle. Many critics and fans have expressed interest in having Barbara as both Batgirl and Oracle, since she's capable of doing both.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://darkknightnews.com/2020/10/30/dkn-spotlight-review-batgirl-50/|title = DKN Spotlight Review: Batgirl #50|date = October 30, 2020|access-date = April 28, 2021|archive-date = April 28, 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210428174307/https://darkknightnews.com/2020/10/30/dkn-spotlight-review-batgirl-50/|url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/bargirl-oracle-barbara-gordon-dc-comics/|title=Batgirl Has Officially Returned as DC's Oracle|website=[[Screen Rant]]|date=October 8, 2020|access-date=October 23, 2020|archive-date=October 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025023714/https://screenrant.com/bargirl-oracle-barbara-gordon-dc-comics/|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Batman & the Outsiders'' Issue 17 and ''The Joker War Zone'' indicate that Cassandra Cain (aka Orphan) and Stephanie Brown (aka Spoiler) will both be Batgirls again.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dccomics.com/comics/batman-the-outsiders-2019/batman-the-outsiders-17|title=Batman & the Outsiders #17|date=March 16, 2021|access-date=October 23, 2020|archive-date=October 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027064805/https://www.dccomics.com/comics/batman-the-outsiders-2019/batman-the-outsiders-17|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dccomics.com/comics/batman-the-joker-war-zone-2020/batman-the-joker-war-zone-1|title=Batman: The Joker War Zone #1|date=March 16, 2021|access-date=October 23, 2020|archive-date=October 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027110519/https://www.dccomics.com/comics/batman-the-joker-war-zone-2020/batman-the-joker-war-zone-1|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/batman-symbol-orphan-spoiler-joker-war-new/|title=DC Awards Two Forgotten Characters the Batman Logo on New Costumes|website=[[Screen Rant]]|date=September 28, 2020|access-date=October 23, 2020|archive-date=October 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027052902/https://screenrant.com/batman-symbol-orphan-spoiler-joker-war-new/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===New Justice===
{{update section|date=August 2023}}

===Infinite Frontier===
{{update section|date=August 2023}}

===Dawn of DC===
{{update section|date=August 2023}}

==Powers and abilities==
===Martial artistry===
According to the character's fictional biography, Barbara Gordon trained in [[Boxing]], [[Capoeira]], [[Judo]],<ref>''Detective Comics'' #359 (January 1967)</ref><ref>''Batman: Gotham Knights'' #6 (August 2000)</ref> [[Kung Fu]], [[Eskrima]],<ref name=":0" /> [[Karate]],<ref name="BarbaraGordonMartialArts">''Who's Who: Update '87'' #1 (August 1987)</ref> [[Kickboxing]], [[Jujutsu]],<ref name=":1" /> [[Muay Thai]], and [[Taekwondo]] earning black belts prior to her tenure as Batgirl and is described as being a "star athlete."<ref name=SO20 /> Following the events of ''The Killing Joke'', Barbara Gordon continued to train in 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. In the revised continuity of ''The New 52'', she reflects on the fact that she has been taking self-defense training since age 6 in ''Batgirl'' #0 (2012).

===Intelligence and technological skill===
Gordon is written as having a genius-level intellect and naturally possessing a [[Eidetic memory|photographic memory]].<ref name=" Scott Peterson">{{citation | author = Scott Peterson | title = ''A Little Knowledge Showcase 94'' #12 | publisher = DC Comics | year = 1994}}</ref> She is described by Gail Simone as the most intelligent member of the Batman family and among all characters having operated out of Gotham City.<ref>{{citation|author=Alex Zalben|title=SDCC 2011: The LAST New DC Comics 52 Panel Recap|url=http://geek-news.mtv.com/2011/07/26/sdcc-2011-the-last-new-dc-comics-52-panel-recap/|publisher=MTV|date=July 26, 2011|access-date=August 26, 2011|archive-date=December 19, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111219133645/http://geek-news.mtv.com/2011/07/26/sdcc-2011-the-last-new-dc-comics-52-panel-recap/|url-status=dead}}</ref> 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. 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 Batcycle. According to Gail Simone, Oracle maintains control over the 12 technologically advanced satellites that were created by [[Lex Luthor]] during his tenure as President of the United States.<ref>{{citation | author = Matt Brady | title = The Simone files i: birds of prey – updated | publisher = newsarama.com | year = 2007 | url = http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=98825 | access-date =December 19, 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071014175327/http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=98825 | archive-date = October 14, 2007}}</ref>

===Information broker===
As Oracle, Barbara Gordon placed her considerable skills and knowledge at the disposal of many of the DC Universe's heroes.<ref name=" Scott Peterson"/> She is a skilled hacker, capable of retrieving and dispersing information from private satellites, military installations, government files, and the properties of Lex Luthor.<ref name="Hero Hunters">{{citation|author= Gail Simone |title= ''Birds of Prey'' #80 |year= 2006 |publisher= DC Comics}}</ref> Batman, himself a genius with a wide knowledge base and access to vast information resources, routinely consults Oracle for assistance. Writer and editor Dennis O'Neil, who first established Oracle as Batman's intellectual equal and source of information, stated that "[i]t was logical for her to be there in Batman's world&nbsp;... Batman would need someone like that."<ref name="endure"/>

