While several characters have taken up the Batgirl mantle over the years, Barbara Gordon remains the OG and most iconic. Die-hard fans of the heroine also know that her legacy extends far beyond Batgirl, as she later redefined herself as Oracle. The Batgirl and Oracle eras featured dramatically different aesthetics and visual identities. However, even the stark contrast between those two looks pales in comparison to Barbara Gordon’s newest overhaul, which stands as her most radical redesign yet in more ways than one.
DC’s Act II of its All In initiative is now in full swing, with DC Next Level launching new story arcs in existing titles while also introducing a wave of new solo series. Among the new additions is Barbara Gordon: Breakout, spearheaded bywriter Mariko Tamaki, artist Amancay Nahuelpan, and colorist Tamra Bonvillain.
The first issue of the ongoing series arrives May 13, 2026, and picks up directly after the events of Batman #8, which released last week. In that issue, Barbara Gordon was arrested by Vandal Savage’s GCPD due to her ties to Batman and the rest of the Bat-Family.
It’s officially the end of an era for Barbara Gordon’s Batgirl as she leaves the Bat-Family, but this end also kicks off the hero’s new solo era.
Barbara Gordon: Breakout follows Babs during her time behind bars after she is “shipped off to Supermax, GCPD Commissioner Vandal Savage’s pet-project prison for all who oppose him.” There, she finds herself isolated and surrounded by dangerous criminals and equally dangerous guards. However, the official synopsis for the debut issue teases that Supermax is “a place where nothing is what it seems,” adding an extra layer of intrigue and mystery to the story.
While the full release of Barbara Gordon: Breakout #1 is still a few days away, DC has already released a five-page preview of the issue. The pages provide readers with their first in-story look at Barbara behind bars, and it is clear that, for now, orange is the new batsuit.
Barbara Gordon Officially Debuts Her New Prison Orange Look
Comic Pages Come from Mariko Tamaki’s Barbara Gordon: Breakout #1 (2026) – Art by Amancay Nahuelpan
While we have already seen Barbara donning prison orange in cover art teases, this preview offers the first in-story look at her new appearance. It’s a stark departure from Barbara’s usual style. Instead of appearing as a hero, or even in her typical casual wear, Barbara is now dressed in the universal uniform of a prisoner. Like the other inmates, she wears orange scrubs, plain white sneakers, and simple white undergarments. The look is a far cry from both her Batgirl costume and the everyday clothing readers normally associate with Barbara Gordon.
Seeing this iconic hero in prison attire marks the most radical redesign Barbara has ever received. The change is not just visual, but symbolic of the dramatic shift in her circumstances. Barbara is no longer in a position of power, nor is she even a free citizen. Instead, she has become a victim of the corrupt system that has imprisoned her and stripped away her freedom. Her prison scrubs reflect this upheaval in her life, making the new look all the more notable.
Of course, you can take Barbara Gordon out of the Batgirl suit, but you can’t take the hero out of her, as this preview makes clear. Barbara steps in and delivers some justice in the prison yard when one inmate targets another. Even in a place built for punishment, she still chooses to stand up for others. While many readers will surely miss Barbara’s role as Batgirl and Oracle in DC’s ongoing narrative, Breakout already looks poised to become one of the most impactful and compelling chapters in her history.
Themyscira · Amazonian Trial Edition How Well Do You Know Wonder Woman?
🌏OriginsParadise
⚡PowersTruth
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01
Wonder Woman is an Amazonian princess who left her hidden island homeland to help humanity during a great conflict. What is the name of the island paradise where the Amazons live?
✓ Correct! Themyscira, also known as Paradise Island, is the hidden homeland of the Amazons — a race of immortal warrior women blessed by the Greek gods. Shielded from the outside world for millennia, it is where Diana was raised and trained before venturing into the world of men.
✗ The Lasso of Truth says that’s not quite right! The answer is Themyscira. Atlantis is the underwater kingdom of Aquaman, Asgard is Thor’s realm in Norse mythology, and Olympus is the home of the Greek gods. Themyscira is the hidden paradise where the Amazons have lived for thousands of years.
02
In DC Comics’ classic origin, Wonder Woman was formed from clay by her mother and given life by the Greek gods. Who is Wonder Woman’s mother, the Queen of the Amazons?
✓ Correct! Queen Hippolyta is Wonder Woman’s mother and the ruler of the Amazons. In the classic origin, she sculpted baby Diana from clay and the gods breathed life into her. Hippolyta is a fierce warrior and wise leader who has guided the Amazons for centuries.
✗ The Lasso of Truth says that’s not quite right! The answer is Hippolyta. Hera is the queen of the Olympian gods, Athena is the goddess of wisdom, and Artemis is a fellow Amazon warrior (and sometimes rival to Diana). Hippolyta is Diana’s mother and the beloved Queen of the Amazons.
