Detective Comics #359

History

The character's creation was a direct response to a request from Batman television series executive producer William Dozier, who wanted a new female cast member to help sell a third season to ABC. As editor Julius Schwartz recalled in his 2000 memoir Man of Two Worlds, Dozier had already sketched a scenario in which Commissioner Gordon's daughter becomes Batgirl; Schwartz then enlisted writer Gardner Fox and penciler Carmine Infantino to execute the concept. When Dozier and producer Howie Horowitz visited the DC offices and saw Infantino's rough concept art, they optioned the character on the spot. The issue carries a January 1967 cover date but was placed on sale November 29, 1966, roughly nine months before Yvonne Craig brought Batgirl to television screens on September 14, 1967 — ensuring the comics took creative precedence. Schwartz also used the occasion to quietly retire all prior appearances of Betty Kane (the original Bat-Girl) as apocryphal, by editorial edict.

Trivia · 8 facts

• First appearance and origin of Barbara Gordon as Batgirl, in the lead story 'The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl!' — written by Gardner Fox, penciled by Carmine Infantino, and inked by Sid Greene, with a cover by Infantino and Murphy Anderson.
• Barbara Gordon is introduced as the daughter of Gotham City Police Commissioner James Gordon, a head librarian and martial artist who dons a Batgirl costume for a policeman's charity masquerade ball and spontaneously intervenes when Killer Moth (Drury Walker) attacks Bruce Wayne.
• The issue was physically on sale November 29, 1966, despite carrying a January 1967 cover date — making the comic's debut several months before Yvonne Craig's television debut as Batgirl in the Season 3 premiere 'Enter Batgirl, Exit Penguin' (September 14, 1967).
• By editorial edict from Julius Schwartz, this issue retroactively rendered all prior appearances of the original Bat-Girl (Betty Kane/Bette Kane) apocryphal, effectively replacing her with Barbara Gordon as the definitive Batgirl.
• The issue contains a second story, 'Riddle of the Sleepytime Taxi!', featuring the Elongated Man (Ralph Dibny) and Sue Dibny — written by John Broome with art by Murphy Anderson, also edited by Julius Schwartz.
• The letters column in this issue includes a letter from the then-unknown future comics writer and historian Mark Evanier.
• The lead story has been reprinted numerous times, including: a 5-page excerpt in Batman #208 (1969); the DC 100-Page Super Spectacular #22; a 1997 Toys 'R' Us Special Replica Edition; the DC Millennium Edition (October 2000); the 2020 DC Facsimile Edition; the Batgirl: The Bronze Age Omnibus (2018); and Detective Comics: 80 Years of Batman (2019).
• The cover to this issue was later reimagined for the cover of Batman: Gotham Knights #43, and the story's events were formally adapted into Batgirl's post-Crisis origin in Secret Origins (Vol. 2) #20.

Cast · 13 characters

Full credits

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