Как пишется бетмен или бэтмен

Batman
Cover of the DC Comics Absolute Edition of Batman: Hush (2011) Art by Jim Lee
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Detective Comics #27 (cover-dated May 1939; published March 30, 1939)[1]
Created by	Bob Kane Bill Finger[2][3]
In-story information
Alter ego	Bruce Wayne
Place of origin	Gotham City
Team affiliations	Justice League Batman Family Batmen of All Nations Batman Incorporated Wayne Enterprises Outsiders
Partnerships	Robin (various) Batgirl (various) Alfred Pennyworth James Gordon Superman Wonder Woman Catwoman
Notable aliases	Matches Malone
Abilities	Genius-level intellect Industrialist Expert detective Master martial artist and hand-to-hand combatant Master tactician, strategist, and field commander Peak human physical and mental condition Utilizes high-tech equipment and weapons

The Batman^[a] is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in the 27th issue of the comic book Detective Comics on March 30, 1939. In the DC Universe continuity, Batman is the alias of Bruce Wayne, a wealthy American playboy, philanthropist, and industrialist who resides in Gotham City. Batman’s origin story features him swearing vengeance against criminals after witnessing the murder of his parents Thomas and Martha as a child, a vendetta tempered with the ideal of justice. He trains himself physically and intellectually, crafts a bat-inspired persona, and monitors the Gotham streets at night. Kane, Finger, and other creators accompanied Batman with supporting characters, including his sidekicks Robin and Batgirl; allies Alfred Pennyworth, James Gordon, and Catwoman; and foes such as the Penguin, the Riddler, Two-Face, and his archenemy, the Joker.

Kane conceived Batman in early 1939 to capitalize on the popularity of DC’s Superman; although Kane frequently claimed sole creation credit, Finger substantially developed the concept from a generic superhero into something more bat-like. The character received his own spin-off publication, Batman, in 1940. Batman was originally introduced as a ruthless vigilante who frequently killed or maimed criminals, but evolved into a character with a stringent moral code and strong sense of justice. Unlike most superheroes, Batman does not possess any superpowers, instead relying on his intellect, fighting skills, and wealth. The 1960s Batman television series used a camp aesthetic, which continued to be associated with the character for years after the show ended. Various creators worked to return the character to his darker roots in the 1970s and 1980s, culminating with the 1986 miniseries The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller.

DC has featured Batman in many comic books, including comics published under its imprints such as Vertigo and Black Label. The longest-running Batman comic, Detective Comics, is the longest-running comic book in the United States. Batman is frequently depicted alongside other DC superheroes, such as Superman and Wonder Woman, as a member of organizations such as the Justice League and the Outsiders. In addition to Bruce Wayne, other characters have taken on the Batman persona on different occasions, such as Jean-Paul Valley / Azrael in the 1993–1994 «Knightfall» story arc; Dick Grayson, the first Robin, from 2009 to 2011; and Jace Fox, son of Wayne’s ally Lucius, as of 2021.^[4] DC has also published comics featuring alternate versions of Batman, including the incarnation seen in The Dark Knight Returns and its successors, the incarnation from the Flashpoint (2011) event, and numerous interpretations from Elseworlds stories.

One of the most iconic characters in popular culture, Batman has been listed among the greatest comic book superheroes and fictional characters ever created. He is one of the most commercially successful superheroes, and his likeness has been licensed and featured in various media and merchandise sold around the world; this includes toy lines such as Lego Batman and video games like the Batman: Arkham series. Batman has been adapted in live-action and animated incarnations, including the 1960s Batman television series played by Adam West and in film by Michael Keaton in Batman (1989), Batman Returns (1992), and The Flash (2023), Val Kilmer in Batman Forever (1995), George Clooney in Batman and Robin (1997), Christian Bale in The Dark Knight trilogy (2005–2012), Ben Affleck in the DC Extended Universe (2016–present), and Robert Pattinson in The Batman (2022). Kevin Conroy, Diedrich Bader, Jensen Ackles and Will Arnett, among others, have provided the character’s voice.

