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Batwoman (Kate Kane) Reading Order

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Batwoman Reading Order (Kate Kane)

Once upon a time, during the early Silver Age of Comics, there was the first Batwoman named Kathy Kane. Created by writer Edmond Hamilton and artist Sheldon Moldoff, she was introduced in 1954 as a female counterpart to Batman, accompanied by her side-kick Bat-Girl, and as a love interest for Batman. She was introduced in response to allegations of Batman’s homosexuality that arose after the publication of “Seduction of the Innocent” in 1954. Kathy Kane never became a significant character and was eventually removed from the comics. She was erased from history during “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” until the events of Infinite Crisis, which established a new Universe, introduced a new incarnation of Kathy Kane.

But this is not the Batwoman that interests us today. The one we are focusing on today is called Kate Kane. Created by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid, Ken Lashley, she made her first appearance in 52 #7 as a modern reinterpretation of the original Batwoman.

Katherine Rebecca “Kate” Kane is a wealthy heiress, a lesbian, and a cousin of Bruce Wayne. Inspired by the superhero Batman, she decides to take on the role of a masked vigilante to fight crime in her hometown of Gotham City as Batwoman. Her profile grew over time, and she starred in her own ongoing series as well as had a significant role in “Detective Comics.” She even became part of the Arrowverse with her own television series where she was played by Ruby Rose.

Discover now our Batwoman reading order, guiding you through the essential comics and story arcs featuring Bruce Wayne’s cousin!

Where to Start Reading Batwoman Comics?

With its DC Compact Comics line, DC Comics is working hard to make its universe and its heroes and villains more accessible to new readers. The collection is presented in a smaller format at a more affordable price. Batwoman’s first run in Detective Comics from the creative duo of Greg Rucka and J.H. Williams III (with coloring by Dave Stewart) will soon be available in this new format and it is a great story to becoming more familiar with Kate Kane alias Batwoman!

Another great starting point and a highlight of Batwoman’s adventures in the DC Universe is Batwoman’s first ongoing series, following up Greg Rucka’s run, by J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman. A little bit of warning, this run was unfortunately cut short by the editors and the planned conclusion was never realized.

Those two runs have been reprinted together in the Batwoman Omnibus:

  • Batwoman Omnibus
    Collects Detective Comics #854-863, Batwoman #0 (New 52), Batwoman #0-24, and Batwoman Annual #1.

The Complete Batwoman Comics Reading Order

Optional: Batwoman Begins! With Renée Montoya (2006-2008)

As mentioned earlier, Kate Kane, aka Batwoman, made her debut in 52, DC Comics’ weekly anthology series that tells real-time, year-long stories of our heroes after the events of Infinite Crisis, when Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman disappeared from the headlines. Kate appears as a supporting character in Renée Montoya’s story. Though she has a limited presence, these issues established her relationship with Renée and the Bat-Family

  • The 52 Omnibus
    Collects the 52 issues! Kate Kane/Batwoman appeared in #7, #9, #11, #28, #30, #33, #36, #48, #52.
  • The Question: Five Books of Blood
    Only present in issue #3 but a nice conclusion for the duo. Collects: Crime Bible: The Five Lessons Of Blood #1-5

Final Crisis! In possession of the Anti-Life Equation, Darkseid is determined to remake mankind in his dark image and destroy reality itself in the process. Can the most powerful superheroes on Earth–and across the Multiverse!–stop the madness?

The character plays a minor role in this big story, as she becomes corrupted by the Anti-Life Equation during Final Crisis: Revelations (2008) #2. From there, she continues to appear in this The Question/The Spectre team-up series as a mindless henchwoman, as well as in Final Crisis #3-7. For more details, check out our Final Crisis Reading Guide.

Batwoman Reading Order

Batwoman Comics by Greg Rucka (2009-2010)

Possible Starting Point! After playing a supporting role in Renée Montoya’s story for about three years, Kate Kane eventually headlined her own stories in Detective Comics. Greg Rucka and J.H. Williams III’s run on the character explores her origin story and introduces the villainess Alice, inspired by Alice in Wonderland.

Her relationship with the Batfamily also expanded during that period, from her encounter with BatDick and Robin to her first meeting with Bruce Wayne as Batman in Incorporated–all by Grant Morrison.

Batwoman Reading Order

Batwoman during New 52

Possible Starting Point! A new dark, edgier era started with New 52. Batwoman is mostly unaffected by this DC reboot, her story continues in her new ongoing series from J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman. Here, she “faces deadly new challenges in her war against Gotham City’s underworld–and new trials in her personal life.”

This is the start of a new chapter for Kate Kane as Marc Andreyko takes over as the main writer for the Batwoman comics. In this run, she ‘faces a threat that might just have her rethinking her career as a hero.’ However, it’s worth noting that this run is not particularly popular among fans.

Batwoman Reading Order

Batwoman in DC Rebirth

Possible Starting Point! Following the conclusion of Flashpoint, the DC Universe was rebooted once more, leading to a new era called Rebirth. Batwoman became a big part of Tynion’s Detective Comics, as a co-leader of a team Batman has assembled to form the next generation of Gotham heroes! At the same time, Kate Kane is also the star of a new ongoing series, with writer Marguerite Bennett telling a self-contained story exploring Batwoman’s past.

All of Detective Comics stories written by James Tynion are available in one big omnibus:

After the end of the Batwoman comics and her time in Detective Comics, Kate Kane made guest-starring appearances in multiple titles during the City of Bane, Year of The Villain, and more.

Joker Batman New 52 Reading OrderLike the other members of the BatFamily, Kate Kane took part in The Joker War, see reading order here.

Batwoman Reading Order

Kate Kane during the Infinite Frontier/Dawn of DC Era

While DC introduced a new relaunch, this era is a direct continuation of the previous one for the Bat-Family, with James Tynion IV’s run on Batman concluding in another crossover event, Fear State (reading order for the event here). Like many members of the Bat-Family, Kate Kane played a small role in Fear State and continues to have a recurring presence in Detective Comics afterward

Batman and Catwoman clashed in the bad event Batman/Catwoman: The Gotham War, which involved most of the Bat-Family, including Batwoman. The story isn’t worth checking out —especially since Kate Kane is mostly a background character. Following this event, Batwoman and Luke Fox start their next adventure, taking charge of a new version of the Outsiders. In this new series, they embark on an archaeological mission, ‘digging into all the forgotten corners of DC’s history to preserve, record, and better understand the true nature of the DC Multiverse.’ Written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, the title is described as ‘Planetary in the DC Universe’.

The Story continues…

Batwoman Reading Order

Discover more Batfamily Comics!

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