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Betty Kane was the first Bat-Girl, the niece and sidekick of Batwoman. She had a crush on Robin.

Origin & Early Adventures

Betty Kane was the niece of Kathy Kane, who secretly operated as the Batwoman of Gotham City, an occasional ally of Batman and Robin. She had figured out Batwoman's secret identity after noticing her convenient absences. One day, while visiting her aunt, she convinced her aunt to let her fight crime as her sidekick. Making her own costume, Betty would become Bat-Girl and undergo training alongside Kathy. Kathy hoped that her niece would soon lose interest; however, Betty would prove herself again and again, and, despite being captured by the Cobra Gang, she would help Batman, Batwoman and Robin defeat the gang and earn the right to continue acting as Bat-Girl someday.[1] During her adventures with Batwoman, Bat-Girl would develop a romantic interest in Batman's sidekick Robin.

In her next adventure, Bat-Girl would aid Batman, Robin and Batwoman in combating the Moth, earning the villain's ire when she would be the one to capture him and gain the media's attention. The Moth then broke out of prison to get revenge. Batman and Batwoman would send Robin and Bat-Girl out of town only to get captured and be rescued by their young sidekicks.[2] Bat-Girl would try to show her affections for Robin and be rejected because Robin was committed to another woman. The jealous Bat-Girl would then attempt to win Robin's favor with the aid of Bat-Mite, however, she was captured by a gang, forcing Bat-Mite to reveal his involvement and aid Robin in rescuing her. Bat-Girl was partially relieved to hear that the woman Robin was committed to being Lady Justice.[3]

When an alien from another dimension would come to Earth and threaten Gotham City, Batman, Batwoman, Robin and Bat-Girl would attempt to stop the creatures. Robin and Bat-Girl would find themselves banished to the aliens' dimension. There, Bat-Girl would once more press Robin to share feelings with her, Robin would begin to warm up with her before they would return to Earth and help Batman and Batwoman turn away the invaders.[4] When a feud between Clayface and the Joker would cause a series of crimes in Gotham City, Bat-Girl would aid Batman, Robin and Batwoman in capturing the Joker so that Batman could pose as him and capture Clayface.[5] When extraordinary circumstances find Batman turned into a genie and forced to do the bidding of two crooks, Robin and Bat-Girl would team-up to stop the crooks and free Batman.[6]

This would be Bat-Girl's last adventure with Batman and Robin for a number of years as she and her Aunt Kathy would retire from costumed adventuring for a time. She would be succeeded by Barbara Gordon who would take on the mantle of Batgirl.

Titans West

Over the years, Betty became a renowned tennis champ but came out of retirement sometime later and be recruited in the west coast incarnation of the Teen Titans, the newly formed group would work together with their east-coast counterparts (reuniting her with Robin) in battling Mr. Esper.[7][8][9] Also during this period, Betty would meet her successor Barbara Gordon,[10] and be present at the wedding of Wonder Girl and Terry Long.[11] Her activity as a super-hero would often take a back seat to her tennis career.

Crisis on Infinite Earths

Although Bat-Girl was not directly involved in the Crisis on Infinite Earths,[12] she like many of those who had interactions with the Earth-One Batman were erased from existence when the multiverse collapsed into a single universe. She is survived by her New Earth counterpart Flamebird.

With the creation of a new multiverse, the universe designated New Earth (or Earth-0) resembles Earth-One in many respects, however, it is unrevealed at this time if this universe will have its own incarnation of Bat-Girl.

