Barbara Gordon was born the daughter of Roger C. Gordon and his wife Thelma in the suburbs of Ohio. Even as a young girl, Barbara wanted nothing more than to be a super-hero. Her best friend Marcy and she would spend endless hours designing super-hero costumes and heroic identities for themselves. At this precocious age, the seeds of Barbara's future crime-fighting career began to foment.

When Barbara was 13, her mother and father were tragically killed in an automobile accident (due largely to her father's drinking problem). Barbara adjusted as well as she could. After the accident, her uncle, James Gordon, adopted the orphaned Barbara. James Gordon and his wife (also named Barbara) lived hundreds of miles east in Gotham City, where James worked as the police Captain. Barbara immediately became infatuated with the gothic city's most legendary phantom of the night – the Batman.

Barbara had become completely obsessed with the Batman and learned everything that she could about him. One evening, she snuck into her father's private home office to discover him engaged in a secret conversation with the Batman. Barbara had no idea that her adoptive father was actually worked with this mysterious dark knight. Her obsession with Batman only intensified.

The following morning, Barbara insisted that James enroll her in martial arts classes. While reluctant at first, he recognized that the daughter of Gotham City's police captain could definitely benefit from some knowledge of self-defense. Barbara excelled in her training and earned her black belt within a short span of time.

As dedicated as she was towards her physical development, Barbara equally committed herself towards her academic achievements. Gifted with a photographic memory, she easily rose through the ranks of Gotham Heights High School, and graduated early at the age of sixteen.

That same period, Barbara earned herself a scholarship to Gotham State University. She became one of the University's youngest students, graduating with honors before she was even a legal adult. She became friends with Katarina Armstrong (Now know as Spy Smasher), but that friendship ended when Katarina tripped Barbara on the run track and that she won the race. They did not speak again for several years.

Just starting out at the tender age of 16, Barbara continued with her self-defense training, this time learning the art of Jujitsu under a sensei named Dragoncat. To supplement her income, she accepted a position as a research assistant at the Gotham Public Library. Her true dream however, was to one day work in the field of law enforcement. She asked her father about joining the police academy, but James laughed at her, claiming that she didn't even meet the height requirements.

She also attempted to enroll at the local FBI office as a field agent, but they dismissed her, citing many of the same reasons.

A few nights later, Barbara found an opportunity that would ultimately change her life forever. The Gotham City Police Department decided to host the Million Dollar Masquerade Ball at the Bristol Country Club. Dozens of Gotham City's most affluent leading citizens, including the likes of Bruce Wayne and J. Devlin Davenport, were expected to attend. Barbara sewed a stylish, feminine version of Batman's costume based upon designs that she first conceived as a child. For the most part, she intended on crashing the party as this "Batgirl" merely to spite her father.

When she arrived however, she found that somebody else had decided to crash the party before her. A costumed criminal named Killer Moth and his cronies raided the country club, grabbing Bruce Wayne as a hostage. It was their intent to rob the charity proceeds as well as extort hundreds of thousands of dollars from Gotham's wealthiest patrons.

Barbara now found herself acting as Batgirl in deed as well as in name. She tackled Killer Moth in the hopes of rescuing Bruce Wayne from his clutches. What she didn't realize though, was that Bruce Wayne was actually Batman. He allowed Batgirl to rescue him so that he could sneak off to change into his work clothes. Returning to the scene with his sidekick, Robin, Batman discovered that Killer Moth had gotten the better of Batgirl. In order to free her from the morass of Killer Moth's silk-spinner gun, they were forced to let the criminals get away. Batman chided Batgirl harshly for her foolish antics, and warned her against pursuing such a reckless lifestyle. Hearing such criticism from a man she idolized for so long was a shock for Barbara, but it did not deter her from her chosen path. Despite his disapproval, he sent her Batarangs via Dick Grayson, who subtly revealed to her that he was Robin. Barbara was able to solve the case, and by story's end, Batman swore her in an oath and also revealed his identity.

As the years went on, however, Barbara found her role as Batgirl less and less fulfilling, and she eventually more or less retired. That's when the Joker showed up at her house, shooting and paralyzing her and when he kidnapped her Uncle Jim. Batman rescued Jim Gordon, but 19 year-old Barbara Gordon's career as a crime fighter was over. She spent a month in a deep depression.

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."

