Batgirl (Original Comics)

Barbara is the neice of Police Commisioner Jim Gordon. Her real mother, Thelma, died in a car accident when she was only four years old. As a result of this depression, her father Roger became a serious alcholic. As a child had a best friend named Marcy. They fantasized about becoming super-heroines one day, and "Batgirl" was one of their childhood fantasies. Roger Gordon drank himself to his grave. Custody was awarded to James Gordon (her uncle), and she moved to Gotham City at the age of 13. When they had to go their seperate ways, Marcy gave Barbara a Batgirl doll she had made, and instilled the idea of a heroic identity on Barbara.

Barbara fit into the Gordon home immediately, and there was a time she forgot she had not been born into that family. Because of her father's carrer, she amassed an incredible knowledge on Gotham's underworld. She realzied she would need to do a variety of things to acomplish her goal, and with determination she began to go about acomplishing them. Eventually, she graduated from high school and went to Gotham State University. She had almost forgotton her desire to become a heroine, but still remained in shape. She eventually earned first kyu brown belts in Judo and Karate, and she also became an Olympic-level gymnast and runner. She graduated summa cum laude from Gotham State University, with a degree in Library and Information Systems. She also had a natural photographic memory, and could remember any written information she's seen. After graduating, she became the head reference librarian at Gotham Public Library. When the police had a masquerade ball, Barbara decided she would apppear as Batgirl.

She told no one who she was going as, and made a costume like Marcy's doll's. On her way to the party, she observed the Killer Moth trying to kidnapp Bruce Wayne. She interviened. With her knowledge of martial arts, she foiled the attempt. This allowed Bruce to get away and change to Batman. Batman showed up and demanded to know who she was. She offered to trade identities, and obviously he refused. Eventually, Batgirl played a signifigant role in the capture of Killer Moth. Barabra decided she liked the thrill and risk, and decided to become Batgirl as a caped crimefighter. She modifed her moterycycle, and created the Batcycle. Batgirl was born.

Barbara remained her guise as the head reference librarian at Gotham State University. That was until the oppertunity to run for congress came along, in which Barbara jumped at the chance.  Success made her a first-term congresswoman, but was defeated in her re-election bid. Her life as Batgirl simply didn't give her enough time to devote enough money to her re-election campaign.

When she returned to Gotham City, she also served as the Associate Director of Humanities Research and Development. She and Batman became closer friends and confidants over the years. They revealed the identities of each other. A gun-toting thug named Commorant shot her and injured her enough to make her see that crimefighting wasn't as innocent as it had once seemed. She became reluctant of her heroing as his lethal lear haunted her more and more. She once again confronted him, and simultaneously a villain named Slash who killed men who escaped on crimes against women. In a bizarre fight, she tried with all of her might to stop them from killing each other, but Commorant's suffering wife helped Slash kill him. Barbara decided to go into semi-retirement as Batgirl, and focus more on her father...

In "The Killing Joke", the Joker came to her house, and he blantly shot Barbara when she opened the door. He took pictures of her bleeding body, which appealed to his sick mind. Batman stopped him, but part of Barbara's spine had been shot away. Bound in a wheelchair, Barbara was upset and felt totally useless and helpless for a short period of time. She discovered the Internet before it gained publicity. She took refuge in the cyber-world, making friends and finding a certain amount of comfort. Her father was looking for a criminal named Interface. She found out Interface had a low meta-human talent--she could interface directly with computers--the ultimate hacker. Interface saw her in the street, and made it clear to Barbara that she didn't like her prying into her buisness. A dream inspires Barbara to become "the Oracle". Barbara "persuaded" Interface to turn herself into the police. This was approximately one year ago. Now, Barbara has found her other calling and currently spends her time as the cyber-crimefighter Oracle, offering knowledge to Batman and other heroes who can use it.

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