Prince Joker
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- Posted: Fri, 18 Nov 2011 07:21:03 +0000
The age old question we've heard a dozen times. Batgirl or Oracle? Fans of Barbara Gordon have been torn on this issue since they first brought it out of the one-off Killing Joke and made it part of DC canon. Some people hate that DC crippled Barbara, some even going as far as finding the act offensive or sexist, while others consider it the best thing that's ever happened to her character, making her stronger and more engaging. This discussion has raged for years and I'm sure it's been brought up on Gaia before and will again. However, I want to bring a slightly different spin on the long-standing question.
Why must it be Batgirl or Oracle? Now, feel free to discuss which time you liked better, but my real question here is why it has to be crime-fighting Batgirl or wheelchair-bound Oracle? With the new 52 reboot, I, like many Oracle fans, was very disappointed to hear of a Batgirl - Barbara Gordon run. However, it wasn't Barbara Gordon getting out of the wheelchair that bothered me. Honestly, it was about time. I like Barbara in the wheelchair, her character (in my opinion) did grow and become stronger for the experience, but in the comic book world it was just impractical. People get their arms or legs ripped off and they grow back, some burn to ash and come back to life, but Barbara Gordon was still in that chair? Really, it was starting to stretch the edge of credibility.
However, what I don't understand is why getting out of that chair immediately means she has to be Batgirl again. We have a lot of really good Batgirls already, like Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown, but there's only one Oracle. Personally, I think Barbara's more useful and impacting to the DC Universe (not just the Batman Family) as Oracle. We've got more costume crime-fighters than could fit in a book, but when it comes to information and technology powerhouses, we're running a bit slim. So why couldn't Barbara simply get her legs back and remain Oracle? Or, hell, she could be Oracle and Batgirl? I just don't see why they have to be one or the other. More importantly, I don't see why not-crippled Barbara has to equal Batgirl and crippled Barbara has to equal Oracle.
Well, that's enough from me. I've posed my question and now I'm eager to here what the rest of you think. Don't worry about answering if you don't like Oracle, I understand that and I like hearing everybody's opinion. Especially on my real question, for which I'd really like an answer, if there is one.
Why must it be Batgirl or Oracle? Now, feel free to discuss which time you liked better, but my real question here is why it has to be crime-fighting Batgirl or wheelchair-bound Oracle? With the new 52 reboot, I, like many Oracle fans, was very disappointed to hear of a Batgirl - Barbara Gordon run. However, it wasn't Barbara Gordon getting out of the wheelchair that bothered me. Honestly, it was about time. I like Barbara in the wheelchair, her character (in my opinion) did grow and become stronger for the experience, but in the comic book world it was just impractical. People get their arms or legs ripped off and they grow back, some burn to ash and come back to life, but Barbara Gordon was still in that chair? Really, it was starting to stretch the edge of credibility.
However, what I don't understand is why getting out of that chair immediately means she has to be Batgirl again. We have a lot of really good Batgirls already, like Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown, but there's only one Oracle. Personally, I think Barbara's more useful and impacting to the DC Universe (not just the Batman Family) as Oracle. We've got more costume crime-fighters than could fit in a book, but when it comes to information and technology powerhouses, we're running a bit slim. So why couldn't Barbara simply get her legs back and remain Oracle? Or, hell, she could be Oracle and Batgirl? I just don't see why they have to be one or the other. More importantly, I don't see why not-crippled Barbara has to equal Batgirl and crippled Barbara has to equal Oracle.
Well, that's enough from me. I've posed my question and now I'm eager to here what the rest of you think. Don't worry about answering if you don't like Oracle, I understand that and I like hearing everybody's opinion. Especially on my real question, for which I'd really like an answer, if there is one.