==Cultural impact==
Since her debut in the DC Comics publication, and fueled by her adaptation into the ''Batman'' television series in 1967, Barbara Gordon has been listed among fictional characters that are regarded as cultural icons.<ref name=" Overviews">{{citation|author1=Frances H. Early |author2=Kathleen Kennedy |title=Athena's Daughters: Television's New Women Warriors|publisher=[[Syracuse University Press]]|year=2003|page=187|isbn=978-0-313-33589-1}}</ref> Author Brian Cronin, in ''Was Superman A Spy?: And Other Comic Book Legends Revealed'' (2009) notes that following her 1967 debut, "Batgirl was soon popular enough to appear regularly over the next two decades and Yvonne Craig certainly made an impression on many viewers with her one season portraying young Ms. Gordon."<ref name="Spy"/> Similarly, Cronin states that following the publication of ''The Killing Joke'', Barbara Gordon—in her new persona as Oracle—became "more popular, in fact, than she was when she was Batgirl. She even gained her own title, Birds of Prey, about her and a group of superhero operatives she organizes[.]"<ref name="Spy"/> The character has been the subject of analysis in academia, regarding the portrayal of women, librarians, and disabled people in mainstream media. Throughout the character's history, Barbara Gordon's intelligence has been one of her defining attributes. According to ''[[BusinessWeek]]'', she 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.<ref>{{citation | author = [[Joseph Pisani]] | title = The Smartest Superheroes | work = BusinessWeek | year = 2006 | url = http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/05/smart_heroes/index_01.htm | access-date = November 25, 2007 | archive-date = January 11, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120111004559/http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/05/smart_heroes/index_01.htm | url-status = dead }}</ref> In 2011, Barbara Gordon was ranked 17th in both [[IGN]]'s "Top 100 Comic Book Heroes" and ''[[Comics Buyer's Guide]]''{{'}}s "100 Sexiest Women in Comics".<ref name="Top 100 Comic Book Heroes"/><ref>{{Citation| last = Frankenhoff| first = Brent| author-link = Brent Frankenhoff| title = Comics Buyer's Guide Presents: 100 Sexiest Women in Comics| publisher = [[Krause Publications]] | year = 2011| page = 20| isbn = 978-1-4402-2988-6}}</ref>

===Feminist interpretations===
In ''The Supergirls: Fashion, Feminism, Fantasy, and the History of Comic Book Heroines'' (2009), author Mike Madrid states that what set Barbara Gordon as Batgirl apart from other female characters was her motivation for crime-fighting. Unlike Batwoman who preceded her, "she wears his symbol on her chest, but she is not his girlfriend or faithful handmaiden."<ref name=" supergirls"/> Because she does not pursue a romantic interest in Batman, "Batgirl is a female Batman can actually regard as a brilliant peer and a partner in the war on crime, the same way he would a male."<ref name="supergirls"/> Historian [[Peter Sanderson]] observed that while "Barbara Gordon initially conformed to hackneyed stereotypes as a dowdy librarian&nbsp;... her transformation into Batgirl could be seen in retrospect as a symbol of the emerging female empowerment movement of the 1960s. (Moreover, by the 1970s Barbara had given herself a makeover even in her 'civilian identity and ran for Congress.)"<ref name="Sanderson 2007">{{citation | author = [[Peter Sanderson]] | title = Comics in Context #67: Catch As Cats Can | year = 2007 | url = http://comics.ign.com/articles/595/595646p7.html | publisher = IGN | access-date = November 22, 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110501095446/http://comics.ign.com/articles/595/595646p7.html | archive-date = May 1, 2011 | url-status = dead }}</ref>

In the 1980s, [[Barbara Kesel]], after writing a complaint to DC Comics over the negative portrayal of female characters, was allowed to write for Barbara Gordon in ''Detective Comics''. Robin Anne Reid, in ''Women in Science Fiction and Fantasy: Overviews'' (2009), wrote that "Kesel's version of Batgirl established her as a character separate from Batman and Robin: a woman motivated to do what men do, but alone and in her own way. Her ''Secret Origins'' (1987) and ''Batgirl Special'' (1988) countered the victimized and objectified presentation of Barbara Gordon/Batgirl in Alan Moore's acclaimed ''The Killing Joke'' (1988)."<ref name="RAR">{{citation|author=Robin Anne Reid|title=Women in Science Fiction and Fantasy: Overviews|publisher=ABC-CLIO|year=2009|pages=88, 89|isbn=978-0-313-33591-4}}</ref> She notes that Kesel's interpretation of the character emphasized her intelligence, technological skill, and ability to overcome fear. Commenting on Barbara Gordon's eventual evolution into Oracle, she states "[m]any readers and individuals within the industry believe that Barbara Gordon became a 'better' character after she was paralyzed, but few people comment on specifics of the event that allowed her to become that 'better' character."<ref name="RAR"/>

In ''Superheroes and Superegos: Analyzing the Minds Behind the Masks'' (2010), author Sharon Packer wrote that "[a]nyone who feels that feminist critics overreacted to [Gordon's] accident is advised to consult the source material", calling the work "sadistic to the core."<ref>{{citation|author=Sharon Packer|title=Superheroes and Superegos: Analyzing the Minds Behind the Masks|publisher=ABC-CLIO|year=2010|page=201|isbn=978-0-313-35536-3}}</ref> Brian Cronin noted that "[many] readers felt the violence towards Barbara Gordon was too much, and even Moore, in retrospect, has expressed his displeasure with how the story turned out."<ref name="Spy"/> Jeffrey A. Brown, author of ''Dangerous Curves: Action Heroines, Gender, Fetishism, and Popular Culture'' (2011) noted ''The Killing Joke'' as an example of the "inherent misogyny of the male-dominated comic book industry" in light of the "relatively unequal violence [female characters] are subjected to."<ref name=" curves"/> While male characters may be critically injured or killed, they are more than likely to be returned to their original conception, while female characters are more likely to receive permanent damage.<ref name=" curves"/> Reid states that although speculation behind the editorial decision to allow the paralysis of the character to become permanent included the idea she had become outdated, "if audiences had grown tired of Batgirl, it was not because she was a bad character but because she had been written badly."<ref name="RAR"/>

