Animated World of DC Comics: Batman: Mystery of The Batwoman (2003)

With Batwoman becoming the latest DC Comics series adapted for television, I thought it'd be a good idea to take a look at an earlier iteration.

"Batman: Mystery of The Batwoman" was released on DVD and debuted on Cartoon Network in 2003, back when CN actually knew what they were doing.

The concept: Batwoman arrives in Gotham City with revenge on her mind. On one hand is Rupert Thorne (John Vernon), who has allied himself with Oswald Cobblepot, aka The Penguin (David Ogden Stiers, ex-M*A*S*H), in an effort to smuggle guns out of the country. However, as even Batman himself (Kevin Conroy) discovers, Batwoman (Kyra Sedgwick) is not just one woman, but three:

Kathy Duquesne (Kimberly Brooks), daughter of gangster Carlton Duquesne (Kevin Michael Richardson), who holds her father responsible for her mother's death. The name is a call-back to comics' original Batwoman, Kathy Kane.

Roxanne "Rocky" Ballantine (Kelly Ripa), a computer genius who's out to get Penguin & Thorne after they framed her fiancee.

Sonia Alcana, a Gotham City police detective who is the new partner of Harvey Bullock (Robert Costanzo). Batman rescued Sonia from a fire nine years earlier, and she & Roxanne were college roommates.

If the design of Batwoman's costume looks familiar, it should, as it was modeled after the Batman suit used on Batman Beyond, except the costume is grey with a red Bat-emblem, instead of black.

This marked the only time, up until The Batman premiered a couple of months later, that singer-songwriter-actor Paul Williams didn't voice Penguin, though Stiers does a good job of covering for him here. Bane (Hector Elizondo) figures into the plot as well.

Here's a trailer:



I find it disappointing that there wasn't a sequel. This was a sweet 75 minute thrill ride. If you don't already have the DVD, don't despair. It's currently streaming online on the CW Seed website.

Rating: A+.