The Tale of Two Bat-Women part two

Last time I mentioned about the original Bat-Woman who debuted in the 1950's who by the 1960's had been removed from the DC Universe completely.

After a brief  time in the 1971's when she was resurrected again (later to be killed of again) she would continued to be a character who had been consigned to the Earth Two world of the Bat-man of that time line.

After the events of the big DC Universe shake up in the 1980's entitled CRISIS on INFINITE EARTHS, BAT-Woman along with lots of DC Characters were completely killed off, and removed from the memory of all existing DC Heroes and many of their fans too.

However, sometimes the name Katherine Kane would pop up, more a nod to older times, but never as a Super Hero.

By the 2000's the DC Universe was again having problems. Just like the earlier times the publishers wanted to again stream line the continuity. Where the heroes had been rebooted and re aged so that they had been relevant to the 1980's, many now were starting to "show their age"  Whilst some had been allowed to grow up, ie Robin was now Night Wing, Kid Flash was now The Flash , Aqua Lad was now Tempest,  Speedy had become Arsenal and Wonder Girl was ........ well who ever the writers decided she was that week Wonder Woman, Troia, Darkstar etc etc etc    But many of the Adult heroes like BATMAN, SUPERMAN, GREEN ARROW etc had stayed the same age.

So a new rebooted was decided, this would reintroduce the 52 different worlds that had been destroyed during the original Crisis. Since the 1st Crisis the writers at DC had started to reintroduce parallel worlds over time, and some successful characters had even moved across into the main DC time line. BUT the publishers wanted to wipe the slate clean again.

And after a year of change the DC Universe was now rebooted. Losing some heroes, re writing some, deleting others. As I mentioned last time an idea was raised to return Barbara Gordon to being Bat-Girl, or a more grown up and up dated version,  an new BAT-WOMAN.  The Barbara Gordon character  had give up her "BAT" role  since she had been crippled by the Joker.

BUT Barbara was now oracle and as an unique creation herself.... ie A Crippled Crime fighter who assisted the DC Heroes, she had too many fans who would not like this change. Anyway, there was other BAT-Girls in the DC Universe. there was even another Huntress liking to Earth 2's Helena Wayne. So Barbara was left as she was.


The solution if Barbara could not be the new  BAT-WOMAN, who could.  The name Katherine Kane was suggested and was liked, but this would be a NEW character so this Katherine would not be anything like her 1950's name sake.  Well that was the original plan anyway.

Taking elements from various sources, The look of the Original Bat-Girl plus her red hair, a costume  colouring  similar to that of the successful TV cartoon "BATMAN BEYOND" and the name Katherine Kane of the 1950's Bat Woman.... a new BAT-WOMAN was born.

In the beginning not much was know about this new BAT LADY, except she was a much rougher tougher Heroine than anything that had come before.  Her Back story was originally very basic, and like modern day comics less was more for the new Kate Kane.

The NEW BAT - WOMAN original costume

This Bat-Woman was no Lady, she was designed to be more than a female side kick or damsel in distress. Where Kathy Kane of the 1950's had been all feminine and fluffy and happy to be saved by her Bat-Man, this new Kate Kane was all if not equal with the Caped Crusader...... she did not need saving, The Criminals needed saving from HER.

More about the New Bat Woman next time.

Until then enjoy !