Despite views that present the character's Batgirl persona as a symbol of female empowerment, a long-held criticism is that she was originally conceived as an uninspired variation of Batman "rather than standing alone as a leader, such as [[Wonder Woman]]" who had no pre-existing male counterpart.<ref name="Girl Culture"/> In analyzing stereotypes in gender, Jackie Marsh noted that male superheroes (such as Batman) are depicted as hyper-masculine and anti-social, "while female superheroes are reduced to a childlike status by their names" such as the Batgirl character.<ref>{{citation|author1=[[Becky Francis]] |author2=Christine Skelton |title=Reassessing Gender and Achievement: Questioning Contemporary Key Debates|publisher=[[Psychology Press]]|year=2005|page=146|isbn=978-0-415-33324-5}}</ref> Professor James B. South, chairman of the Department of Philosophy at [[Marquette University]], stated that Barbara Gordon's character development as Oracle gave her a sense of independence she could not achieve as Batgirl. During her tenure as Batman's protege, "she seems to develop her own style of fighting as Batgirl, [but] she's still basically following in Batman's footsteps."<ref name="endure"/> Following ''The Killing Joke'', her recreation as Oracle, and the launch of ''Birds of Prey'', "we see Barbara Gordon as a team leader and her transformation from a girl into a woman."<ref name="endure"/>

===Representation for library and information science===
In ''The Image and Role of the Librarian'' (2002), Wendi Arant and Candace R. Benefiel argue that her portrayal as a librarian is considered to be significant to the profession, in that it is represented as a valuable and honorable career. Even because the character abandons it to run for United States Congress, Barbara Gordon is seen as being given a "career switch that even most librarians would consider a step up."<ref name="The Image and Role of the Librarian"/> In the essay "Librarians, Professionalism and Image: Stereotype and Reality" (2007), Abigail Luthmann views the character less favorably, stating that "[t]he unassuming role of librarian is used as a low-visibility disguise for her crime-fighting alter-ego, and while her information-locating skills may have been useful to her extra-curricular activities no direct examples are given."<ref>{{citation|first=Abigail |last=Luthmann|title=Librarians, Professionalism and Image: Stereotype and Reality|journal=Library Review|volume=56|issue=9|pages=773–80 |doi=10.1108/00242530710831211|year=2007}}</ref> Unlike her earlier incarnation as Batgirl, "[a]s Oracle, Barbara Gordon is arguably the first true librarian-as-super-hero yet seen in a mainstream comic book (as opposed to a super-hero who happens to be a librarian in his/her private life)."<ref name="The Image and Role of the Librarian"/> Wendi Arant and Candace R. Benefiel note that Oracle exerts her influence over the DC Universe primarily from home, putting "to full use the information science skills [she] learned on her way to her PhD"<ref name="The Image and Role of the Librarian"/> In her new persona, "the physically challenged but superbly resourceful Oracle occupies a unique place in the annals of superhero-dom—the 'information goddess' as crime-stopper."<ref name="The Image and Role of the Librarian"/> Using Barbara Gordon in her role as Oracle, author Sean Wise asserts her character as a model for [[business networking]]. In ''How to Be a Business Superhero: Prepare for Everything, Train with the Best, Make Your Own Destiny at Work'' (2008) he states that "[o]ver the last decade, Oracle has shown the power of a strong network of contacts, and in doing so she shows Business Superheroes the importance of cultivating contacts and developing assets that can further their collective goals."<ref>{{citation|author=Sean Wise|title=How to Be a Business Superhero: Prepare for Everything, Train with the Best, Make Your Own Destiny at Work|publisher=Penguin Books|year=2008|page=[https://archive.org/details/howtobebusinesss0000wise/page/151 151]|isbn=978-0-399-53456-0|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/howtobebusinesss0000wise/page/151}}</ref>

