The 1990s has become a surprisingly important decade for Batman. This decade saw the publication of two major Batman comic events – Knightfall & No Man’s Land. Both of them would have major influences on the character and mythos for years to come. Speaking of Knightfall, this decade would see the introduction of Jean-Paul Valley AKA Azrael who would take up the Batman name during that event. No Man’s Land saw the introduction of Cassandra Cain, the second woman to take up the Batgirl mantle. And the character who would star in the first Batgirl solo title. Tim Drake would be the star in the first solo Robin title which started during Knightfall. Let’s not forget Batman in other media. The film “Batman Returns” would become a fan favorite in the years following its initial release. The animated film “Batman: Mask of the Phantasm” was sorely overlooked but has become known as one of the best – if not the best – Batman movie. And of course, the show “Batman: The Animated Series” was highly popular and has become known as one of the greatest cartoon shows of all time.

The animated show is relevant to what this article is taking a look at. While the show’s biggest influence on the comics was creating Harley Quinn, there was another character that the show created that would make the jump to the medium. A character that when it comes to the regular citizens of Gotham, is probably the best representation of the best the city has to offer. That character is the cop, the vigilante, the badass known as…Renee Montoya.

As mentioned, she was a character that was created by the animated show, as a cop (and later detective) of the GCPD. But she actually was preemptively introduced Batman #475. Kind of similar to how the Adam West Batman show asked DC Comics to create a female character – Barbara Gordon as Batgirl – to see how people would react before introducing her on the show. It would later be established that she is the daughter of immigrants from the Dominican Republic, along with her brother. When she was later promoted to detective, her partner was Harvey Bullock. While he was a grouchy character, and someone who didn’t mind bending the rules to solve a case, Montoya was a sort of counter-balance. She’s someone who was supportive of Batman. In fact, she would later admit she became a cop partly because she was inspired by him.

During the events of No Man’s Land, Montoya was one of the cops who remained in the abandoned city of Gotham along with Commissioner Gordon. It was during this era should would act as the middle man between the remaining GCPD and Two-Face’s gang. Maintaining an uneasy alliance to help keep the peace in what has become Gotham. There were moments of genuine partnership, especially in the early days when Two-Face found himself helping out the people in the aftermath of the earthquake and Renee would lend a hand. Things were more tense as No Man’s Land went on however. Even reaching the point where Two-Face would capture Gordon and put him on trial for what her perceived as wrongdoing. Renee would convince Two-Face to actually execute a fair trial where the Harvey Dent persona of Two-Face would defend Gordon. The situation ended with Gordon being released.

Despite Gordon doing some morally questionable things during No Man’s Land and even refusing Batman’s help in the beginning, Renee would stick by his side and offer support. Which is why later on, after Gotham rejoined the US, she found herself on the brink of the abyss. Gordon had been shot, seriously injured. Renee went out to try and track down the shooter and seek vengeance. Thankfully she was stopped by Bullock before she could do anything. But it turned out that Harvey had leaked the shooter’s identity to the mafia when it was discovered the assailant was a part of the Witness Protection Program. This would result in him no longer being a cop. Some hated Bullock for doing what he did, others stuck by his decision. Renee was stuck in the middle. She was angry at what her partner did. But she can’t ignore the fact that she shared his anger at the man who shot one of their closest friends. Anger that would be fed as danger began moving in her direction.

Renee would be assigned a new partner, Detective Crispus Allen. He had more in common with Renee personality-wise compared to Bullock. All though he considered Batman a necessary evil, one that he wants to help the GCPD move away from. So he’s a little more by the books than Renee in certain areas of the job. But that won’t be a factor until later one. In the comic title “Gotham Central”, Renee found herself harassed by a rapist that ended up walking. It started with him suing her. Nothing that she probably couldn’t fight off herself. But then he and a private investigator discovered her big secret. Renee Montoya is gay and has been secretly seeing a woman named Daria. When he followed the two of them, Renee would confront him and make a threat to him if he ever went near Daria. The next morning, two major things happened. Renee’s stalker was found dead. But more importantly – a picture had been hung up in the GCPD showing her and Daria kissing. She had just been outed to the entire police force.

These two events combined and some more finer details made her the primary suspect and was put on trial for murder. Her brother – who had already known but still struggled with the knowledge – couldn’t convince their parents that Renee being gay wasn’t true. Disowned by her parents and several officers from the GCPD against her and throwing slurs at her, her only ally was Crispus Allen who was struggling to prove she was framed. But thankfully, the mastermind revealed himself as Two-Face. It turns out that he had fallen in love with Renee due to their working relationship during No Man’s Land. He orchestrated everything so that she would have nothing in her life except for him. Leaving her no option but to love him. In his delusion, he believed that her love for him during her darkest hour would be enough to “overcome” her sexuality. He had captured her during her transit from the courthouse to reveal this information to her. At first she played into it to try and lower his defenses. But then she fought back, the gun in his hand dropping to the floor. Both made a move for it, but Batman finally intervened. A part of her became angry at him because she was almost at the gun. But he told her that one of them being shot and killed was not an option. Still, her anger grew despite being rescued and her name being cleared.

