Lesbian superhero Batwoman takes over from Batman

With Bruce Wayne being out “elsewhere”, ostensibly bumped off in the November 2008 issue, DC Comics has outed and elevated Batwoman to fight the good fight in Gotham City.

A sketch of the new lesbian Batwoman that will debut in June 2009

The red haired, voluptuous new Batwoman wears a skin-tight leather cat suit, knee-high red stiletto boots, and has a blood red bat symbol on her chest.

The Batwoman that appeared in 2006

DC Comics has described Batwoman as a lesbian socialite by night, and a superhero later at night. The new Batwoman will debut in June 2009 in DC Comics 854. The series is likely to run for at least 12 issues.

Reports have quoted writer Greg Rucka as saying that they have wanted to add a lesbian character in DC Comics for a long time. “We have been waiting to unlock her,” he said. “Yes, she’s a lesbian. She’s also a redhead. It is an element of her character. It is not her character”, Rucka said to Comic Book Resources.

While, Rucka expects a strong reaction in the media, he has said that, “If people are going to have problems with it, that’s their issue”, Rucka said. “That’s certainly not mine.”

Batwoman was first introduced in 1956 as a counterpart, love interest to Batman, with off and on appearances over the years.

Batwoman with lover Renee Montoya, former Gotham City Police Detective

In 1985, Batwoman was killed off, only to be resurrected again as Katherine “Kathy” Kane, said to be a lesbian and of Jewish descent ex-lover of former Gotham City Police Detective Renee Montoya.

The outing of Batwoman got a lot of press in 2006, generated a lot of controversy, predictably. Then, DC Comics’ has parried the critics by saying that the introduction of a lesbian character was to represent the diversity in today’s fans and to create unique characters.

While Batwoman appeared as a lesbian character since 2006, she has now been handed the reigns of a superhero in the absence of Batman. The move has earned kudos from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.