Kid
Cardinal
Alter Ego: Katherine
(Kathy) Samantha Cummings
Place of Residence:
Gotham City
Exact Location:
Wayne Manor
Height: 5'2"
Weight: 122 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown
Age: 15
Kathy Cummings became an orphan at the age of 11. Millionaire Bruce
Wayne adopted her just days after her parents, whom he knew very well,
were killed in an airplane crash. Bruce, Kathy, and Dick Grayson,
Wayne's young ward, worked out in the gym constantly, but for about three
years, Kathy had no idea she was actually living with the famous "Dynamic
Duo."
However, on one night under a full moon, Kathy entered the study to find
a book she needed for a project while holding a baseball in her hand.
On one toss, the head of Shakespeare had come off. She thought she
had broken the statue and was about to tell Bruce what had happened when
she discovered a small red button inside the statue. Just for curiosity,
she pushed the button and then noticed the bookcase open, revealing a pair
of poles. She slid down one of them and found a mysterious cave,
which housed the Batmobile! She then realized she had found the Batcave
and, more importantly, that Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson were also Batman
and Robin.
She knew she could not tell them about finding the Batcave, but she did
tell Alfred Pennyworth, who already knew about Batman and Robin's identities.
Alfred suggested for her to become a superhero herself, so she would not
have to worry about revealing the secret. Therefore, she designed
her own costume in the form of her favorite bird, the cardinal. The
"wings" were made from the scraps of her worn-out hang glider. The
beak over her nose was made out of a special iron, lighter than nickel,
she found in the Batcave on her discovery.
For about six months, whenever Bruce, Dick, and Kathy all saw the Batsignal,
Kathy ran to the garage to get her special motorcycle, the Cardinal Cycle.
During that time, she went by the name Kid Cardinal and aided the Dynamic
Duo on several occasions. The pair and Commissioner Gordon asked
her to join the fight against crime. Although she did so without
hesitation, she felt guilty about not letting the duo know who she was
or the fact she knew about the Batcave. After stopping the Joker
from destroying Gotham City, she revealed her identity to them at Wayne
Manor and explained everything that happened.
Bruce had no anger towards her, and he allowed her to stay on board with
him and Dick. Nowadays, she fights alongside the Dynamic Duo, helping to
keep Gotham City safe from crime and corruption.