sterlling wrote:
Perhaps the biggest irony with Bat-woman is she was supposed to be a sort of love interest for Batman to fight the gay rumors the character had coming off of the SOTI era (if that's true) and in our times I understand she's now gay. My how times have changed...

Well Batman already had a love interest in Vicki Vale.  Batwoman was one of a whole slew of female versions of heroes that DC trucked out during the fifties.  The difference was that Batwoman stuck, whereas Robotgirl, Joanie Quick, Aqua Queen, Queen Arrow and 15 or 16 pre- Supergirls all fizzled rapidly.  I think the main purpose of all of them, besides using the same story plot over and over, was to protect trademarks.  And there was that Martin and Lewis movie with the Bat Lady....