Batwoman: The allure of the lesbian caped crusader

Originally introduced in 1956 as a love interest for Batman (whose questionable relationship with Robin had come under heavy fire), Batwoman was a camp character who accompanied the Dark Knight on many adventures before fading into comic book obscurity. When DC Comics dusted off the character in 2006, it reintroduced her as a kick-ass lesbian named Kate Kane, a former member of the U.S military who was romantically linked to Gotham City police detective Rene Montoya. Unfortunately, the comics company received a fair amount of backlash for introducing a high-profile LGBT character and plans for a Batwoman solo series were placed on hold.

Since then Batwoman has grown in popularity among both gay and straight fans alike, with the character making a number of appearances in other titles. She was even the star of a 12-issue run in Detective Comics last year, the same title where Batman made his historic first appearance in 1939.

September 14 will mark another historic achievement for DC when Batwoman #1 lands on bookshelves (and digital devices) around the world. She’ll be the first LGBT character to have her own ongoing monthly comic book from a mainstream publisher. Artist and cowriter J.H. Williams sat down with The Advocate to share his secrets on avoiding the perils and pressures that come with working on DC’s biggest gay icon and why he thinks Batwoman will continue swinging over Gotham City for years to come.

The interview can be read here.