Batgirl is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, depicted as female counterparts to the superhero Batman. Originally created by Bob Kane and Sheldon Moldoff, the first incarnation of the character, the "Bat-Girl" Betty Kane, debuted in Batman #139 (1961). Following the promotion of Julius Schwartz to editor of the Batman-related comic book titles in 1964, the Bat-Girl character was removed from publication and subsequently replaced by the "new" Batgirl Barbara Gordon. The new character was introduced in Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino's Detective Comics #359, entitled "The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl" (cover-date 1967, released late 1966). The Barbara Gordon version of Batgirl made regular appearances in Batman-related comics from 1966–1988 and is described as one of the most high profile characters to be published during the Silver Age of Comic Books. Following the editorial retirement of the character in Batgirl Special #1 (1988), Barbara Gordon is paralyzed by The Joker in the graphic novel Batman: The Killing Joke (1988). Editor Kim Yale and comic book author John Ostrander later reinvented Barbara Gordon as Oracle, the premiere information broker of the DC Comics Universe and leader of the Birds of Prey organization