Batman characters | Batwoman

Batwoman (originally referred to as the Bat-Woman) is a fictional character and female counterpart to the superhero Batman. This character appears in publications produced by DC Comics and related media. Originally named Kathy Kane, the character was introduced as a love interest for Batman to disprove allegations of homosexuality in response to the backlash from the book Seduction of the Innocent (1954).

Although Batwoman made a number of appearances during the late 1950s and early 1960s, declining sales of both Batman and Detective Comics led to the editorial retirement of the character. When Julius Schwartz became editor of the Batman related comic books in 1964, he removed non-essential characters including Batwoman, Bat-Girl, Bat-Mite, and Bat-Hound. Later, the 1985 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths retroactively established that Batwoman has never existed, though her alter ego Kathy Kane has continued to make appearances.

Batwomans Powers, abilities, and equipment

As Batwoman, Kane lacks any superpowers, and instead relies on her martial artistry and Batman-inspired equipment when fighting crime. Although the original Kathy Kane did not display any martial art skill during the Silver Age, the Modern Age Kane is depicted as a skilled martial artist and detective. Both incarnations of the character are written as the heiress of a family whose fortune is comparable to the wealth of Bruce Wayne. Subsequently, Kane possesses the finances to produce an arsenal of equipment similar to Batman's. While the Silver Age Batwoman used weaponry disguised as feminine items like lipstick and a compact, the Modern Age Batwoman's arsenal includes a baton-like device which can extend from the center in length that has Bat-shaped attachments at each end, Batarangs, and a Batman-inspired grappling hook. Kate's equipment is given to her by her father, a colonel in the U.S. Army, and is usually adapted models from military equipment. Her gloves are specially designed to climb and their bracer points are throwing weapons. Many of the gadgets that Kate uses are similar to the more realistic weaponry Batman is shown using in the film Batman Begins and its sequel, The Dark Knight. The most obvious examples are Kate's bladed gauntlets and her glider-cape.


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