Over the years, the [[American Library Association]] and DC Comics have collaborated on multiple projects to promote literacy. These efforts frequently involve Barbara Gordon. In 2004, artist Gene Ha created a poster and bookmark that depicted Barbara Gordon walking in a library. Her Batgirl costume appears in a window's reflection. The tagline "Librarians are heroes every day!" appears at the bottom of the poster and bookmark.<ref>{{citation|title=Gene Ha Gallery|url=http://geneha.com/superheroes/4585607115|access-date=May 25, 2016|archive-date=May 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160506120908/http://geneha.com/superheroes/4585607115|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{citation|title=Gene Ha Bookmark and Poster|url=http://noblemania.blogspot.com/2012/12/batgirl-works-at-library.html|access-date=May 25, 2016|archive-date=October 12, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012122340/http://noblemania.blogspot.com/2012/12/batgirl-works-at-library.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2009, a poster featured Barbara Gordon as the Oracle alongside Batman, Nightwing, Robin, the Cassandra Cain version of Batgirl, and Huntress.<ref>{{citation|title=Bat Team Poster|url=http://chicagopubliclibrary.tumblr.com/post/105131476/librarianpirate-alas-newest-read-poster-i-love|access-date=May 25, 2016|archive-date=October 11, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161011204548/http://chicagopubliclibrary.tumblr.com/post/105131476/librarianpirate-alas-newest-read-poster-i-love|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2015, the ALA and DC Comics collaborated on a new set of posters and bookmarks in the ALA's "READ" campaign.<ref>{{citation|title=DC Comics Superhero Set|url=http://www.alastore.ala.org/detail.aspx?ID=11422|access-date=May 25, 2016|archive-date=June 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630231632/http://www.alastore.ala.org/detail.aspx?ID=11422|url-status=live}}</ref> By herself, Barbara Gordon appears in the "Batgirl of Burnside" guise as envisioned by Babs Tarr.<ref>{{citation|title=Batgirl Poster|url=http://www.alastore.ala.org/detail.aspx?ID=11426|access-date=May 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160601200032/http://www.alastore.ala.org/detail.aspx?ID=11426|archive-date=June 1, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{citation|title=Batgirl Bookmark|url=http://www.alastore.ala.org/detail.aspx?ID=11425|access-date=May 25, 2016|archive-date=June 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630225937/http://www.alastore.ala.org/detail.aspx?ID=11425|url-status=live}}</ref> In another design, she appears as the Oracle alongside other members of the extended Bat Family.<ref>{{citation|title=Li'l Gotham Poster|url=http://www.alastore.ala.org/detail.aspx?ID=11424|access-date=May 25, 2016|archive-date=June 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160620025333/http://www.alastore.ala.org/detail.aspx?ID=11424|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{citation|title=Li'l Gotham Bookmark|url=http://www.alastore.ala.org/detail.aspx?ID=11423|access-date=May 25, 2016|archive-date=July 1, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701003534/http://www.alastore.ala.org/detail.aspx?ID=11423|url-status=live}}</ref>

The book ''Drawn to the Stacks: Essays on Libraries, Librarians and Archives in Comics and Graphic Novels'' includes the chapter "Barbara Gordon as Information Literacy Activist in ''Batgirl: Son of Penguin''," which "argues that Gordon’s confrontation with unethical algorithms in the 2017 story arc is a crucial and deeply insightful representation of librarians as an integral part of American society and the pursuit of justice."<ref>Syma, C. K., Weiner, R. G., & Callender, D. (Eds.). (2025). ''Drawn to the stacks: Essays on libraries, librarians and archives in comics and graphic novels''. McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers.</ref>

===Representation for people with disabilities===
Following the character's reinvention as the information broker Oracle, she has been regarded as a symbol of empowerment for disabled people. In ''Unleashing the Superhero in Us All'' (2008), author T. James Musler notes that "[f]or quite some time, any handicap was considered insurmountable" citing [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] as an example, who was never photographed in a wheelchair to avoid a perception of weakness.<ref name="TJM">{{citation|author=T. James Musler|title=Unleashing the Superhero in Us All|publisher=[[Lulu (company)|Lulu]]|year=2008|page=62|isbn=978-1-4357-4633-6}}</ref> About Barbara Gordon, he states "[r]ather than quitting crime-fighting, Barbara combines her intellect and computer skills to help the superhero community by gathering and passing along information."<ref name="TJM"/> Her character thus signifies that "[n]o longer is a handicap overwhelming, a person can live a strong good life, handicap or not."<ref name="TJM"/> In ''The Superhero Book: The Ultimate Encyclopedia Of Comic-Book Icons And Hollywood Heroes'' (2004), author Gina Renée Misiroglu observes that while disabled characters in comic books are typically utilized as gimmicks, or—as with Charles Xavier and [[Daredevil (Marvel Comics character)|Daredevil]]—are introduced with a pre-existing condition as part of their origin myth, "[a]s Oracle... Gordon stands tall as the most empowering disabled superhero. Readers witnessed her tragedy, and watched her rise above it."<ref name="The Superhero Book"/> James B. South's chapter "Barbara Gordon and Moral Perfectionism" in the 2004 book ''Superheroes and Philosophy'' analyzes how the changes in her life "from librarian to Batgirl to Oracle" drive her to pursue a higher self, illustrating the philosophical theory of moral [[Perfectionism (philosophy)|perfectionism]].<ref>{{citation |author=James B. South | title = Superheroes and Philosophy | pages = 89–101 | publisher = [[Open Court Publishing Company|Open Court]] | year = 2004 | isbn = 0-8126-9573-9}}</ref>

==In other media==
{{Main|Barbara Gordon in other media}}
[[File: Yvonne Craig Batgirl.JPG|thumb|upright|[[Yvonne Craig]] as Batgirl|alt=Yvonne Craig poses in the Batgirl costume from the 1960s television show]]
After the character was introduced in ''[[Detective Comics]]'' #359 in January 1967, at the request of the producers of the 1960s ''[[Batman (TV series)|Batman]]'' television series, she was introduced into the television series{{snd}}portrayed by Yvonne Craig{{snd}}in the season 3 premiere "[[Enter Batgirl, Exit Penguin]]", in September that same year.

