Preferred identity for Betty / Bette Kane?

[MajorHoy]

I like Flamebird name and costume better than Hawkfire, the costume not so bad it's pretty modern and streamlined, but the name is awkward, I always want to say Firehawk

[mib86]

I know almost nothing about her character, is it true that at some point in her history she retired as a superhero to play tennis? If so, I think it will be a great way to reintroduce her character: a world-famous professional tennis player who was once a member of the batfamily and the Titans and somehow she will be called into action again ...
she should be in Dick and Barbara's generation

[Riv86672]

I know almost nothing about her character, is it true that at some point in her history she retired as a superhero to play tennis? If so, I think it will be a great way to reintroduce her character: a world-famous professional tennis player who was once a member of the batfamily and the Titans and somehow she will be called into action again ...
she should be in Dick and Barbara's generation

If I remember right at least one version of her was kind of an ascended fan girl, trying to impress Dick Grayson. She was never taken very seriously.

It was during a 2000 Beast Boy mini series that she said to hell w. Dick and revamped her costume (a glorious redesign), showing what she could actually do if she were serious…:






Bette’s always reminded me of Marvel’s Nighthawk of Defenders fame (birds of a feather), in that there’s a lot there but it’s rarely ever touched on.

[Oberon]

Bette has been seriously MIA for way too long, and if nothing else, Kate should have realized this.
But perhaps Kate either doesn't value you Bette very much at all, has no real respect for the skills, training or resources that Bette did have prior to their association, mostly detailed in the "Elegy" storyline. Or does she?
So my idea is that Bette has been victimized during West Point. Perhaps someone did the date-drug on her and she was otherwise left in a bad state, beaten and drugged - but not impregnated.
Now the officials are trying to keep Bette, from a well-known family, from telling her story and otherwise trying to find her accuser (this could be a conspiracy with gang rape or other horrid things).
But since Kate is either occupied or not really aware this has happened, Bette may reach out to the traditional Bat Family.
Her story could move their as a way of reinvigorating it overall.
The Bat Family would have an interesting new dynamic if a old/new person showed up, with ties to Bruce and Dick from long ago and also was the first "Bat-girl" which could have a new dynamic with Barbara or the other Batgirls.
They could rescue Bette from West Point and give her some support afterwards. But various romantic (Dick?) or other tensions might arise to create new storylines or plot developments.

[MajorHoy]

NOTE: Thread / poll was created in April of 2021.

With 43 people having voted,

* Flamebird = 34 votes
* Bat-Girl = 3 votes
* Hawkfire = 3 votes
* "I don't care what they call her" = 2 votes
* "DC needs to come up with a new identity for her" = 1 vote

[TheRay]

Definitely Batgirl.

[Caivu]

Bette has been seriously MIA for way too long, and if nothing else, Kate should have realized this.

MIA? Realistically, she's just doing her five years at some Army base in Texas or whatever.

But perhaps Kate either doesn't value you Bette very much at all, has no real respect for the skills, training or resources that Bette did have prior to their association, mostly detailed in the "Elegy" storyline. Or does she?

Kate doesn't want Bette being a vigilante because Bette has plenty of opportunities in her life. She's one of the few family members she has left, and for Kate being a vigilante is very much a last resort sort of thing.

So my idea is that Bette has been victimized during West Point. Perhaps someone did the date-drug on her and she was otherwise left in a bad state, beaten and drugged - but not impregnated.
Now the officials are trying to keep Bette, from a well-known family, from telling her story and otherwise trying to find her accuser (this could be a conspiracy with gang rape or other horrid things).
But since Kate is either occupied or not really aware this has happened, Bette may reach out to the traditional Bat Family.

Aside from Bette being graduated by now... you want her abused again?

[TheRay]

Barbara is Oracle already in Young Justice and they have introduced Bette. I think it would be a great way to reintroduce Bette as Batgirl.

[OBrianTallent]

We really dont need another Bat-girl...even a hyphenated one (Bette's code-name was hyphenated.) Flamebird on the other hand is cool and fun and exciting or should be....if she were used. Ben Raab had a fantastic handle on her character and made her fun. Unfortunately Ben is nowhere to be found in comics land any more. (Likewise, Justiniano was did a fantastic Flamebird, but well...he wont be drawing anything any time soon.)

[MajorHoy]

We really dont need another Bat-girl...even a hyphenated one (Bette's code-name was hyphenated.) Flamebird on the other hand is cool and fun and exciting or should be....if she were used. Ben Raab had a fantastic handle on her character and made her fun. Unfortunately Ben is nowhere to be found in comics land any more. (Likewise, Justiniano was did a fantastic Flamebird, but well...he wont be drawing anything any time soon.)

And before Betty/Bette went by Flamebird, the name was used by Jimmy Olsen and then Ak-Var (both while in the Bottle City of Kandor in pre-CoIE continuity) while it was later used by a few others, almost always somehow in a connection with Krypton . . . except for Bette.

[Restingvoice]

She hasn't appeared anywhere again?

[MajorHoy]

She hasn't appeared anywhere again?

I thought she showed up in Dark Nights: Death Metal Trinity Crisis and One-Star Squadron?

[Oberon]

There is a homage panel including her in one of these Metal/Teen Titans things. That was all, so it is considered canon, that she was Bat-girl around the time that Batgirl existed (but briefly)

[Oberon]

And before Betty/Bette went by Flamebird, the name was used by Jimmy Olsen and then Ak-Var (both while in the Bottle City of Kandor in pre-CoIE continuity) while it was later used by a few others, almost always somehow in a connection with Krypton . . . except for Bette.

I've always felt there could be an obvious Krypton / Kandor connection.
Silver Age story Batman: Prisoners of 3 Worlds, Bette and the existing family (Aunt Kathy, Robin and Batman) are exposed to weird gases (Morrison later says it gave Bats trips that explain the weird Silver Age) and Bette being the youngest, recovers poorly. Bruce consults with Superman who knows about extra terrestials (where they came from in the Batman story) and Superman effects a cure, possibly consulting with Kandorian scientists?
Later Superman tells both Robin and Betty/Bette the legend of the Nightwing and Flamebird - and this is canon of a sort, though that story happened about 20 years ago in Superman.

I could actually see a lot of holes to fill in and possibilities.

[OBrianTallent]

And before Betty/Bette went by Flamebird, the name was used by Jimmy Olsen and then Ak-Var (both while in the Bottle City of Kandor in pre-CoIE continuity) while it was later used by a few others, almost always somehow in a connection with Krypton . . . except for Bette.

Doesn't mean it has to be. Nightwing was only used in relation to Superman/krypton prior to Dick Grayson adopting it. Bette just needs a writer to take her seriously and use her well and not as a joke or fodder for plot advancement.