I absolutely loved Marieke’s This is Where It Ends and Before I Let Go, two complex and heart wrenching stories, so I couldn’t wait to see what she did with Barbara Gordon!

Babs Gordon has long been one of my fav heroes, no matter what iteration she’s in. In The Oracle Code, Barbara has entered The Arkham Center of Independence after an incident that leads her to become a wheelchair user. For those of you who may be unfamiliar with Barbara’s story (depending on the version you know), Barbara transforms from Batgirl to Oracle following her

Babs Gordon has long been one of my fav heroes, no matter what iteration she’s in. In The Oracle Code, Barbara has entered The Arkham Center of Independence after an incident that leads her to become a wheelchair user. For those of you who may be unfamiliar with Barbara’s story (depending on the version you know), Barbara transforms from Batgirl to Oracle following an attack that leaves her unable to walk. I love that she becomes this badass hero in other ways without question.

What The Oracle Code does is take a story that is often viewed as tragedy and give life to it through new characters. This is a story about agency as much as it’s a story about trauma. Babs is working through her stuff as she’s working through the mystery presented in the story.

As is the norm with DC Graphic Novels for Young Adults, the art is stunning. The color is cool toned and the shading adds depth. Foreground characters are strong, drawing your eye to them. The use of two-page spreads and overall placement of panels tells a bit part of the story, as well.

Another stunning and unique take on a classic story, told outside canon and set wholly on it’s own. The Oracle Code is not to be missed!