Barbara Gordon: Batgirl, or Oracle?

[Jcogginsa]

Similar to my Wally West thread, when you think Barbara Gordon, do you think of her as Batgirl or as Oracle?

[mathew101281]

Batgirl is iconic and everything, but pretty much all my favorite Barbara Gordon stories are Oracle stories.

[Chrysalis_Changling]

Batgirl(i prefer barbara when she's more than just the support class)

[Desh]

When I think of Barbara Gordon I think of Batgirl, and when I think of Batgirl I think of Barbara Gordon.

[Sacred Knight]

Batgirl. Oracle is a decent concept, but a downgrade for a superhero like Barbara. I thought it was much more interesting in fact when Chloe basically had a similar role in Smallville. And being consistently paralyzed made no sense in regards to the world she lived in and the magnificent beings she lived among and the wonders they were capable of.

[Godlike13]

Im a fan of them both.

[Caivu]

I like both, but I'll give the edge to Oracle because I find that version of her more interesting, despite (or maybe because of) the fact that I mostly don't like her personality.

[Frontier]

I think both Batgirl and Oracle are strong, iconic, and empowering identities in their own right and that Babs is responsible for defining them, and they both have a great deal to do with how popular and longstanding a character she is.

I also think Cassandra and Stephanie did justice to the mantle of Batgirl and Barbara's legacy during their tenures.

[Caivu]

I also think Cassandra and Stephanie did justice to the mantle of Batgirl and Barbara's legacy during their tenures.

Yep. They were both good examples of either end of the spectrum for that role. A great way to show how versatile the role of Batgirl can be.
Helena B.'s time in the suit is noteworthy too, though very, very short.

[Jcogginsa]

Batgirl. Oracle is a decent concept, but a downgrade for a superhero like Barbara. I thought it was much more interesting in fact when Chloe basically had a similar role in Smallville. And being consistently paralyzed made no sense in regards to the world she lived in and the magnificent beings she lived among and the wonders they were capable of.

Oracle was more of an upgrade than a downgrade in my opinion.

[joybeans]

Barbara Gordon as Oracle had one of the most unique and fascinating narratives in comics. She was the ultimate underdog, a superhero who couldn't walk. And yet she grit her teeth, took **** from no one, and reinvented herself to become more important to the superhero community than she ever was before. And she did it from a wheelchair, without superpowers or incredible physical ability. She also found time to build up her relationships with a host of other heroes. And she also played very important roles in the development of two other very interesting characters: Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown.

[Vinsanity]

Batgirl easily.

[Agent Z]

Oracle for me.

Oracle was more of an upgrade than a downgrade in my opinion.

Agreed. She went from being a sidekick to leading her own team and a major power player in the DCU.

[Robotman]

Definitely Batgirl. When I think of Batgirl I think of images of Yvonne Craig and Batman TAS Batgirl. All of which are Barbara Gordon. She was super cool as Oracle but Babsgirl is iconic.

[phantom1592]

Batgirl all the way. When someone invents a role, It's THEIRS. As the first Batgirl and introduced to through Yvonne Craig... That's the batgirl I'll always remember.

Sitting in a tower and feeding Batman info... was really lame for BOTH of the characters.