BATMAN
Batman is a fictional character, a comic book superhero co-created by
artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger (although only Kane receives official
credit) and published by DC Comics. The character made his first appearance
in Detective Comics #27 (May 1939).
Batman's secret identity is Bruce Wayne, a wealthy industrialist, playboy, and
philanthropist. Witnessing the murder of his parents as a child leads him to
train himself to physical and intellectual perfection and don a bat-themed
costume in order to fight crime. Batman operates in the fictional Gotham City,
assisted by various supporting characters including his sidekick Robin and his
butler Alfred Pennyworth, and fights an assortment of villains influenced by the
characters' roots in film and pulp magazines. Unlike most superheroes, he does
not possess any superpowers; he makes use of intellect, detective skills,
science and technology, wealth, physical prowess, and intimidation in his war on
crime.
Batman became a popular character soon after his introduction, and eventually
gained his own title, Batman. As the decades wore on, differing takes on the
character emerged. The late 1960s Batman television series utilized a camp
aesthetic associated with the character for years after the show ended. Various
creators worked to return the character to his dark roots, culminating in the
1986 miniseries Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, by writer-artist Frank Miller.
That and the success of director Tim Burton's 1989 Batman motion picture helped
reignite popular interest in the character. A cultural icon, Batman has been
licensed and adapted into a variety of media, from radio to television and film,
and appears on a variety of merchandise sold all over the world.
Batman is a fictional character, a comic book superhero co-created by
artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger (although only Kane receives official
credit) and published by DC Comics. The character made his first appearance
in Detective Comics #27 (May 1939).
Batman's secret identity is Bruce Wayne, a wealthy industrialist, playboy, and
philanthropist. Witnessing the murder of his parents as a child leads him to
train himself to physical and intellectual perfection and don a bat-themed
costume in order to fight crime. Batman operates in the fictional Gotham City,
assisted by various supporting characters including his sidekick Robin and his
butler Alfred Pennyworth, and fights an assortment of villains influenced by the
characters' roots in film and pulp magazines. Unlike most superheroes, he does
not possess any superpowers; he makes use of intellect, detective skills,
science and technology, wealth, physical prowess, and intimidation in his war on
crime.
Batman became a popular character soon after his introduction, and eventually
gained his own title, Batman. As the decades wore on, differing takes on the
character emerged. The late 1960s Batman television series utilized a camp
aesthetic associated with the character for years after the show ended. Various
creators worked to return the character to his dark roots, culminating in the
1986 miniseries Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, by writer-artist Frank Miller.
That and the success of director Tim Burton's 1989 Batman motion picture helped
reignite popular interest in the character. A cultural icon, Batman has been
licensed and adapted into a variety of media, from radio to television and film,
and appears on a variety of merchandise sold all over the world.