Posted By Dan Greenfield on May 22, 2026 | 8 comments

The REAL beginning of the Silver Age…

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Hey, check out Bill Morrison’s 70th anniversary salute to Batwoman over here!

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By PETER BOSCH

Did you know that the Barry Allen Flash’s 1956 debut was not the start of the Silver Age? It’s true. DC even admits to this… in a way. And, no, we are not talking about the Martian Manhunter, who was a minor back-up character when he made his first appearance in 1955.

No, the first new, splashy costumed hero of the era was a she: Batwoman, who arrived on the cover of Detective Comics #233 on May 22, 1956 — two months before the July 3, 1956, release of Showcase #4, which introduced the modern Flash.

Cover art by Sheldon Moldoff

DC acknowledges Batwoman’s primacy — in a fashion — by placing Detective Comics #233 as the first issue in 2022’s Batman: The Silver Age Omnibus Vol. 1.

But whether you buy that argument or not, there’s no question that Batwoman has made an impact across her 70 years.

It’s been said many times that the creation of Batwoman came about because DC wanted to dispel the notorious Dr. Frederic Wertham’s assertion that Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson were lovers. With Kathy Kane on the scene, they were able to underscore Bruce’s position as a playboy and ladies’ man.

A latter-day illustration by Moldoff

(Coincidentally, women were on the march in 1956. And that’s meant literally. In South Africa, 20,000 women descended on the administrative capital of Pretoria in protest of apartheid laws. In Egypt, women won the right to vote. And, in the United States, women cast almost half the votes in the presidential election.)

Check out these excerpts from Batwoman’s origin story in Detective Comics #233, written by Edmond Hamilton, with art by Sheldon Moldoff (pencils) and Stan Kaye (inks).

After that premiere story, Batwoman/Kane appeared in almost 50 more tales over the next decade. Here are a number of notable Batwoman covers from that time.

Batman #105 (Feb. 1957). Art by Moldoff.

World’s Finest Comics #90 (Sept.-Oct. 1957). Curt Swan (pencils), Ray Burnley (inks).

Batman #122 (Mar. 1959). Cover art: Swan (pencils), Kaye (inks).

Batman #131 (Apr. 1960). Art by Moldoff.

Batman #133 (Aug.1960). Moldoff.

Batman #139 (Apr. 1961). Moldoff.

Batman #153 (Feb. 1963). Moldoff.

Detective Comics #318 (Aug. 1963). Dick Dillin (pencils), Moldoff (inks).

Batwoman’s final Silver Age appearance was in World’s Finest #157 (May 1966), an imaginary story in which she was wed to Wayne and the mother of teenage Bruce Jr.

It would be another 10 years before Kathy Kane reappeared in the DC Universe, by which time it was the Bronze Age. Readers discovered in Batman Family #10 (Mar.-Apr. 1977) that Kathy had given up her crimefighting career and purchased a circus. In that issue, though, crime raised its ugly head, as it is wont to do, and she teamed up with visitor Barbara Gordon as Batwoman and Batgirl, respectively.

They teamed up again in Batman Family, as well as in Freedom Fighters #14 (May-June 1978) and #15 (July-Aug. 1978).

Batman Family #14 (Oct. 1977). Cover art by Jim Aparo.

Freedom Fighters #14 (May-June 1978). Cover art by Rich Buckler (pencils) and Jack Abel (inks).

In 1979, though, DC sent a shockwave through fans by murdering Kathy Kane. In Detective Comics #485 (Aug.-Sept. 1979), she was targeted by the League of Assassins and killed, with Batman nearby. (Written by Denny O’Neil, with art by Don Newton.)

There were two more Batwoman appearances to come during the Bronze Age. However, the Kathy Kane appearing in The Brave and the Bold #182 (Jan. 1982) and #197 (April 1983) was from Earth-Two.

Then came Crisis on Infinite Earths, which appeared to wipe her from existence entirely. But she’s popped up in the 21st century, along with a Batwoman named Kate Kane.

But, that’s an article for another day.

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MORE

— The BATWOMAN-Inspired 1960s YVONNE CRAIG BATGIRL Comic We All Wanted. Click here.

— The BATWOMAN-Inspired YVONNE CRAIG BATGIRL Cover — Now With Original 1956 Trade Dress. Click here.