Les Daniels, in ''Batman: The Complete History'' (2004), wrote that the goal of [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] was to "attract new audience members, especially idealistic young girls and less high-minded older men."<ref name="Daniels"/> According to Craig: "I used to think the reason they hired me was because they knew I could ride my own motorcycle&nbsp;... I realized they hired me because I had a cartoon voice."<ref name="Daniels"/> A shared criticism of Batgirl and other female superheroes portrayed later on television (such as Wonder Woman and the [[The Bionic Woman|Bionic Woman]]), is that she was not allowed to engage in hand-to-hand combat on screen.<ref name=" Overviews"/> As such, "her fights were choreographed carefully to imitate the moves of a Broadway showgirl through the use of a straight kick to her opponent's face rather than the type of kick a martial artist would use."<ref name=" Overviews"/> However, Craig has also stated: "I meet young women who say Batgirl was their role model&nbsp;... They say it's because it was the first time they ever felt girls could do the same things guys could do, and sometimes better. I think that's lovely."<ref>{{citation | author = Ashley McAllister | title = From the Library: Batgirl! | url = http://bitchmagazine.org/post/from-the-library-batgirl | publisher = Bitch Media | date = August 15, 2010 | access-date = September 14, 2011 | archive-date = September 16, 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110916140647/http://bitchmagazine.org/post/from-the-library-batgirl | url-status = live }}</ref> During the early 1970s, Craig portrayed Batgirl once again in a public service announcement to advocate [[equal pay for women]].<ref name="Girl Culture">{{citation|author1=Claudia Mitchell |author2=Jacqueline Reid-Walsh |title=Girl Culture: Studying Girl Culture : A Readers' Guide|publisher=[[ABC-CLIO]]|year=2008|page=170|isbn=978-0-313-33908-0}}</ref> Since ''Batman'', the character has had a long history of appearances in television and other media.<ref name="Girl Culture"/> As Batgirl, Barbara Gordon plays a supporting role in a string of animated series, voiced by [[Jane Webb]] in ''[[The Batman/Superman Hour]]'' (1968), [[Melendy Britt]] in ''[[The New Adventures of Batman]]'' (1977), [[Melissa Gilbert]] in ''[[Batman: The Animated Series]]'' (1992), [[Tara Strong]] in ''[[The New Batman Adventures]]'' (1997) and ''[[Beware the Batman]]'' (2013), Danielle Judovits in ''[[The Batman (TV series)|The Batman]]'' (2004), [[Mae Whitman]] in ''[[Batman: The Brave and the Bold]]'' (2008)<ref name="Girl Culture"/> and [[Alyson Stoner]] in ''[[Young Justice (TV series)|Young Justice]]'' (2011). ''The Batman'' series also showcased the character's first animated adaptation as Oracle, voiced by [[Kellie Martin]] in the episode "Artifacts" (2007). She also appears in ''[[DC Super Hero Girls]]'' voiced by [[Mae Whitman]] in season 1 as Barbara Gordon and season 2 as [[Batgirl]]. Other variations of the character that have been adapted into other media include an elderly Barbara Gordon, voiced by [[Stockard Channing]] and [[Angie Harmon]] in 1999's ''[[Batman Beyond]]'', who after retiring as Batgirl, became commissioner of the Gotham City police department.<ref name="Girl Culture"/>

