I have to find another path. Divine my own future. One uniquely mine. Not a page from someone else's book. Not a fate that begins and ends on page one. 
Batgirl: Year One #1 is an issue of the series Batgirl: Year One (Volume 1) with a cover date of February, 2003. It was published on December 18, 2002.
Synopsis for "Masquerade"
Young Barbara Gordon wants desperately to become a police officer on the Gotham City Police Department. However, her father Captain James Gordon, refuses to entertain the notion, citing the fact that Barbara doesn't even meet the Academy's height requirements. Undeterred by this, Barbara tries to find a position within the FBI, but with no avail. She takes martial arts classes but realizes that she needs training that is more extensive. She decides that the only way to serve the cause of justice is by becoming a vigilante. She steals her father's sealed files and learns the location and security codes for the Gotham City headquarters of the Justice Society of America. She wants to ask Black Canary to give her physical combat training. She leaves a letter on the JSA meeting table and makes certain that the mansion security cameras capture her image on film.
Appearing in "Masquerade"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Killer Moth
- Larva
- Pupa
Other Characters:
- Boyle
- Donald
- Dragoncat
- J. Devlin Davenport (Behind the scenes)
- Justice Society of America
- The Atom (Al Pratt) (In a photograph only)
- Black Canary (Dinah Drake Lance) (In a photograph only)
- Doctor Fate (Kent Nelson) (In a photograph only)
- Doctor Mid-Nite (Charles McNider) (In a photograph only)
- The Flash (Jay Garrick) (In a photograph only)
- Hourman (Rex Tyler) (In a photograph only)
- Johnny Thunder (In a photograph only)
- Murph (Single appearance)
Locations:
- Bristol Township
- Gotham City
- Slaughter Swamp (Mentioned only)
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- This issue features several flash-forward scenes involving Batgirl fighting Killer Moth. These scenes do not chronologically take place until issue #2. Thematically, these future flashes foreshadow Barbara's ultimate career as Oracle.
- This issue is reprinted in Batgirl: Year One and Batgirl/Robin: Year One.
Trivia
- This comic book features advertisements for the following products:
- Robotech: Battlecry video game
- Mechwarrior Mercenaries video game
- Haven: Call of the King video game
- World Wrestling Entertainment Magazine subscription service
- Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art, Inc.
- Sonic the Hedgehog video game collection series
- Starburst fruit candy
- Wild Arms 3 video game
- Nintendo Gamecube
- Mechassault video game for Xbox
- Freevibe anti-drug public service announcement
- Super Bubble Pop video game
- Midway Games - Defender video game for Nintendo Gamecube
- Austin Powers: Goldmember DVD
- Contra: Shattered Soldier video game for Playstation 2
- Transformers - Season 2 television series DVD collection