BATWOMAN NAMED IN NYT

[MattBrady]

Hinted and teased about for months, Sunday’s New York Times (already being delivered in the New York area) confirms that DC is brining back a staple of its Silver Age: Batwoman.

The article, entitled "Straight (and Not) Out of the Comics: At DC and Marvel Comics, new heroes are gay, black, Asian and Hispanic. Get used to it," is a full- page feature on page 25 of the Sunday Arts & Leisure section on Marvel and DC’s emphasis on increasing the diversity of their respective character libraries over the past months to year-plus. NYT writer George Gene Gustines covers, among others, the attention being placed on the upcoming Black Panther/Storm wedding at Marvel and Luke Cage's key role in New Avengers, and the new Blue Beetle - a Hispanic teen - as well as Batwoman, Kathy Kane, who, according to the article: “…is a wealthy (socialite), buxom lipstick lesbian who has a history with Renee Montoya, an ex-police detective who has a starring role in 52."

According to the article, Batwoman will "appear in costume for the first time in a July issue of 52"

Eagle-eyed DC fans caught a first look at Batwoman in Infinite Crisis #7’s splash page showing a swath of new characters – wearing a costume apparently inspired by the original, Silver Age Batwoman, as well as a nod to the color scheme of Batman Beyond. According to the NYT, the costume was designed by Alex Ross. Of course, her name, an obvious homage to the Silver Age “Kathy Kane”.

Also mentioned is “the Great Ten”, a Chinese-government controlled/sponsored superhero team making their debut next month in 52. According to the article, the team includes, "the Celestial Archer, with ties to Chinese mythology; Mother of Champions, who can give birth to a litter of 25 super-soldiers about every three days; and Seven Deadly Brothers, a martial arts expert who can divide into many."

The Times piece recaps the sometimes bumpy roads comic books have taken towards diversity - including DC's 1998 series The New Guardians, the mid-90's Milestone imprint, and 2000's "Planet DC" initiative - but according to Gustines, this new emphasis/push is intended to be a "sustained one,” taking place in an alternate world that nevertheless reflects American society in general and comics readers in particular, in much the same way that they multicultural casts of televisions shows like ABC's Lost and Grey's Anatomy mirror their audiences."

"I'm glad we're at the point when they're being rolled out without flourish - not 'Minority Heroes Attack!,' " DC writer Judd Winick tells Gustines. "It's important to see them as characters and not a story line about race."

The piece is also not without some examination of the online comic book community and their reaction to change. Citing the death of the Ted Kord Blue Beetle, which paved the way for the new Mexican-American Jaime Reyes version, Gustine writes, "Fans of the old Blue Beetle posted online messages decrying his death and griping about DC's new, generally more somber direction. But comics devotees are notorious for buying titles out of loyalty, whether from completist compulsion or from a need to be able to complain about what they don't like, and DC knows it".

"It's hard to introduce any new hero DC Executive Editor Dan DiDio tells Gustines, adding that using familiar names like (like Blue Beetle and Batwoman), "gives us a leg up so they're more readily accepted, I think that's the way to go."

Look for a link to the Times piece when it appears online, and an interview with DiDio on the new Batwoman and DC's drive to diversity Sunday, here at Newsarama.com.

[red evans]

I like Alex's costume. Kinda reminds me of Batman Beyond.

evans

[BlueThunderArmy]

Dig the costume. Hope Danny D will let us know if there's an ongoing or mini in the works.

[Maus]

a "buxom, lipstick lesbian"?

oh, please...

[Batman1983]

Yeah! bring back the original and not retcon it into somebody else (Renee or Babs or Casandra). Of course this could mean the solidification of Renee taking a dirt nap by series end.

1 - lover/ex-lover who is a superhero

2 - depressed sad-sack drunk

3 - world trotting with the Question

Then again with a superhero bed-buddy and an ex-partner in the Spectre it may do DC better to keep her alive as a richly fleshed out support character.

[Matt McClain]

well we now know who Batwoman is...

[martinp]

Everything old is new again -- except for the Lesbian part.

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Buy Brand New Comics at Discount Prices

[Thomas Rhymer]

Man, that's one boring costume.

[Ken B.]

I was more annoyed with the title of the article. "Get used to it?" Wow, aren't you writing with edge mr./mrs. reporter!

I don't think the comics community has anything against diversity, they just hate seeing characters being shoehorned into places just for the sake of it and kicking their favorites to the curb (for better or worse).

