Never a Sidekick: Exploring the Dynamic History of Batgirl

by Tim Hanley

Explores the history of Batgirlfrom her groundbreaking comics debut to her disappointing live-action appearances and beyond.



For over sixty years, every woman who took on the mantle of Batgirl has been a powerful, independent heroine, belying the sidekick status the name implies. Betty Kane, the original Bat-Girl, was a hero for young girls at a time when the genre was leaving them behind. Barbara Gordon embodied the values of the women’s liberation movement and became a powerful figure in disability representation. Cassandra Cain was a woman of color in the traditionally monochromatic DC Comics universe. Stephanie Brown was a perpetual outsider, a voice for those who never belonged but kept trying regardless.



Exploring the history of the Batgirls and their unconventional fans, Batgirl and The Dynamic History of the Heroines of Gotham City showcases the turbulent evolution of the superhero industry and its female heroines, as well as the importance of the legions of fans who pushed the genre forward to become more diverse, inclusive, and welcoming to all. Tim Hanley traces how each Batgirl dealt with a litany of mistreatment from a publisher who didn’t understand their distinct appeal and didn’t care to learn. From erasure to benchings to grievous injury and even death, Batgirl has been subject to the genre’s worst excesses—and she has not fared much better on television or in movies. However, Batgirl always comes back stronger and more resilient, and has remained a staple in the DC universe for decades. A must-read for fans new and old, Batgirl and Beyond is a tribute to an iconic character and a call to action for media to better embrace and represent female heroes.

Genres: Nonfiction, Pop Culture, Superheroes, Comics, History

216 pages, Hardcover

Published December 17, 2024

About the author

Tim Hanley is the author of Wonder Woman Unbound and Investigating Lois Lane. He is also a comic book historian. His blog, Straitened Circumstances, discusses Wonder Woman and women in comics, and his column "Gendercrunching" runs monthly on Bleeding Cool. He has contributed to several comic book sites, including DC Women Kicking Ass and Women Write About Comics.

Reviews

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Instead of making my friends listen to my rants about The Killing Joke I'm just going to make them read this book instead.

[Martin Maenza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rowman and Littlefield provided an early galley for review.

Back in 2020, I read Hanley's Betty and Veronica: The Leading Ladies of Riverdale and enjoyed it a lot. Since I have always been a Batgirl fan (from my very first exposure to her through Yvonne Craig's portrayal on the 1960's Batman show and from various comic book appearances including the short but important-to-me run of Batman Family in the 1970's - both of which get devoted chapters early on in the book), I was certain I would find this one interesting as well.

As a long-time comic fan, much of Hanley's details were very familiar to me. I found his discussion points to be solid and well-researched. He covers key plotlines in detail, siting issues and dates and including several key cover images. Reading this also reminded me how much I hated The Killing Joke when it was released, and hearing the behind the scenes comments from editorial and the creators does little to change that view even decades later.

The periods covering later Batgirls (Cassandra and Stephanie) as well as Batwoman were less familiar to me. The book provided a nice incentive for me to go back to check out those runs.

Overall, Hanley does a fantastic job with the history; comic fans and fans of the Gotham heroines who shared the Batgirl name will appreciate his work.

[Ben A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tim Haley's Batgirl and Beyond is a compelling look at the heroine's that Gotham City has had over sixty plus years. I was always a big fan of Batgirl, the Birds of Prey and always gave most of the titles featured at least a shot. It was eye opening to say the least finding out some of the behind-the-scenes details around many of the comics I've read over the years. It was both fascinating and infuriating all at the same time. Very well done and I can't wait to see what topic the author chooses to cover next.

Special Thanks to Rowman & Littlefield and Netgalley for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.

[Kim (BritishLass929) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t read much nonfiction. I have to have a genuine interest in the subject. Batgirl fits that bill. As a little girl, I first discovered her from Batman 66 reruns. A cute redhead on a purple glittering motorcycle that was a librarian in real life? Sign me up! I was hooked. A few decades later I launched myself full force into comics. My new obsession led me to other Batgirls - not just Barbara Gordon, but also Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown.

When I became ill about a decade ago cooing with daily unceasing pain I again turned to DC. I discovered Babs had graduated after being shot to her other alter ego Oracle. My love for her grew still further. I grabbed what I could and devoured her recent return. It also reminded me when I taught myself to code. During this period I also discovered Gail Simone who created Burnside Batgirl. I have read several of her other characters for both independent companies and the other comic company but her Batgirl was a breath of fresh air. Yes she was younger but she was relatable, colorful and bright. I didn’t know how much Gail did behind the scenes until I read this book. It is not an exaggeration to say she is now a personal hero.

