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At the moment Huntress cannot be considered to be an official member of the Family. Batman: Gotham Knights is the new Batman ongoing title that replaced Shadow of the Bat from January 2000 onwards. Knights seems to have been designed to act as a Batman Family title. The seventies Batman Family series was an anthology featuring stories about the different members of the family, it didn't tell team up stories between the various members of the family. The name Gotham Knights had actually been around for some years before the new title started: in Batman: The Animated Series it was the name of a football team; prior to that it was the name of a baseball teamin the American League, Eastern Division (according to the Atlas of the DC Universe, 1990, which is a role-playing sourcebook so the name may not have been used much, if at all, in the comics). Vic Sage: "...It comes back to you and the Batman. Don't you see it? He created you by setting an example. And as with all parents you struggle against him, seeking both approval and liberation." Knights, on the other hand, isn't an anthology it's a normal 22 page lead story with an 8 page black and white backup. The lead stories will feature stories that involve Bats and other members of the family, although not every issue will feature other heroes. Batman: "You don't think family's important to him[James Gordon]? Especially now after losing his wife? What makes you think he'd be more concerned with them [Babs real parents] than with you?"
No Man's Land also saw the introduction of a new Batgirl. There are now other characters that also have their own titles who aren't part of the family, Catwoman was the first Batman supporting character to receive their own series in the nineties expansion, although both The Joker and The Huntress had previously had their own ongoing series. Another Batman character has been given an ongoing series that will be starting soon, Harley Quinn. Everyone's favourite character from the animated series was introduced into the DCU proper during No Man's Land. Neither of them are members of the family because they are both villains. Birds of Prey is also produced through the Batman editorial offices but Black Canary isn't part of the family; Canary has appeared in various Bat titles from time to time but has probably too much history with other characters in the DCU. Black Canary was a founding member of the Justice League in current continuity and is a member of the new Justice Society. Lest it be forgotten, there are other characters who play crucial supporting roles in the Batman Family, Alfred Pennyworth and Leslie Thompkins. Catwoman has also worked with various members of the Bat Family, mainly because whenever there is a major crossover in the Bat titles every ongoing series ends up being involved at some point: see Knightsend, Contagion, Legacy, Cataclysm and No Man's Land. |
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2000 Andrew Johnstone