Batwoman

Batwoman
Kate Kane as Batwoman on the variant cover of Detective Comics #860 (Dec. 2009). Art by Alex Ross.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	(Kathy Kane): Detective Comics #233 (July 1956) (Kate Kane): 52 #7 (June 2006)
Created by	(Kathy Kane): Edmond Hamilton Sheldon Moldoff (Kate Kane): Geoff Johns Grant Morrison Greg Rucka Mark Waid Ken Lashley
In-story information
Alter ego	Katherine "Kathy" Webb-Kane Katherine Rebecca "Kate" Kane
Team affiliations	Batman Family (Kathy Kane): Spyral (Kate Kane): Batman Incorporated D.E.O.
Notable aliases	(Kathy Kane): Headmistress Katrina "Luka" Netz
Abilities	Highly skilled martial artist Highly skilled detective Utilizes high-tech equipment and weapons

Batwoman
Promotional art for Batwoman #1 (September 2011). Art by J. H. Williams III.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
Schedule	Monthly.
Format	Ongoing series
Genre	Superhero
Publication date	September 2011 – April 2015
Number of issues	40
Creative team
Writer(s)	Greg Rucka J. H. Williams III W. Haden Blackman Marc Andreyko
Artist(s)	J. H. Williams III Jock Amy Reeder Jeremy Haun

Batwoman is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. In all incarnations, the character is a wealthy heiress who becomes inspired by the superhero Batman and chooses, like him, to put her wealth and resources towards a war on crime as a masked vigilante in her home of Gotham City. The identity of Batwoman is shared by two heroines in mainstream DC publications; both women are named Katherine Kane, with the original Batwoman commonly referred to by her nickname Kathy and the modern incarnation going by the name Kate.

Batwoman was created by writer Edmond Hamilton and artist Sheldon Moldoff under the direction of editor Jack Schiff, as part of an ongoing effort to expand Batman's cast of supporting characters. Batwoman began appearing in DC Comics stories beginning with Detective Comics #233 (1956), in which she was introduced as a love interest for Batman in order to combat the allegations of Batman's homosexuality arising from the controversial book Seduction of the Innocent (1954). 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 had never existed, though her alter ego Kathy Kane continued to be referred to occasionally.

After a long hiatus, Batwoman was reintroduced to DC continuity in 2006 in the seventh week of the publisher's year-long 52 weekly comic book. Reintroduced as Kate Kane, the modern Batwoman began operating in Gotham City in Batman's absence following the events of the company-wide crossover Infinite Crisis (2005). The modern Batwoman is written as being of Jewish descent and as a lesbian in an effort by DC editorial staff to diversify its publications and better connect to modern-day readership. Described as the highest-profile gay superhero to appear in stories published by DC, Batwoman's sexual orientation drew wide media attention following her reintroduction, as well as both praise and criticism from the general public.