Every superhero plays their own role in the DC Universe, but it cannot be argued that every hero is created equal. Obviously, some play more important roles than others. Superman will always be more important to DC than Animal Man, for example. This is a good thing, as characters deeply tied to the universe’s lore and those around them provide great connecting points and structure for an overall identity for DC. Characters that appear everywhere help the world feel more connected, which is exactly what a shared universe like DC needs. Once, no character fit this description better than Barbara Gordon.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Where Superman is the ultimate example of heroism and Zatanna is the magical expert, as Oracle, Barbara filled a vital role that nobody else could fill, and served a function way higher than anything anyone expected. Oracle was once the web connecting the entire superhero community in a way that no one else could, but that was taken away with the New 52 relaunch. Even after so many years, Barbara has not yet recovered the credibility she once had, but she deserves it and so much more.
The Perfect Woman at The Perfect Time
After she was paralyzed during the events of The Killing Joke, Barbara was tragically sidelined for many years. It wasn’t until Suicide Squad (1987) #23 that Oracle appeared as a mysterious, majorly skilled tech genius. Her identity was revealed in issue #38, and she became Batman’s de facto informant and lady in the chair in Batman: Sword of Azrael #1. She quickly became the backbone of the Batman Family, being the person everyone turned to when they needed information or help with technology. Being the intellectual partner and necessary component to DC’s biggest name is already super impressive, but Barbara didn’t stop there.
Oracle’s expertise and skill set were cutting-edge when she debuted, as almost no other major characters had her distinct resume. She prominently emerged in the ‘90s, just in time for the computer boom, where technology became infinitely more integrated into our daily lives. Barbara had the perfect abilities, so when other heroes started needing help with technological problems, it was only natural that they turned to the one person who had proved demonstrably that she could do it. More and more heroes began to rely on Oracle, and soon enough, she had become the computer expert for the Justice League, and in turn, the entire superhero community.
Oracle graduated from Batman to help every single superhero out there. She might not have been the person out there punching villains, but Oracle was the person who told the heroes where they needed to go, how they needed to fight, and kept them safe from the kind of technology that didn’t care how strong you were. She directed everyone during Infinite Crisis, stopped the remnants of the Anti-Life Equation that were leftover after Final Crisis, and was chosen to be Brainiac’s host when he wanted to achieve a biological form because she’s that smart and that good with technology.
A Legacy Lost, Now Being Restored
Oracle was everywhere back in the day, so why isn’t she nearly as pivotal to DC now? It all started with the New 52, which wiped out most characters’ histories and de-aged them. Barbara was returned to her role as Batgirl, her spine having been healed and put Oracle behind her. As fantastic as Barbara is as Batgirl, there’s no denying that ever since putting the Bat Logo back on, she’s become far less important to the universe at large. She became just another Batman character and even lost her role as the Batman Family’s resident lady in the chair. Barbara’s stories were great, but she lost her relevance to the universe as a whole.
Now, after so many years, that is starting to change. The past recent years saw Barbara return to Oracle as her main identity, operating as Batgirl when the situation called for it, but mainly sticking behind the screen. In doing so, Barbara regained her undeniably essential position as the brain of the Bat Family, being their guiding light to be as effective as they are. She even reformed her fantastic Birds of Prey team, adding back heavyhitters like Black Canary and Big Barda.
Barbara’s popularity as the connecting tissue for the Bat Family has been firmly reestablished, but her relevance to the Justice League is still all but gone, with Mister Terrific taking that role. Still, the fact that she is important as she is right now is a major step in the right direction. Barbara has proven time and again that she is a character who refuses to surrender and will always find a way to save the day with her wits. These are incredible traits that make her an incredible character, and she deserves to have the same relevance she once had.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Most Viewed
-
Image courtesy of Focus Features.
