Karen Whitfield: Story of the Bronze Age Batgirl

Before superhero conventions became massive celebrations of fandom, Karen Whitfield was already out there helping bring Batman, Robin and Batgirl directly to the fans.

This week on Back to Pop, we’re sitting down with Karen Whitfield, the Bronze Age Batgirl.

Karen traveled alongside Adam West, Burt Ward and the Caped Crusaders, appearing as Batgirl during live appearances and meeting generations of fans who knew Batman from television, animation and the comics. 

But there’s much more to Karen’s story than simply putting on the cape and cowl.

We talk about how she became Batgirl, what it was like traveling with Adam West and Burt Ward, experiencing Batman fandom from the inside, and the memories that eventually inspired her book, Batdriven West. The book chronicles her experiences getting to know the Dynamic Duo both in and out of their superhero identities and her own unexpected place in Batman history.

It’s another one of those conversations that fits exactly why Back to Pop exists: preserving the stories behind the pop culture we grew up with by talking to the people who were actually there.

The new episode with Karen Whitfield is OUT NOW.

🎙️ Watch or listen wherever you get Back to Pop.

Preserving Pop Culture One Interview at a Time.