By Phil Perich for Before the Bat: The Gotham Podcast
So where has Montoya been on Gotham for the last few weeks? She needs to return, she is an important character in the Batman legend. The character of Renee Montoya was created for the 1992 Batman Animated series but was introduced preemptively in the comics in Batman #475.
Montoya is quickly promoted to detective and is partnered with Harvey Bullock in both the comics and the animated series.
After Bullock is promoted to Lieutenant in the comics, Montoya is becomes partners with Crispus Allen.
In the “Officer Down” storyline, Montoya is angered by a murder attempt on Commissioner James Gordon’s life and almost kills his attacker until she is convinced otherwise by Bullock, who tells her that revenge isn’t worth her career. The mentally deranged ex-district attorney Harvey Dent, aka Two-Face, becomes obsessed with Montoya, so much so that eventually he believes that the only way he can “have her” is to take everything she cares for away. To this end, he outs Montoya as a lesbian and frames her for murder.
Even though Montoya is cleared of the murder charges and Batman arrives to subdue Two-Face, the damage is done. Even though her brother accepts her lifestyle, her highly religious parents disown her. During the “War Games” storyline Montoya and Allen are ambushed by the Black Spider. Allen is forced to shoot and kill the villain. During the course of the investigation, the bullet is needed to clear Allen’s name, but is stolen to be sold by corrupt cop Jim Corrigan. In her pursuit to clear her partner’s name, Montoya beats Corrigan’s girlfriend unconscious and pulls her gun on him, attempting to get the name of Corrigan’s buyer. Once again, Montoya chooses not to kill when Corrigan begs for his life. The next day she quits the GCPD in disgust. In the 52 weekly series, Montoya is hired by the investigator hero known as the Question to investigate a warehouse he believes to be a staging ground for the crime organization Intergang to attack the city. Eventually their adventure takes them overseas and The Question takes Montoya to Nanda Parbat (which should be familiar to viewers of Arrow) to train with martial artist Richard Dragon. Montoya learns that The Question is dying of cancer and wants her to replace him as The Question. After much soul searching she eventually accepts.
Montoya later discovers her former lover Kate Kane is the target of a cult. She goes to help her even though Kate is now the hero known as Batwoman.
Renee Montoya has only been depicted in live action once, portrayed brilliantly by actress Victoria Cartagena on the TV series Gotham.
Montoya in this series is a former drug addict and former lover of Barbara Kean, the fiancée of Detective James Gordon. At first believing Gordon to be a dirty cop, Montoya and her partner Allen attempt to find evidence to arrest him, but then discover he may be the only other honest cop in Gotham. Gordon needs all the allies he can get. So where are Montoya and Allen? Share your love of the character with me by any of the following ways:
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Until next week, be good. Remember, Lady Justice is watching!