Flamebird

Flamebird is the name used by six different fictional comic book characters who have appeared in books published by DC Comics, specifically from the Superman and Batman mythos.

Flamebird
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Superman #158 (January 1963)
Created by	Edmond Hamilton (writer) Curt Swan (art)
Characters	Jimmy Olsen Ak-Var Bette Kane Lois Lane Kara Zor-El Thara Ak-Var

The primary character to use the Flamebird name is Bette Kane, who was the pre-Crisis hero Bat-Girl. However, the original pre-Crisis Flamebird was Jimmy Olsen, who was later succeeded by a Kandorian scientist. In post-Crisis, a Kryptonian hero used the name Flamebird, and in a "One Year Later" storyline, so has Kara Zor-El.

Flamebird characters are also often associated with characters who use the name Nightwing.

Pre-Crisis history

Jimmy Olsen

Jimmy Olsen as Flamebird, art by Curt Swan.

In pre-Crisis continuity, Flamebird is an alias used by Jimmy Olsen in adventures shared with Superman in the shrunken Kryptonian city of Kandor.^[1][2]

In Superman #166 (January 1964), the imaginary sons of Superman go to Kandor, and take on the Flamebird and Nightwing personas.

Ak-Var

Van-Zee is a Kandorian scientist who becomes Nightwing to rescue a captured Superman. His assistant Ak-Var later becomes Flamebird.^[3][4]

Post-Crisis

Bette Kane

Bette Kane as Flamebird and Dick Grayson as Nightwing, from JLA/Titans #2; art by Phil Jimenez.

For a brief time in the 1970s, Bette Kane joins Titans West as "Bat-Girl". In post-Crisis on Infinite Earths continuity, Kane never becomes Bat-Girl and instead assumes the Flamebird moniker.^[5] Furthermore, Superman and Jimmy Olsen never became Nightwing or Flamebird.^[6][7]

Kara Zor-El

Kara Zor-El as Flamebird, art by Ed Benes.

In Supergirl #6, Kara Zor-El assumes the Flamebird identity to fight crime in Kandor, alongside Power Girl as Nightwing.^{[episode needed]}

Thara Ak-Var

In Superman: New Krypton, Thara Ak-Var and Chris Kent become Flamebird and Nightwing, serving as the avatars of their namesake entities.^[8][9][10]

New 52

Following the events of Infinite Crisis, it is revealed that Bette Kane is the cousin of the current Batwoman, Kate Kane. After being injured in battle, she acquires pyrotechnic technology and becomes Hawkfire.^[11][12]

In other media

The Bette Kane incarnation of Flamebird appears in Teen Titans Go! as a potential recruit for the eponymous group.