[[Dina Meyer]] starred as Barbara Gordon in the television series ''[[Birds of Prey (TV series)|Birds of Prey]]'' (2002). It became the first adaptation to show the character's progression from Batgirl to Oracle, which included her paralysis at the hands of the Joker. Meyer commented on her character's complex history stating: "She's multidimensional. She was a former superhero. She was extremely active physically for years, fighting alongside Batman. The unfortunate incident with the Joker took away the use of her legs&nbsp;... but rather than give up and throw in the towel, as she could've done so easily, she went and studied [[Arnis|escrima]] (a martial art), got stronger in her mental state and, while helping out her father on a case one day, realized she had a knack for solving mysteries. And all of a sudden she became this computer genius."<ref>{{citation|author=Ian Spelling|title=Meyer's 'Prey' Role Has A Different Twist|newspaper=[[Houston Chronicle]]|date=September 28, 2002|page=2|issn=1074-7109}}</ref> Overall, the series received criticism for its emphasis on aesthetics over plot.<ref>{{citation|author=Robert Bianco|title='Birds' Has Looks But Flies Too Low|newspaper=[[USA Today]]|date=October 9, 2002|page=D.04|issn=0734-7456}}</ref><ref>{{citation|author=Vince Horiuchi|title=The WB's 'Birds of Prey' Needs Special Powers to Attract Viewers|newspaper=[[The Salt Lake Tribune]]|date=October 9, 2002|page=C.8|issn=0746-3502}}</ref> It aired for one season before receiving cancellation. In the fourth season of the TV series ''[[Arrow (TV series)|Arrow]]'', after [[Felicity Smoak]] had a similar paralyzing injury, [[Oliver Queen]] gives her the codename Overwatch while commenting that "Oracle" was taken.<ref>{{cite episode |series=Arrow |title=A.W.O.L. |date=27 January 2016}} Oliver: "Overwatch, we're on-site." Felicity: "Excuse me?" Oliver: "Well, I thought it was time you got a code name. What do you think?" Felicity: "It's perfect." Oliver: "Was gonna go with Oracle, but it's taken."</ref> Although in the comic books Barbara Gordon was never a member of the [[Teen Titans]], she was slated to appear in the live-action ''[[Titans (2018 TV series)|Titans]]'' series, when originally proposed for [[TNT (U.S. TV network)|TNT]]. This version of the character was to be a wheelchair-using computer expert, but not yet be known as Oracle. This series was subsequently redeveloped for [[DC Universe (streaming service)|DC Universe]] without the character.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nerdist.com/vepisode/exclusive-which-dc-characters-will-be-on-tnts-the-titans/ |title=Exclusive: Which DC Characters Will Be On TNT's The Titans/ |publisher=Nerdist |last=Diaz |first=Eric |date=February 2, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150202210414/http://www.nerdist.com/vepisode/exclusive-which-dc-characters-will-be-on-tnts-the-titans/ |archive-date=February 2, 2015 }}</ref> Barbara made her debut in the third season with [[Savannah Welch]]. The series depicted her as the Commissioner of the Gotham City Police Department and retired from her Batgirl persona after an attack from Mr. Freeze that resulted in the death of her father.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://discussingfilm.net/2020/01/13/barbara-gordon-oracle-set-to-join-titans-season-3-exclusive/|title=Barbara Gordon/Oracle Set To Join 'Titans' Season 3 (EXCLUSIVE)|publisher=Discussing Film|date=January 13, 2020|access-date=August 12, 2021|archive-date=August 12, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210812160113/https://discussingfilm.net/2020/01/13/barbara-gordon-oracle-set-to-join-titans-season-3-exclusive/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/08/titans-red-hood-barbara-gordon-scarecrow-appear-season-3-dc-fandome-1203020684/|title='Titans': Red Hood, Barbara Gordon And Scarecrow Set To Appear In Season 3 – DC FanDome|work=Deadline|last=Del Rosario|first=Alexandra|date=August 22, 2020|access-date=August 12, 2021|archive-date=February 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227212024/https://deadline.com/2020/08/titans-red-hood-barbara-gordon-scarecrow-appear-season-3-dc-fandome-1203020684/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/titans-season-3-barbara-gordon-savannah-welch-1234886752/|title='Titans' Season 3 Casts Savannah Welch as Barbara Gordon (EXCLUSIVE)|publisher=Variety|date=January 19, 2021|access-date=January 19, 2021|archive-date=January 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210119191302/https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/titans-season-3-barbara-gordon-savannah-welch-1234886752/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In addition to live-action television and animation, the character has appeared in several video games included in the Batman franchise. She appears in ''[[The Adventures of Batman & Robin (video game)|The Adventures of Batman & Robin]]'', ''[[Batman: Vengeance]]'', ''[[Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu]]'' and ''[[Batman: The Killing Joke (film)|Batman: The Killing Joke]]'' voiced by [[Tara Strong]]. She is also in ''[[Batman: Dark Tomorrow]]'' for the first time as Oracle.<ref>{{citation|title=Batman: Dark Tomorrow Bios #8|url=http://uk.xbox.ign.com/articles/387/387438p1.html|publisher=[[IGN]]|access-date=January 6, 2011|date=February 27, 2003|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110831203049/http://uk.xbox.ign.com/articles/387/387438p1.html|archive-date=August 31, 2011|df=mdy-all}}</ref> She also appears in ''[[Lego Batman: The Videogame|LEGO Batman]]'' for the [[personal computer|PC]], [[PlayStation 2]], [[PlayStation 3]], [[Xbox 360]], [[Wii]], [[Nintendo DS|DS]], and [[PlayStation Portable]].<ref>''[[Game Informer]]'' features a two-page gallery of the many heroes and villains who appear in the game with a picture for each character and a descriptive paragraph. See "''LEGO Batman'': Character Gallery", ''Game Informer'' 186 (October 2008): 92.</ref> She plays a supporting role as Oracle in ''[[Batman: Arkham Asylum]]'' for the [[personal computer|PC]], [[PlayStation 3]], and [[Xbox 360]], serving as Batman's guide through [[Arkham Asylum|Arkham]], and is voiced by [[Kimberly Brooks]]. She also appears as the radio guide alongside Alfred Pennyworth, as they both serve as Batman's guides in the sequel, ''[[Batman: Arkham City]]''. A teenage Barbara also appears in the prequel ''[[Batman: Arkham Origins]]'', voiced by Kelsey Lansdowne. In the 2008 live-action film, ''[[The Dark Knight]]'', a very young Barbara Gordon is depicted. She is credited as "Gordon's Daughter", while the name "Barbara Gordon" is reserved for Commissioner Gordon's wife. She also acts as the primary contact for hero characters as Oracle in ''[[DC Universe Online]]'', voiced by Katherine Catmull for the [[personal computer|PC]] and the [[PlayStation 3]]. She assists the player through the tutorial and will offer comments and advice throughout the game including a guided tour of the JLA Watchtower. She is a playable character in ''[[Injustice: Gods Among Us]]'', with Kimberly Brooks reprising her role. Barbara has returned in ''[[Batman: Arkham Knight]]'' where she is voiced by [[Ashley Greene]]. In addition, Barbara also appears as a playable character as part of the game's season pass.<ref name="BatgirlAMOF">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.ew.com/article/2015/07/06/batman-arkham-knight-batgirl-dlc |title=Batgirl joins the fray in exclusive ''Batman: Arkham Knight'' 'A Matter of Family' image |last=Morales |first=Aaron |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=July 6, 2015 |access-date=July 6, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150708190400/http://www.ew.com/article/2015/07/06/batman-arkham-knight-batgirl-dlc |archive-date=July 8, 2015}}</ref>

