{"id":464404,"date":"2020-03-09T02:51:47","date_gmt":"2020-03-09T09:51:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/?p=464404"},"modified":"2026-02-12T17:19:35","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T01:19:35","slug":"qa-with-marieke-nijkamp-the-oracle-code","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/2020\/03\/09\/qa-with-marieke-nijkamp-the-oracle-code\/","title":{"rendered":"Q&A with Marieke Nijkamp: The Oracle Code"},"content":{"rendered":"

Q&A with Marieke Nijkamp: The Oracle Code<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

*This Q&A contains spoilers for the graphic novel, The Oracle Code<\/a><\/em> available March 10, 2020, DC Comics<\/p>\n

Content warnings: eugenics, institutionalization, ableism, medical experimentation, trauma<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Book
Book cover for The Oracle Code: A Graphic Novel, Illustrated by Manuel Preitano, written by #1 New York Times Bestselling author of This Is Where it Ends Marieke Nijkamp. The illustration is a partial view of a young white teenager with red hair wearing a dark gray hoodie with a yellow lining. She is in a manual chair and her right hand is making a clenched fist.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Last year you were on my podcast, Disability Visibility<\/i><\/a>, talking about young adult (YA) literature and you mentioned after the recording your upcoming graphic novel for DC Comics. How did you get the opportunity to write this and how does it feel to have The Oracle Code<\/i> coming out now?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

DC invited me to pitch something for their (then) to-be-announced YA line, and while they gave me the freedom to pitch any character I wanted to explore, they suggested Barbara Gordon\u2026 as Oracle.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And obviously I wasn\u2019t going to say no to that!<\/span><\/p>\n

You are the author of several YA novels such as This Is Where It Ends<\/i><\/a> and Before I Let Go<\/i><\/a>. What is different about writing for a graphic novel compared to your previous work? What are some things you learned in writing The Oracle Code<\/i>?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Writing a graphic novel is so much more immediately collaborative. No novel stands on its own, and it\u2019s always a matter of teamwork. But with graphic novels, the writer\u2019s work really is only a small fraction of the book. Without the art, without the colors, without the lettering, none of it would work. And I loved that!<\/span><\/p>\n

In terms of what I thought, I think mainly different ways to approach story. Considering all the various elements. Winnowing down dialogue to the most important words. And especially in terms of collaboration–playing to each other\u2019s strengths.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Barbara Gordon, aka Oracle, is an iconic disabled character in the DC universe. What did you want to explore with Barbara\/Oracle that is different from previous stories about her, especially since this character is a teenager instead of an adult?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The Oracle Code <\/span><\/i>is an origin story in a lot of ways, but mostly in the sense that, in main continuity, we don\u2019t really see the transition from Barbara to Oracle. A lot of it happens on the other side of a computer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here, the transition happens on the page. Babs is a young hacker who trails her father to an active crime scene and ends up being shot. She goes to the Arkham Center for Independence to adjust to life in her wheelchair. And as a result of that, she\u2019s fighting to figure out who she is anymore. It isn\u2019t until she finds hacks and puzzles and creepy mysteries in the Center around her that she begins to realize she\u2019s still Babs. How she is has changed, but who she is hasn\u2019t.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Of course, she has to address her own ghosts before she can investigate the ones in the Center!<\/span><\/p>\n

What was it like collaborating with the artist Manuel Preitano on the look and style of The Oracle Code? <\/i><\/strong>Did you have any input on the details that made the illustrations feel authentic?<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

Manuel did such an amazing job with the art! From the very first moment and the very first sketches it was clear he *got* the characters, and he did such a wonderful job bringing the world to life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When it came to things like making sure he got the wheelchairs and various assistive devices etc. right, we just discussed it openly. I sent him a whole bunch of photos and videos and he took <\/span>such <\/span><\/i>care with it!<\/span><\/p>\n

Barbara becomes friends with Yeong, Issy, and Jena during her time at the Arkham Center for Independence (*snarf*). How does the power of community and friendships with other disabled people help Barbara\u2019s sense of self?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

When Barbara first arrives at the Center, she is struggling hard. She feels like she doesn\u2019t know who she is anymore. She lost her best friend. And she\u2019s not ready to trust <\/span>anyone<\/span><\/i>. But the girls at the Center refuse to let her isolate herself from the world, because in one way or another, they\u2019ve all been where she is now. They all know how important community is. And they\u2019re definitely an essential factor for Babs to start her journey toward self-acceptance.<\/span><\/p>\n

So it was really important to me to have the girls there. To be able to normalize disability like that in this book (because pretty much every teen on the page is disabled!) And to give Babs disabled mentors, both to keep her from falling and to teach her joy.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are some pretty heavy themes in The Oracle Code, <\/i>one of them the trauma of becoming newly disabled. Can you tell me more about the importance of acknowledging fear and trauma as part of the disability experience for some people and how it expands what we think of as disability representation?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Barbara goes through a whole range of emotions in this book. She\u2019s grieving. She\u2019s angry. She\u2019s terrified. She\u2019s traumatized. I wanted to give space to all of those emotions, because all of them are valid.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And they\u2019re not usually emotions that disabled characters (or even: people) are allowed to have. For the longest time, \u2018disability representation\u2019 meant only presenting us as cheerful, kind, naive, perfect. When anger happened, it happened in the context of teaching disabled characters to be kind (which will inevitably cure them). When grief happened, it happened in the context of insurmountable grief, of knowing that being disabled means there will never be a happily ever after, only certain death.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Reclaiming those stories means being allowed to feel as we do.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Oracle Code <\/i>challenges societal narratives on cures, that is, the pressure to be \u2018fixed\u2019 or \u2018made whole\u2019 by the medical industrial complex and the very people who care about us such as friends and family. Why are these prevailing beliefs, in the guise of \u2018therapy\u2019 and removal of suffering and pain, so dangerous to disabled people, especially young disabled people?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Fixing implies that we\u2019re broken.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That we\u2019re not right the way we are.<\/span><\/p>\n

