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Batman is one of the most popular superheroes around today. Within the DC universe, he has inspired multiple other younger heroes to join his side and work in Gotham as well. In addition to his multiple Robins, one of the most important bat-themed young superheroes is Barbara Gordon, aka Batgirl.
The daughter of Commissioner James Gordon, Barbara started to fight crime as well. Batman eventually became her mentor, even though he originally opposed her superhero activity. Batgirl first appeared in the comics in January 1967, and in the 54 years of her existence, she has had multiple great stories in the comics and achieved many amazing things, either solo or in a team. These are some of her best stories.
8 Her First Story
While it's true that not all aspects of this story have aged well, it's still a good read for all fans of Batgirl who want to know how her character evolved over the years. In Detective Comics #359, Batgirl wants to impress Batman and prove she's a good superhero. Unfortunately, Batman doesn't seem to want to lose time with her, because she's inexperienced and, yes, because she's a girl.
Luckily, by the time the story ends, they're fighting side by side anyway. Barbara manages to prove she's intelligent and resourceful, which are character traits that she has to this day.
7 Her First Year
While the older origin story is still interesting, Batgirl: Year One offers an updated story of Barbara Gordon's transformation to Batgirl. Both the story and the style of drawing are more accessible to the modern audience. Instead of drawing inspiration from Batman, Barbara decides to become Batgirl because she's inspired by her father, who fights crime relentlessly for years.
Another more realistic aspect of the story is that Barbara is annoyed that she can't get a job with the police or the FBI, despite being more than qualified for it. That's something plenty of readers will be familiar with, no matter what area of work they're in.
6 Hunted By Her Own Father
In the storyline simply called Wanted, Commissioner Gordon is trying to hunt Batgirl down because he believes her to be responsible for the death of his son. He has no idea that he's going after his own daughter. The story is dramatic on more than one level.
Batgirl not only has to evade her own dad, but she also fights her guilt at the same time because she blames herself for her brother's death, even though she couldn't have prevented it. For all fans of the Gordon family, this is a perfect read.
5 How She Became The Oracle
In the legendary Batman: The Killing Joke, Barbara is paralyzed by the Joker. Many people would have given up after such a devastating injury, but Barbara takes on the identity of the Oracle in the story Oracle: Born of Hope and continues with her superhero activity.
Thanks to her computer knowledge and hacking skills, Barbara works with other superheroes from behind her computer and her assistance proves valuable more than once. The TV series Arrow adapted this storyline to a certain degree, but instead of Barbara Gordon being the Oracle, Felicity Smoak is.
4 Her First Date With Nightwing
Despite being busy as a superhero, Barbara still finds some time for her personal life. She eventually builds a romantic relationship with Dick Grayson, aka Nightwing. At one point in the story Birds of Prey:On Wings, Nightwing takes Barbara on their first date while she's still paralyzed after her encounter with the Joker.
Being such a good boyfriend, Dick decides to fulfill Barbara's wish to fly and takes her to the circus, where he uses his acrobatic skills to make Barbara feel like she's flying. It's not a particularly long story or a well-known one but it's sweet, humorous at times, and demonstrates the basics of the romance between the two young superheroes.
3 The Darker Version
Just like multiple superheroes, Batgirl has many alternative versions. One of the best ones appears in the comic book Thrillkiller. In this story, Barbara lost her mother, and she doesn't get along well with her father.
She teams up with Dick Grayson to fight crime and buys the Wayne Manor. It's interesting to see how the alternate universe changes well-established characters and its darker atmosphere makes it an intriguing serious reading.
2 Birds Of Prey
In addition to working with the bat family, Batgirl is associated with another superhero team. She's one of the establishing members of the Birds of Prey, a mostly female team. Other members include Black Canary and the Huntress.
There are multiple comic book stories with the team, but a great one is a revival called Batgirl and the Birds of Prey: Who Is Oracle? In this story, the team has to figure out who took on Barbara's former identity. It also serves as the first part of a bigger story.
1 The Killing Joke
Alan Moore's The Killing Joke is one of the best and darkest graphic novels of all time. In this story, the Joker kidnaps Commissioner Gordon, and Batman goes on to save him at an amusement park.
Unfortunately, he doesn't save Batgirl from her injury, as the Joker shoots her and paralyzes her. It's an intense story that influenced many newer comic books, and also began Batgirl's transformation to Oracle.
