DC's newest original graphic novel, The Oracle Code, will reinvent Barbara Gordon by truly taking her outside of Batman's shadow for the first time. Much in the same way Teen Titans: Raven reinvented Raven, this original novel follows a new version of Barbara Gordon as she deals with the paralysis of her lower body and comes to terms with what that means for her future.

The graphic novel, written by Marieke Nijkamp and illustrated by Manuel Preitano, is just the latest in several alternate iterations of Barbara Gordon's Oracle over the years, and it adds a new, welcomed spin on the mythos. But before we look at what The Oracle Code will do differently from previous iterations, we're taking a closer look at Oracle's various incarnations iterations from over the years before comparing it to the core of what The Oracle Code will be doing.

The Original Oracle

In her original story, Barbara Gordon was Batgirl long before she became Oracle. As a well-educated young woman, she incorporated her vast array of intellectual abilities in her early years as a detective. However, in Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's seminal graphic novel Batman: Killing Joke, the Joker fired a bullet through Barbara's spine, immediately paralyzing her from the waist down. Even after leaving the hospital, it seemed as though the Joker had demolished Barbara's goals of fighting crime by grounding the acrobatic hero.

However, this didn't stop Barbara from pushing on. Using her incredible computer skills, Barbara set up a network of computers throughout Gotham and becoming the information broker and technological hero Oracle in 1989's Suicide Squad #23, by John Ostrander, Kim Yale and Luke McDonnell. A few years later, she founded her own superhero team, the Birds of Prey, assembling them to fight crime based on intelligence she gathered through expert hacking and her photographic memory.

As Oracle, Barbara provided Batman, the Birds of Prey, Batman Incorporated, the Justice League and any other heroes who were privileged enough to access her network up-to-date intel on everything. She even managed to teach Batman a thing or two, such as when she uncovered the Order of St. Dumas all on her own. She even attempted to even help teach Cassandra Cain, a new Batgirl, how to speak and saved reality itself when the Calculator, a villainous hacker, almost recreated Darkseid's Anti-Life Equation. Throughout the '90s and early '00s, Oracle cemented herself as a key figure within the DC Universe.

RELATED: When Did Barbara Gordon First Reveal She Had a Photographic Memory?

The New 52 and Alternate Versions Before

However, when the New 52 rebooted the DC Universe, Barbara Gordon found herself as Batgirl once more. The reboot established that, while Batgirl had been shot through the spine by the Joker, she could now walk once again. This was because her father, Commissioner James Gordon, opened a clinic that used advanced cybernetic technology to reconnect her spinal column.

This history carried through into the current post-Rebirth continuity as well, with Barbara having been Oracle temporarily in the period between her initial paralysis and her later recovery. While her old computer would later become sentient and attempt to dominate Barbara's life, Barbara has comfortably worn the Batgirl cowl ever since.

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Most adaptations and alternate reality versions of Barbara Gordon remain loyal to this basic framework. Barbara Gordon is either Batgirl, perhaps injured at some point by Joker, or the expert hacker known as Oracle, who used to be Batgirl. From the video game world of Batman: Arkham Asylum to the Birds of Prey television series, and Young Justice, Barbara almost always follows the same path from Batgirl to Oracle.

One of the odd exceptions to this is world of Injustice, where Barbara becomes Oracle before being Batgirl. Initially, her role of Oracle serves to counter the Regime by countering and exposing propaganda and misinformation left by Superman's fascist reign. Following the death of her father at the hands of Superman's regime, she becomes Batgirl to take a more proactive stance against Superman.

How Oracle Code's Barbara Gordon is Different

However, The Oracle Code's Oracle may be one of the most radical departures from the norm yet, since this new iteration of the character is paralyzed as a teenager before she could ever become Batgirl.

According to The Oracle Code's Marieke Nijkamp, she wanted to focus on Babs' experience as a disabled character.

“Oracle was one of the first characters to show me that disabled people can be badass superheroes too." Nijkamp told CBR. "So when I got the chance to write her, I wanted to explore her journey through trauma and through figuring out who she is, but also celebrate how much the character means to disabled readers specifically."

Because of her role as one of was one of the most high-profile characters with a disability in comics, Gordon's transition back to her Batgirl role was one the most controversial aspects of the New 52 reboot.

RELATED: Batgirl: DC Gets An All-New Oracle (If the Old One Doesn't Kill Her First)

Barbara's return to being Batgirl also put her firmly back under Batman's shadow. And as The Oracle Code's Manuel Preitano said, the graphic novel highlights an Oracle who has a strength that's unaided by years of Bat-training.

“During her many comic book adventures (like the great Birds of Prey run for example), Oracle never gave up on believing that she could make the difference every day by helping the people around her." Preitano told CBR. “Oracle is the kind of character that inspires me to want make a difference. Our Oracle is a different, younger version of the character but she has the incredible strength of the Oracle we know inside of her. She just doesn’t acknowledge that yet.”

The Oracle Code looks to remind readers that Barbara Gordon is still a hero worth celebrating due to her incredible intellect, even without any of her Batman training or her supercomputers. Even if DC's main Barbara Gordon is still DC's main Batgirl, The Oracle Code shows why Oracle is still worth celebrating in her own right.

KEEP READING: Birds of Prey: How Oracle Gave Barbara Gordon a Second Act