Who the Clix? Batwoman

Who the Clix? is a series of articles featuring information on comic book characters that have been made into figures for the popular tabletop game Heroclix. These articles are meant to help Heroclix players learn more about the characters behind their favorite pieces.

Na na na na na nana nana:  Batwoman

For the full Who The Clix? archive, click here. If you think these articles are worth more than $0, click here.

Appearances in Heroclix:  Batman, Crisis
First Appearance: 52 #7 (August 2006)
Team Affiliations: Batman Incorporated, D.E.O., Justice League, Birds of Prey, Justice League Dark, Batman Family
Powers/Abilities:  Peak human physical condition; Enhanced senses; Trained computer hacker; Expert martial artist and hand-to-hand combatant; Expert detective; Utilizes high-tech equipment and weapons
Created by:  Geoff Johns – Grant Morrison – Greg Rucka – Mark Waid – Alex Ross

Artwork and character is copyright/trademark DC; used under Fair Use

Kate Kane is born as a set a twins with her sister Beth Kane as army brats. When the sisters are almost twelve, their father is promoted and the family moves to Brussels, Belgium. On their twelfth birthday, their mother intends to take them out for chocolate and waffles. Unfortunately on the way to the restaurant they are attacked and kidnapped. In the ensuing rescue by their father, Kate’s mother is executed and her sister is seemingly killed in the crossfire. As a result of this, Kate’s father Jacob moves back to Washington, DC with her and they lead a mostly normal life.

Kate attends the United States Military Academy and is an over-achiever while secretly carrying on a relationship with her roommate, Sophie Moore. Shortly after her class’ Ring Weekend ceremony, Kate is anonymously accused of homosexual conduct. The Brigade Tactical Officer offers Kate a deal: renounce the allegation, accept a demotion in rank and she will still graduate. Kate refuses to do this, as it would violate Honor Code, and is forced to leave the school. Her father supports her in this decision.

Kate moves back to Gotham City for college and begins the expected life of a socialite. During one crazy night, she is pulled over by young traffic cop Renee Montoya and the pair begin dating. The relationship dissolves when Renee presses Kate to find direction and Kate criticizes Renee for keeping her orientation secret. Kate is out and about to call Renee when a mugger attacks her. She is easily able to knock him out just in time for Batman to arrive. Batman leaves to help someone else and Kate is enamored.

Kate uses military gear from her father’s base as well as black market purchases to begin fighting crime. She is able to do this for a year before Jacob finds out. He offers to help her become the best she can be and she accepts, traveling the world to train with the best spec ops agents around the world. When she returns to Gotham, Kate and her father fashion a Batsuit for her as well as an arsenal of gadgets and a panic room bunker in her apartment.

Soon after, Kate and Renee run into each other again as Intergang is making a play in Gotham City. They seem ready to rekindle their romance as Intergang learns Kate’s secret identity from the Crime Bible. Kate is nearly sacrificed by Intergang when she is stabbed in the chest. However, Renee arrives in her new Question guise and is able to save Batwoman’s life. Together the pair begin fighting crime on a regular basis. Kate is infected by the Anti-Life equation and does attack Renee temporarily.
After the apparent death of Batman, Batwoman takes a greater role in Gotham City. She is the lead Bat-Family member to battle the newly risen Religion of Crime. Kate and Renee have also separated at this time and Kate’s new girlfriend misconstrues her crime fighting as an affair. This adventure reveals a woman named Alice who claims to be Kate’s long believed dead twin Beth, heading up the new chapter of the Religion of Crime.

Kate is again kidnapped by cultists and taken to London to be sacrificed. She is being lowered into the last known Lazarus Pit when Dick Grayson, as Batman, arrives in time to rescue her. Though they are able to stop the cultists, Dick plans on submerging Bruce’s dead body into the pit. Kate tries to stop him but he is too obsessed with bringing Bruce back. The body is quickly revealed as a clone made by Darkseid that goes mad and attacks all the heroes nearby.

The cultists cause a massive cave in that leaves Kate paralyzed from the waist down. IN a dangerous ploy, Kate uses morphine from Dick’s belt to overdose and die. Desperate, Dick uses the pit to resurrect Kate, which succeeds in healing her paralysis. After returning, Kate accidentally reveals her dual identity to her cousin Bette. Bette reveals that she is Flamebird and discusses wanting to team up.

Kate continues to fight crime and gain prominence, including joining a team of all female heroes formed by Wonder Woman. Eventually, Batman requests that Batwoman run a hero “boot camp” for young heroes such as Red Robin, Orphan, Spoiler and Clayface. They fight a criminal syndicate together before Kate goes off on her own again. Kate also rekindles her romance with Renee Montoya during this time. Together Renee and Kate battle Black Mask in Atlanta.

Batwoman teams up with Steel to rescue Superman and Batman who are imprisoned on the dark side of the Moon. She helps Batman in retaking Wayne Tower from the Joker’s henchmen during the Joker War. She battles the Religion of Crime again as they aid the Scarecrow and new villain, Seer. She also helps clear Harley Quinn’s name of several murders the reformed villain did not commit.

Recommended Reading:

Leave a Reply