Do I look defeated to you?

From Birds of Prey (1999) issue 16.

From Birds of Prey (1999) issue 17.

But I picture her wheelchair as drawn by Greg Land. (Panel from Birds of Prey (1999) issue 1.)

batman chronicles #5

Babs hates that her disability is only because of a symbolic gesture the first move in a game set up by a mad man

and even before this

Batgirl Year One

She is someone who really hates when control is taken from them and when they aren't given an opportunity to be/achieve what they know they're capable of

like for example

Batman:No Man's Land

Babs is very angry at Bruce because she thought he gave batgirl away and then later but she finds her own successor that she chose

she wants people to take her seriously she needs to be able to make her own decisions obviously

but in typical bat fashion she really doesn't tend to give others this either

like that other time she kept a disk that she specifically told Helena and Dinah she had destroyed

birds of prey(1999)

followed by her in a classic Bruce move attempting to fire Dinah dinah

birds of prey(1999)

even in just the last few pages it really nails their dynamic and the meaning of the batgirl mantle. Cass more than anything has a deep seated need to prove herself. shes competitive and babs knows this

THESE PANELS RIGHT HERE!! THIS WAS THE WHOLE POINT!!

“you’re going to make people forget me and thats okay” GOD I WISH

more than anything the batgirl mantle is about needing to prove yourself be it to the men in your life (babs), to the readers (cass), or to the writers (steph)

this is why babsgirl doesn’t really work anymore. babs has proved she’s capable as oracle she doesn’t need the batgirl mantle anymore. batgirl was the first name cass was given and it was someone else’s—thats not inherently a bad thing. it gives her a reason to keep fighting and it suits her natural need of competition.

Cass & Babs

Note: in this piece I’m not using TKJ so much to mean the comic itself. Instead I use it as a shorthand for the concept of Barbara being paralyzed by Joker as a way to manipulate Jim and Bruce.

I have such strong feelings about TKJ being referenced in the preboot vs the n52. I know I’ve discussed it before, but in case you haven’t noticed, this page is like 15% repetitive Oracle meta.

Because here’s the truth: Oracle made TKJ matter, made it complex. Made me fucking like it to some degree.

Don’t get me wrong, TKJ was a disservice to Barbara’s character, arguably the start to Joker being the inescapable boring little incel icon he is today, and one of the most egregious examples of fridging and unnecessary sexual violence in comics.

However. Kim Yale and John Ostrander, and the writers who came after them, managed to take this horrific story and make it part of Barbara’s arc, Barbara’s story.

Her objectification and fridging, the way she was used as a pawn in a game not even about her, her anger at that? Discussed. Her struggle with her father and Bruce’s guilt that just weighed her down more and tied into the fridging? Discussed. Her blaming herself because she “should’ve known better,” used to be a superhero? Discussed.

Barbara is allowed her anger, allowed her healing, and allowed her strength. She reclaims her agency, and that’s a story that resonates with many people—for example, women, survivors of violence, and disabled people.

Via the writing of Oracle, a horrible comic became the root of a story we rarely get to see in comics: female anger, defridging, disabled empowerment. And in this case, for me at least, the branches somehow healed the rotten root.

When TKJ or the Joker came up in the preboot, it was Barbara’s moment to shine. Her moment to stare her trauma in the face and say “you don’t define me, I do.” Every time DC shoved the Joker at her for drama, she refused to buy into his mind games. “You took nothing from me,” indeed.

Barbara didn’t really have an iconic origin as Batgirl, but TKJ became her Kryptonian rocket, her Joe Chill in the alley, her Uncle Ben’s death. TKJ gained symbolism, purpose, and meaning with Barbara at the center; Barbara’s recovery, feelings, and resilience now formed the heart of TKJ retellings.

"Joker killed my grandma with a reindeer whilst playing 'grandma got run over by a reindeer' and i don't think i can continue to write this JokerBat fic anymore guys sorry :/ it just feels disrespectful."

“Look, I get if Batman/Clark Kent isn’t your cup of tea, but the guy writes more about Batman than anyone else outside of Gotham. There’s got to be a reason, is all I’m saying.”

“And here I am, jumping on the Batman/Bruce Wayne train like the rest of our beloved hellhole. Anyway, if you’re not from Gotham you can keep your criticisms to yourself or I will not be held responsible for the bloodshed that will occur should you insult our beloved sunshine child and his goth sugar baby. You don’t know them like we do.”

“Hey, sorry I haven’t updated in awhile. I died and then got caught up in this whole my-father-didn’t-avenge-me angst thing. Which was completely justified in my opinion. Anyway…”

“Let’s be honest, this entire series is dedicated to the fact that Red Hood could crush any of us with his thighs and we’d say thank you.”

