Batgirl/ Oracle FAQ
Written by Jonathan Sanders.

1. When did she f irst appear? And who created her?
2. Has there ever been another Batgirl?
3. How is the comic book version different from the other ones?
4. Is she a lesbian?
5. What groups has she been a part of?
6. What ever happened to the Batgirl cycle?
7. Why isn't she in mainstream DC comics?
8. Isn't her character unrealistic? Did she just jump up and say "I wanna be a superhero?"
9. How has she changed since the sixties?
10. How has she changed since the Crisis?
11. Does she know Batman's identity?
12. How old is she?
13. What were her costumes?

1. When did she first appear?

She first appeared in Detective #359, January 1967. She was Barbara Gordon--the daughter of Police Commissioner James Gordon who aided in stopping Killer Moth from exacting a mass extortion plot. She was created by Julius Schwartz so that a female aid could be added (in order to boost ratings).

2. Has there ever been another  Batgirl?

Technically the original Bat-Girl (with hyphen) was Betty Kane, but Barbara Gordon is the only Batgirl to most Bat-fans. Betty Kane was the niece of circus owner Kathy Kane, who secretly led a double life as the costumed crimefighter Batwoman. She figued out her aunt's secret identity, and Betty pretty much blackmailed her to take her on as a partner. Betty became Bat-Girl. She wore a red and green dress costume, and she also carried a "crime compact" and "smoke screen spray". They were the female equivalent of Batman and Robin, teaming (and flirting) with their male counterparts. She appeared four times in the sixties. The Kanes were not as driven as their male counterparts. They retired after a few years to concentrate on their private lives, with Betty becoming a champion tennis pro. In the meantime, Betty's rare appearances as Bat-Girl included her founding membership in the Teen Titans expansion team, Titans West. The group, like Betty's costumed comeback, was short-lived. Betty continued to devote her time to tennis thereafter. As for Batwoman, she was murdered by the Bronze Tiger, who was then a mesmerized pawn of the League of Assassins. After the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Batwoman and Batgirl were deleted from DC history. Batgirl's place in revised Titans history was eventually taken by a new post-Crisis version of the character, Flamebird, described on the new Titans Website.

3. How is the comic version of Batgirl different from the other ones?

In the movie, both characters were suprisingly different. The movie character was Barbara Wilson (not Barbara Gordon), she was the neice of Alfred (and not the daughter of the Police Commisioner). Barbara Wilson was a motorcycle racer, while even though Barbara Gordon had a Batcycle, was not like Barbara Wilson. Both women knew judo, but Gordon also knew karate. The original character had red hair, and her costume was very different. Where they came up with Wilson was anybody's guess.

4.  Is she a lesbian?

Batgirl has been rumored (probably jokingly) to be a lesbian. While Barbara Gordon has had close female friends (i.e. pre-crisis Supergirl) there is nothing to suggest that these relationships were sexual. Whatsmore, chemistry has been shown between her and Robin in every incarnation. Also, she was not vulnerable to Poison Ivy in the movie--so its reasonable to believe that she is completely heterosexual.

5.  What groups has she been with?

She's been partnered with Black Canary (as Oracle), temporarily with Catwoman and Harley Quinn (in the Animated Series and the Adventures comics). In the TV series she was just called a member of the "Triumphant Trio". Currently, Oracle is a member of the JLA.

6. What ever happened to the Batgirl cycle?

 The Batgirl Cycle was Batgirl's mode of transportation since she first started in the sixties, which eventually changed and became more hi-tech as times progressed.  She eventually began leaving it behind, preferring to use her skills as a runner.

7. Why isn't she in mainstream DC comics?

Several years back, she was shot by Joker (as Barbara Gordon) in the Killing Joke. She was paralyzed, and its kind of hard to swing arround Gotham in a wheelchair.  So she became a cyber-vigilante, searching out information and exposing crime on the Net under the handle "Oracle".

