2) Barbara Gordon
Barbara Gordon might not be the first Batgirl – that honor falls to the oft-forgotten Betty Kane – but she’s by far the most iconic and beloved holder of that title. Initially created in conjunction with the 1960s Batman TV series, Babs has grown to become one of the most perennially popular female heroes in all of comics.
One of the character’s defining moments is her paralysis at the hands of the Joker. Though still highly criticized today, Barbara’s proactive attitude towards her disability was praised, as she didn’t let it keep her from crime-fighting. Instead, she became Batman’s indispensable tech support, under the codename Oracle, and started up the all-female superteam the Birds of Prey.
In recent years, Barbara’s regained the use of her legs and is now operating as Batgirl once again. And with Joss Whedon working on the character’s first solo outing, it seems like things are looking up for her.