03
Wonder Woman wields a magical golden weapon that forces anyone bound by it to tell the truth. This iconic weapon is one of the most recognizable in all of comics. What is it called?
✓ Correct! The Lasso of Truth (also known as the Golden Perfect) was forged by the god Hephaestus from the Golden Girdle of Gaea. Anyone bound by it is compelled to speak only the truth. It is virtually indestructible and can also restore lost memories and dispel illusions.
✗ The Lasso of Truth says that’s not quite right! The answer is the Lasso of Truth. While the lasso is sometimes connected to Hestia in certain continuities, its official and iconic name is the Lasso of Truth — Wonder Woman’s most signature weapon and a symbol of her commitment to honesty and justice.
04
Wonder Woman’s most iconic arch-nemesis is a powerful figure from Greek mythology who represents war and conflict. In many storylines, this villain is the god of war himself. Who is Wonder Woman’s greatest enemy?
✓ Correct! Ares, the Greek god of war, is Wonder Woman’s most mythologically significant foe. As a champion of peace, Diana stands in direct opposition to everything Ares represents. Their conflict is the eternal struggle between peace and war, compassion and destruction.
✗ The Lasso of Truth says that’s not quite right! The answer is Ares. Circe is a powerful sorceress and recurring villain, Cheetah is one of Diana’s most personal enemies, and Hades is the god of the underworld. But Ares — the god of war — is Wonder Woman’s ultimate mythological nemesis.
05
Gal Gadot portrayed Wonder Woman in the DC Extended Universe films starting in 2016. In her first solo film, Wonder Woman (2017), Diana travels to the world of men during which historical conflict?
✓ Correct! The 2017 Wonder Woman film set Diana’s first adventure during World War I, a deliberate departure from her comic book origins which were tied to World War II. Director Patty Jenkins chose WWI to emphasize the senseless horror of war and Diana’s idealistic belief that humanity is worth saving.
✗ The Lasso of Truth says that’s not quite right! The answer is World War I. While Wonder Woman’s original 1941 comic debut was set during WWII, the 2017 film moved the timeline back to WWI. Diana leaves Themyscira with pilot Steve Trevor to fight in “the war to end all wars,” believing Ares is behind the conflict.
06
Wonder Woman wears a pair of iconic silver accessories on her wrists that can deflect bullets, energy blasts, and virtually any projectile. What are these indestructible accessories called?
✓ Correct! The Bracelets of Submission are indestructible gauntlets worn by all Amazons as a reminder of their past enslavement by Hercules. Wonder Woman’s pair are particularly powerful — forged from the remnants of Zeus’s Aegis shield in some versions — and she uses them to deflect virtually any attack.
✗ The Lasso of Truth says that’s not quite right! The answer is the Bracelets of Submission. The Gauntlets of Atlas grant super strength in some storylines but are a different item. Wonder Woman’s iconic silver wrist guards — the Bracelets of Submission — are among the most recognizable accessories in comic book history.
07
Wonder Woman first appeared in DC Comics in 1941, created by a psychologist who was also the inventor of a real-world device. Who created Wonder Woman?
✓ Correct! William Moulton Marston, a psychologist who also invented an early form of the lie detector (polygraph), created Wonder Woman. He designed her as a feminist icon — a hero who would triumph through love and truth rather than violence. The Lasso of Truth was directly inspired by his polygraph work.
✗ The Lasso of Truth says that’s not quite right! The answer is William Moulton Marston. Stan Lee co-created Marvel heroes like Spider-Man, Bob Kane co-created Batman, and Jack Kirby co-created many Marvel and DC characters. Marston, a Harvard-trained psychologist and lie detector inventor, created Wonder Woman in 1941.
08
The Cheetah is one of Wonder Woman’s most enduring villains — a woman who transforms into a powerful cheetah-like being. In the DCEU film Wonder Woman 1984, which actress portrayed Barbara Minerva/Cheetah?
✓ Correct! Kristen Wiig, best known for comedy roles in Bridesmaids and Saturday Night Live, took on the dramatic role of Barbara Minerva in Wonder Woman 1984 (2020). Her character starts as a shy, overlooked archaeologist who gradually transforms into the savage Cheetah after wishing for Diana’s power.
✗ The Lasso of Truth says that’s not quite right! The answer is Kristen Wiig. Robin Wright played Antiope (Diana’s aunt and training mentor), Connie Nielsen played Queen Hippolyta, and Lucy Davis played Etta Candy (Steve Trevor’s secretary). Kristen Wiig portrayed the villainous Cheetah in Wonder Woman 1984.
Trial Complete Your Amazonian Rank
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Are you worthy of the Lasso of Truth — or still in training on Themyscira?
Barbara Gordon: Breakout #1 from DC Comics will be available to read on May 13, 2026!
