Warning! Spoilers ahead for Infinite Frontier #0!
Former Batgirl and current Oracle Barbara Gordon is leading a new team to help Batman fight crime in Gotham City, but they’ve already got their work cut out for them in Infinite Frontier. DC’s whole Multiverse has been remade following the events of Dark Nights: Death Metal. Thanks to the efforts of Wonder Woman, a new Omniverse has emerged, elements of which will be revealed in the pages of the anthology comic Infinite Frontier #0. This new era for DC Comics is designed to be a celebration and embracing of old stories and continuity while opening up new possibilities for future tales.
The recent Future State event gave readers a glimpse at possible futures for their favorite characters across the DC Omniverse. For the citizens of Gotham City the fate awaiting them is particularly grim. According to Future State, by 2025 the city will be effectively taken over by a private fascist police organization called the Magistrate. Masked vigilantes are outlawed, and the Magistrate’s Peacekeepers are authorized to shoot anyone wearing a mask on sight. Bruce Wayne and Batman are both believed to be dead – though it is revealed that he faked his death. A new Batman, Tim Fox, has taken up the mantle to fight for the people of Gotham. If the Bat-Family hopes to prevent this dark future from coming to pass, they are going to have their work cut out for them.
In a story from Infinite Frontier #0 written by James Tynion IV with art by Jorge Jimenez and colors by Tomeu Morey, Oracle has assembled her new team and sent them out into the field. In addition to Oracle, who is overseeing the team remotely, the team also consists of Huntress and two other Batgirls, Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown. Huntress comments that the team resembles the Birds of Prey, due to the fact that it is made up of all female heroes and Oracle is operating out of the old Birds of Prey base, the Clocktower. Barbara waves off this comparison before receiving a “Code Green” signal from Arkham Asylum. They quickly learn that Arkham has been attacked with Joker Gas, killing nearly everyone inside, including Bane.
Barbara is shocked that Joker has seemingly returned so soon after his last attack in Joker War, which ended with Barbara giving up her Batgirl persona and resuming the duties of Oracle. She tells Huntress in Infinite Frontier #0 that she is not permanently hanging up her cape, but that she is going to be more “judicious” about using it. It is also easier on her spinal implants that returned her ability to walk after she was shot by Joker and paralyzed in “The Killing Joke.” It’s probably for the best, because now that she is back in the chair and in everyone’s ear as Oracle, she has the ability to be everywhere at once, something she struggled with during her time as Batgirl. And with the two other Batgirls out on the streets fighting crime, Gotham is sure to be safer. Both are strong and capable heroes who have both received training from Batman, but more importantly have formed close relationships with Barbara, who has acted as a mentor to both Batgirls. Under her leadership and guidance, they will be a force for good in Gotham City.
No matter how capable they are, the new team may be doomed. The attack on Arkham is hinted to actually be the work of the Magistrate and its leader, Simon Saint, as a means to scare Gotham into giving the Magistrate authority over the city. If the events of Future State do come true, then this team and the rest of the Bat-Family will end up forming the basis of a Resistance to fight back against the fascist police state. But perhaps under the leadership of Oracle, this team of Batgirls and Huntress can work with Batman and his allies to stop the Magistrate from rising to power, and ensure that Gotham City has a brighter future in Infinite Frontier.