The Vigorous Vicki Vale!
- Brin Walsh
- Jun 7
- 4 min read
The Marilyn Monroe-inspired, Lois Lane-esque new character!
When modern audiences think of Vicki Vale, they usually think of a pushy female reporter, convinced Bruce Wayne is Batman though having no evidence, mostly played for comedy. That is, if they think of her at all.
But, once upon a time, she spent a decade as the primary love interest of Batman!
Victoria “Vicki” Vale, a reporter (don’t ask me for what publication, it is NOT written consistently) with a nose for a story, has her origins in Hollywood! According to Batman’s co-creator Bob Kane, when he was going to a meeting about the 1949 Batman and Robin serial, he ran into a young Marilyn Monroe. According to the story, this inspired him to create a character based on that impression, both for the comics and for the serial!
Vicki made her debut in Batman #49, in October 1948. Ironically, the same issue as the debut of Jervis Tetch, aka Mad Hatter! She met Bruce first, in a society gathering, before meeting Batman later and developing a hunch they were one and the same. She attempted to craft a trick to force a reveal that they were one and the same, but Batman was smarter, and it didn’t work.
This cycle would continue, as that appearance kicked off a series of frequent attempts across many, many issues by her to discover the truth. Sometimes, she’d be convinced Bruce was Batman. Other times, she just wanted to know who Batman was. Most of the time, she was romantically interested in one or both. All of the time, her attempts didn’t work.
Later, she’s phased out for a couple years, due to an attempt to make Batman free of any love interests (also around this time, Catwoman is gone). She makes a triumphant return in Batman #73 (October 1952), ironically getting closer than she ever has to uncovering the secret identities of Batman and Robin!
This kick starts another series of recurring appearances, including one in which she and Batman (specifically, Batman, not Bruce) get married! In Batman #79, (October 1953), a foreign dignitary proposes to her, and does it in a really forceful way, so to help her (and because he does kind of have feelings) he helps sell the idea that they’re married. This kicks off antics, with her acting like a wife for real a lot of the time, and though the situation is resolved in the end and they stop acting married, this sets a more love interest-esque tone for their dynamic moving forward.
From here on, Vicki continues having a heavy presence as a character, with a few small periods of absence. Most notably, when Kathy Kane is introduced, as a love interest who could be a peer to Bruce and Batman, she’s phased out with such intensity and longevity that they have to write in an in-canon explanation for her absence once she comes back. Bruce, because they were both wealthy and high-society socialites. Batman, because Kathy Kane was Batwoman!
However, eventually she returns in time for a series of many appearances in close succession, before Julius Schwartz takes over as editor of the Bat comics in 1964, and brings not only a new look (the yellow bat-symbol) but also gets rid of many supporting characters. Vicki is phased out, along with Kathy Kane, Bette Kane, Bat-Mite, and Ace the Bat Hound. Before she goes, she says she’s been in Europe, and there’s lots of direct competing between her and Batwoman for the affections of Batman.
After over a decade of absence, Vicki returns later, with less frequency a couple times. However, they’re so forgettable that later on when she is brought back again in the 80s, the 70s appearances are literally forgotten textually (they cite a “last appearance” from her from the 60s).
As time goes on, her reputation changes, from legitimate love interest to nosy reporter played for comedy, back to love interest back to comedic character. She’s constantly shifting, because she’s no longer a priority to make consistent.
In all honesty, I think in 2026 I wouldn’t bring her back as a love interest again in a modern-set story, but I’d love to see more stories set in the time when she was one. I think her time has passed, as a romantic possibility. As always, though, I’d LOVE to be proven wrong.
What would I do for Vicki instead?
I think a reporter like her, one whose direction ended up in a more comedic direction than Lois, would be most interesting in a true story of contrasts. Putting her opposite a hero known for a darker, more serious outlook on life, either as a love interest or direct foil in another way, is incredibly interesting as a concept. I’d love to have her directly paired with Azrael! A complicated, dark character introduced in the Knightfall saga in the 90s, his energy would be a fascinating counterpart to Vicki’s in my opinion.
Who do you think would be a good pairing with Vicki?
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