Vicki Vale
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Vicki Vale is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe, a reporter who was the most prominent and longest lasting love interest of Bruce Wayne and his alter-ego, Batman.
[edit] In Batman comic books
Vicki Vale first appeared in Batman #49 (Oct/Nov 1948). Her role in the story was very similar to that of Lois Lane: she reported on Batman's activities for a newspaper, she was romantically attracted to Batman (and sometimes Bruce Wayne as well), and she repeatedly suspected they were the same person.
Often the plot of a story featuring Vicki Vale revolved around her suspicions regarding Batman's identity. Batman would usually manage to fool her into concluding that he was not really Bruce Wayne by the end of the story, but then her suspicions would reemerge in a later story.
Vicki Vale remained a prominent character in Batman stories from Batman # 49, in 1948, until Detective # 320 in October 1963. In 1964, Julie Schwartz became the editor of the Batman-related comics. Schwartz dropped a number of Batman's Silver Age backing characters, including Vicki Vale, Batwoman, Bat-Girl, Bat-Mite, and Ace the Bat-Hound.
Vicki Vale surfaced thirteen years later, in Batman Family # 11 (June 1977). She was now married: Mrs. Vicki Vale Powers. She was also mentioned in Batman Family #16. After that, she vanished for another five years.
She returned around 1982. The editor and writer were apparently unaware of her 1970s appearances, so there was no mention of her being married, and it was stated in a footnote that she had not appeared since Detective # 320. Supposedly she had been in Europe for years, but now had returned to Gotham City. She became Bruce Wayne's romantic interest again, earning the wrath of Catwoman in Batman # 355 (Jan 1983). She also had a rivalry for Bruce's affections with Julia Remarque, the daughter of Alfred Pennyworth and Mdme. Marie. (Julia Remarque was wiped from continuity after Crisis on Infinite Earths).
Vicki disappeared from the comics soon after the Crisis, but returned in 1989/1990. She once again began a romantic relationship with Bruce Wayne, but became upset over his frequent absences and left him for another man.
She eventually became one of the hosts of the television program The Scene, which is similar to The View. Her co-hosts included Lia Briggs, Tawny Young, and Linda Park. Two episodes were shown in which they interviewed Wonder Woman on her career, which was shown in that title comic.
Vicki Vale also plays the role of a romantic interest for Bruce Wayne in the new series All Star Batman and Robin, which is written by Frank Miller and drawn by Jim Lee as part of DC's All Star line of comics.
[edit] In Other Media
In the 1949 serial Batman and Robin, Vicki Vale was portrayed by Jane Adams.
Vicki Vale had a prominent role in the 1989 film Batman, in which she was portrayed by Kim Basinger (a last minute replacement for an injured Sean Young). Some aspects of this movie's "Vicki Vale" were influenced by 1970s Bruce Wayne girlfriend Silver St. Cloud, such as her hair color (silver, instead of Vicki Vale's red) and the fact that she learns Batman's true identity.
A character very similar to Vicki Vale appeared in 1992's Batman: The Animated Series in the form of red-haired reporter Summer Gleeson, although the connection or reason why Summer Gleason was used in Vicki Vale's place is unknown. She was portrayed by Mari Devon.
Recently, Vicki Vale appeared in the direct-to-video film, The Batman Vs. Dracula. She is portrayed by Tara Strong, and fits her typical role of intrepid reporter/Bruce Wayne's love interest. This marked her first appearance in animation.
