Spike Spiegel
Member
http://www.dccomics.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batwoman
http://www.comicvine.com/batwoman/29-9052/
Wait, there's a BatWOMAN now? Since when?
Uh, yeah -- since 1956 dude, where have you been?
Batwoman first appeared in Detective Comics #233, and was the third member of Batman's "extended family" to be introduced after Alfred and Robin, pre-dating Barbara Gordon's Batgirl by over five years. She was created for DC by (Batman creator) Bob Kane and Sheldon Moldoff, largely as a response to criticisms that arose following the publication of Fredric Wertham's infamous book 'Seduction of the Innocent'; in his book Wertham accused Batman and Robin of being homosexuals, because of their close relationship and seeming lack of interest in women. By introducing a female crimefighter for Batman to interact and flirt with (and later for Robin, when a Bat-Girl [not Barbara Gordon] appeared as Batwoman's sidekick), DC hoped to defuse the situation and prove their intent to not promote homosexuality with the Dynamic Duo.
So for the next five years, Batwoman and sidekick Bat-Girl joined Batman and Robin in their costumed adventures, fighting crime with a feminine touch (Batwoman carried her gear in a purse, not a utility belt!) and providing a romantic foil both in and out of costume, as both Batwoman/Bat-Girl and as wealthy Gotham socialite Kathy Kane and her niece Betty. But when Julius Scwartz took over as Editor in '64, he declared the characters unnecessary and removed them from the book before introducing a new, hip Batgirl (Barbara Gordon) for the "modern" 1960s era. And so, Batwoman unceremoniously disappeared from DC Comics, and soon faded from collective memory.
Until...
In 2006, DC revived the character of Batwoman for the modern era with the 'Infinite Crisis' follow-up weekly series titled '52'. After 50 years and a myriad of Crises, DC's editors were now free to envision the character of Batwoman however they wished, and through a creative effort spearheaded by writer Greg Rucka recreated Kathy Kane for a "bold, new era" -- one that would see her far removed from the simple role of Batman's beard.
Alright, so who is this Batwoman character? What's her origin?
***CAUTION: CONTAINS PLOT SPOILERS -- YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED***
Batwoman is Katherine "Kate" Kane, wealthy socialite and daughter of Colonel Jacob Kane and stepmother Catherine; her biological mother, Gabrielle, is deceased and also served in the military. She was born with a twin sister named Beth, and as daughters of military parents they grew up moving from base to base and country to country, going wherever their father's work (special forces or military intelligence?) took them. One year for their birthday, their mother agreed to take the girls out for chocolate and waffles in apology for their father's absence; before they reached their destination, however, Kate/Beth and their mother were kidnapped by unknown, heavily armed assailants. Jacob led a commando raid to rescue his family, but when the operation had ended and Kate's hood was removed she saw that her mother and sister were dead.
Years later, Kate attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, with the aim of following in her parents' footsteps and serving her country. She quickly rose above the ranks of her fellow cadets and became an exemplary student, but when rumors began circulating of her carrying on an inappropriate relationship with another student -- her female roommate and fellow cadet Sophie Moore -- Kate was called before the BTO (Brigade Tactical Officer) to answer them. Out of respect for her parents, her BTO gave Kate the option of denying those rumors and sweeping the entire matter "under the rug"; but Kate, believing so strongly in the cadet's oath ("a cadet shall not lie, cheat or steal, nor suffer others to do so") chose to admit her homosexuality and promptly withdrew from the USMA.
Denied the opportunity to serve her country Kate returned to her father Jacob, now on the verge of remarrying to a wealthy Gotham heiress (Catherine). When Kate told her father the truth about her leaving West Point over her sexual orientation he embraced her, proud of her for maintaining her integrity despite the heavy cost. But without a goal and the structure of the military lifestyle Kate became rudderless, enrolling in college but spending more time partying than studying, and living off her parents' wealth. One night Kate got pulled over on the outskirts of Gotham for speeding, and boldly asked the ticketing officer out for drinks -- that officer was Renee Montoya, and the two became lovers shortly after. But Kate's partying ways and Renee's reluctance to be outed put them at odds, and the two broke up in an argument after Kate dropped out of college.
