Is the Future Barbara Gordon from Batman 666 Unchanged in Batman, Inc.?

Note: this includes Spoilers for Batman #4 and #5

Given the cover solicited for Batman, Inc. #5 it shouldn’t be a surprise that it will visit the future world created by Morrison in Batman #666.

Here’s Burnham’s alternative cover. 

Another clue is on the final page and panel of issue #4

This is a reference to the future Bat-Universe that Grant Morrison laid out in Batman #666. That issue offered up a future dystopian version of Gotham with the Batman now an alienated violent Damian Wayne who, it is implied, has sold his soul to the devil. 

Now there had been some question if the issue would still focus on the future world of #666 given that DC changed the solicit issue from when it first appeared in July

BATMAN, INCORPORATED #5
Written by GRANT MORRISON 
Art and cover by CHRIS BURNHAM 
Variant cover by FRAZER IRVING 
1:00 B&W Variant cover by CHRIS BURNHAM
On sale OCTOBER 24 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T 
Combo pack edition: $3.99 US
• Return to the future world seen in BATMAN #666, where Damian has taken over the mantle of the Bat!
• The whole world has gone mad. The only sane people left are in Arkham Asylum - where Batman is the warden.

To this

BATMAN, INCORPORATED #5

• War in the skies of Gotham City!
• Bat-robots versus Talia’s Man-Bat armies!
• Leviathan and The Heretic increase the hostilities to a whole new level!

But not only will Batman, Inc. #5 definitely look at the world of Batman #666 and we now know what role Barbara Gordon will play.

In Batman #666 Damian’s rival is Barbara Gordon, now commissioner of police, much Oracle albeit with a different haircut and multiple ear piercings and a much fouler personality.

When the original solicit came out I wondered whether Barbara would be changed given that in the current DCU she is recovered from her injuries and no longer in need of a chair.

Today I was told by colorist Nathan Fairbain said, “it’s an alternate timeline, it’s unchanged.”

So it seems the Oracle version of Barbara Gordon remains in place in a least one time stream of the DCU.