Batman, Robin and Batwoman meet “BAT-GIRL!”

BATMANVol.1,  No.139,  April 1961;  Cover Art:  Sheldon Moldoff, Ira Schnapp;  Writer:  Bill Finger;  Penciler:  Sheldon Moldoff ;Inker:  Sheldon Moldoff

At the dawn of the Silver Age of Comic Books,  DC added Batwoman as a new member of the Batman Family.  Batwoman,  in her alter ego of Kathy Kane,  was a rich heiress and socialite who had been an expert circus acrobat and trick motorcycle rider before she inherited her fortune.  Kathy built her house over an abandoned mine tunnel and used the cave as her secret base of operations.  She also created a bat-themed costume,  and numerous gadgets that she used to thwart criminals.

She became so popular that DC Comics featured her in many stories after her introduction in Detective Comics #233.  So, if Batman can have a sidekick in Robin,  why not give Batwoman a sidekick with Batgirl?  DC introduced the new Batgirl in Batman #139 in 1961 shown here and she became a regular supporting character in the adventures of a growing Batman family.  Batgirl’s alter-ego was Betty Kane,  Kathy Kane’s niece.

Big Batman THANKS and Kudos to Bill Jourdain for his expert commentary and to the talented artists and writers of DC Comics who captivated and inspired millions of readers during this magical Golden Age.  Bill Jourdain has been an avid reader and collector of comic books for over 40 years. He has an extensive collection of comics spanning the 1930s to the 1970s. Bill previously produced a podcast devoted to the Golden Age of Comic Books, has penned articles about the Golden Age for Alter-Ego magazine and Comics Now! magazine, and has maintained websites devoted to the Golden Age of Comic Books and the Golden Age of Batman. Bill resides in north Georgia with his wife and children, and somehow finds time away from comic books to practice law.