Barbara Gordon: Batgirl/Oracle Appreciation 2022

[Frontier]

I'm not sure if people would've cared for a Red Hood-esque Batgirl.

But those random mandates Simone had to deal with sound so ridiculous. I mean, glasses? A librarian? Not even a hideout!?

[WebLurker]

I'm not sure if people would've cared for a Red Hood-esque Batgirl.

But those random mandates Simone had to deal with sound so ridiculous. I mean, glasses? A librarian? Not even a hideout!?

Trying to erase any traces of Oracle, maybe?

[Konja7]

I'm not sure if people would've cared for a Red Hood-esque Batgirl.

But those random mandates Simone had to deal with sound so ridiculous. I mean, glasses? A librarian? Not even a hideout!?

Honestly, I would have prefered the Lazarus pit cure if that prevent fans from saying Barbara can get back in the wheelchair.

Many don't like the fully magical cure, but at least you wouldn't have people saying that Barbara should give up that chip.

[Primal Slayer]

I'm not sure if people would've cared for a Red Hood-esque Batgirl.

But those random mandates Simone had to deal with sound so ridiculous. I mean, glasses? A librarian? Not even a hideout!?

I dont think she would've been full on Red-Hood but a slightly darker, more violent Barbara than what everyone was used to would've been a good storyline for a bit until they worked it out.

[Frontier]

I dont think she would've been full on Red-Hood but a slightly darker, more violent Barbara than what everyone was used to would've been a good storyline for a bit until they worked it out.

To be honest that was also kind of Simone's Batgirl at least in regards to her trauma with what happened with Joker.

[godisawesome]

I'm not sure if people would've cared for a Red Hood-esque Batgirl.

But those random mandates Simone had to deal with sound so ridiculous. I mean, glasses? A librarian? Not even a hideout!?

Mandates make it feel like even Babs herself was being hit a bit by Didio’s micro-managing desire for characters to fit a specific type of broadly painted “iconic” version.

Like WebLurker said, it might be a paranoia about Oracle, or maybe Didio just doesn’t think redheads with glasses are hot.

(He’d be wrong by the way, in case you were wondering.)

[Frontier]

But the library and glasses thing were pre-Oracle .

[godisawesome]

But the library and glasses thing were pre-Oracle .

Which is exactly why it’s clearly *some* kind of over-reaction from the then-regime of some kind… but also why Didio/whoever actually was behind it just not getting why tall, curly redheads with glasses are hot is just as plausible.

…especially since glasses arguably work to separate the civilian IDs of Kate and Babs better.

(I would presume that Didio might actually have put down the decrees just because he seems to have been more perosnally meddling with all Batgril properties from what we know of pretty much all female Bat characters’ treatment; really feels like he pulled a Perlmutter and stood around stubbornly insisting on an innately hypocritical view of profitable female Bat-characters as being dangerous to each other.)

[AmiMizuno]

It seems Barbara will be in the movie The doom that came from Gotham as Oracle. She will be played by Gideon Adlon


I'm curious do you guys ever want her librarian history to be brought back it felt very different. I kind of curious to see how it would have played out if they kept it
And another thing so you guys think one reason why they wanted to make Babs batgirl again is they thought it was more iconic than Oracle? After all other than the tv show BoP Oracle didn't show up much.

[MajorHoy]

. . . I'm curious do you guys ever want her librarian history to be brought back it felt very different. I kind of curious to see how it would have played out if they kept it
And another thing so you guys think one reason why they wanted to make Babs batgirl again is they thought it was more iconic than Oracle? After all other than the tv show BoP Oracle didn't show up much.

In reverse order, Barbara as Batgirl (vs. as Oracle) probably was more "iconic" to the average person (as opposed to comic book geeks) because that's how she first was portrayed, and anyone who ever saw the 1960s Batman TV show (which was forever in reruns) would be more familiar with her that way.

As for being a librarian, that's what she was originally. But this was also in the days before the internet, so that was a useful occupation for her because it gave her access to plenty of information without needing a giant Bat-Computer in her home.

I wouldn't mind her having a librarian background, but then again, I use to work in the town's public library back when I was in high school.

[scary harpy]

In reverse order, Barbara as Batgirl (vs. as Oracle) probably was more "iconic" to the average person (as opposed to comic book geeks) because that's how she first was portrayed, and anyone who ever saw the 1960s Batman TV show (which was forever in reruns) would be more familiar with her that way.

As for being a librarian, that's what she was originally. But this was also in the days before the internet, so that was a useful occupation for her because it gave her access to plenty of information without needing a giant Bat-Computer in her home.

I wouldn't mind her having a librarian background, but then again, I use to work in the town's public library back when I was in high school.

She could be a legal librarian. She would have more access to court records.

[MajorHoy]

She could be a legal librarian. She would have more access to court records.

I don't think she really needs more access to court records . . . besides, when Jim was police commissioner, she had another way to gain that type of information.

[Majesty]

Trying to erase any traces of Oracle, maybe?

No, they just didn't consider those qualities "sexy" enough. Because god forbid a woman wear glasses and be into reading. Was Gaston the guy in charge of the regime?

Honestly, I would have prefered the Lazarus pit cure if that prevent fans from saying Barbara can get back in the wheelchair.

Many don't like the fully magical cure, but at least you wouldn't have people saying that Barbara should give up that chip.

Barbara with the chip honestly reminds me of one of my favorite heroes growing up from a TV show called M.A.N.T.I.S. So it reminds me of that and I guess I love it for that reason.

[OBrianTallent]

I truly regret the decision to get Barbara out of the chair. DC pretty much said people with exceptions cant be heroes. However, there's no point in putting the genie back in the bottle.

[WebLurker]

I truly regret the decision to get Barbara out of the chair. DC pretty much said people with exceptions cant be heroes. However, there's no point in putting the genie back in the bottle.

I am finding the compromise in the Batgirls series acceptable, where she can walk, but rather than being a magic fix, the chip in her spine is treated like another tool she uses to get through life with her disability (and we see off days where it's better if she can keep a load off her feet and mentions that she's still in physical therapy to manage her condition). And, to be honest, if someone lost the use of their legs or other body part, I wouldn't judge them for taking the chance to regain their mobility if it came (frankly, if I ended up in a wheelchair or something, I don't think I'd take it very gracefully and would want to reverse if possible).