- "She's a friend, and I'm going to respect her right to make her own decisions about disclosure."
- – Barbara to Batman. [src]
Barbara Gordon, better known by her alias Oracle, is superhero appearing in the Top Cow and DC Comics crossover, JLA/Witchblade.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
Barbara is the daughter of the famous commissioner James Gordon. After one faithful night confronting a costumed criminal named Killer Moth, she decides to become a costumed vigilante, called Batgirl. Unfortunately her encounter with Joker leaves her paralysed from waist down. Although not able to fight crime anymore, Barbara becomes Batman's and Justice League's communication and computer expert.
JLA/Witchblade[]
One night, heavily wounded Sara Pezzini comes to Barbara Gordon, her old friend, and asks for help. After seeing her, Barbara immediately sends her to Justice League Watchtower. On the Watchtower, Martian Manhunter examines Sara and determines that before he can heal her physical pain, he must heal her mental pain.
Back at Gotham, Barbara finds a fragment of the Witchblade and inspects it. She also informs Batman about her finding, although he's not happy that she transported Sara to Watchtower without a security clearance and without even knowing her identity. Barbara explains that she's her friend and she will respect Sara's right to make her own decisions about disclosure.
Meanwhile at the Watchtower, a protective cacoon forms around Sara, slowly healing her wounds. Manhunter, Batman and Aquaman are confused as to what Witchblade is. Martian Manhunter theorises that it's some short techno-organic symbiote. Aquaman decides to go to Atlantis library as the Witchblade looks somehow familiar to him. Then Oracle's communication system glitches. Batman is very alarmed, because he designed the systems, and his systems don't glitch.
Together with Plastic Man and Huntress, Batman decides to go and check on Barbara. When they show up at Oracle's, and they find her turned into a giant Witchblade spider. The Witchblade is moving from host to host, seeking the most powerful woman in the direct vicinity. They fight the spider, finally defeating Oracle by cutting her off from the internet, which the Witchblade travelled through. The Witchblade then jumps onto the Huntress and possesses her, but before she can anything, Batman knocks her out with a batarang. Later, Batman checks on Barbara as she drinks a calming, herbal tea. Batman then forces her to reveal Sara's identity.
Later that day, Barbara and Sara share a drink and remember their childhood. Barbara says that Green Lantern is still cheesed about the fact, that the Witchblade held as the strongest weapon in the universe. Sara answers that he should get over himself and the two laugh.
Powers & Abilities[]
Powers[]
- Witchblade: As the host of the Witchblade, Barbara had access to various abilities.
- Shapeshifting: Barbara was able to shapeshift into a huge, metallic spider. This fixed her paralysis and let her be much more mobile.
- Pyrokinesis: The Witchblade gave Barbara the power to emit fire from her mouth.
- Synthetic Webbing: Barbara could shoot synthetic webbing out of herself. During the battle with the Justice League, she was able to incapacitate Batman with this webbing.
Abilities[]
- Computer Hacking: As Oracle, Barbara is an expert computer hacker. With her computer hacking skills, she is able to breach the highest security systems. Her skills are rivaled by none.
- Computer Operation: Barbara is extremely proficient with computers. She is by far the most computer literate of the Bat-family, and one of the most efficient users of computers worldwide.
- Genius Level Intellect: Barbara is shown to have a naturally high intelligence.
- Unarmed Combat: Barbara is also a master martial artist. After her paralysis, Richard Dragon trained her to fight and protect herself from the wheelchair. She was once able to knock away Tarantula while in her wheelchair.
Gallery[]