Barbara Gordon appears in the 2017 animated film ''[[The Lego Batman Movie]]'' voiced by [[Rosario Dawson]]. She is introduced taking over from her father Jim Gordon to become the new Police Commissioner of Gotham. This allows for the continuation of still having a 'Commissioner Gordon' and gives a more prominent role to the character. She later dons her cowl and teams up with Batman as Batgirl in addition to her role as Commissioner. In March 2017, it was announced that [[Joss Whedon]] was in talks to write, direct and produce a Batgirl film as part of the [[DC Extended Universe]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2017/film/news/batgirl-movie-joss-whedon-warner-bros-1202018544/|title='Batgirl' Movie: Joss Whedon to Direct Standalone Film|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|first=Dave|last=McNary|date=March 30, 2017|access-date=March 30, 2017|archive-date=June 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170606005352/http://variety.com/2017/film/news/batgirl-movie-joss-whedon-warner-bros-1202018544/|url-status=live}}</ref> The film would center on Barbara Gordon, with [[The New 52]] comics by [[Gail Simone]] serving as "a starting point" for the film.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/movies/2017/03/30/joss-whedon-batgirl-movie-barbara-gordon/|title=Joss Whedon will write and direct a Batgirl movie about Barbara Gordon|last=Breznican|first=Anthony|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=March 30, 2017|access-date=March 30, 2017|archive-date=March 31, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331135708/http://ew.com/movies/2017/03/30/joss-whedon-batgirl-movie-barbara-gordon/|url-status=live}}</ref> Whedon was to begin production on the film in 2018,<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDjmJAHpSnw&t=52m59s |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/NDjmJAHpSnw |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|title=San Diego Comic Con 2017: Exclusive Access & Interviews – IGN Live|date=July 21, 2017|access-date=July 22, 2017|time=52:59|author=[[IGN]]|website=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> but stepped down in February 2018.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kit|first=Borys|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/joss-whedon-exits-batgirl-movie-1087384|title=Joss Whedon Exits 'Batgirl' Movie (Exclusive)|date=February 22, 2018|access-date=April 4, 2018|work=The Hollywood Reporter|archive-date=April 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180413065321/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/joss-whedon-exits-batgirl-movie-1087384|url-status=live}}</ref> In April 2018, after impressing the studio with her work on the forthcoming film ''[[Birds of Prey (2020 film)|Birds of Prey]]'', [[Christina Hodson]] was hired as screenwriter for ''Batgirl'' as well.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kit|first=Borys|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/batgirl-movie-back-bumblebee-writer-1101078|title='Batgirl' Movie Back On, Now With 'Bumblebee' Writer (Exclusive)|date=April 9, 2018|access-date=April 9, 2018|work=The Hollywood Reporter|archive-date=April 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180426123931/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/batgirl-movie-back-bumblebee-writer-1101078|url-status=live}}</ref> The studio was looking for a female director.<ref>{{cite web|first=Mansoor|last=Mithaiwala|url=https://screenrant.com/warner-bros-batgirl-female-director-whedon/|title=Warner Bros. Wants a Female Director for DC's Batgirl Movie|date=February 22, 2018|website=[[Screen Rant]]|access-date=March 13, 2018|archive-date=February 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180223232342/https://screenrant.com/warner-bros-batgirl-female-director-whedon/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the final season of ''[[Gotham (TV series)|Gotham]]'', Barbara Lee Gordon is shown as the baby of Jim Gordon and his ex-fiancée [[Barbara Kean]], named by the latter both after herself and after Jim's wife Dr. [[Lee Thompkins]]. Her parents share custody of her. She appears in the final episode portrayed by Jeté Laurence, where she is taken hostage as the debut action of the new Joker, Gordon's attempt to save her being assisted by the new Batman.<ref name="The Beginning...">{{Cite web |url=http://thefutoncritic.com/listings/20190403fox07/ |title=(GTH-510) "The Beginning..." |website=The Futon Critic |access-date=April 4, 2019 |archive-date=May 11, 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190511042112/http://thefutoncritic.com/listings/20190403fox07/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Barbara Gordon appears in [[Harley Quinn (TV series)|''Harley Quinn'']] as a college student in the second-season episode "Riddle U" where she helps Harley and Poison Ivy take down the Riddler and is seen making her own Batgirl costume.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/harley-quinn-season-2-episode-2-review-riddle-u/|title=Harley Quinn Season 2 Episode 2 Review: Riddle U|last=Knight|first=Rosie|date=2020-04-10|website=Den of Geek|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-10|archive-date=April 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200410170431/https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/harley-quinn-season-2-episode-2-review-riddle-u/|url-status=live}}</ref>

She's portrayed by [[Savannah Welch]] in the [[Titans (season 3)|third season]] of the [[HBO Max]] series ''[[Titans (2018 TV series)|Titans]]'', where she's depicted as the commissioner of the Gotham City Police.<ref name ="Barbara">{{Cite web|last=Otterson|first=Joe|date=January 19, 2021|title='Titans' Season 3 Casts Savannah Welch as Barbara Gordon (EXCLUSIVE)|url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/titans-season-3-barbara-gordon-savannah-welch-1234886752/|access-date=January 19, 2021|website=Variety|language=en-US|archive-date=January 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210119191302/https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/titans-season-3-barbara-gordon-savannah-welch-1234886752/|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Leslie Grace]] was slated to portray Barbara Gordon as Batgirl in what would have been her live-action solo film and [[DCEU]] debut, ''[[Batgirl (film)|Batgirl]]'', which was planned to premiere exclusively on HBO Max but was cancelled in August 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gonzalez |first=Umberto |date=August 2, 2022 |title='Batgirl' Won't Fly: Warner Bros. Discovery Has No Plans to Release Nearly Finished $90 Million Film |url=https://www.thewrap.com/batgirl-movie-dead-warner-bros-discovery-has-no-plans-to-release-nearly-finished-90-million-film/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220802202744/https://www.thewrap.com/batgirl-movie-dead-warner-bros-discovery-has-no-plans-to-release-nearly-finished-90-million-film/ |archive-date=August 2, 2022 |access-date=August 2, 2022 |website=[[TheWrap]]}}</ref>

The character also made a non-speaking animated cameo appearance in the 2021 film ''[[Space Jam: A New Legacy]]''.