Detective Comics #359 (January 1967): "The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl!"
Batman #191 (May 1967): "The Day Batman Sold Out" [As Barbara Gordon]
Detective Comics #363 (May 1967): "The True-False Face of Batman"
World's Finest Comics #169 (September 1967): "The Supergirl-Batgirl Plot"
Detective Comics #369 (November 1967): "Batgirl Breaks Up the Dynamic Duo"
Batman #197 (December 1967): "Catwoman Sets Her Claws for Batman"
Detective Comics #371 (January 1968): "Batgirl's Costume Cut-Ups"
Justice League of America #60 (February 1968): "Winged Warriors of the Immortal Queen"
Detective Comics #375 (May 1968): "The Frigid Finger of Fate" [As Barbara Gordon]
Brave and the Bold #78 (June-July 1968): "In the Coils of the Copperhead"
World's Finest Comics #176 (June 1968): "The Superman-Batman Split"
Detective Comics #384/2 (February 1969): "Tall, Dark, Handsome, and Missing"
Detective Comics #385/2 (March 1969): "Hunt for the Helpless Hostage"
Detective Comics #385 (March 1969): "Die Small--Die Big" [As Barbara Gordon]
World's Finest Comics #189 (November 1969): "The Man with Superman's Heart"
Adventure Comics #381 (June 1969): "The Supergirl Gang"
Detective Comics #388/2 (June 1969): "Surprise! This'll Kill You!"
Detective Comics #389/2 (July 1969): "Batgirl's Bag of Tricks"
Batman #214 (August 1969): "Batman's Marriage Trap"
Detective Comics #392/2 (October 1969): "A Clue--Seven-Foot Tall"
Detective Comics #393/2 (November 1969): "Downfall of a Goliath"
Detective Comics #396/2 (February 1970): "The Orchid-Crusher"
Detective Comics #397/2 (March 1970): "The Hollow Man"
Detective Comics #400/2 (June 1970): "A Burial for Batgirl"
Detective Comics #401/2 (July 1970): "Midnight Is the Dying Hour"
Detective Comics #404/2 (October 1970): "Midnight Doom-Boy"
Detective Comics #405/2 (November 1970): "The Living Statues"
Detective Comics #406/2 (December 1970): "The Explosive Circle"
Detective Comics #407/2 (January 1971): "One of Our Landmarks Is Missing"

Detective Comics #408/2 (February 1971): "The Phantom Bull-Fighter"
Detective Comics #409/2 (March 1971): "Night of the Sharp Horns"
Detective Comics #410/2 (April 1971): "Battle of the Three M's"
Detective Comics #411/2 (May 1971): "Cut and Run"
Detective Comics #412/2 (June 1971): "The Head-Splitters"
Detective Comics #413/2 (July 1971): "Squeeze-Play"
Detective Comics #415 (September 1971): "Challenge of the Consumer Crusader" [As Barbara Gordon]
Detective Comics #414/2 (August 1971): "Invitation to Murder"
Detective Comics #415/2 (September 1971): "Death Shares the Spotlight"
Detective Comics #416/2 (October 1971): "The Deadly Go-Between"
Detective Comics #417/2 (November 1971): "A Bullet for Gordon"
Detective Comics #418/2 (December 1971): "The Kingpin Is Dead"
Detective Comics #419/2 (January 1972): "Long Live the Kingpin"
Detective Comics #420/2 (February 1972): "Target for Manana"
Detective Comics #421/2 (March 1972): "Up Against Three Walls"
Detective Comics #422/2 (April 1972): "The Unmasking of Batgirl"
Detective Comics #423/2 (May 1972): "Candidate for Danger"
Detective Comics #424/2 (June 1972): "Batgirl's Last Case"
Superman Vol. 1 #268 (October 1973): "Wild Week-End in Washington"
Superman Vol. 1 #279 (September 1974): "Menace of the Energy-Blackmailers"
Superman Family #171 (June-July 1975): "Cleopatra, Queen of America"
Batman Family #1 (September-October 1975): "The Invader from Hell"
Batman Family #3 (January-February 1976): "Isle of a Thousand Thrills"
Batman Family #4 (March-April 1976): "Cage Me or Kill Me"
Batman Family #5 (May-June 1976): "The Princess and the Vagabond"
Batman Family #6 (July-August 1976): "Valley of the Copper Moon"
Batman Family #7 (September-October 1976): "Thirteen Points to a Dead End"
Batman Family #9 (January-February 1977): "Startling Secret of the Devilish Daughters"
Batman Family #10 (March-April 1977): "Those Were the Bad Old Days"
Batman Family #11 (May-June 1977): "Till Death Do Us Part"
Batman Family #12 (July-August 1977): "I Am Batgirl's Brother"
Batman Family #12/3 (July-August 1977): "Rally 'Round Robin"
Batman Family #13 (September 1977): "The Man Who Melted Manhattan"