This book was a no brainer for me. While it isn’t the most engrossing read, it was still informative. It is obvious that Hanley is a comic collector and historian. The book is extensively researched including not just the comics themselves but also the ripples throughout other media. My comic TBR has exploded with back issues and arc I must read. Thank Goodness DC Comics now has an electronic subscription service.

In addition the book also illuminates DC editorial staff through the years. Honestly they are a mess. Being primarily a novel reader I don’t give much thought into editors or their work. With comics however it is a whole other ballgame. The editorial staff decides which characters exist. They are the gods of the industry. I never really considered how their policies and in some cases belief systems actually affected the entire comics line. I discovered to me severe disappointment that one of my favorite writers let their conservative ideas affected the treatment of some of my most loved characters. It is sad but also part of the business.

But the biggest part of the book shows exactly how the demographics of DC Comics have at times eliminated the voices of women. This breaks my heart. I had expected it in the early days, but to realize exactly how much occurred shocked me. But once I thought about it, I really wasn’t surprised. Looking at the way things are now trying to be rebuilt does indeed give me hope for their future. The EIC is finally a female. The latest plotlines seem interesting.

This book is an interesting read for anyone obsessed with Batgirl in all her many incantations. Hanley clearly lives comics and his research shows me that even if Gotham itself may always be dark, there is always a light out there somewhere. Usually in the form of a Bat.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions expressed here are mine and mine alone.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I need to get this out there: I liked Alicia Silverstone’s Batgirl. I think their biggest misstep was not making her Barbara Gordon daughter of commissioner Gordon. I’ve been a fan for a long time of Batgirl in film and TV.

This book is a granular, yet expansive look at her history in comics, film, and TV. I enjoyed the subject, and would recommend it to anyone who wants to deep dive in everything Batgirl or Batwoman.

Thank you, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, for this ARC.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm still angry they cancelled the Batgirl movie.

When I started reading this, I more or less thought to myself...okay, this reads like am impassioned Tumblr rant by a Barbara Gordon superfan, that's cool. I didn't really think it would be my thing, but I was determined to keep reading, and I'm glad I did.

Because once I got past all the history, and dug into the stuff I remember, the stuff I was alive for, the moments that I've actually read, shone under a new light by Tim Hanley, I went: oh, shit! They seriously do underestimate and belittle every character that has been Batgirl!

Barbara was shot, assaulted, and paralysed. Cass was the victim of both racism and ableism - in-book and in real life. Steph was murdered and came back only to be erased from existence a year after picking up the Batgirl mantle. That's not getting into the many ways Helena, Charlie, and Bette have been let down by DC over the years.

And like?! DC treats its female writers like garbage (yes, yes, I know, water is wet) in addition to treating its female characters like garbage.

And actresses who have played the Batgirls over the years have been bullied by both fandom and the media, including Alicia Silverstone, Morgan Kohan, Ella Jay Basco, Anna Lore, and most recently Leslie Grace.

AND THEY CANCELLED THE DAMN MOVIE ANYWAY!

Anyway. This book basically just reawakened my inner angry feminist for how DC, fandom, and the media treat Batgirl, whether it be the characters wearing the cowl or the actresses who play her. It made me angry at old school comic writers for upholding the patriarchy and angry for the newer writers trying to dismantle it while worker under the mandate that Batgirl must be sexy at all times. Even when she's showing you the scars the Joker left her with!

I hope I can find a physical copy of this book someday because I made so many annotations on my ebook.

[rose ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

tim hanley’s never a sidekick is an engaging (and often enraging) history of batgirl. it’s an eye-opening, meticulously researched look at not only the heroines who have taken on the mantle of batgirl over the years, but the broader treatment of female characters (and fans) by the comic book genre.

one of my bookish resolutions for 2025 is to start reading comics, and never a sidekick left me with several potential starting points. i don’t read nonfiction often enough (something else i’m changing in 2025!) and my knowledge of superheroes comes primarily from the MCU (~2008-2019), but hanley’s writing was accessible and enjoyable even for a relative newbie—i look forward to seeing what topic he covers next.

thank you to netgalley and rowman & littlefield for the eARC!

rating: 4.0/5.0 stars

[Ethan Sleeman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Batgirl!!! Enjoyed reading this and the celebration of one of my favorite heroes.

Did a good job highlighting the importance Batgirl has had culturally in terms of representation (for women, for people with disabilities, for AAPI people, etc.), as well as calling out all the many ways that the largely-male DC establishment consistently undervalued both the character and her fandom. Did leave me wanting a bit more robust examination of what makes the character Narratively interesting in-world; maybe that’s another book.

