As Batwoman? Or as a character with her own mantle and support cast?
Because at the moment she's setup to use Kate's family, and even her Batsuit. The various Batgirls all have a distinctly different look to their Batsuits, largely involving color scheme.
Replacing Kate as Batwoman in the comics means either killing her just to make room for Ryan, disabling her just to make room for Ryan, or giving her a new mantle just to make room for Ryan. See how that ultimately worked out with Barbara Gordon and Barry Allen - because they eventually got their mantles back, with Kate it would be the same. Ryan would have to get her own mantle eventually anyway, so better to just start with one.
Compare to other relative newbies Duke Thomas and Harper Row:
-Own unique mantle and suit
-Own support cast
-Own niche in the Bat-Family: Duke has powers and works by daylight, Harper knows electrical engineering
-Not a direct replacement of any existing character: which means they didn't come at the expense of an existing fanbase
Mary Hamilton is a reinterpretation of Bette Kane, they can't co-exist unless one is rebooted into the other. They could both be from different Earths, but that would require an ongoing of that other Earth.
When and where is Mary Hamilton? The Batwoman TV series?
I randomly remember... Young Justice Bette is older than Dick... but not by much she assured him
What's the age difference in the comic, if they have any? The impression I got in the Silver Age she's the same age
How I would fix Bette's backstory - make her Kate and Beth's little sister. Done. Still works with Kate's overprotectiveness, and Bette's always looking up to Kate. One of the side-effects would probably be an added level of brooding about also having a dead mother, but as is Bette doesn't seem like she has any parents at all, so.
[Edit] And I realise that creates other problems, but would still be clearer in a few ways.
Last edited by Bat-Meal; 09-22-2020 at 06:48 PM.
Personally my head canon is that she was an accidental pregnancy between her father and his girlfriend. They didn't particularly want her so they let her nanny raise her. When she was old enough they sent her to spend the summers with Kane relatives in Gotham where Bette became extremely fond of Kathy who doted on her and treated her like a daughter. Side note, I have a head canon that when Kathy faked her death she left everything to Bette including her Batcave
Mega fan of: Helena Bertinelli (pre-52), Batwoman, Birds of Prey, Guardians of the Galaxy, Secret Six
Fan of: Batman, Cassandra Cain, Wonder Woman, Silk, Stephanie Brown, Captain America, Hellcat, Renee Montoya, Gotham Central, King Shark
Quasi-Fan of: Aquaman, Midnighter, Superman, Catwoman, Nightwing, Green Arrow, Squadron Supreme, Red Hood
Other likes: Low, Hush, Arkham Asylum: ASHoSE, Watchmen, A-Force, Bombshells, Grayson, Unfollow
Team Cap (both Rogers and Danvers)
Mega fan of: Helena Bertinelli (pre-52), Batwoman, Birds of Prey, Guardians of the Galaxy, Secret Six
Fan of: Batman, Cassandra Cain, Wonder Woman, Silk, Stephanie Brown, Captain America, Hellcat, Renee Montoya, Gotham Central, King Shark
Quasi-Fan of: Aquaman, Midnighter, Superman, Catwoman, Nightwing, Green Arrow, Squadron Supreme, Red Hood
Other likes: Low, Hush, Arkham Asylum: ASHoSE, Watchmen, A-Force, Bombshells, Grayson, Unfollow
Team Cap (both Rogers and Danvers)
The mantle doesn't always return to the first person. I mean, Barbara wasn't the first Batgirl, the first Batgirl was technically Betty (although she was Bat-Girl).
You know, I wouldn't use Duke and Harper as an example to introduce succesful characters. I mean, I really understand fans of other characters are happy that they don't interfere with their favorite, but I don't think many writers have so much interest on these characters (especially Harper).
In any case, they would be proof that the lack of a recognizable mantle means writers won't have so much interest on them.