Publication history

Creation

In early 1939, the success of Superman in Action Comics prompted editors at National Comics Publications (the future DC Comics) to request more superheroes for its titles. In response, Bob Kane created «the Bat-Man».^[6] Collaborator Bill Finger recalled that «Kane had an idea for a character called ‘Batman,’ and he’d like me to see the drawings. I went over to Kane’s, and he had drawn a character who looked very much like Superman with kind of …reddish tights, I believe, with boots …no gloves, no gauntlets …with a small domino mask, swinging on a rope. He had two stiff wings that were sticking out, looking like bat wings. And under it was a big sign …BATMAN».^[7] The bat-wing-like cape was suggested by Bob Kane, inspired as a child by Leonardo da Vinci’s sketch of an ornithopter flying device.^[8]

Finger suggested giving the character a cowl instead of a simple domino mask, a cape instead of wings, and gloves; he also recommended removing the red sections from the original costume.^{[9][10][11][12]} Finger said he devised the name Bruce Wayne for the character’s secret identity: «Bruce Wayne’s first name came from Robert the Bruce, the Scottish patriot. Wayne, being a playboy, was a man of gentry. I searched for a name that would suggest colonialism. I tried Adams, Hancock …then I thought of Mad Anthony Wayne.»^[13] He later said his suggestions were influenced by Lee Falk’s popular The Phantom, a syndicated newspaper comic-strip character with which Kane was also familiar.^[14]

Kane and Finger drew upon contemporary 1930s popular culture for inspiration regarding much of the Bat-Man’s look, personality, methods, and weaponry. Details find predecessors in pulp fiction, comic strips, newspaper headlines, and autobiographical details referring to Kane himself.^[15] As an aristocratic hero with a double identity, Batman had predecessors in the Scarlet Pimpernel (created by Baroness Emmuska Orczy, 1903) and Zorro (created by Johnston McCulley, 1919). Like them, Batman performed his heroic deeds in secret, averted suspicion by playing aloof in public, and marked his work with a signature symbol. Kane noted the influence of the films The Mark of Zorro (1920) and The Bat Whispers (1930) in the creation of the character’s iconography. Finger, drawing inspiration from pulp heroes like Doc Savage, The Shadow, Dick Tracy, and Sherlock Holmes, made the character a master sleuth.^[16][17]

In his 1989 autobiography, Kane detailed Finger’s contributions to Batman’s creation:

One day I called Bill and said, ‘I have a new character called the Bat-Man and I’ve made some crude, elementary sketches I’d like you to look at.’ He came over and I showed him the drawings. At the time, I only had a small domino mask, like the one Robin later wore, on Batman’s face. Bill said, ‘Why not make him look more like a bat and put a hood on him, and take the eyeballs out and just put slits for eyes to make him look more mysterious?’ At this point, the Bat-Man wore a red union suit; the wings, trunks, and mask were black. I thought that red and black would be a good combination. Bill said that the costume was too bright: ‘Color it dark grey to make it look more ominous.’ The cape looked like two stiff bat wings attached to his arms. As Bill and I talked, we realized that these wings would get cumbersome when Bat-Man was in action and changed them into a cape, scalloped to look like bat wings when he was fighting or swinging down on a rope. Also, he didn’t have any gloves on, and we added them so that he wouldn’t leave fingerprints.^[14]

Golden Age

Subsequent creation credit

Kane signed away ownership in the character in exchange for, among other compensation, a mandatory byline on all Batman comics. This byline did not originally say «Batman created by Bob Kane»; his name was simply written on the title page of each story. The name disappeared from the comic book in the mid-1960s, replaced by credits for each story’s actual writer and artists. In the late 1970s, when Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster began receiving a «created by» credit on the Superman titles, along with William Moulton Marston being given the byline for creating Wonder Woman, Batman stories began saying «Created by Bob Kane» in addition to the other credits.

Finger did not receive the same recognition. While he had received credit for other DC work since the 1940s, he began, in the 1960s, to receive limited acknowledgment for his Batman writing; in the letters page of Batman #169 (February 1965) for example, editor Julius Schwartz names him as the creator of the Riddler, one of Batman’s recurring villains. However, Finger’s contract left him only with his writing page rate and no byline. Kane wrote, «Bill was disheartened by the lack of major accomplishments in his career. He felt that he had not used his creative potential to its fullest and that success had passed him by.»^[13] At the time of Finger’s death in 1974, DC had not officially credited Finger as Batman co-creator.

