Who Are Batgirl’s Top 5 Enemies in DC Comics?

Some people find themselves dropped into the super hero life. It’s not the path they would have followed otherwise yet circumstances forced them to adapt. But that’s not the story of Batgirl.

From a young age, Barbara Gordon witnessed her father, Commissioner James Gordon, working alongside Batman to protect Gotham City. Then one day she decided that she could do the same for her city. She joined Batman and Robin, helping turn the Dynamic Duo into the Bat-Family. Over the years, she has amassed her own slew of terrifying rogues. These are Batgirl’s top 5 enemies in DC Comics.

Warning: Spoilers for DC vs. Vampires

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The Joker

There are certain facts that remain constant in DC Comics — one of which is that The Joker will go to devastating lengths in his eternal war against Batman. Aside from tormenting the Dark Knight, the Clown Prince of Crime also goes after other members of the Bat-Family. First, he killed Jason Todd. Then, in The Killing Joke, he targeted Barbara Gordon.

In one of his darkest schemes, The Joker visited Barbara at her apartment and shot her. This devastating attack left Barbara paralyzed from the waist down. Without her former mobility, her identity as a hero was sent crashing down. Who was she if not Batgirl? The Bat-Family’s morale was severely shaken. Once again, The Joker had proven the danger behind every one of his deranged laughs. Soon, however, Barbara would take matters into her own hands and devise a new heroic persona.

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The Calculator

Even though she was in a wheelchair, Barbara Gordon still had her mind — which is always the most important weapon for members of the Bat-Family. She began working as Oracle, a behind-the-scenes hero who used technology to guide heroes on the street against Gotham’s worst criminals. As Oracle, she also founded the Birds of Prey team with Black Canary and Huntress.

However, even when she’s removed the physical fight itself, Oracle still encountered an extremely dangerous counterpart. Noah Kuttler, AKA Calculator, does the exact same thing that Oracle does except for super-villains. Eventually he makes it his mission to decipher Oracle’s secret identity, using villains like Deathstroke to intimidate the Birds into giving up information. Ultimately, his shortsighted arrogance (plus Oracle’s ingenious planning) always foil Calculator’s plan to unveil the hero behind the computer.

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James Gordon Jr.

Family can make or break a hero, and Barbara Gordon knows this all too well. As a young girl she was inspired by her father to do right by her city — especially since her own mother had abandoned their family. But long-lost family never stays lost for long in comic books.

In addition to her parents, Barbara had a younger brother, James Jr. He had always been jealous of his sister who was deemed the “perfect” Gordon child. Though James Jr. once helped Batman defeat the Grim Knight and the Batman Who Laughs, his deep-seated sibling resentment got the best of him. James’ mental health unraveled and he was placed in Arkham Asylum. When Batgirl’s mother returns to Gotham City, her sociopathic brother manages to escape from Arkham. While he attempts to convince his family he’s changed, he’s actually working alongside The Joker in an elaborate plot to kidnap his mother and kill Batgirl. After a dramatic lighthouse showdown and a long fall to the depths below, James Jr. is nowhere to be found. But he’ll always remain a skeleton in Barbara Gordon’s closet.

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Black Mask

Some villains have a bone to pick with just about every hero around. Roman Sionis, AKA Black Mask, is one such villain. He is always on the lookout for chances to take down the Bat-Family and he has even gone up against Gotham teams like the Birds of Prey. But his actions during the War Games story arc cement his place in this list of Batgirl enemies.

When another Batgirl, Stephanie Brown, disobeys Batman’s orders, she accidentally throws the entire city into chaos. Black Mask takes this opportunity to bring the Bat-Family down using the more inexperienced heroes. As a result, Gotham City public favor also turns against masked heroes. In a climactic showdown, Black Mask breaks into what he believes is the Batcave. However, it’s actually the Gotham Clock Tower, which is Oracle’s base of operations — and Oracle is stuck inside. She manages to force Batman into rescuing her rather than pursuing Black Mask. The villain escapes and Gotham City’s organized crime falls further into his hands. But Oracle lives to fight another day and help bring Black Mask down.

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Nightwing

This last Batgirl enemy came as a shocking reveal to readers of DC vs. Vampires. In many DC realities, Barbara Gordon and Dick Grayson are a couple at one (or several) points in their crimefighting careers. This Bat-romance is often a fan-favorite DC couple. So that’s why Nightwing’s crossover into villainous territory is all the more heartbreaking.

When vampirism takes over the world of DC super heroes, nearly everyone becomes a victim of the bloodthirsty curse. Justice League heroes, Teen Titans, and plenty of super-villains all cross over to become creatures of the night. But the big revelation is that Nightwing is the vampire behind it all. Batgirl must confront him if there is any hope to stop the spread of vampirism. Their doomed final conflict is a page torn from the most riveting gothic romance, with just the right amount of blood-curdling horror. Love really does bite.

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For a hero like Batgirl, whose legendary reputation always precedes her, there’s never a shortage of villains who wish to cross her. Fortunately, Batgirl is more than capable of shutting them all down.

What are your favorite Batgirl story arcs in DC Comics? Join the conversation with other DC fans over at Sideshow Social Network or in side.show/geekgroup, and don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!