Mae West as Batgirl precedes any of the Batgirl comic book depictions by more than a couple of decades.

I’m not sure how my fascination with Batgirl, or any depiction of a bat-winged woman began. One of my earliest childhood memories involves a Batgirl costume I wore, not just on Halloween, but all the time, everywhere. All right, I don’t mind if you laugh a little, but don’t judge! We were all four years old once, and I’m sure you have your own stack of embarrassing childhood photos you’re just twitching to share on facebook.

As I grew older, Batgirl continued to capture my fancy. I love every incarnation of her comic book character. She’s strong, smart and intuitive. Out of all comic book super heroines, I identify with Batgirl the most because I’m kind of a quiet person who has a dark secret nocturnal life.

Here’s another Batgirl who inspires me. The Gilded Bat by Edward Gorey is a story of transformation from an awkward young girl to a mysterious star.