8. Isn't her character unrealistic? Did she just jump up and say "I wanna be a superhero?"

 No more unrealistic than Batman.  She admired superheros since she was a child, and at that age began to decide how to become one.  Since she was about thirteen years old, she has been skilled in espionage. She has always had a photographic memory, which she trained by studying maps and statistics. She has a master's degree in Library and Information Systems--which makes her extra good at finding information. Her cyber-skills have been extra developed as Oracle (now she excels all Gotham vigilantes in cyberspace), and there are few pieces of info she will not discover eventually. She's no physical slouch either. She trained physically until earning brown belts in both Judo and Karate, and in combination with her incredible agility (from her Olympic-level gymnastic skills) makes her devistating in combat. Her Olympic-level running skills are also prevelant.  Her mechanical skills are also evident.

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9. How has she changed since the sixties?

In the sixties, Batgirl (at times, moreso in the comics) appealed to sexist sterotypes.  In a story called "Batgirl's costume cut-ups" she is stopped several times in the middle of a fight, because of such "feminine" concerns as "having a run in her tights". Even the television series was better, even though Batman occassionally made some sexist remarks. On the other hand though, having a female heroine was good.  She was strong and smart, with a knowledge of martial arts and a college degree--which showed women with an elevated status. As time moved on, the only "stereotypical" thing about Barbara was she was a librarian--which was not shown as a meager role--and was eventually allowed to fan out to give her more power. Yvonne Craig, Adam West, and Burt Ward, even did a commercial for the Federal Equal Pay law.

10. How has she changed since the Crisis?

Batgirl was not affected much by the crisis. After the Crisis, she became taller and stronger (5'6" to 5'11" and 120-135 lbs.) and her origin was changed.  Jim Gordon became her uncle, who adopted her biological parents (Roger Gordon and Thelma Gordon) died--one from a car accident and the other from alcoholism induced by depression. She also no longer had a PhD, but was reduced to a masters. That's not to even mention how she changed as Oracle. Otherwise, her origin is pretty much the same.

11. Does she know Batman's identity?

Yes. This has been fairly consistant since the late sixties.

12. How old is she?

Time in comics is a little bit shaky, so this figure may be slightly off. It supposedly (in comic book time) has been ten years since Batman began. Barbara had to have at least gotton her Bachelor's degree to work in the library--making her about 21 when she began her carrer as a vigilante. This carrer may have lasted for four-seven years. This makes Barbara in her mid to late twenties. I personally believe she is about twenty five years old.

13.  What are her costumes?

In the comic book, the color of her costume was somewhat confusing. Some artists made it grey, and others made it black. It had a yellow bat-emblem (different from Batman's) on the chest. The part of her cowl that covered the front of her face was black, but the back of it was blue--it contained several different lenses that she could bring over her eyes by pressing a button. She wore yellow high-healed boots and gloves. She also wore a long blue cape, that may have been made of kevlar as it blocked knives and bullets (in the Batgirl Special). Her utility belt was yellow, and similar to Batman.

In the animated series, Batgirl wore a grey jumpsuit--created from a modified Batman costume. The face of her cowl was black, but the back was blue. Her boots were blue, and so were her gloves. They were a different shape than in the comic books. Her cape is waist length instead of long and flowing, than in the comic books (and blue). Her utility belt did not have visible compartments. It has been changed, however in the new series. It has the same basic design, only it's black.  The gloves and boots are yellow, and the gloves have bat-fins.

In the TV Series most of Batgirl's clothes were purple. Her jumpsuit, boots, and gloves were all purple. The jumpsuit was obviously some sort of skintight rubberized spandex material. Her boots were high-healed, unlike in the animated version of Batgirl. Her cape was purple and yellow, not to mention short. Her cowl was purple and black. Her red hair was not real--it was a long wig.

In the Elseworld mini-series, Batgirl doesn't even wear a cape.  Her cowl allows her hair to show more than any other incarnation and is very long.  She also does not wear a full jumpsuit--but a black "bat-crop top" with a big yellow bat emblem. She wears black jumpsuit pants, and knee- high yellow and black boots.

In the movie, Batgirl wore a black rubber costume, very similar to Robin's.  It emphasized muscles (and to a greater degree) legs, breasts, and hips. It had the same basic blue color: gloves, mask, cape, and boots.  She wore a cowl for a short part of the movie, but a sleek eye mask mostly. She had the same color, but very different bat-emblem on her chest.

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