Barbara Gordon: Batgirl/Oracle Appreciation 2022

[Frontier]

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).

I get what they're trying to go for even if I think it's hard for them to be consistent about it across multiple titles. Also just the way they're approaching make it feel like her active days might be finite the more she keeps fighting crime.

[WebLurker]

I get what they're trying to go for even if I think it's hard for them to be consistent about it across multiple titles.

That is how everything works in comics. Personally, I've kinda tried to ignore continuity between runs and other titles and just try to enjoy the specific stories for what they are.

Also just the way they're approaching make it feel like her active days might be finite the more she keeps fighting crime.

Could see some story potential, but would DC let their writers take Barbara back to her Oracle-only days?

[MajorHoy]

. . . Could see some story potential, but would DC let their writers take Barbara back to her Oracle-only days?

I would hope not.

DC has tried it's best to fuse Oracle and Batgirl for Barbara, and I would hate to see them completely cripple her again.

[Godlike13]

Could see some story potential, but would DC let their writers take Barbara back to her Oracle-only days?

To do what exactly? Oracle has been back for a while now and what have writers actually done with her. Not advocating for Batgirl here, just pointing out writers interest in Oracle doesn’t actually seem to extend beyond checking boxes to appease the sanctimonious twitter crowd.

Take Batgirls for example, you guy understand her situation in the book has served no actual story purposes right. There has been no stories examining her situation and her “bad days” in that book, the only purpose it has served is to make it convenient to sideline her to more easily focus on the walking girls.

[Will Evans]

That is how everything works in comics. Personally, I've kinda tried to ignore continuity between runs and other titles and just try to enjoy the specific stories for what they are.



Could see some story potential, but would DC let their writers take Barbara back to her Oracle-only days?

Thing is, because of advances in real life technology, a lot of the computer stuff Oracle could do at her desk, can be done in the field now with less bulky hardware. Cyborg for instance can do anything Oracle could do at her desk, while out on a mission himself.

[ohfellow]

To do what exactly? Oracle has been back for a while now and what have writers actually done with her. Not advocating for Batgirl here, just pointing out writers interest in Oracle doesn’t actually seem to extend beyond checking boxes to appease the sanctimonious twitter crowd.

Take Batgirls for example, you guy understand her situation in the book has served no actual story purposes right. There has been no stories examining her situation and her “bad days” in that book, the only purpose it has served is to make it convenient to sideline her to more easily focus on the walking girls.

Thing is, because of advances in real life technology, a lot of the computer stuff Oracle could do at her desk, can be done in the field now with less bulky hardware. Cyborg for instance can do anything Oracle could do at her desk, while out on a mission himself.

So far it's not been at all for her sake, but it's only been for the convenience of the writers, and this started months before the Batgirls book launched. Oracle has served the narrative purpose used chronically in action-oriented TV series these days: she's the person on the radio that those on an active mission can talk to, to serve as an exposition device (so they can talk about the tasks instead of just thinking about them), and she's the insider tech genius nerd who can decrypt 100 firewalls in a minute, provide floor plans, spot and interpret heat signatures and so forth, to guide everyone to the right floor.

It's just a convenient and lazy plot device.

So many Bat books have had a couple of panels of Barbara in front of her computer, guiding everyone else, and even more panels where she is off-screen but on the radio.

It's the same tech nerd role that Chloe served on "24."

[Frontier]

So far it's not been at all for her sake, but it's only been for the convenience of the writers, and this started months before the Batgirls book launched. Oracle has served the narrative purpose used chronically in action-oriented TV series these days: she's the person on the radio that those on an active mission can talk to, to serve as an exposition device (so they can talk about the tasks instead of just thinking about them), and she's the insider tech genius nerd who can decrypt 100 firewalls in a minute, provide floor plans, spot and interpret heat signatures and so forth, to guide everyone to the right floor.

It's just a convenient and lazy plot device.

So many Bat books have had a couple of panels of Barbara in front of her computer, guiding everyone else, and even more panels where she is off-screen but on the radio.

