I saw this story this morning, and wasn’t going to comment on it, despite my long years (in the past) of comic collecting): Batwoman is back as a lesbian.

Mostly I didn’t really care, hence the lack of commenting, despite the fact that the story will, no doubt, generate a great deal of initial press and much consternation from Jerry Falwell & Co. (I mean, if Twinky-Winky’s purse was a problem, image what this will do).

My prediction is if all the character has going for her is the bat-logo and the fact that she is a lesbian, the book won’t last long. If the writing and art are good, then lesbianism or not, it will sell. Indeed, my comic-sense tells me this will probably be one of those books that is around for a few years and then fades.

Regardless of all that, I was reading James Joyner’s post on the subject and some of the comments and the following hit me. The irony of all of this is despite all the posturing about social consciousness and diversity, is that the fact of the matter is the target audience for comic books these days are males in their late teens and early twenties. The appeal to that demographic of a lesbian dressed in tights is hardly the breaking of social barriers, but the hopes of at least passing panels with hot chicks kissing and such.

And don’t think that DC doesn’t realzie that fact, nor the fact that this was a story that was going to generate much free pub.