“I just read a fic shipping Nightwing/Superman and I mean, come on. The author is clearly not from Gotham but I can never unsee that and I think I should be entitled to financial compensation.”

“Sorry it’s been awhile, I just got a new job! With the Best Boss™️ (if you know, you know). Also, my boss said he’d give a hundred bucks if I wrote a Batman bashing fic? Thoughts? Ngl I don’t think it’d even be that hard.”

“‘WHy aRE yoU WriTIng ABouT FakE SupERheROes WHen THe rEAl oNEs aRE riGHt tHEre?’ Uh, because it’s Gotham and they’re all a disaster? And also because I don’t want to be haunted by the venegeful spirits of robins past idk. Thinking of doing a crossover though. Batman in the Avengers? Thoughts?”

“I just want my husband Nightwing to be happy, is that too much to ask?”

“I came across Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy on my way home from school today and will now be hyperfixating on that ship, thanks.”

“Okay so hypothetically I work at Wayne Enterprises and the big boss man (the boss) maybe ships Superbat???? And saw me updating during my break?????? And asked how he could find it????????? Also rip, Mr. Timothy Drake Wayne Jr the Third, but your dad is one of us now and no upwards looking pleas are going to stop him.”

“My neighbor just gave me a thirty minute lecture on multiversal theory and I will now be incorporating that knowledge into my next fic in the most cursed way possible. And, I mean, the guy knows a crazy ton about the Justice League? But also, like, whose favorite gotham hero is Red Robin lmao?”

“Me: *scours the web for fic research purposes*

The mr. Batman on my computer: is_this_a_pigeon_batman_rogue_meme.jpg

[Alt text: is this a pigeon meme showing man with Batman mask over face holding up a sign that says nightwingsbabe. Text across bottom reads: is this a rogue?]”

“This fic is dedicated to that one time I saw Red Hood trip off a rooftop and Spolier laughing at it for twenty minutes. You are my new ship.”

“Just saw the newest episode of the Mandolorian and will now be shamelessly inserting Red Hood into the Star Wars universe. No I’m not projecting what are you talking about. Anyway, only love for papa hood here. Everyone else go die in metropolis or something idk.”

“Black Bat is the coolest bat. That has nothing to do with this fic I’ve just been hearing a lot of VERY WRONG opinions lately and needed to come set the record straight.”

“I’m not in a cult, I promise.”

“I’m from Gotham. You’ve been warned. Read the damn tags.”

"well I'm posting early but this hasn't been beta'd because my beta is currently detoxing after the last Scarecrow attack, so please be kind. And also maybe leave a kind word in the comments that I can share with my beta? They need it."

“I’ve written so much about red hood that good keeps autocorrecting to hood. I’m completely normal about him I swear.”

“Two Face attacked the office last week and poor Mr Wayne was missing like the entire time. Can someone get that guy a bodyguard? And like, a therapist or something? Anyway, I’m home from the hospital now with plenty of time to write. Expect all the updates.”

“you aren’t allowed to @ me for the “wrote this during a joker gas attack” tag unless you have lived a minimum of 6 years in gotham okay. you don’t GET it.”

“so if some of the dialogue sounds familiar its because you might’ve heard it on the news recently during the last Riddler uh.... thing. and its NOT in bad taste okay, no one died this time”

“How come Robin gets a sword and I don’t? He’s like ten. Anyway, have a fic with a ton of swords because someone won’t let me get one.”

“Genuinely laughing my ass off at the comment from the last chapter. I know exactly who is from Gotham and who isn’t and I love you my fellow hell-dwellers.”

“Guys this fic ended up being set in Metropolis I’m so sorry.”

“No beta we die like Gothamites on Tuesdays”

“new rule: you can’t complain about anyone writing Red Hood like a massive fucking nerd unless you, personally, have heard him quoting Jane Austen while chasing a bunch of muggers down your street.”

“this one goes out to Spoiler, for no particular reason other than I still remember that time I looked out my window and saw her hit Robin in the head with a fucking brick on the next roof over”

“no beta we die like joker goons”

“Writing from the hospital. Again. Can’t believe I got caught in the middle of a gang war again but I did get to see Red Hood shoot Black Mask and it made my whole year so honestly worth it.”

"Y'ALL the dead robins club is REAL, I heard Nightwing reference it while he and Red Robin were waiting for the cops to pick up the guys who were trying to kidnap me (I'm fine btw don't worry). Anyways. VINDICATION."

"I did such a deep dive into Gotham's legal system, and also the NJ legal system in general, that I maaaaaaay be going to law school after I finish my undergrad???? So. There are SOME benefits to being a Two-Face fucker. Maybe."

"I'm not saying the headcanon that Bruce Wayne is Batman is unrealistic. I'm just saying that it doesn't make sense. But my patrons requested it so..."

