Holy Smoke! Batwoman makes her comic book comeback as red-headed lesbian

Holy Smoke! Batwoman makes her comic book comeback as red-headed lesbian

By Mail Foreign Service
Last updated at 10:58 AM on 11th February 2009

Batwoman is making her comic book comeback - as a red-haired, crime-fighting lesbian.

Billed as a 'lesbian socialite by night and a crime-fighter by later in the night,' she replaces the Caped Crusader after he was killed off in a recent issue.

Batwoman - the alter ego of Kathy Kane - is clad in a figure-hugging black outfit and knee-high red stiletto boots.


Holy Smoke! Batwoman gets a 21st century makeover as a lesbian socialite with flaming red hair

She is Detective Comics first openly gay superhero and will stalk the means streets of Gotham City from June.

Writer Greg Rucka said the introduction of a gay character was 'long overdue'

'We have been waiting to unlock her,' he told the Comic Book Resources website. 'Yes, she's a lesbian. She's also a redhead.

'It is an element of her character. It is not her character.

'If people are going to have problems with it, that's their issue. It's certainly not mine.

'My job is to write the best book I can, about a character that I think is exceptionally cool, that J.H. Williams (his co-writer) thinks is exceptionally cool, that DC Comics thinks is exceptionally cool and worthy of being the lead player in Detective Comics.

'Frankly, she should be judged on her own merits.'


Contenders? Publicity material suggests that Batwoman may not be the only candidate to take over the Gotham City beat

Batwoman first emerged from the Batcave 50 years ago, appearing intermittently before she was eventually killed off in 1979.

She was originally invented as a love interest for Batman and first appeared in her present present incarnation two years ago, sparking a slew of publicity about her sexuality.

However, her outings to date have been sporadic and this is the first time she will be the lead character in comic

Batman, whose alter ego was multi-millionaire Bruce Wayne, was killed of in November.

He met his end in a grisly fireball after battling with his enemy Mangrove Pierce on a helicopter.

However, in the time-honoured tradition of superheroes through the age, it seems unlikely fans have seen the last of him.


Revival: An early sketch for the character reveals her figure-hugging black catsuit and red boots

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1141588/Holy-Smoke-Batwoman-makes-comic-book-comeback-red-headed-lesbian.html