Jerry Robinson, who also worked with Finger and Kane on the strip at this time, has criticized Kane for failing to share the credit. He recalled Finger resenting his position, stating in a 2005 interview with The Comics Journal:

Bob made him more insecure, because while he slaved working on Batman, he wasn’t sharing in any of the glory or the money that Bob began to make, which is why …[he was] going to leave [Kane’s employ]. …[Kane] should have credited Bill as co-creator, because I know; I was there. …That was one thing I would never forgive Bob for, was not to take care of Bill or recognize his vital role in the creation of Batman. As with Siegel and Shuster, it should have been the same, the same co-creator credit in the strip, writer, and artist.^[18]

Although Kane initially rebutted Finger’s claims at having created the character, writing in a 1965 open letter to fans that «it seemed to me that Bill Finger has given out the impression that he and not myself created the »Batman, t’ [sic] as well as Robin and all the other leading villains and characters. This statement is fraudulent and entirely untrue.» Kane himself also commented on Finger’s lack of credit. «The trouble with being a ‘ghost’ writer or artist is that you must remain rather anonymously without ‘credit’. However, if one wants the ‘credit’, then one has to cease being a ‘ghost’ or follower and become a leader or innovator.»^[19]

In 1989, Kane revisited Finger’s situation, recalling in an interview:

In those days it was like, one artist and he had his name over it [the comic strip] — the policy of DC in the comic books was, if you can’t write it, obtain other writers, but their names would never appear on the comic book in the finished version. So Bill never asked me for it [the byline] and I never volunteered — I guess my ego at that time. And I felt badly, really, when he [Finger] died.^[20]

In September 2015, DC Entertainment revealed that Finger would be receiving credit for his role in Batman’s creation on the 2016 superhero film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and the second season of Gotham after a deal was worked out between the Finger family and DC.^[2] Finger received credit as a creator of Batman for the first time in a comic in October 2015 with Batman and Robin Eternal #3 and Batman: Arkham Knight Genesis #3. The updated acknowledgment for the character appeared as «Batman created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger».^[3]

Early years

The first Batman story, «The Case of the Chemical Syndicate», was published in Detective Comics #27 (cover dated May 1939). Finger said, «Batman was originally written in the style of the pulps»,^[21] and this influence was evident with Batman showing little remorse over killing or maiming criminals. Batman proved a hit character, and he received his own solo title in 1940 while continuing to star in Detective Comics. By that time, Detective Comics was the top-selling and most influential publisher in the industry; Batman and the company’s other major hero, Superman, were the cornerstones of the company’s success.^[22] The two characters were featured side by side as the stars of World’s Finest Comics, which was originally titled World’s Best Comics when it debuted in fall 1940. Creators including Jerry Robinson and Dick Sprang also worked on the strips during this period.

Over the course of the first few Batman strips elements were added to the character and the artistic depiction of Batman evolved. Kane noted that within six issues he drew the character’s jawline more pronounced, and lengthened the ears on the costume. «About a year later he was almost the full figure, my mature Batman», Kane said.^[23] Batman’s characteristic utility belt was introduced in Detective Comics #29 (July 1939), followed by the boomerang-like batarang and the first bat-themed vehicle, the Batplane, in #31 (September 1939). The character’s origin was revealed in #33 (November 1939), unfolding in a two-page story that establishes the brooding persona of Batman, a character driven by the death of his parents. Written by Finger, it depicts a young Bruce Wayne witnessing his parents’ murder at the hands of a mugger. Days later, at their grave, the child vows that «by the spirits of my parents [I will] avenge their deaths by spending the rest of my life warring on all criminals».^[24][25][26]

The early, pulp-inflected portrayal of Batman started to soften in Detective Comics #38 (April 1940) with the introduction of Robin, Batman’s junior counterpart.^[27] Robin was introduced, based on Finger’s suggestion, because Batman needed a «Watson» with whom Batman could talk.^[28] Sales nearly doubled, despite Kane’s preference for a solo Batman, and it sparked a proliferation of «kid sidekicks».^[29] The first issue of the solo spin-off series Batman was notable not only for introducing two of his most persistent enemies, the Joker and Catwoman, but for a pre-Robin inventory story, originally meant for Detective Comics #38, in which Batman shoots some monstrous giants to death.^[30][31] That story prompted editor Whitney Ellsworth to decree that the character could no longer kill or use a gun.^[32]

By 1942, the writers and artists behind the Batman comics had established most of the basic elements of the Batman mythos.^[33] In the years following World War II, DC Comics «adopted a postwar editorial direction that increasingly de-emphasized social commentary in favor of lighthearted juvenile fantasy». The impact of this editorial approach was evident in Batman comics of the postwar period; removed from the «bleak and menacing world» of the strips of the early 1940s, Batman was instead portrayed as a respectable citizen and paternal figure that inhabited a «bright and colorful» environment.^[34]

Silver and Bronze Ages

1950s and early 1960s

Batman was one of the few superhero characters to be continuously published as interest in the genre waned during the 1950s. In the story «The Mightiest Team in the World» in Superman #76 (June 1952), Batman teams up with Superman for the first time and the pair discover each other’s secret identity.^[35] Following the success of this story, World’s Finest Comics was revamped so it featured stories starring both heroes together, instead of the separate Batman and Superman features that had been running before.^[36] The team-up of the characters was «a financial success in an era when those were few and far between»;^[37] this series of stories ran until the book’s cancellation in 1986.

