Lesbian Superhero Gets Her Own Comic Book Series

DC Comics heroine Batwoman, who was originally introduced in 1954 and then reintroduced as a lesbian in 2006, is finally getting her own series later this year.

Batwoman, whose her alter ego is wealthy socialite Kate Kane, has recently been the lead feature in Detective Comics, while Batman (Bruce Wayne) has been lost in time. Her starring role in that series was all part of DC’s strategy.

"I'd like to think of it as not a big step, but really something that's well deserved," said Dan Didio, DC's executive editor.

"We had some negativity at the early stages when we first introduced her, but people have really embraced the character over the past three years."

“We wanted to make sure she was introduced properly and that people got to know the character,” said Dan DiDio, who is co-publisher of DC Comics with Jim Lee. “The response has been so strong that we decided to spin her out to her own series.”

The Detective stories, by Greg Rucka and J.H. Williams, received a GLAAD Media Award last month for Outstanding Comic Book and included a look at Ms. Kane’s past service in the military and her discharge for being a lesbian.

The move by marks the first ongoing series by a major comic book publisher with a lesbian character in the title role.