“He Was Just a Jew!” “So Am I.”: The Queer Jewish Identity of DC Comics’ Batwoman and Harley Quinn

Two of the most prominent and iconic queer women in DC Comics, Kate Kane (alias Batwoman) and Harleen Quinzel (alias Harley Quinn) are, in many ways, two sides of the same coin. Both are denizens of Gotham, heavily affiliated with Batman, though as hero and villain, respectively. Both women were created to combat Batman’s overwhelmingly male-centric world, although to different ends; while Harley was an invention by the team of Batman: The Animated Series to diversify the lineup of female characters in the series, Kate Kane’s original version, Kathy Kane, who originated in the 1950s, was deployed as a love