Batman Family #14 (October 1977): "Old Super-Heroines Never Die--They Just Fade Away"
Batman Family #15 (December 1977-January 1978): "Find the Batcave and Rule the Underworld"
Batman Family #16 (February-March 1978): "Fury of the Five-In-One Foe"
Batman Family #17/2 (April-May 1978): "Horoscopes of Crime"
Batman Family #17/3 (April-May 1978): "There's a Demon Born Every Minute"
Freedom Fighters #14 (May-June 1978): "Sideshows of Doom"
Freedom Fighters #15 (July-August 1978): "Carnival of Death"
Batman Family #18/3 (June-July 1978): "Assault on the Pentagon"
Batman Family #19/2 (August-September 1978): "The Sino-Supermen"
Batman Family #20/2 (October-November 1978): "Peril of the Power Sower"
Detective Comics #481/3 (December 1978-January 1979): "A Slow Death in China"
Detective Comics #482/2 (February-March 1979): "A Quick Death in China"
Detective Comics #483/3 (April-May 1979): "A Date with Batgirl"
Batman #311 (May 1979): "Dr. Phosphorus Is Back"
Detective Comics #484/3 (June-July 1979): "The Race Against Murder"
Detective Comics #485/4 (August-September 1979): "The Case of the Untouchable Crook"
Detective Comics #486/3 (October-November 1979): "Crime Calls Killer Moth"
Detective Comics #487/5 (December 1979-January 1980): "The Case of the Campaign Crimes"
Detective Comics #488/4 (February-March 1980): "The Leader of the Dark Lords"
DC Comics Presents #19 (March 1980): "Who Haunts This House?"
Detective Comics #489/3 (April 1980): "The Mind Warp Mystery"
Detective Comics #490/2 (May 1980): "Dance of Death"
Detective Comics #491/2 (June 1980): "The Assassination of Batgirl"
Detective Comics #492 (July 1980): "Vengeance Trail"
Detective Comics #493/5 (August 1980): "Flames of Fear"
Detective Comics #494/2 (September 1980): "The Lesser Evil"
Detective Comics #495/2 (October 1980): "Bossman's Bane"
Detective Comics #496/2 (November 1980): "Stealer of Souls"
Detective Comics #497/2 (December 1980): "Barbara Gordon, Murderess"
Detective Comics #498/2 (January 1981): "The Tightening Web"
Detective Comics #499/2 (February 1981): "Chains of Guilt"

Detective Comics #501/2 (April 1981): "The Five-Fold Revenge of Dr. Voodoo"
Detective Comics #502/2 (May 1981): "To Live a Nightmare"
Detective Comics #503 (June 1981): "Six Days of the Scarecrow"
Detective Comics #505/2 (August 1981): "Hunt for a Hunchback Killer"
Detective Comics #506/2 (September 1981): "Farewell, My Lovely"
Detective Comics #508/2 (November 1981): "The Attack of the Annihilator"
Detective Comics #509/2 (December 1981): "The Fires of Destruction"
Detective Comics #510/2 (January 1982): "Bride of Destruction"
Detective Comics #512/2 (March 1982): "Riders in the Night"
Detective Comics #513/2 (April 1982): "Duel with Demons"
Batman #346 (April 1982): "Half a Hero--" [As Barbara Gordon]
Detective Comics #513 (April 1982): "--Is Better Than None" [As Barbara Gordon]
Detective Comics #514/2 (May 1982): "How Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth"
Detective Comics #515/2 (June 1982): "In the Coils of the Serpent"
Detective Comics #516/2 (July 1982): "Sleep While the Serpent Smiles"
Detective Comics #517/2 (August 1982): "A Tale of Two Serpents"
Batman #349 (July 1982): "Blood Sport" [As Barbara Gordon]
Batman #352 (October 1982): "The Killer Sky" [As Barbara Gordon]
Detective Comics #518/2 (September 1982): "He with Secrets Fears the Sound"
Detective Comics #519/2 (October 1982): "When Velvet Paws Caress the Ground"
Batman #355 (January 1983): "Never Scratch A Cat" [As Barbara Gordon]
Detective Comics #524 (March 1983): "Deathgrip" [As Barbara Gordon]
Detective Comics #526 (May 1983): "All My Enemies Against Me"
Detective Comics #531 (October 1983): "The Face of the Chimera" [As Barbara Gordon]
Batman #365 (November 1983): "Ruins" [As Barbara Gordon]
Detective Comics #532 (November 1983): "Laugh, Killer, Laugh" [As Barbara Gordon]
Batman #366 (December 1983): "The Joker is Wild" [As Barbara Gordon]
Detective Comics #533 (December 1983): "Look To the Mountaintop" [As Barbara Gordon]
Detective Comics #546 (January 1985): "Hill's Descent" [As Barbara Gordon]
DC Comics Presents #86 (October 1985): "Into the Valley of the Shadow"

Crisis on Infinite Earths #4 (July 1985): "And Thus Shall the World Die!"
Crisis on Infinite Earths #5 (August 1985): "Worlds in Limbo"
Infinity, Inc. #22 (January 1986): "Uncivil Wars" [Appearance same as Crisis on Infinite Earths #5]
Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 (October 1985): "Beyond the Silent Night"
Crisis on Infinite Earths #12 (March 1986): "Final Crisis"
Batgirl Special (1988): "The Last Batgirl Story"
Batman: The Killing Joke (1988): "The Killing Joke" [As Barbara Gordon]
Batman Chronicles #5 (summer 1996): "Oracle -- Year One: Born of Hope" [As Barbara Gordon]
Batman #428 (Holiday 1988): "A Death in the Family: Chapter 5"