That night Kate chose to dull the pain of their breakup in alcohol, and later called Renee to apologize as she was leaving the bar. Distracted by her call, Kate never noticed the man walking up behind her until he demanded her wallet and phone. Ducking the lead pipe swung at her head, Kate's military training kicked in and she quickly subdued her attacker; sensing another presence behind her, she quickly whirled about and was literally floored by what she saw next...
Standing there in the shadows, watching her, was the Batman. Saying not a word he strode forward, and reached out a hand to help her to her feet before turning his attentions toward her fleeing attacker. Kate stared up after the cloaked figure gliding off into the rainy night, framed against the backdrop of the Bat-Signal in the night sky, shining like a beacon, like a call to arms. From that day forward, Kate had purpose again; using her training and some non-lethals and combat gear stolen from the local military base, she began her own small-scale crimefighting career. After six months her father found out what Kate was doing with her spare time and confronted her, demanding she stop; but seeing his daughter would not be deterred from her new path, Jacob was determined to help her.
Using connections made through a lifelong career of service, Jacob Kane sent his daughter Kate on a training expedition, learning the skills she would need to wage war on crime from some of the finest minds in the military and intelligence communities. And after two years spent traveling the globe, a changed and revitalized Kate Kane returned to Gotham and an eager father. In her absence, Jacob had been busy, using those aforementioned connections to make sure his daughter had the latest in bleeding-edge military hardware at her disposal. She had a high-tech penthouse lair, the combat training, the investigative skills, the gadgets and the resolve -- and she had a costume. The final touch was a symbol, something to let criminals and allies know just whose side she soldiers for...
Is it true she's... you know... Brazilian?
What?!? No, she's Jewish! >:O
...;p
But yeah, in case you missed it in the "origin story" above the modern Batwoman is a lesbian (which, when you think about it, is funny considering why the character was originally created in the 50s). In fact, DC grabbed national headlines in 2006 with the announcement that Kate would now be gay, and drew praise from the gay/lesbian community and criticism from more conservative groups. In fact, the publicity created so much short-term interest in the character that DC perhaps acted prematurely in pushing the character before a proper foundation of solid storytelling could be built for her. Which would explain why, unfortunately, many fanboys can't look past her sexual preference to see the truth: that Batwoman is a fleshed-out, well-rounded character whose orientation is not an essential character trait.
And I should care about all this because..?
Because I asked? No? Okay, here are three reasons why you should care.
One, you should care because of the people involved in Batwoman's modern revival, namely acclaimed writer Greg Rucka and equally praised artists J.H. Williams III and Amy Reeder. Rucka spent an exhaustive amount of time reinventing and building a world around Batwoman, even before her first appearance in '52'. His handling of the character during that series and especially the collaborative effort with Williams on 'Detective Comics' (issues #854 to 863) was critically celebrated and received numerous awards. And though Rucka has since parted ways with DC, to focus on his creator-owned work (though rumors of a falling out with DC editorial persist), Williams was intimately familiar with Rucka's intentions for the character and her direction, and has now stepped into the dual roles of writer AND artist. With help from writer W. Haden Blackman (formerly of Lucasarts) and shared penciling duties with Amy Reeder, Williams is confidently taking Batwoman into the next phase of her crimefighting career, an era set against the backdrop of Grant Morrison's "Batman Incorporated" movement.
(Speaking of Grant Morrison, one of the things I find most intriguing about Batwoman is how well her motivations for donning the mantle of the Bat as devised by Rucka, fit into the plan Morrison has crafted for the Batman family, a plan that has only in the last few weeks come to light. Now that he's returned, Bruce Wayne [as Batman] is creating an army of Batmen to fight crime worldwide, shining a multitude of Bat-Signals into the sky and recruiting those with potential who would answer the call. But Kate Kane answered that call years ago outside that bar, before Bruce even had the idea!)
