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Batman

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Batman costume

Batman is a fictional crime-fighting hero. He was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. The character made his first appearance in Detective Comics #27 May 1939.

In his 6-page debut comic book story, "The Case of the Chemical Syndicate", wealthy, bored socialite Bruce Wayne is identified as Batman in the story's last few panels.

In Detective Comics #33 November 1939, Batman's origins are told in two pages of the 12-page story, "The Batman Wars Against the Dirigible of Doom". Here the reader is told that young Bruce Wayne saw his parents murdered by a street crook after leaving a movie theatre. Days later, young Bruce vows to spend the rest of his life warring against criminals. As the years pass, Wayne becomes a master scientist and an amazing athlete. When a bat flies through his window on a moonlit night, he decides to fight crime as the "Batman".

In Detective Comics #38 April 1940, Batman is given a boy companion called Robin the Boy Wonder. He is a young man named Dick Grayson. Grayson becomes Bruce Wayne's ward, and lives in Wayne's mansion. Wayne and Grayson fight crime together as Batman and Robin. Robin does not wear a bat suit, but a colorful tunic, tights, cape, and shoes that suggest Robin Hood's costume.

Batman and Robin are not superheros. They are ordinary men with no superpowers such as x-ray vision. They both have powerful intellects and well developed physiques. They have great knowledge about the criminal life and mind, and use many high-tech tools to fight criminals.

Batman has several friends that include Alfred Pennyworth, the butler at the Wayne mansion, and Gotham City Police Commissioner James Gordon. Batman also has bizarre enemies like The Joker, The Catwoman, The Penguin, The Riddler, and many others.

Over the years, Batman and Robin have been adapted to other media including big-budget movies, an animated television series, a 1960s live-action television series starring Adam West, and movie serials.

References[edit | edit source]

  • Batman in the Forties. 2003. ISBN 1-4012-0206-3. Reprints of comic book stories from the 1940s.
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