It's the same tech nerd role that Chloe served on "24."

I like to think Oracle in Post-Crisis was more than just a convenient and lazy plot device but I also say that as someone who hates the guy in the chair trope.

[Digifiend]

Oracle wasn't even created for the Bat books. Babs took that role in Suicide Squad and only rejoined the bat family when that book was cancelled.

Both Smallville and Arrow used the concept with other characters - in Smallville, Chloe Sullivan eventually becomes Watchtower, the tech expert of the fledgling Justice League (Babs has served that role at one point in JLA). And in Arrow, Felicity Smoak became Overwatch - and even had an arc where she ended up being shot, needing a wheelchair, and getting an implant to walk again (she's a composite of Oracle, her protege Proxy from the Stephanie Brown Batgirl run because she's Calculator's daughter, and the Felicity Smoak character from the Firestorm comics). They also mentioned the name Oracle saying it was taken (Barbara was never introduced in the Arrowverse, but it's implied that she exists, and probably disappeared along with Batman and Robin in Batwoman's backstory).

[ohfellow]

I like to think Oracle in Post-Crisis was more than just a convenient and lazy plot device but I also say that as someone who hates the guy in the chair trope.

Oracle wasn't even created for the Bat books. Babs took that role in Suicide Squad and only rejoined the bat family when that book was cancelled.

Both Smallville and Arrow used the concept with other characters - in Smallville, Chloe Sullivan eventually becomes Watchtower, the tech expert of the fledgling Justice League (Babs has served that role at one point in JLA). And in Arrow, Felicity Smoak became Overwatch - and even had an arc where she ended up being shot, needing a wheelchair, and getting an implant to walk again (she's a composite of Oracle, her protege Proxy from the Stephanie Brown Batgirl run because she's Calculator's daughter, and the Felicity Smoak character from the Firestorm comics). They also mentioned the name Oracle saying it was taken (Barbara was never introduced in the Arrowverse, but it's implied that she exists, and probably disappeared along with Batman and Robin in Batwoman's backstory).

Yeah, I just meant the recent reappearance throughout the Bat line. She's been used for exposition.

Good points about the Arrowverse - exactly what I mean. On Supergirl, it started out Winn, and by the end it was Brainy and a half a dozen other people hanging around Martian Manhunter's office. On Flash it was Cisco and Caitlin, and then Chester.

[AmiMizuno]

also the main issue people have of them having Babs walk again and want them to cripple her again is that she is one of the few disabled characters. And technically even if cyborg can do think quicker and whatever Babs can do. writers often treated her as mostly working within Gotham or or ignore cyborg can do that because Babs only works with certain heroes . Many are upset that they take out one of the few disable characters and didn't make a replacement

[Rac7d*]

also the main issue people have of them having Babs walk again and want them to cripple her again is that she is one of the few disabled characters. And technically even if cyborg can do think quicker and whatever Babs can do. writers often treated her as mostly working within Gotham or or ignore cyborg can do that because Babs only works with certain heroes . Many are upset that they take out one of the few disable characters and didn't make a replacement

Cyborg was not always this technological god that a revamp from Geoff back in 2010 about the time of new 52 when she reclaimed batgirl, cyborg would phone her for help

[Digifiend]

Yeah, I just meant the recent reappearance throughout the Bat line. She's been used for exposition.

Good points about the Arrowverse - exactly what I mean. On Supergirl, it started out Winn, and by the end it was Brainy and a half a dozen other people hanging around Martian Manhunter's office. On Flash it was Cisco and Caitlin, and then Chester.

Caitlin's actually the team medic, but yeah, Cisco and Chester do have an Oracle style role.

[signalman112]

HO HO HO Merry Christmas.

Batgirl vs Clayface from "Holiday Knights' episode of B:TAS.

[Frontier]

HO HO HO Merry Christmas.

Batgirl vs Clayface from "Holiday Knights' episode of B:TAS.

Even got Babs changing into her costume .

If I remember right in the comic version she changed among the influx of people or in a photo booth?

[AmiMizuno]

We got a look at Leslie's second suit

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