Warning: Spoilers for Wayne Family Adventurers #70 ahead!Although Barbara Gordon (better known as Batgirl) sustained a debilitating injury at the hands of the Joker, the strongest sign of her recovery isn't her being able to walk again; rather, it's a brutal one-liner she delivers to a goon who mistakes her being in a wheelchair as a sign of weakness. Barbara Gordon is one of the strongest and most capable members of the Bat-Family, and she should never be underestimated whether sitting or standing.
The action begins in Starbite and CRC Payne's Wayne Family Adventures #69, Hunted (Part 1), when Barbara (still wheelchair-bound at the time) is kidnapped by criminals targeting her father. By episode #70, Hunted (Part 2), this is revealed to have all been a ruse; rather than being a pawn in her kidnappers' game, Barbara reveals to her captor that she merely allowed him to kidnap her in order to gain access to his computer systems (since she is the master hacker, Oracle) and has completely exposed his organization to the authorities. When her captor snarls that he's going to enjoy breaking Barbara in revenge, she promptly snatches the gun out of his hand, turns it on him, and coldly replies, "Worse men than you have tried. I just came back stronger."
Barbara Gordon's Strength is Unbreakable
This is all in reference to the injury that necessitated Barbara's use of a wheelchair when she was shot through the spine by the Joker in Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's The Killing Joke (1988). Although subsequent comics would later retcon the extent of Barbara's injuries and allow her to walk again following extensive spinal surgery, it has been made explicitly clear that Barbara's time in a wheelchair was not a period of weakness. Instead, it marked the start of her career as the Bat-Family's ops-coordinator and information broker Oracle (a position she still holds to this day). Additionally, she remains a formidable combatant during this period, wielding escrima sticks alongside the usual Bat-gadgetry to thwart anyone who would underestimate her in a fight.
The Barbara Gordon seen in this issue of Wayne Family Adventures has clearly grown and learned since being shot by the Joker. It's such a celebration of her strength to see that, when placed in exactly the same situation that was once used in an attempt to make her feel helpless, she now effortlessly turns the weapon onto her attacker with steel in her eyes and ice in her veins. Given her absolute dominance of the situation, it may also subtly imply that, should the Joker attempt a similar feat again, Barbara would instead emerge triumphant.
Part of Wayne Family Adventures' appeal is its wholehearted celebration of the Bat-Family’s strengths and inner struggles, and this two-parter is a perfect example of Barbara's strength. It shows her putting herself in danger to help her father, handling the matter personally instead of handing the case over to another member of the team. From her hacking prowess to her unbreakable will, Batgirl’s actions through this arc are a testament to her true inner strength, and the ultimate revenge against both the Joker and any other gun-toting miscreants who would come after Barbara Gordon.
Wayne Family Adventures #70 is now available on WEBTOON.