Not being whole implies that we\u2019re lesser.<\/span><\/p>\n

And that\u2019s exactly what makes these believes so dangerous to disabled people. Because implicitly, all these ideas cast as not fully human. At best that turns into the idea that we\u2019re not as valuable as abled people, at worst that we\u2019re a threat to humanity and a drain on resources. Historically, that perceived lack of humanity or human value has been used to argue in favor of eugenics, institutionalization, inequality, denying us our agency.<\/span><\/p>\n

And on an individual level too, being told that you\u2019re broken is pervasive. It stands in the way of access. It stands in the way of acceptance.<\/span><\/p>\n

Of course, all of this isn\u2019t to say that the medical complex is by definition The Worst. I truly believe most doctors have the best intentions, and goodness knows I\u2019m grateful for meds and assistive devices! But it\u2019s the medical model vs. social model of disability every time, isn\u2019t it? And even the best intentions can harm.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another issue I am glad to see depicted is the exploitation and devaluation of disabled people. It\u2019s painful yet so true that disabled people have been hidden and tortured in institutions with the idea that they will not be missed and are serving \u2018the greater good.\u2019 How does this resonate with the not-so-distant past and today?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

I had an argument with someone recently that the idea that stories like these are old and tired, that the evil institutions have become such a clich\u00e9\u2026 and several hours later news broke about torture and abuse at another care facility.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It wish it wasn\u2019t the case. I wish we were well past Bedlam scenarios. But that\u2019s still not true, sometimes even with the very best of intentions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And I think it boils down to what we talked about for the previous question as well. When you don\u2019t see someone as fully human, you have no reason to treat them with humanity.<\/span><\/p>\n

With the publication of The Oracle Code<\/i>, what do you want to see and work on next? What are some projects that excite you this year and beyond?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

I actually have another book coming out later this year. <\/span>Even If We Break <\/span><\/i><\/a>is a prose YA novel, all about a group of teens who goes off to a cabin in the woods, to play the RPG has bound them together for years, until everything falls to pieces. It\u2019s a thriller. It\u2019s wonderfully queer. And (obviously), two of the main characters are disabled.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"
Photo of Marieke Nijkamp, a young white agender person with short hair with the left side shaved and dyed purple and bright cobalt blue. She is wearing glasses, a black necklace, a silver necklace with a cross, and a long-sleeved blue scoop neck top. She is smiling at the camera and some grass and green bushes are behind her. Photo credit: Karin Nijkamp<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Marieke Nijkamp <\/b>was born and raised in the Netherlands. A lifelong student of stories, language, and ideas, she spends as much time in fictional worlds as she does the real world. She loves to travel, roll dice, and daydream.<\/p>\n

Marieke\u2019s YA novels include: This Is Where It Ends<\/i><\/a>, which follows four teens during the fifty-four minutes of a school shooting. And Before I Let Go<\/i><\/a>, <\/i>a haunting young adult murder mystery set during a cruel Alaskan winter. Additionally, Marieke is the editor of Unbroken<\/i><\/a>, an anthology of 13 stories starring disabled teens, written by disabled authors.<\/p>\n

Next up: The Oracle Code<\/i><\/a>, <\/i>a graphic novel for DC Books for Young Readers, and Even If We Break<\/a>, a new YA novel.<\/p>\n

For more information about Marieke, take a look at her press kit<\/a> or the FAQ<\/a>. For more information about her books and short stories, take a look at the book page<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Find Marieke on Twitter,<\/a> Tumblr<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, or contact her via this form<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Support Disability Media and Culture<\/b><\/p>\n

DONATE<\/b><\/a>\u00a0to the Disability Visibility Project\u00ae<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Q&A with Marieke Nijkamp: The Oracle Code   *This Q&A contains spoilers for the graphic novel, The Oracle Code available March 10, 2020, DC Comics Content warnings: eugenics, institutionalization, ableism, … Continue Reading Q&A with Marieke Nijkamp: The Oracle Code<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":464420,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[548706274,1],"tags":[159346,927064,587152344,587152839,587152838,587152841,587152368,587152844,94668,587152842,10372239,55897910,14677050,58990044,587152843,106167760,4760232,11795,587152837,587152767,667669,118871,587152635,587152840,587152450,180406,587152706,269742,587152590,587152705],"class_list":["post-464404","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dvp-blog-posts-and-essays","category-uncategorized","tag-ableism","tag-asylums","tag-autonomy","tag-barbara-gordon","tag-batgirl","tag-birds-of-prey","tag-bodily-autonomy","tag-cure-narratives","tag-cures","tag-dc-comics","tag-disability-community","tag-disability-identity","tag-disability-pride","tag-disability-representation","tag-disabled-mentors","tag-disabled-writers","tag-disabled-youth","tag-eugenics","tag-exploitation","tag-graphic-novels","tag-institutionalization","tag-institutions","tag-mentorship","tag-oracle","tag-queer-disabled-characters","tag-rehabilitation","tag-ya","tag-ya-literature","tag-young-adult","tag-young-adult-literature","post-has-thumbnail"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/1.png?fit=780%2C530&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4H7t1-1WOo","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/464404","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=464404"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/464404\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/464420"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=464404"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=464404"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=464404"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}