Batman comics were among those criticized when the comic book industry came under scrutiny with the publication of psychologist Fredric Wertham’s book Seduction of the Innocent in 1954. Wertham’s thesis was that children imitated crimes committed in comic books, and that these works corrupted the morals of the youth. Wertham criticized Batman comics for their supposed homosexual overtones and argued that Batman and Robin were portrayed as lovers.^[38] Wertham’s criticisms raised a public outcry during the 1950s, eventually leading to the establishment of the Comics Code Authority, a code that is no longer in use by the comic book industry. The tendency towards a «sunnier Batman» in the postwar years intensified after the introduction of the Comics Code.^[39] Scholars have suggested that the characters of Batwoman (in 1956) and the pre-Barbara Gordon Bat-Girl (in 1961) were introduced in part to refute the allegation that Batman and Robin were gay, and the stories took on a campier, lighter feel.^[40]

In the late 1950s, Batman stories gradually became more science fiction-oriented, an attempt at mimicking the success of other DC characters that had dabbled in the genre.^[41] New characters such as Batwoman, the original Bat-Girl, Ace the Bat-Hound, and Bat-Mite were introduced. Batman’s adventures often involved odd transformations or bizarre space aliens. In 1960, Batman debuted as a member of the Justice League of America in The Brave and the Bold #28 (February 1960), and went on to appear in several Justice League comic book series starting later that same year.

«New Look» Batman and camp

By 1964, sales of Batman titles had fallen drastically. Bob Kane noted that, as a result, DC was «planning to kill Batman off altogether».^[42] In response to this, editor Julius Schwartz was assigned to the Batman titles. He presided over drastic changes, beginning with 1964’s Detective Comics #327 (May 1964), which was cover-billed as the «New Look». Schwartz introduced changes designed to make Batman more contemporary, and to return him to more detective-oriented stories. He brought in artist Carmine Infantino to help overhaul the character. The Batmobile was redesigned, and Batman’s costume was modified to incorporate a yellow ellipse behind the bat-insignia. The space aliens, time travel, and characters of the 1950s such as Batwoman, Ace the Bat-Hound, and Bat-Mite were retired. Bruce Wayne’s butler Alfred was killed off (though his death was quickly reversed) while a new female relative for the Wayne family, Aunt Harriet Cooper, came to live with Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson.^[43]

The debut of the Batman television series in 1966 had a profound influence on the character. The success of the series increased sales throughout the comic book industry, and Batman reached a circulation of close to 900,000 copies.^[44] Elements such as the character of Batgirl and the show’s campy nature were introduced into the comics; the series also initiated the return of Alfred. Although both the comics and TV show were successful for a time, the camp approach eventually wore thin and the show was canceled in 1968. In the aftermath, the Batman comics themselves lost popularity once again. As Julius Schwartz noted, «When the television show was a success, I was asked to be campy, and of course when the show faded, so did the comic books.»^[45]

Starting in 1969, writer Dennis O’Neil and artist Neal Adams made a deliberate effort to distance Batman from the campy portrayal of the 1960s TV series and to return the character to his roots as a «grim avenger of the night».^[46] O’Neil said his idea was «simply to take it back to where it started. I went to the DC library and read some of the early stories. I tried to get a sense of what Kane and Finger were after.»^[47]

O’Neil and Adams first collaborated on the story «The Secret of the Waiting Graves» in Detective Comics #395 (January 1970). Few stories were true collaborations between O’Neil, Adams, Schwartz, and inker Dick Giordano, and in actuality these men were mixed and matched with various other creators during the 1970s; nevertheless the influence of their work was «tremendous».^[48] Giordano said: «We went back to a grimmer, darker Batman, and I think that’s why these stories did so well …»^[49] While the work of O’Neil and Adams was popular with fans, the acclaim did little to improve declining sales; the same held true with a similarly acclaimed run by writer Steve Englehart and penciler Marshall Rogers in Detective Comics #471–476 (August 1977 – April 1978), which went on to influence the 1989 movie Batman and be adapted for Batman: The Animated Series, which debuted in 1992.^[50] Regardless, circulation continued to drop through the 1970s and 1980s, hitting an all-time low in 1985.^[51]

