If Ryan Wilder becomes Batwoman in the comics, what should happen to Kate Kane?

[Frontier]

During Tynion's Gotham Knights run in 'Tec, a lot people kept getting the two mixed-up, I wasn't the only one on these forums annoyed by how much a lot of people couldn't tell which was which.

To reboot to a modern version of Katherine Kane, they couldn't not call her Katherine Kane, or you know, she wouldn't be Katherine Kane.

Unless Cass was supposed to be a reboot version of Katherine Kane, which I highly doubt, there was no need to use a name that was so similar phonetically. But whatever, what's done is done.

This reminds me of how the Brave and the Bold cartoon used the Kathy Kane Batwoman, but because she was basically a villain in that episode they had to change her name so she didn't reflect on the Kate Kane Batwoman.

[Tzigone]

To reboot to a modern version of Katherine Kane, they couldn't not call her Katherine Kane, or you know, she wouldn't be Katherine Kane.

Well, they rebooted several other heroes with diffrent names. Allbeit they weren't intended to be rebooted version of the same civilian-character. Which I like Kate as, as she was intended to be - though I acknowledge there is practically nothing but name and codename in common between the two characters. And is why I don't like there being both a Kathy and a Kate. And, like rebooting Wonder Woman to a rookie made Donna pre-date Diana as a hero, this made Bette pre-date Kate. That doesn't bother me, except when they put Bette in the role of sidekick to Kate. That I did not like.

With Cass there was no need to use a name that was so similar phonetically. But whatever, what's done is done.

Sure, but there was no reason not to use it, either. It was only similar to character that the vast bulk of the audience hadn't thought of in ages and the casual audience would (as far they knew) never be exposed to.

[Bat-Meal]

Sure, but there was no reason not to use it, either.

Probably used as a nod to the original Batwoman.
Rather like how I interpret the name Peter Petrelli (from Heroes) as a nod to Peter Parker - in that case though there was never any risk of the characters existing together in the same universe.

[Twice-named]

Turns out what we saw in the preview was Ryan's entire appearance in the Batgirl comic.

I hope it’s not the last. I got a kick out of her attitude. In particular, her giving Babs the finger.

[Bat-Meal]

I hope it’s not the last. I got a kick out of her attitude. In particular, her giving Babs the finger.

Why do you need her in the comics as well? She's getting an entire TV series to star in, that's more than any of the Batgirls and most of the Robins (two are in an ensemble).

[Frontier]

I hope it’s not the last. I got a kick out of her attitude. In particular, her giving Babs the finger.

Admittedly Babs came off pretty bad in that issue but if anyone deserved the finger, it was the domestic terrorist trying to talk her up.

[Twice-named]

Why do you need her in the comics as well? She's getting an entire TV series to star in, that's more than any of the Batgirls and most of the Robins (two are in an ensemble).

I'm resigned to the fact that the days of enjoying reading my favorite character (Kate) are over and have been for years. So, I'll take reading enjoyment where I can find it. When it comes to DC's comics, it's only Jo Mullein and the current iteration of the Teen Titans. I enjoyed Ryan's first appearance. So, I'd like to read more. Doesn't matter to me that she has a TV show.

[Bat-Meal]

I'm resigned to the fact that the days of enjoying reading my favorite character (Kate) are over and have been for years. So, I'll take reading enjoyment where I can find it. When it comes to DC's comics, it's only Jo Mullein and the current iteration of the Teen Titans. I enjoyed Ryan's first appearance. So, I'd like to read more. Doesn't matter to me that she has a TV show.

Each to their own.

If she didn't come at the expense of another character, I might be more inclined to give her a go, but she was literally created as a replacement to Kate. And it hasn't been done in a narratively good way like Dick taking over for Bruce, or Jason becoming Robin when Dick was done with the mantle. It's the CW saying F-you to Kate fans.

Personally I'm far more likely to check out the upcoming Harper Row series or, or read some Duke Thomas issues, because neither or those characters supplanted an existing one.

[Digifiend]

That Batwoman logo is from years before Rebirth.

Yeah, the only time Kate's not used that logo is when she was starring in Detective Comics instead of a self-titled book. The logo is as old as the character.

[Bat-Meal]

I'm resigned to the fact that the days of enjoying reading my favorite character (Kate) are over and have been for years.

She's just appeared in #12 and #13 of Batman/Superman, and looks like she'll probably be in #14 as well. She was also in #1025 of Detective Comics during Joker War, which is very recent. She was in #11 of Harley Quinn Black and White and Red, also from this year. And she was in a couple of issues of Batgirl not so long ago, but her best outing IMO was last year in #4-6 of Gotham City Monsters.

[Tsukiakari1203]

Kate Kane's name we know, Kane for Batman's creator. Katherine because of the alliteration. DC did another version of the Katherine Kane name with Cassandra Cain, which was a bad move IMHO because so many people keep getting Kate as Cass mixed-up (should have gone with a different name). Kathy Kane, then Kate Kane as the rebooted character.

Honestly I love kathy Kane (especially her niece!) and I've never mixed up Kate, Cass, and kathy. I do think that if they want to distinguish them, then maybe call Kate "Rebecca" or something? It's her middle name

[Tsukiakari1203]

I did not know people got them confused. To be fair, though, when Cass was created there was no Kate Kane and Kathy Kane hadn't existed for over a decade and hadn't even been seen for 20 years. So it would really be Kate who needed a different name (though that wouldn't have hearkened back to the original-flavor Batwoman, but that honestly might have been a good thing in retrospect).

Kathy died in 1979 and I believe Bruce met her Earth 2 version a few times after that. Kathy did exist post Crisis in some degree. Bette mentions having an aunt Kathy in Beast Boy (published 2000) and then Kate gets called "Kathy" a lot in 52

[Tsukiakari1203]

During Tynion's Gotham Knights run in 'Tec, a lot people kept getting the two mixed-up, I wasn't the only one on these forums annoyed by how much a lot of people couldn't tell which was which.

To reboot to a modern version of Katherine Kane, they couldn't not call her Katherine Kane, or you know, she wouldn't be Katherine Kane.

With Cass there was no need to use a name that was so similar phonetically. But whatever, what's done is done.

Eh, at least we got 3 kick ass characters from it

[Tsukiakari1203]

This reminds me of how the Brave and the Bold cartoon used the Kathy Kane Batwoman, but because she was basically a villain in that episode they had to change her name so she didn't reflect on the Kate Kane Batwoman.

Actually, Kathy seems to have an ban from appearing in any media. Mstery of the Batwoman wants allowed to use her, they did homage her with Kathy Duquesne though.

I hate what they did with Kathy in TBATB. I do like the rendering of the costume

[Tsukiakari1203]

Well, they rebooted several other heroes with diffrent names. Allbeit they weren't intended to be rebooted version of the same civilian-character. Which I like Kate as, as she was intended to be - though I acknowledge there is practically nothing but name and codename in common between the two characters. And is why I don't like there being both a Kathy and a Kate. And, like rebooting Wonder Woman to a rookie made Donna pre-date Diana as a hero, this made Bette pre-date Kate. That doesn't bother me, except when they put Bette in the role of sidekick to Kate. That I did not like.

YES! I also hate how they made Bette be Kate's sidekick! They should have been partners. That's what Bette wanted after all. I don't mind Bette predating Kate as a hero. It's fine by me.