lipsofpoison:

Barbara Gordon will retain her history as Oracle when she resumes her role as Batgirl.

DC Comics clarified that it does not plan to whitewash the last two decades of the character’s history as a superhero with a disability.

“Some [events and continuity will be changed], some [won’t],” said the publisher in a statement about its September relaunch.

“But many of the great stories remain. For example - Batgirl. ‘The Killing Joke’ still happened and she was Oracle. Now she will go through physical rehabilitation and become a more seasoned and nuanced character because she had these incredible and diverse experiences.”

Gordon was famously left paralysed after being shot by the Joker in Alan Moore’s celebrated Batman: The Killing Joke in 1988.

Gail Simone - who was writer on the Oracle-starring Birds of Prey and will pen the new Batgirl title - has defended the decision to restore Gordon’s spine.

Batgirl will be the first solo, ongoing series to star the character. It will be released in September as part of the 52 new titles in the line-wide relaunch.

(source)

“Become a more seasoned and nuanced character because she had these incredible and diverse experiences”? Are you screwing with me? So she really has been demoted to a junior position. I don’t understand - why isn’t she just remaining Oracle, who is a kick ass superhero in her own strong right? Why does “ability to walk” = “Batgirl”?  Words just…can’t express at this point.

Characters who don’t have disabilities are more seasoned and nuanced! You heard it here first!

All that was said here, basically- I’m glad they’re at least not erasing her past, but it makes even less sense that she would regress to a posistion she held when she was YOUNG AND INEXPERIENCED when he has actually crafter her OWN powerful identity as a hero now. She would NOT want to go backwards- and if Steph still exists, did she just shove her aside all like “move over grrrrl screw you I’m BG now”.

Steph was happier than she ever had been as Batgirl and Babs has to know that. How can she just screw her friend/protege over like that? I know DC does not give a fuck about Babs’ rich relationships with her proteges, as demonstrated with Cass and Charlie, but this is going TOO far as to be ridiculous- it’s going to be such a huge dick move by Babs that makes her encouragement of Steph look like a lie.