"If you have a problem with my fic where Batman kills the Joker then maybe you're part of the fucking problem. Let a boy dream."

"Wrote this after Robin cussed out a guy who said something nasty about my hijab. In Arabic!!! He also escorted me home like a tiny angry bodyguard. Tiny gentleman Robin is now my best experience ever. Have a story about him having an amazing day because he deserves the world. <3"

"My long awaited Red Hood / Pride and Prejudice crossover is finally here! Red Hood, if you see this, you're welcome!"

"Is it weird to write a story where Dick Grayson and Nightwing bond over hair care? Maybe, but god they both have such gorgeous hair."

"Saw Batman smile really softly once as a kid when watching Robin do a really cool backflip. This has been top tier parental love in my mind since then. Have a story about Batman being a proud father. Tooth rotting fluff."

“Y’all are way too thirsty for a vigilante/crime boss you’ve never seen the face of. But, ask and it shall be delivered ig.”

“Tagged Mafia AU just in case, but is it really an AU if it’s Red Hood?”

“Despite having never stepped foot in Arkham I got called by the fbi so apparently my made up Arkham layout is actually pretty accurate who knew.”

“Ngl, the fighting in the comments has been the highlight of my week and no, I don’t know if Red Hood is Wonder Woman’s kid or not or who Batman’s dad is but I hope you all realize you’re suggesting Wonder Woman is Batman’s grandma.”

“Look me in the eyes and tell me Red Robin has never contemplated committing war crimes.”

"So how'd you become the data nexus for every costumed crimebuster in the world?" "That's gonna have to remain off the table too."

Yes, that role centers her gift with technology, computers and hacking, and that is the area where Babs most often shines. And yes, those tech skills are incredibly formidable and absolutely vital to her work! But the TECHNOLOGY isn't what makes Babs special.

Babs' tech skills positioned her as one of the most prominent fictional women in STEM in the 90s/early 2000s and gave her the ability to do things like build a VR fighting simulation room (eg, a Star Trek-esque holodeck) from scratch:

"Maybe we should move back to Greenie play level." "But you designed this game, Babs. And this incredible virtual reality projection room." -Birds of Prey (1999) #19

However, those skills are all ultimately secondary to her real gifts, which are her eidetic memory and her ability to gather, analyze, synthesize and distribute information to people:

"What I believe happened to Batman is too important to rely on my photographic memory..." /// "Having been blessed with photographic recall, I studied a dozen newspapers, four dozen magazines, and my main haunt: the computer bulletin boards." -Showcase '94 #12 /// "I was nine when I realized I could ace any test without really studying. The photographic memory thing." -BOP (1999) /// "My memory is eidetic (i.e. perfect). It's my greatest asset." -Batgirl (2011) #35

Oracle wasn't just a glorified hacker. She was the crimefighting community's living computer and central information hub:

"There is little she doesn't already know. There is nothing she can't find out. If knowledge is truly power, Oracle is one of the most powerful people on the planet. Despite having her spine shattered by the Joker's bullet, Barbara Gordon refused to give up. Recognizing she could no longer be the kind of superhero she had been, she instead devoted all her time to developing one of the world's most complex and powerful computer systems and set to work accumulating information, renaming herself 'Oracle.' Blessed with a photographic memory, Barbara reads dozens of the world's top newspapers and magazines daily. She's also constantly gathering information from other, less public sources, such as the CIA's mainframe, not to mention the data networks of the FBI, NSA, and Interpol (all without their knowledge or consent)." -Secret Files and Origins (2000)

"Now as Oracle, she uses information as her weapon. With her vast computer network, Oracle is linked up to every hero on the planet and is always ready to help." /// "With a photographic memory, Oracle is considered information central in the superhero community. She's a computer specialist and expert hacker--and she has files on every villain and hero."

"But Barbara invented a new life for herself as Oracle-computer master and undisputed sovereign of data collection and dissemination. There is hardly a crimefighter on the planet that has not come to rely on her skills and dedication."

"I'm keeping the secret identities and home addresses of every superhero in the world from being stolen. Think maybe that's a little bit important?" -Countdown #39 /// "Oracle: The Living Mind of the Justice League. Oracle monitors and records the worldwide flow of information. She Analyzes. She Interprets. She Calculates."