[seethruhero]

What is her relationship with Batman going to be like? And with him away for the span of 52, is he not even going to know about it? I don't like when they give people the Bat or Super mantle without even adknowledging Batman or Superman.

[Violent Gorilla]

The New York Times is so hip and in your face, what with telling me to get used to heroes that aren't heterosexual caucasians. They sure showed me...something.

To their credit, at least they didn't use "BAM!" or "POW!" in the title. But it's still condescending nevertheless.

[RichJohnston]

Lying In The Gutters, December 27th 2005

GAY AWARD OF THE YEAR

This year's award for all things gay had a number of challengers. Including Mike Miller who asked if this category was even necessary. "These are comic books for goodness sake" he yelled. "I'm not even convinced this is a regular award in this annual contest, but has been included just to ridicule me and certain beliefs and expressions of those beliefs I hold" he continued.

But everyone else dismissed these concerns. Scott devised a role playing game for Mike in which he beat up himself, to keep him distracted.

The rumour that Midnighter would get a solo series, a first for a DC solo superhero book to star a gay, let alone a leather bound one caused much excitement.

But it would be the rumour, yet to even be reported by LITG, that the new Batwoman would star Kathy Kane with a newly revealed sexual preference (after Montaya was initially suggested) and would beat Midnighter to press, that got tongues wagging. "Literally, I hope" said Scott.

[LucasSiegel]

The Great Ten- doesn't that sound like the chinese superteam the X-Men faced off with when looking for the real Xorn?

I'm just excited to see a Batwoman, I would've liked it more if Renee was under the cowl, though, but I guess that's silly of me to say before reading it.

[Violent Gorilla]

Originally Posted by RichJohnston

Lying In The Gutters, December 27th 2005

GAY AWARD OF THE YEAR

This year's award for all things gay had a number of challengers. Including Mike Miller who asked if this category was even necessary. "These are comic books for goodness sake" he yelled. "I'm not even convinced this is a regular award in this annual contest, but has been included just to ridicule me and certain beliefs and expressions of those beliefs I hold" he continued.

But everyone else dismissed these concerns. Scott devised a role playing game for Mike in which he beat up himself, to keep him distracted.

The rumour that Midnighter would get a solo series, a first for a DC solo superhero book to star a gay, let alone a leather bound one caused much excitement.

But it would be the rumour, yet to even be reported by LITG, that the new Batwoman would star Kathy Kane with a newly revealed sexual preference (after Montaya was initially suggested) and would beat Midnighter to press, that got tongues wagging. "Literally, I hope" said Scott.

Damn, that was a good call.

[AdamYJ]

Isn't it just so quaint that the mainstream press still thinks this is a big deal. We've had characters of different race, ethnicity and sexual preference in comics for a while now. Even with it being DC, who people probably think of as being very conservative, we've had heroes of different types. We've had gay characters (Pied Piper, Maggie Sawyer). We've had Hispanic characters (Gangbuster, Vibe, El Diablo and not long ago it was revealed that Kyle Rayner is half-Mexican). We've had Black characters (Steel, Vixen, John Stewart, Cyborg). We've had Asian characters (Dr. Light, Katana). We've even had rather multi-racial heroes (Connor Hawke is 1/4 Black, 1/4 Korean and 1/2 White). In fact, I think comics may have surpassed real world acceptance of minorities with it's use of "Alien-Americans" and "Android-Americans" as well as "Mutants" and "Meta-Humans".

It's just so cute when the mainstream press makes a big deal out of something we've known and understood for decades.

Originally Posted by MattBrady

Mother of Champions, who can give birth to a litter of 25 super-soldiers about every three days;

What an amazingly bizarre superpower. I'm going to have to pick up that issue of 52 just to figure out how they work with that one.

[Ken B.]

I can't believe no one thought of it yet but I'll write it:

Mother of Champions, who can give birth to a litter of 25 super-soldiers about every three days - Unless they're female, in which case they're thrown into a dumpster.

[Konami Code]

I'm just glad it's not being billed as a huge controversial parody, nor as needing a mature label (e.g. Rawhide Kid).

[theduskboy]

Originally Posted by ArmyMonkey

The Great Ten- doesn't that sound like the chinese superteam the X-Men faced off with when looking for the real Xorn?

I'm just excited to see a Batwoman, I would've liked it more if Renee was under the cowl, though, but I guess that's silly of me to say before reading it.

