Why do you think Oracle became such a strong symbol of handicapped representation in comics but Professor X didn't? No one really blinked an eye the times he regained the ability to walk.

I think because Oracle wasn’t superpowered, and has come to symbolize something more real. No offense to Charlie, but he’s been able to walk many times, and his POWER is essentially whatever the writer needs at the time. I think Oracle was a less fantasy-based character in a less fantasy based setting.

And of course some of the other things people objected to also contributed…many readers weren’t even alive when Barbara was Batgirl. Oracle is the only Babs they know. Of COURSE they are shocked to see her in the Batgirl suit again.

It’s interesting that  you mention it, because I remember a Birds of Prey story that happened before I took over the book where Oracle regained her legs for a couple issues. It was by one of my favorite writers, but bam, she regained her legs and suddenly, like two seconds later, she’s kickfighting.

That’s exactly the kind of thing I did not want to do. But I don’t remember people being angry at the time, perhaps BECAUSE it was so clearly a temporary effect.

Still…interesting. I hadn’t really put those two things together before.

Anyway, I think the fantasy elements in the X-men made Charles a little less symbolic in that regard. I could be wrong, anyone else have a theory?