Modern Age

The Dark Knight Returns

Frank Miller’s limited series The Dark Knight Returns (February – June 1986) returned the character to his darker roots, both in atmosphere and tone. The comic book, which tells the story of a 55-year-old Batman coming out of retirement in a possible future, reinvigorated interest in the character. The Dark Knight Returns was a financial success and has since become one of the medium’s most noted touchstones.^[52] The series also sparked a major resurgence in the character’s popularity.^[53]

That year Dennis O’Neil took over as editor of the Batman titles and set the template for the portrayal of Batman following DC’s status quo-altering 12-issue miniseries Crisis on Infinite Earths. O’Neil operated under the assumption that he was hired to revamp the character and as a result tried to instill a different tone in the books than had gone before.^[54] One outcome of this new approach was the «Year One» storyline in Batman #404–407 (February – May 1987), in which Frank Miller and artist David Mazzucchelli redefined the character’s origins. Writer Alan Moore and artist Brian Bolland continued this dark trend with 1988’s 48-page one-shot issue Batman: The Killing Joke, in which the Joker, attempting to drive Commissioner Gordon insane, cripples Gordon’s daughter Barbara, and then kidnaps and tortures the commissioner, physically and psychologically.

The Batman comics garnered major attention in 1988 when DC Comics created a 900 number for readers to call to vote on whether Jason Todd, the second Robin, lived or died. Voters decided in favor of Jason’s death by a narrow margin of 28 votes (see Batman: A Death in the Family).^[55]

Knightfall

The 1993 «Knightfall» story arc introduced a new villain, Bane, who critically injures Batman after pushing him to the limits of his endurance. Jean-Paul Valley, known as Azrael, is called upon to wear the Batsuit during Bruce Wayne’s convalescence. Writers Doug Moench, Chuck Dixon, and Alan Grant worked on the Batman titles during «Knightfall», and would also contribute to other Batman crossovers throughout the 1990s. 1998’s «Cataclysm» storyline served as the precursor to 1999’s «No Man’s Land», a year-long storyline that ran through all the Batman-related titles dealing with the effects of an earthquake-ravaged Gotham City. At the conclusion of «No Man’s Land», O’Neil stepped down as editor and was replaced by Bob Schreck.^[56]

Another writer who rose to prominence on the Batman comic series, was Jeph Loeb. Along with longtime collaborator Tim Sale, they wrote two miniseries (The Long Halloween and Dark Victory) that pit an early-in-his-career version of Batman against his entire rogues gallery (including Two-Face, whose origin was re-envisioned by Loeb) while dealing with various mysteries involving serial killers Holiday and the Hangman. In 2003, Loeb teamed with artist Jim Lee to work on another mystery arc: «Batman: Hush» for the main Batman book. The 12–issue story line has Batman and Catwoman teaming up against Batman’s entire rogues gallery, including an apparently resurrected Jason Todd, while seeking to find the identity of the mysterious supervillain Hush.^[57] While the character of Hush failed to catch on with readers, the arc was a sales success for DC. The series became #1 on the Diamond Comic Distributors sales chart for the first time since Batman #500 (October 1993) and Todd’s appearance laid the groundwork for writer Judd Winick’s subsequent run as writer on Batman, with another multi-issue arc, «Under the Hood», which ran from Batman #637–650 (April 2005 – April 2006).

21st century

All Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder

In 2005, DC launched All Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder, a stand-alone comic book miniseries set outside the main DC Universe continuity. Written by Frank Miller and drawn by Jim Lee, the series was a commercial success for DC Comics,^[58][59] although it was widely panned by critics for its writing and strong depictions of violence.^[60][61]

Starting in 2006, Grant Morrison and Paul Dini were the regular writers of Batman and Detective Comics, with Morrison reincorporating controversial elements of Batman lore. Most notably of these elements were the science fiction-themed storylines of the 1950s Batman comics, which Morrison revised as hallucinations Batman experienced under the influence of various mind-bending gases and extensive sensory deprivation training. Morrison’s run climaxed with «Batman R.I.P.», which brought Batman up against the villainous «Black Glove» organization, which sought to drive Batman into madness. «Batman R.I.P.» segued into Final Crisis (also written by Morrison), which saw the apparent death of Batman at the hands of Darkseid. In the 2009 miniseries Batman: Battle for the Cowl, Wayne’s former protégé Dick Grayson becomes the new Batman, and Wayne’s son Damian becomes the new Robin.^[62][63] In June 2009, Judd Winick returned to writing Batman, while Grant Morrison was given their own series, titled Batman and Robin.^[64]

