Alternate versions of Barbara Gordon
Alternate versions of Barbara Gordon focuses on stories published by DC Comics in which the character has been placed in storylines taking place outside of mainstream continuity. Alternate versions of Barbara Gordon, in both of her alter-egos as Batgirl and Oracle have been featured in various DC comic publications including the Elseworlds imprint and more recently DC's All Star imprint.
Elseworlds
Elseworlds is an imprint of DC Comics which takes place outside of mainstream continuity. Its purpose is to take the company's iconic characters and place them in alternate timelines, places and events making heroes "as familiar as yesterday seem as fresh as tomorrow." Barbara Gordon, as both Batgirl and Oracle, has made several appearances in Elseworlds comics since 1997.
In Thrillkiller: Batgirl & Robin, Barbara Gordon is a rebellious young woman in the early 1960s. Alienated from her father, Commissioner Gordon, due to the unsolved [...] of her mother. She becomes a thrill-seeking vigilante with her boyfriend, a circus acrobat named Richard Greystark, who used the alias [...] Grayson. Barbara is a wealthy heiress, receiving a large inheritance from the death of her mother. [...] is later killed by one of their opponents, which horribly affects Gordon. Bruce Wayne plays supporting character in this series. Unlike his canon counter-part, the Thrillkiller Wayne's parents were murdered by their household servants. Bruce was left without an inheritance due to the massive debt his parents owed. With her vast fortune, Gordon was able to purchase Wayne Manor and thus began her career as Batgirl.
A sequel, Batgirl + Batman: Thrillkiller '62, teams Batgirl with Bruce Wayne as Batman. During this story, Barbara Gordon takes up the Robin mantle in honor of [...].
In the one-shot comic Elseworld's Finest: Supergirl & Batgirl, Barbara Gordon is a wealthy novelist and a take-no-prisoners Batgirl in a world where Batman and Superman did not exist. She is darker than in mainstream continuity due to the shooting death of Jim Gordon, who was killed when he saved Thomas, Martha and Bruce Wayne from a street thug. Other heroes both fear and respect Batgirl. She and Supergirl become crimefighting partners and friends. In this story, Bruce Wayne's playboy behavior is not an act, as his parents are alive and have taken Babs in. Bruce is not only her foster brother, but also serves as her "Alfred".
Barbara Gordon is James Gordon's granddaughter in Superman & Batman: Generations. Towards the end of the series she serves as President.
The H. P. Lovecraftian Elseworld Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham features a version of Oracle. Completely paralyzed following an undisclosed accident, Barbara Gordon's artificial voicebox also gives her the power to speak to the dead.
In JLA: Created Equal, Barbara Gordon becomes the Green Lantern after she is given Kyle Rayner's power ring. The ring was found by an amoral comedienne named Maria Contranetti, who used the ring for her own purposes until it was taken away by the Justice League.
All Star DC Comics
In 2005, DC Comics launched its All Star imprint- an ongoing series of comics designed to pair the company's most iconic characters with the most acclaimed writers and artists in the industry. All Star is not restricted to continuity and establishes a fresh perspective for the latest generation of readership. According to Dan DiDio, "These books are created to literally reach the widest audience possible, and not just the comic book audience, but anyone who has ever wanted to read or see anything AbOUT Superman or Batman."
In All Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder #6, a fifteen-year-old version of Barbara Gordon dons a homemade costume and becomes Batgirl. Reducing the character to her iconic roots, Frank Miller establishes Gordon as a thrill seeker. Her father, Commissioner James Gordon has growing concern over Batman's influence in Gotham. While he praises Batman for effectively undermining the corrupt operations of the city's police department, he shows discontent over the Dark Knight's urban legend inspiring the youth of the city to emulate him.
Batgirl was at the forefront of the list of characters chosen to receive an independent title, in addition to being given a supporting role in Frank Miller's All Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder. When asked why Batgirl would be the first character to be given an All Star title outside the DC Trinity of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, comic book author Geoff Johns responded, "She’s one of the most prominent female superheroes in the world. She’s on lunchboxes, there’s a Barbie of her, cartoons—even after she’s been Oracle in the DC Universe for 15 years now, people, us included, love this character as Batgirl. That’s why J.G. and I wanted to do this: to focus on the first and best Batgirl."
In an interview with Wizard magazine, Johns announced that he will team with J.G. Jones for the All Star Batgirl series. Johns stated: "We’re doing the first six issues, the first of which will hit in late 2007 well after J.G. and I are done with 52, so it’s monthly. It’s a mystery revolving around Barbara Gordon and Arkham Asylum, why she’s become Batgirl and more importantly why she remains Batgirl. It’s essentially our Batman: The Long Halloween or Superman For All Seasons for Batgirl." This series will not follow the continuity of Frank Miller's All Star Batman and Robin, giving Barbara Gordon two independent featured roles in DC's All Star imprint.
Alternate storylines
- Numbers of the Beast: In Batman #666 (by Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert), Barbara Gordon is the Police Commissioner in a dystopian future Gotham. She wears her hair short, making her appearance closer to Ellen Yindel, the commissioner in The Dark Knight Returns. Gordon dogs Damian Wayne, who has taken up the Batman mantle after the death of his father. When asked why she pursues Batman so ruthlessly, she replies, "That monster was responsible for the death of... of a good friend. He can't be trusted."
52 Multiverse
In March 2006, DC Comics launched a year-long weekly maxi-series entitled 52. In the series' final issue, 52 #52, it was revealed that an entirley new "Multiverse" system was now in existence, composed of 52 alternate Earths, featuring variations of well-known DC Comics characters both in tribute to the old Multiverse system and a number of published "Elseworlds" stories and televised DC Comics adapatations. "New Earth" is designated the home of the Barbara Gordon who featured in regular DC Comics continuity. However, on Earth-33, a world of magicians, Barbara is a true Oracle, able to see the future. Some alternate Earths mirror previous Elseworlds . The universe of Earth-12 mirrors the animated television series Batman Beyond, wherein Barbara is commissioner. Another world, Earth-37 closely follows the Elseworld Thrillkiller. Earth-43 continues the story of the Elseworld Batman: Red Rain, and Barbara is a vampire who is eventually staked by [...] Grayson.