CRISIS...and the very first Bat-Girl!

Before CRISIS came to the DC universe, the character of Flamebird (Bette Kane) existed as the very first Bat-Girl (Betty Kane). In her early teens, Betty Kane would learn of her Aunt Kathy Kane's secret identity as Batwoman while on a visit. Excited about her discovery, Betty donned a red and green costume (similar to Robin's) and called herself Bat-Girl. On her very first outing as Bat-Girl, Betty helped her aunt and Batman and Robin against the evil Cobra King and the Cobra gang. In her time fighting beside Robin, Bat-Girl developed an innocent crush on the boy wonder. The early years had Bat-Girl become more of a romantic foil for Robin than a heroine in her own right.

Batwoman and Bat-girl eventually retired from professional crimefighting. Betty went on to establish herself as a professional tennis player. It was during a tennis match aboard a U.S. naval ship that Betty Kane came out of retirement and assumed the role of Bat-Girl once again. She would face the villain Captain Calamity along with other teen heroes (Lilith, Golden Eagle, Hawk & Dove, and Beast Boy). This congregation of young heroes decided to remain together and called themselves Titans West, knowning the Teen Titans existed on the east coast. However, Titans West would not last long and soon disbanded. It was around this time that Betty Kane learned of the death of her aunt Kathy by the hands of the League of Assassins. It is beleived that her aunt's death caused Bat-girl to hang up her costume once again. Betty Kane made her last appearace, as herself, at the wedding of Donna Troy (Wonder Girl) and Terry Long.

Crisis On Infinite Earths was a 12 issue maxi-series that would simplify DC's "multiverse", where many Earths existed with different DC heroes in them. Crisis would destroy all universes, but one. At the end of the Crisis only one universe and one Earth would exist. This Earth would then hold all of DC's characters and kill off some redundant heroes(the Earth 2 Superman) as well as some major heroes (The Flash a.k.a. Barry Allen). Unfortunately Bat-Girl (Betty Kane) was considered a redundant character and therefore was erased from existence. Barbara Gordon became the one and only Batgirl at this time. With the exeception of Lilith, all members of Titans West never existed as well.

It was not until Post-Crisis that artist/writer George Perez brought Titans West back with altered origins for each member. "Betty Kane" was now Mary Elizabeth "Bette" Kane a.k.a. Flamebird. Robin (Dick Grayson) became the motive for Bette's crimefighting career as Flamebird. It seemed the crush on Robin still existed and would later be carried to the extreme by other writers. Flamebird was turned into joke amongst the heroes of the DC Universe. As Batman tried to do to Batwoman before the Crisis, Nightwing (formerly Robin) tried to get Flamebird to quit her career in crimefighting (see Beast Boy #3). Instead writers Geoff Johns & Ben Raab made that scene the pivotal point in Flamebird's redemption as a true hero. Now with a new costume and attitude, Flamebird strikes out at injustice with more determination than ever!