==Collected editions==
* ''Showcase Presents Batgirl Vol. 1'' {{ISBN|1-4012-1367-7}}; collects early Batgirl appearances (1967–1975) (release date 2007); softcover
* ''Batgirl: The Greatest Stories Ever Told'' {{ISBN|978-1-4012-2924-5}}; collects various stories from ''Detective Comics'', ''Batman Family'', ''Legends of the DC Universe'', and ''The Batman Chronicles''. (release date 2010); softcover
* ''Batgirl: Year One'' (2003) {{ISBN|1-4012-0080-X}}; collects all nine issues of the ''Batgirl: Year One'' miniseries
* ''Batgirl: The Darkest Reflection''; collects issues #1–6 of her ongoing ''Batgirl'' series. (release date June 2012) hardcover
* ''Batgirl: Knightfall Descends''; collects issues #7–13 and 0 of her ongoing ''Batgirl'' series. (release date Feb. 2013) hardcover
* ''Batman: The Cat and the Bat'' {{ISBN|978-1-4012-2496-7}}; collects an early Batgirl/Catwoman story from ''Batman Confidential'' #17–21. (release date 2009); softcover
* ''Batman: Batgirl'' (1997) {{ISBN|978-1-56389-305-6}}; one-shot special
* ''Batman: The Killing Joke'' (1988) {{ISBN|0-930289-45-5}}
* ''Batman: Thrillkiller'' {{ISBN|1-56389-424-6}}; collects ''Batgirl and Robin: Thrillkiller'' #1–3 and the ''Batgirl and Batman: Thrillkiller '62'' one-shot special (1998)
* ''[[Elseworld's Finest: Supergirl & Batgirl]]'' (1998)
* ''Birds of Prey'' (1999) {{ISBN|1-56389-484-X}}
* ''Birds of Prey: Old Friends, New Enemies'' (2003) {{ISBN|1-56389-939-6}}
* ''Birds of Prey: Of Like Minds'' (2004) {{ISBN|1-4012-0192-X}}
* ''Birds of Prey: Sensei & Student'' (2005) {{ISBN|1-4012-0434-1}}
* ''Birds of Prey: Between Dark & Dawn'' (2006) {{ISBN|1-4012-0940-8}}
* ''Birds of Prey: The Battle Within'' (2006) {{ISBN|978-1-4012-1096-0}}
* ''Birds of Prey: Perfect Pitch'' (2007) {{ISBN|1-4012-1191-7}}
* ''Birds of Prey: Blood and Circuits'' (2007) {{ISBN|978-1-4012-1371-8}}
* ''Birds of Prey: Trouble in Mind''; collects issues #1–7 of the ongoing ''Birds of Prey ''series, featuring Barbara Gordon as Batgirl (2012); softcover
* ''Oracle: The Cure'' (2010) {{ISBN|978-1-4012-2603-9}}
* ''Batgirl: Death of the Family''; collects issues #14–19 of her ongoing ''Batgirl ''series, as well as ''Batgirl Annual'' #1, ''Batman'' #17, and a story from ''Young Romance'' #1 (release date October 2013); hardcover
* ''Birds of Prey: Your Kiss Might Kill''; collects issues #8–13 of the ongoing ''Birds of Prey'' series, featuring Barbara Gordon as Batgirl (2013); softcover
* ''Batgirl: Wanted''; Collects issues #20–26 of her ongoing ''Batgirl'' series as well as ''Batman: The Dark Knight'' #23.1 – ''Ventriloquist''. (2014) hardcover
* ''Batgirl: Deadline''; Collects issues #27–34 of her ongoing ''Batgirl'' series in addition to ''Batgirl Annual'' #2 and ''Batgirl: Future's End'' #1. (2015) hardcover
* ''Batgirl: The Batgirl of Burnside''; Collects issues #35–40 of her ongoing ''Batgirl'' series with a story from ''Secret Origins'' #10 included as well. (June 2015) hardcover
* ''Birds of Prey: A Clash of Daggers''; collects issues #14–17 of the ongoing ''Birds of Prey'' series, along with ''Batgirl Annual'' #1, featuring Barbara Gordon as Batgirl (December 2013); softcover
* ''Batgirl Vol. 8: The [[Joker War]]''; collects issues #45-50 {{ISBNT|978-1779521132}}

==See also==
* [[List of fictional hackers]]
* [[Portrayal of women in comics]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
{{Refbegin}}
* Brooker, Will (2001). ''Batman Unmasked: Analyzing a Cultural Icon''. [[Continuum International Publishing Group]]. {{ISBN|0-8264-1343-9}}.
* Nolen-Weathington, Eric (2004). ''Modern Masters Volume 3: Bruce Timm''. [[TwoMorrows Publishing]]. {{ISBN|1-893905-30-6}}.
{{Refend}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{Gcdb|type=character|search=Barbara+Gordon|title=Barbara Gordon}}
* {{Comicbookdb|type=character|id=425|title=Batgirl (Barbara Gordon)}}
* {{Comicbookdb|type=character|id=13906|title=Barbara Gordon (Post-Crisis)}}
* {{Comicbookdb|type=character|id=449|title=Oracle (Barbara Gordon)}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20170511051605/http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0000178/ Batgirl] on [[IMDb]]

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