Batwoman Returns to DC Comics as a Lesbian Superheroine

By Linda Orlando

Recently the New York Times reported that after a 30-year absence from comic books, the character of Batwoman will be returning to grace the pages of CD Comics. Only this time Batwoman is a lesbian socialite. Her first appearance will be in the July issue of a comic called 52, which is produced by icon comic book publishers DC Comics and will feature other superheroes including Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman.

Batwoman’s real alter ego still carries the same name, Kathy Kane, as the 1956 character. In her previous existence, Batwoman was just an adjunct character to the Batman franchise, never having her own comic. She spent most of her time with Batgirl, her niece, and she carried a handbag and wore dresses and swooned over Batman and Robin. Although she served as Batman’s assistant in his war against evil, she was always in his shadow. The original Batwoman was murdered by an assassin in 1979.

Now, after months of intense speculation among legions of comic book fans, Batwoman will be reincarnated. No one has yet seen the new Batwoman, but her new persona is described as a "lesbian socialite by night and a crime fighter by later in the night." Her past now includes a romantic tryst with Renee Montoya, a lesbian former police detective who is already a character in the 52 comic.

The popularity of reinventing and adapting legendary comic book heroes to fit modern molds has revived the comic book industry dramatically. Characters such as the X-Men, Batman Begins, and The Fantastic Four have provided new material for comic book producers and movie studios, and sales have increased by 25% annually. A spokesman for Stonewall, a lesbian and gay pressure group, applauded the reinvention of Batwoman as a lesbian. "I think anything that promotes diversity is a very good thing and we welcome the introduction of characters like this. A lot of lesbians and gay men are fans of these comics and it is good that the publishers are beginning to recognize that, and feature people who reflect the society we live in. Lesbians and gay men may also identify with the genre because comic book characters are often misfits who are left on the margins of society and have to fight to be accepted."

According to the New York Times, the revamp of the Batwoman character is part of a global attempt by comic book producers to feature more characters from different minority groups. In coming months, DC Comics will be reinventing another character, the Blue Beetle, who was formerly a white superhero. The new Blue Beetle will be a Mexican teenager with mystical powers. One of DC’s greatest rivals, Marvel Comics, has added to its best-selling New Avengers series a black street fighter who is married to a white woman.

But although DC appears to be preaching diversity in terms of its new Batwoman character, the company took legal action last year against a New York art gallery that was displaying an exhibition of watercolors of comic heroes. In a lawsuit, the company claimed that the gallery had featured Batman and Robin in "intimate" positions.