Kathy Kane, the ORIGINAL "Batwoman", appreciation thread

[MajorHoy]

First appearance:

Detective Comics #233 (July 1956)

Death (at least of the "Earth-One" version):

Detective Comics #485 (August–September 1979)

[bretmaverick2]

THIS is the real Batwoman. Not related to Bruce. Aunt to Kathy. Lighter hearted, fun character. I was never happy that they killed her off in that Detective story.

The current Batwoman is too dark of a Batwoman for my taste.

[Caivu]

THIS is the real Batwoman. Not related to Bruce. Aunt to Kathy. Lighter hearted, fun character. I was never happy that they killed her off in that Detective story.

The current Batwoman is too dark of a Batwoman for my taste.

Why shouldn't Batwoman be a dark character like Batman is? She's not really much darker than Bruce, and Gotham characters pretty much need to have at least a little darkness.

[WonderScott]

Loved the homage to Kathy Kane in Batman the Brave and the Bold as Katrina Moldoff.


IMG_0291.jpg

[scary harpy]

Loved the homage to Kathy Kane in Batman the Brave and the Bold as Katrina Moldoff.


IMG_0291.jpg

It was a beautiful rendition of her costume.

[millernumber1]

Does Luka Netz count as part of this appreciation thread?

BatmanInc_4_Legion_CPS_020.jpg
(Batman Inc. vol. 1 #4)

Batman Incorporated (2012-2013) - Gotham's Most Wanted v2-130.jpg
(Batman Inc. vol. 2 #13)

Grayson-012-(2015)-(Digital-Empire)-024.jpg
(Grayson #12)

[MajorHoy]

When I was younger, the way I became more familiar with Kathy Kane's Batwoman (and Betty Kane's Bat-Girl) was through black-&-white reprints of some of their stories in the bargain book



A bit later, the Kathy Kane version started appearing in new stories in Batman Family aswell as in an issue of the Freedom Fighters.

[MajorHoy]

Does Luka Netz count as part of this appreciation thread?

I'd probably say "no" since she seems like a slightly different / altered version (and not very heroic).

[scary harpy]

Does Luka Netz count as part of this appreciation thread?

I'd probably say "no" since she seems like a slightly different / altered version (and not very heroic).

I'd say "yes".

She's similar to Katrina Moldoff; a darker variation of Kathy Kane.

I view it like this: at least someone did something other than ignore her!

[K. Jones]

Does Luka Netz count as part of this appreciation thread?

BatmanInc_4_Legion_CPS_020.jpg
(Batman Inc. vol. 1 #4)

Batman Incorporated (2012-2013) - Gotham's Most Wanted v2-130.jpg
(Batman Inc. vol. 2 #13)

Grayson-012-(2015)-(Digital-Empire)-024.jpg
(Grayson #12)

Sidenote, but in the final issues of Grayson, the issues by Lanzing and Kelly, Kathy confronts Helena-Dedalus and refers to herself as "Cruel Luka", the idea being that through psychological manipulation, Dedalus had developed Elisabeth to be the brains, and Kathy to be the ruthless one. BUT that said, prior to that, in Grayson # 14 - one of the final issues by Tom King and Tim Seeley (#14 "A Ghost from the Tomb II") before L & K took over to finish off those last scripts (18, 19, and 20), Tim Seeley scripted a flashback, where Dedalus specifically said his daughters names to be Elisabeth and Katarina.

So, whatever Luka is - nickname, yet another alias, such and such, and ignoring unreliable narrators (Dedalus is already unreliable because he's a supervillain, flashbacks bear some level of unreliability, and furthermore, he had Alzheimers and even his "computerized self" might misremember the past), Kathy is or seems to be Katarina in current continuity as well.

Kathy Katarina Luka Netz Webb Kane AKA Agent Zero AKA Headmistress AKA Batwoman AKA Matron AKA AKA AKA AKA ... AKA I bet she's an Aquarius.

Anyway, just ignoring all my writing out the thought-processes for a second ... the name Katarina is recent, in-con, and you know, what the hell was Luka, anyway?

[Caivu]

Wait wait wait. The original Batwoman also had a sister named Elisabeth? Just with an s and not a z? I never caught that until now.

[millernumber1]

I'd probably say "no" since she seems like a slightly different / altered version (and not very heroic).

I mean...we do have villain appreciation pages. I suggested it because it would get a newer generation of fans in. I know it could also overwhelm the OG Kathy fans' posts, though.

I'd say "yes".

She's similar to Katrina Moldoff; a darker variation of Kathy Kane.

I view it like this: at least someone did something other than ignore her!

One could say the same for many cool characters, however one dislikes some of the stuff they do. Bette Kane (Hawkfire!), etc.

Sidenote, but in the final issues of Grayson, the issues by Lanzing and Kelly, Kathy confronts Helena-Dedalus and refers to herself as "Cruel Luka", the idea being that through psychological manipulation, Dedalus had developed Elisabeth to be the brains, and Kathy to be the ruthless one. BUT that said, prior to that, in Grayson # 14 - one of the final issues by Tom King and Tim Seeley (#14 "A Ghost from the Tomb II") before L & K took over to finish off those last scripts (18, 19, and 20), Tim Seeley scripted a flashback, where Dedalus specifically said his daughters names to be Elisabeth and Katarina.

So, whatever Luka is - nickname, yet another alias, such and such, and ignoring unreliable narrators (Dedalus is already unreliable because he's a supervillain, flashbacks bear some level of unreliability, and furthermore, he had Alzheimers and even his "computerized self" might misremember the past), Kathy is or seems to be Katarina in current continuity as well.

Kathy Katarina Luka Netz Webb Kane AKA Agent Zero AKA Headmistress AKA Batwoman AKA Matron AKA AKA AKA AKA ... AKA I bet she's an Aquarius.

Anyway, just ignoring all my writing out the thought-processes for a second ... the name Katarina is recent, in-con, and you know, what the hell was Luka, anyway?

Wow, I have read the Langing and Kelly stuff, but only once, and it didn't stick as much. I'm still really curious to know how much of what was printed was in King and Seeley's plans, and what King and Seeley's plans would have actually looked like.

Wait wait wait. The original Batwoman also had a sister named Elisabeth? Just with an s and not a z? I never caught that until now.

Haha, yes. Morrison was nothing if not enjoying making everything MORE complicated. (If Morrison was involved in that - honestly, I get confused whenever I try reading his stuff. It might have been all King/Seeley/Lanzing/Kelly.)

[KurtW95]

IMO Kathy Kane Batwoman is still the best match for Bruce Wayne there is.

[Oberon]

"Real" is relative, and arbitrary. Some would say that only the Silver Age Superman was the real one.

Regardless, of course the whole era of the original Batwoman was lighter hearted and yeah, I miss that too.

I think each Batwoman can be appreciated on their own merits. I love the fact that Morrison did a retcon that offers more grit and backstory.

[Oberon]

In some ways I find her to be darker than Batman. And of course I approve.