During the 1960s, as the Batman television series continued to gain popularity, DC editor Julius Schwartz wanted to introduce a new female counterpart to Batman. This character grew to become one of the most popular comic book figures during the Silver Age of comic books. Now, as 2017 marks her 50th anniversary, there is no better time for a walk down memory lane.
Barbara Gordon, a/k/a Batgirl, made her debut appearance in 1967 in Detective Comics #359, titled “The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl!” Writer Gardner Fox and artist Carmine Infantino are credited with the creation of this powerful heroine. In her debut story, Barbara was introduced as the daughter of Gotham City’s Police Commissioner James Gordon. By day, Barbara was a headstrong career woman with a doctorate in library science who was head of the Gotham City public library. But by night, Barbara would slip into her black Batgirl bodysuit and fight crime alongside Batman. Although Batman initially disapproved of her crime-fighting, because of her gender, Barbara disregarded his objections. Barbara made numerous comic appearances on series such as Detective Comics, Batman Family, Justice League of America, World’s Finest Comics, The Brave and the Bold, Action Comics, and Superman. At the same time, Yvonne Craig was portraying Barbara on Batman, alongside Adam West’s Batman.
While DC officially retired Barbara in the one-shot comic Batgirl Special #1 in 1988, the following year the hero starred in one of the more controversial Batman stories. In Alan Moore’s Batman: The Killing Joke, the Joker tortures Commissioner Gordon in an effort to prove to Batman that anyone can be morally compromised. Unfortunately, this torture involved Barbara being shot in the waist and paralyzed. Following the release of the graphic novel, many women in the comic industry expressed outrage over the treatment of Barbara. Writer Gail Simone included Barbara on a list of “major female characters that had been killed, mutilated, and depowered,” a phenomenon she dubbed “Women in Refrigerators.” Determined not to let the character to fall into obscurity, Kim Yale and John Ostrander, reestablished Barbara as the computer expert and information broker known as Oracle.
Barbara made her first appearance as Oracle in Suicide Squad #23, anonymously offering her services to the Suicide Squad. However, she was not revealed to be Barbara Gordon until Suicide Squad #38 in 1990. Although Barbara’s paralysis plunged her into a state of deep depression, she decided to use her genius-level intellect, photographic memory, and expert skills as a hacker to help fight crime. Barbara, as Oracle, went on to star in Batman: Sword of Azrael, The Hacker Files, The Batman Chronicles, and Birds of Prey. During DC’s New 52 event, Barbara was reverted back to her original Batgirl persona. These changes were retained during the DC Rebirth event in 2016.
Throughout her long history, Barbara Gordon has been adapted into various television, film, animation, video games, and other merchandise. To this day, Barbara is considered a cultural icon as well as a symbol of female empowerment.