Second, you should care because of the book's direction. Ever since she first appeared in the pages of '52' the story of Batwoman has dealt with themes that are a bit more... unorthodox than your typical Batman tales. The Crime Bible, a Gotham underworld devoted to the "religion of crime" and beliefs in blood prophecy and sacrifice, enemies and allies that are less superhero, more supernatural; these are the sort of things that Rucka dealt in during his time with the character, and they separated Kate's world from the more conventional detective tales of Batman and from the colorful world of gods-made-flesh making up the rest of the DCU. Judging by the preview and interviews, Williams will continue to deal in these unique themes, while experimenting with new approaches over future arcs to ensure Batwoman remains a fresh, inventive, and unique title in the Bat-family of comic books.
Third, you should care because of the artwork which, in case you haven't noticed is absolutely GORGEOUS. J.H. Williams III is a modern-day comics master, and anyone who's followed his career since Alan Moore's 'Promethea' would know this. His rendering is impeccable, his panel layouts flawless, his page composition astounding; it's easy to see why his work on 'Detective' earned him a pair of Eisner Awards this year, one for "Best Artist" and another for "Best Cover Artist". And his artistic partner on the book, Amy Reeder Hadley, is equally accomplished and celebrated, having earned several Eisner nominations for her work on DC's Vertigo title 'Madame Xanadu'.
I mean, just look at it!
*drool*
Look I could go on and on and come up with more reasons why you should check this out, I could tell you about Alice and the "Religion of Crime", about the werewolves and octomen, about her cousin Bette being a crimefighter too, about her shaky relationship with Renee Montoya now that she's become the Question, and so on... but the gist of it is this -- great writer, great artists, great character, great story, and GREAT artwork.
Need more convincing? Read a few interviews to learn more.
Artist's Alley 8: J.H. WILLIAMS III W/ Excl. BATWOMAN Art! (Newsarama)
Williams III, Blackman and Reeder Unleash "Batwoman" on Gotham (Comic Book Resources)
(will update with more as I find them)
Hmm. So, when does Batwoman begin (lol)?
TODAY, actually. The Batwoman #0 special has already materialized on comic shelves this Wednesday, November 24; the regular series will begin with issue #1 in February 2011. And since I'm such a nice guy, you can catch a preview of Batwoman #0 and the solicitation for first issue below.
Source
There's already an early review for Batwoman #0 up at Newsarama, and the book is given high praise, describe as "a great entree for people who didn't jump on the bandwagon the last go-round." And having now read the issue I heartily agree; as seen in the preview above it's an exploration of Batwoman AND Kate Kane as seen through the eyes of both Bruce Wayne and the Batman as he seeks to prove what the reader already knows -- that they are one and the same.
Source
And where can I read more about this Batwoman NOW, good sir?
If you're eager for more Batwoman or just curious, the first place to look is the Batwoman: Elegy Deluxe Hardcover collecting the initial story arc from 'Detective Comics' by Rucka and Williams. Beyond that, check out her first modern appearance in 52 collected over four volumes. Also worth mentioning is the Final Crisis: Revelations tie-in by Rucka, featuring Batwoman and Question. And if reading '52' gets you interested in more Renee Montoya, you can check out The Five Books of Blood and The Question: Pipeline due out in January. Beyond that, there's the final three issues of Rucka's 'Detective Comics' run, issues #861 to 863, which have yet to be collected and feature artwork not by Williams but by Jock (yep, just Jock). A lot of readers dropped the series once Williams left, and that was a shame since it not only led to DC pulling Batwoman from the book but also because the story featured a unique "dual timeline" approach, with Batman (in the past) and Batwoman (in the present) working two cases whose details intertwine as they story progresses.
Will reading this comic make me irresistible to the ladies and intriguing to the gents?
It couldn't hurt!