Imaginary Tales

In an imaginary tale written by Alfred Pennyworth, Batman would ultimately marry Batwoman and Robin would take Batman's place as Batman II, taking Bruce Wayne's son Bruce Wayne Jr. as Robin II. Also in this tale, Betty Kane would return to Gotham City and take up the mantle of Batwoman II. When Batman II and Robin II would be kidnapped, Bruce Wayne would come out of retirement to try and rescue them from Milo and Hippo Barnes and be captured himself. He would be rescued by Batwoman II who would learn his secret identity. The two would then work together to save Batman II and Robin II and capture several underworld bosses.[13]


Abilities

  • Athletics: She was a professional tennis player.
  • Hand-to-Hand Combat (Basic): Bat-Girl, like Batwoman, is trained in Judo.[14]
  • Gadgetry: During adventures, Bat-Girl uses a number of gadgets, seemingly of her own design.[4]
  • Science: Betty has shown that she is adept enough at science to be able to perform a chemical analysis and subsequently identify the compound by its scientific name and know for what purpose it is used.[1]
  • Gymnastics (Basic): As part of her training, Betty learned to walk a tightrope to improve her balance.[1]
  • Electrical Engineering: Bat-Girl is trained enough in electronics to be able to quickly disarm bombs.[2]
  • Sewing: Betty fashioned her own Bat-Girl costume by herself.[1]

Equipment

  • Utility Belt: Bat-Girl wears a utility belt containing a few gadgets for her to use during adventures.
    • Batrope: Bat-Girl used Batrope to swing around or to use as a lasso against targets.[1] Bat-Girl has also been shown to use Batarangs attached to Batrope as grappling hooks.[8]
    • Smokescreen Hairspray: This canister can emit a billowing smokescreen in moments.[6]
    • Crime Compact: One of her signature items, the Crime Compact contains a number of Bat-Girl's smaller gadgets.[1]
      • Self-inflating Balloons: In her heroic debut, Bat-Girl used self-inflating balloons to distract enemies while she closed in. The balloons had cartoonish, menacing faces on them to assist in taking away the criminals' attention. When fully inflated, the rounded balloons would be at least twice the size of the adult men she used them against.[1]
      • Perfume Bombs: Bat-Girl withdrew a small bottle that emitted a large cloud of perfume when thrown and smashed on the ground to stall a tiger from attacking a civilian by using the aroma to distract it.[3]
      • Luminous Ink: Bat-Girl keeps a bottle of luminous ink in her Crime Compact, which she once used to leave a trail for her allies to follow when she allowed herself to be captured by crooks.[3]
      • Entangling Lipstick: From the seemingly ordinary tube of lipstick springs coiling, metallic tendrils that can ensnare foes. Through a single use, Bat-Girl was able to entangle three enemies.[4]


  • This version of Bat-Girl, including all history and corresponding appearances, was erased from existence following the collapse of the original Multiverse in the 1985–86 Crisis on Infinite Earths event and later restored following the rebirth of the infinite Multiverse during the Dark Crisis of 2022-2023. Even though other versions of the character may have appeared, this information does not apply to those versions.
  • Although it was confirmed in The Brave and the Bold #182 that Kathy Kane (Batwoman) existed on both Earth-One and Earth-Two, no Earth-Two counterpart to Betty (Bat-Girl) was ever mentioned. However, when Alexander Luthor attempted to recreate the multiverse and temporarily brought a version of Earth-Two back into existence, numerous superheroes who are now native to New Earth but who prior to the original Crisis on Infinite Earths were actually native to Earth-Two were transported there. Betty Kane appeared in this group. This would seem to suggest that Betty Kane corresponded to an Earth-Two original.
  • After the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Betty was re-imagined as Mary Elizabeth Kane, better known as Flamebird. Most of her early crime-fighting history as Bat-Girl was removed from continuity. It was mentioned that she had an "Aunt Kathy",[15] but it was not specified whether this was the same as Kathy Kane who was believed to have been killed by the Bronze Tiger.[16] After Infinite Crisis, it was established that Bette Kane's aunt was the original Batwoman (Kathy Webb Kane), and her cousin was the new Batwoman (Kate Kane).

Related

Footnotes



Batman Allies
Batman Family member
DC Rebirth Logo

This character is or was an incarnation of or an ally of Batman, and a member of the Batman Family. This template will automatically categorize articles that include it into the "Batman Family members" category.

The team playing cards
Titans West member
DC Rebirth Logo

This character is or was a member of the Titans West in any of its various incarnations. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Titans West members" category.

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