As far as I know, the "great 10" are an old chinese myth about ten extraordinary warriors.
Anyone Chinese around here to clear this up?


I like the idea of Kathy Kane and her costume' s okay, but the high heels are just seriously stupid.
I mean, they could poke someone's eye out...
'

[1138]

*Yawn* More Silver Age masturbation at DC. There's schocking news. Who knew that the last 5 years of DC comics were so ______? I thought I was enjoying them but apparently Dan Didio knows better.

[Violent Gorilla]

Originally Posted by Ken B.

I can't believe no one thought of it yet but I'll write it:

Mother of Champions, who can give birth to a litter of 25 super-soldiers about every three days - Unless they're female, in which case they're thrown into a dumpster.

Seriously though, I have to agree that the concept is a little....well, ripe for controversial interpretation.

[wraith]

Originally Posted by ArmyMonkey

The Great Ten- doesn't that sound like the chinese superteam the X-Men faced off with when looking for the real Xorn?

Yep, Chuck Austen created a Chinese superhero team durring his recent run on X-MEN. Of course all of the Morrison fans are going to say that Morrison was being "original" with this new Chinese superhero team. I sdaid it before, and I'll say it again, Morrison is over rated and many of his so-called "original ideas" are anything but original. Hell, he even has a Collective Man type character as a member of the Great Ten.

[HartyPotter]

Originally Posted by RichJohnston

Lying In The Gutters, December 27th 2005

GAY AWARD OF THE YEAR

This year's award for all things gay had a number of challengers. Including Mike Miller who asked if this category was even necessary. "These are comic books for goodness sake" he yelled. "I'm not even convinced this is a regular award in this annual contest, but has been included just to ridicule me and certain beliefs and expressions of those beliefs I hold" he continued.

But everyone else dismissed these concerns. Scott devised a role playing game for Mike in which he beat up himself, to keep him distracted.

The rumour that Midnighter would get a solo series, a first for a DC solo superhero book to star a gay, let alone a leather bound one caused much excitement.

But it would be the rumour, yet to even be reported by LITG, that the new Batwoman would star Kathy Kane with a newly revealed sexual preference (after Montaya was initially suggested) and would beat Midnighter to press, that got tongues wagging. "Literally, I hope" said Scott.

I wonder where that interview is where Didio virtually swears that you were crazy for suggesting there was going to be a new Batwoman. For some reason I even remember him saying, point blank, that there would be NO Batwoman. It was either him or some other upper-level guy.

[krunchie]

Originally Posted by Ken B.

I can't believe no one thought of it yet but I'll write it:

Mother of Champions, who can give birth to a litter of 25 super-soldiers about every three days - Unless they're female, in which case they're thrown into a dumpster.

Wow, your ignorance is astounding.

[areacode212]

Yeah, I just opened up my copy of Arts & Leisure, and there was the new Batwoman staring me in the face, in a full-page article no less. I never expected to see the NYT getting the scoop on this particular storyline.

Anyway, I'm pretty happy that Kathy Kane will end up being the new Batwoman after all. I was not expecting that at all, and was still holding on to my "Bette Kane in a wig" theory. Hopefully this gives Renee an even bigger profile in the DCU (assuming she doesn't die by the end of 52).

[wraith]

Originally Posted by AdamYJ

Isn't it just so quaint that the mainstream press still thinks this is a big deal. We've had characters of different race, ethnicity and sexual preference in comics for a while now. Even with it being DC, who people probably think of as being very conservative, we've had heroes of different types. We've had gay characters (Pied Piper, Maggie Sawyer). We've had Hispanic characters (Gangbuster, Vibe, El Diablo and not long ago it was revealed that Kyle Rayner is half-Mexican). We've had Black characters (Steel, Vixen, John Stewart, Cyborg). We've had Asian characters (Dr. Light, Katana). We've even had rather multi-racial heroes (Connor Hawke is 1/4 Black, 1/4 Korean and 1/2 White). In fact, I think comics may have surpassed real world acceptance of minorities with it's use of "Alien-Americans" and "Android-Americans" as well as "Mutants" and "Meta-Humans".

It's just so cute when the mainstream press makes a big deal out of something we've known and understood for decades.

You beat me to the punch. Diversity is nothing new in the comic book industry.

That all being said, both MARVEL and DC have been crapping all over their minority characters (especially their characters of color). It seems to me that the only time MARVEL and DC have any interest in their non-white characters is when they want to get free publicity from the mainstream press by makig a big deal about including minority characters in their books.