Fans are still processing all of the details revealed in Infinite Frontier #0, a new one-shot that provides a significant look at where the DC Comics universe goes next. A slew of characters factored into the issue in a series of vignettes, all of which set the stage for stories that are set to be told in the coming months. Along the way, Infinite Frontier established some new, but familiar status quos, whether through returning characters back to previous mantles or literally bringing them back from the dead. The former option was definitely the case for Barbara Gordon, as her appearance in Infinite Frontier‘s Batman story brought a new chapter to her life. Spoilers for the Batman story in Infinite Frontier #0, from James Tynion IV, Jorge Jimenez, and Tomeu Morey below! Only look if you want to know!
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The story jumped throughout different characters within Gotham City, including Stephanie Brown and Cassandra Cain operating as the Batgirls in the field. Helping them from her watchtower was none other than Barbara, who Steph referred to as Oracle. In a short conversation with Helena Bertinelli/Huntress, Barbara revealed that “it feels good” to be behind the computer once again, as it allows her to be everywhere at once in a way she couldn’t be as Batgirl. As Barbara went on to explain, she hasn’t entirely retired her role as Batgirl, but she’ll be “a little more judicious” about when to suit up, for the sake of her spinal implant.
This decision — and Barbara’s feeling of being content as Batgirl again — feels like a natural escalation from where she recently was in her Batgirl solo series, which saw her juggle both mantles multiple times over. Since her series ended last October, Barbara already has essentially served more as Oracle (even using the mantle while wearing a new costume in the Future State timeline), and fans had expected that she would be doing so in her supporting role in the new Nightwing book. And according to Tynion, the new path for Barbara is going to manifest in some interesting ways later this year.
“Honestly, the plans we have for Oracle and the characters in the direct orbit around Oracle are big,” Tynion recently explained to Newsarama. “One thing that we wanted to do was reground Barbara Gordon at the center of the Batman mythos. Barbara Gordon is the key supporting character for Batman in Batman. She’s the key supporting character for Jim Gordon in The Joker. And she’s the key supporting character for Dick Grayson in Nightwing.”
“She is up front and center in all of this, and through all of those appearances we see that she’s building this new direction for herself in a new way to evolve the Batgirl mythos with Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown,” Tynion continued. “That’s going to culminate just a little bit later in the year in a way that I think fans can probably predict, but it’s something that I’m very, very excited for and we’ve got some incredible, incredible creators, who are going to pick up the baton and carry the next steps forward for Barbara.”
What do you think of Barbara Gordon officially becoming Oracle again in DC’s Infinite Frontier #0? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
