Vicki Vale

Few characters capture the glamour and tenacity of the Golden Age quite like Vicki Vale, who made her debut in Batman #50 in 1948 under the hands of Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Lew Sayre Schwartz. A fixture of Gotham's world ever since, she's shared the page with Bruce Wayne, Robin, Alfred Pennyworth, Commissioner Gordon, and Dick Grayson across nearly eight decades of Batman and Detective Comics stories — enduring company that speaks to her staying power at the very heart of the Batman mythos. With three key-issue appearances to her name and a publishing history stretching from the Golden Age all the way to 2026, Vicki Vale is no mere supporting player but a genuine constant in one of comics' most celebrated corners. If you're building a serious Batman collection, she's a name you'll keep encountering — and one absolutely worth seeking out.