Also a good time to encourage everyone to go read the recent ‘Batgirls’ run, it’s everything good about comics and they never should have ended it.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Rowman & Littlefield Publishers for this history and appreciation of one of the most maligned superheroes in comic history, who like the song when knocked down, gets up again, because nothing is gonna keep her down.

I have been a comic reader for a very long time. I have seen things that people wouldn't believe. Single issue comic books becoming long epic multi-issue stories. Sidekicks killed by popular vote, only to return again later. Trinity characters dying, being reborn, and even entire comic lines Reborn. Ups and downs in the industry, an industry that seems to be a niche market no matter how many billions of dollars the movies based on these comics do. One reason for this, and has alway been ignoring half of the readers who might be interested. Women have been treated horribly in comics, and this has extended to trying to draw in women readers. I never understood this as X-Men had strong, powerful women, and nobody complained about a Storm or Kitty Pryde story taking place or stealing panels from Wolverine. DC comics though, always had a problem with women characters. Depowering Wonder Woman for one. And the treatment of a character with almost 60 years of history, and a large fanbase. Batgirl. Passed over, resigned, disgraced and disabled, reborn again. This character has faced everything that bad writers and comic creators with strange quirks can throw at her. Even a movie was erased. And yet, in every iteration, her character thrives. And this book explains why. Batgirl and Beyond: The Dynamic History of the Heroines of Gotham City by writer and comic historian Tim Hanley is a look at the character of Batgirl, the many faces in media and characters who have shared the cowl, and why even after all this time, Batgirl has to defeat more than a Rogue' Gallery of villains, but the disrespect and inherent disinterest of those who crafted her adventures.

The book covers more than Batgirl, going into the history of Batwoman, and Bat-Girl, Orphan, Spoiler, Huntress and others who influenced or even in some cases were Batgirls. The characters of Batwoman and as originally written Bat-girl, were added to the Batman comics as romantic foils for Batman and Robin, mainly because of the writings of one man in his book Seduction of the Innocent, made the Dynamic Duo seem like a gay couple. The original Bat-girl disappeared about the early 60's and it was not DC comics that brought her back, but a need to get more watchers for the camp Batman television show. A woman might bring more males to gawk, and women to watch. Barbara Gordon was introduced into the comics, and became a popular character, though she was soon pushed to the background, even missing huge comic events like Crisis on Infinite Earths and others. The book covers all these events, including cartoons, movies, television shows, and more featuring the character over the years, and how many at DC did not know what to do with Batgirl, and how her character suffered.

A really encompassing history of the characters, and the many people who have been Batgirl. What I enjoyed most that this was not a fan rah rah rah story. This was a real telling of a whole lot of misogyny in the industry, and though the characters seems to have more appreciation now, the canceling of a movie that cost close to 100 million dollars does say something. Really could it have been as bad as Black Adam? Hanley looks at the history, the creators who tried to do things, and the other people at DC who did not seem to care. I will never understand why an industry that complains and try so many stupid things does not reach out to the audience that wants to read their product, but the product is too spandex tight to break into.

This is the first book by Tim Hanley that I have read, but I really enjoyed this take, his writing style, and his research. Hanley also goes into a lot of stories, telling what to avoid, the problematic take on a few creators, and stories that one should read to understand what Batgirl is. A beacon to get up, keep going, be true to yourself, and be true to your friends. Something Batman will never be.

[Stephanie P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley, Tim Hanley, and Rowman & Littlefield for allowing me to read an advanced reader copy of Batgirl and Beyond in the return of an honest review. I received an advanced reader copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Barbara Gordon as Batgirl/Oracle is one of my favorite characters in the DC universe. I adore her personality and various character archs throughout the years. This book is a fantastically laid out history of the women who took up the mantle of Batgirl, like Babs, Cassandra Cain, and Stephanie Brown. It also talks about how the group Birds of Prey was formed. I highly recommend this book to DC comic book fans and lovers of Batgirl.

[Carissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

DC's done Batgirl dirty for decades.

[kavi · Rating 4 out of 5]

really good analysis of everything wrong with dc editorial. made me feel validated because finally, my opinions were being verified by academic sources (book my friend found off google scholar) and not rebuked by people on twitter.com calling me a snowflake for thinking misogyny bad. i've been a batgirl fan for probably over 10 years at this point and i was thoroughly horrified and regrettably deeply unsurprised the whole time.

i wish there were more depth nearing the end regarding cassandra and stephanie's journeys but for what we got, really enjoyable. i had a great time!