The Oracle Code

Marieke Nijkamp's newest graphic novel addresses the physical and psychological issues of newly disabled individuals. The Oracle Code is a fictionalized account of a young girl, Barbara Gordon, who becomes a paraplegic after a shooting accident. Her father places her in a rehab facility in order to learn how to live with a disability. Manuel Prietano drew the illustrations.

The publisher's summary:

"After a gunshot leaves her paralyzed below the waist, Barbara Gordon must undergo physical and mental rehabilitation at Arkham Center for Independence.  She must adapt to a new normal, but she cannot shake the feeling that something is dangerously amiss. Strange sounds escape at night while patients start to go missing. Is the suspicion simply a result of her trauma? Or does Barbara actually hear voices coming from the center's labyrinthine hallways? It's up to Barbara to put the pieces together to solve the mysteries behind the walls.  In The Oracle Code, universal truths cannot be escaped, and Barbara Gordon must battle the phantoms of her past before they consume her future."

The plot of this book is not only informative regarding the problems of the disabled but it is also a mystery novel as our protagonist, teenager Barbara Gordon, has to solve a mystery in the center for independent living (CIL) where she resides. Using the mystery format makes it easier, and more fun, for non-disabled persons to learn about disability. The author chose her plot well.  The progression of Barbara Gordon's character is a highlight of the book. She solves crimes from her wheelchair using her computer hacking skills and it is through these skills that she sees that she never really changed after her accident. The secondary characters are not as strong and they do not progress as individuals.  This is Barbara's story.

The artwork enhances the story.  The colors focus on certain characters in each panel. Only the characters of interest are in full color while the other characters fade into the background by coloring them all in the same color.  Manuel Prietano did the drawings. The coloring was done by Jordie Bellaire and the lettering was done by Clayton Cowles.  Their joint effort was successful in telling this story. In a Q&A with the Disability Visibility Project the author stated that she sent Prietano photos and videos of wheelchairs and other mobility aids so that he could draw them accurately.

Barbara Gordon, a/k/a Oracle, is an iconic disabled character in the DC Comics world. The Oracle Code is her origin story. Her transition from Barbara to Oracle happens here.

I think that The Oracle Code is the best book that I have read thus far in 2020. I am rating it 5 out of 5 stars.