Renee Montoya was someone who would still help the people of her community. Someone who worked hard to do the right thing and find justice. But ever since she was outed and her parents turned their backs on her, she began to spiral. At night, she was out at bars looking for fights. She began drinking just like her former partner Bullock. One night she found herself holding a gun and crying in her home, her girlfriend Daria trying to comfort her. A slightly more productive way of exercising her anger was going after a cop from the crime investigation department, Jim Corrigan. He is c op who sells crime scene evidence on the side for some money but the GCPD could never firmly prove his illegal activities. When his side hustle put her partner Cirpus Allen in danger of losing his job, she beat the information she wanted out of him. While he was cleared, Allen was angry that now the GCPD didn’t have a case against Corrigan. Renee would discover that since then, Allen had been doing his own investigation to try and create a solid case. However, he ended up being shot and killed by the man he tried to take down.

The GCPD went all in to try and finally nail Corrigan. But he manipulated the evidence and once again walked. So during the night, after taking a few more drinks, Renee broke into Corrigan’s home. She held the gun up to him until he dropped to the ground, crying and begging her to not kill him. Despite all her anger building up all this time, through everything that had been thrown at her – she couldn’t pull the trigger. She left him to cry on the floor. The next day, she turned in her gun and badge and quit the force.

Months went by. Daria ended up leaving Renee, unable to watch her spiral any longer. That only pushed her to drink more, seek out more women for sex meaningless sex. But at least it distracted her. She no longer knew who she was or what she stood for. Her inability to become a killer also made her view herself as a pathetic version of Batman. What’s next for someone who has lost everything and everyone that she considered important? Now that’s the question. And it’s also where the faceless vigilante Charles Victor Szasz AKA The Question enters the story.

The faceless vigilante recruits Montoya as he investigates a bizarre case that touches on various aspects of the DC world. During this time, it is revealed that The Question is dying from lung cancer. And the reason he reached out to her is because he wants her to take his mantle. But in order to do that, he must go through the same kind of training he did. Which includes her looking deep into herself and confronting all of her flaws. Finding some sense of inner peace. It at first seems like a nigh impossible thing for her to do. How can someone who has gone through so much hardship – including being disowned by her own parents – find a way to move past that? But Renee found what she was looking for. And so when Charles Victor finally dies, he feels at peace knowing that he did manage to help someone he called a friend in his final days.

The woman formerly known as Detective Renee Montoya is no more. She is now The Question. Taking on the corruption of the larger world in a way she never has before. Reuniting with an old flame, Kate Kane the Batwoman, and even briefly working together to take on the Religion of Crime. The faceless woman fights for those that have been exploited and abused by those in power, feeling whole for the first time in her life.

And then DC Comics decided to shoot itself in the foot and started the New 52 initiative. The purpose of the New 52 being was to reboot the entire DC universe and start all their characters from the beginning. We don’t have time to go over the entire New 52, but here is what is relevant. Despite there being no communication on what was or wasn’t canon anymore, referencing characters or events or stories that shouldn’t exist yet, Renee was back to being a detective at the GCPD. And yet, as DC moved past the New 52, they seemed to be unsure of where they wanted Renee in her story. In some appearances she was a detective on the force. In others she was The Question, even though I’m not sure if Charles Victor is supposed to be dead. And more recently, she is shown as the being the commissioner of the GCPD. It is all very confusing. But on the bright side, no matter what role she’s occupying, she is continuing the fight against evil.

At the time this is being posted, the character is celebrating her 30th year anniversary. But the real reason I decided to write and publish this piece is to show the true strength of what DC has to offer. We often stay focused on the superheroes like Batman or Superman or Wonder Woman. Those that put on a costume and fight against unfathomable forces. But there is a plethora of characters who are much more regular citizens that have some of the more inspiring journeys that the medium has to offer. A woman struggling with her identity, dealing with everyday crime, then losing everything that once defined her only to become more confident in who she is and what she feels compelled to do. The story of Renee Montoya is one that inspires and gives hope for all of us that we can be heroic. We have the capability of fighting back against the corruption and obstacles around us. And she shows us how we can improve on ourselves.

Renee Montoya – detective, vigilante, fighter, hero.