It's part of why "Cop!Babs" is so insidious as a profession DC keeps pushing onto her, because Barbara Gordon is, at her core, a librarian. As Oracle, she gathered information and valuable resources and then coordinated with crimefighters around the world to help them access and utilize it. Her day job became her night job:

"From my days as Gotham's head librarian, I knew how to find out whatever I needed. If I could do that for citizens, I could do it for colleges, non-profit corporations, private investigators...and superheroes." -Showcase '94 #12

She's not "just" a tech geek; librarians are trained to have specific sets of research, information analysis, and communication skills that others don't have. And those are skills she has that the other Batfamily members do not, and they are skills she has regardless of whether or not she can walk:

"I was tired of being a victim. I had skills and abilities long before I was Batgirl. It was time to make them work for me again. It was time to stop being afraid." -Oracle: Year One

This skillset also served her well as the co-founder and leader of the Birds of Prey; contrary to semi-popular perception, she's not just the Birds' 'Guy in the Chair.' She's the Birds' Leader and Mission Control. She tells them where they need to go, what they need to do, and how to achieve their goals. To put it into James Bond terms, she's their "Q", but she's also their "M."

1. She attempted to snipe Black Mask. This is the crux of my reeling but it's still worth mentioning. Yes, Helena has shot at people and so does Red Hood, but I don't think they ever did so from a distance like Babs was going to.

2. She embezzles money from criminals to fund her operations. It's canon that she has stolen money from various crime lords including Blockbuster digitally. I would not be surprised if she also pinched some profits from various corporations as well. This funding is so extreme that it causes the Hunt For Oracle arc itself.

3. She was thrown in prison and shot a government agent. Thanks to someone recently posting them (I found them via a mutual follower reblogging them), she was thrown in prison after she took the bait and downloaded a file meant to catch hackers, and thrown in prison. She gets broken out and is only in 2 of 12 issues for The Hacker Files, but this is still huge.

And finally, 4. Barbara has actively worked with villains and morally grey assassins more than once. Lady Shiva, Savant, Poison Ivy and more have all worked with Barbara, and she has helped give Savant and Creote a second chance. Few of the Bats have done anything similar.

I find Dick/Babs in the current Nightwing run frustrating mostly for two reasons:

There's very little actual relationship build-up. In #78 they're not together and haven't been for a few years outside of some kissing and fun flirting, and by #85 they're kissing in Fear State and getting properly back together. I wish Tom Taylor would have taken some more time to let their relationship breathe and build up them getting back together more naturally instead of going abruptly from "they're a little awkward around each other because they don't know where they stand with each other" to "oh, they're dating now!" Taylor expects readers to come to the book already knowing their weighty and convoluted history together and doesn't spend any actual time having them work through it, and it's not really fair to either of them as characters or to the readers.

Barbara isn't really her own character with thoughts, goals, and motivations outside of how she can support Dick. There are some very cute moments and I'm really enjoying how much she's there for him, but there's just not much to Taylor's Babs outside of "she's there to be the somewhat-interesting love interest side character." Since I'm a fan of Babs as a character independently of her romantic relationships, this is super frustrating.

Unfortunately, neither issue is particularly new to Dick/Babs fans since 2011, but in many ways it makes me mourn their pre-reboot relationship even more. I love reading that development and relationship progression because it feels natural and well-written. It's built up over multiple years, several issues of flirting and will-they-won't-they, and honest conversations about how they want to move forward. As @theflyingwonder jokes in her fantastic Dick/Babs meta, "Welcome to the Nightwing series, where you can watch Dick and Barbara not date."

So getting to the point, what's my ideal Dick/Babs dynamic? Well...that would probably be how Chuck Dixon and Gail Simone (and writers who successfully emulate that dynamic) write them. Birds of Prey (1999) #8, Nightwing/Birds of Prey: The Hunt for Oracle, and the Nightwing tie-in issues of No Man's Land (#38-39) are probably the best examples of that dynamic (which is funny as hell considering they all happen before Dick and Babs officially start dating), but what does that mean in practice?

Top-tier Dick/Babs for me are stories where they're both portrayed as two mature and competent adults who have personalities and thoughts in their heads outside of how they interact with each other. Neither are exactly the easiest people to be in a relationship with, and both of them come with extraordinary levels of personal baggage (Babs moreso than Dick, but pretending like Dick doesn't have baggage too is a fool's game). There's tension in how they approach crimefighting and their relationship with each other, but they care. They care so much about each other they're willing to work through their differences and trauma and make it work. They care enough to be blunt with each other, and that openness with and respect for each other about that helps them "click" and gives their relationship a solid foundation to lean on even when things get tough.

And I love it when writers care about them enough to truly showcase how Dick and Barbara's relationship is built on trust, a deep mutual respect for each other, and deliberate, open communication, especially since neither of them are generally very open with other people about their feelings. It's a mature and thoughtful dynamic that really hammers home that Dick and Babs are two people who've been friends with each other for a long time:

honestly any time they have fun teasing is always good :P (link1, link2)

I also know there was a cute scene in a Nightwing comic where Dick walks up and kisses her and is like "Just cuz i was happy and I wanted to share" and that was so wholesome.

Babs and Cass, Behind the Scenes of Success 

Redraw 2 years later 

Top: April, 2023

Bottom: April, 2021