In 2010, the storyline Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne saw Bruce travel through history, eventually returning to the present day. Although he reclaimed the mantle of Batman, he also allowed Grayson to continue being Batman as well. Bruce decided to take his crime-fighting cause globally, which is the central focus of Batman Incorporated. DC Comics would later announce that Grayson would be the main character in Batman, Detective Comics, and Batman and Robin, while Wayne would be the main character in Batman Incorporated. Also, Bruce appeared in another ongoing series, Batman: The Dark Knight.

The New 52

In September 2011, DC Comics’ entire line of superhero comic books, including its Batman franchise, were cancelled and relaunched with new #1 issues as part of The New 52 reboot. Bruce Wayne is the only character to be identified as Batman and is featured in Batman, Detective Comics, Batman and Robin, and Batman: The Dark Knight. Dick Grayson returns to the mantle of Nightwing and appears in his own ongoing series. While many characters have their histories significantly altered to attract new readers, Batman’s history remains mostly intact. Batman Incorporated was relaunched in 2012–2013 to complete the «Leviathan» storyline.

With the beginning of The New 52, Scott Snyder was the writer of the Batman title. His first major story arc was «Night of the Owls», where Batman confronts the Court of Owls, a secret society that has controlled Gotham for centuries. The second story arc was «Death of the Family», where the Joker returns to Gotham and simultaneously attacks each member of the Batman family. The third story arc was «Batman: Zero Year», which redefined Batman’s origin in The New 52. It followed Batman vol. 2 #0, published in June 2012, which explored the character’s early years. The final storyline before the Convergence (2015) storyline was «Endgame», depicting the supposed final battle between Batman and the Joker when he unleashes the deadly Endgame virus onto Gotham City. The storyline ends with Batman and the Joker’s supposed deaths.

Starting with Batman vol. 2 #41, Commissioner James Gordon takes over Bruce’s mantle as a new, state-sanctioned, robotic-Batman, debuting in the Free Comic Book Day special comic Divergence. However, Bruce Wayne is soon revealed to be alive, albeit now with almost total amnesia of his life as Batman and only remembering his life as Bruce Wayne through what he has learned from Alfred. Bruce Wayne finds happiness and proposes to his girlfriend, Julie Madison, but Mr. Bloom heavily injures Jim Gordon and takes control of Gotham City and threatens to destroy the city by energizing a particle reactor to create a «strange star» to swallow the city. Bruce Wayne discovers the truth that he was Batman and after talking to a stranger who smiles a lot (it is heavily implied that this is the amnesic Joker) he forces Alfred to implant his memories as Batman, but at the cost of his memories as the reborn Bruce Wayne. He returns and helps Jim Gordon defeat Mr. Bloom and shut down the reactor. Gordon gets his job back as the commissioner, and the government Batman project is shut down.^[65]

In 2015, DC Comics released The Dark Knight III: The Master Race, the sequel to Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns and The Dark Knight Strikes Again.^[66]

DC Rebirth and Infinite Frontier

In June 2016, the DC Rebirth event relaunched DC Comics’ entire line of comic book titles. Batman was rebooted as starting with a one-shot issue entitled Batman: Rebirth #1 (August 2016). The series then began shipping twice-monthly as a third volume, starting with Batman vol. 3 #1 (August 2016). The third volume of Batman was written by Tom King, and artwork was provided by David Finch and Mikel Janín. The Batman series introduced two vigilantes, Gotham and Gotham Girl. Detective Comics resumed its original numbering system starting with June 2016’s #934, and the New 52 series was labeled as volume 2, with issues numbering from #1-52.^[67] Similarly with the Batman title, the New 52 issues were labeled as volume 2 and encompassed issues #1-52. Writer James Tynion IV and artists Eddy Barrows and Alvaro Martinez worked on Detective Comics #934, and the series initially featured a team consisting of Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown, Cassandra Cain, and Clayface, led by Batman and Batwoman.

DC Comics ended the DC Rebirth branding in December 2017, opting to include everything under a larger DC Universe banner and naming. The continuity established by DC Rebirth continues across DC’s comic book titles, including volume 1 of Detective Comics and volume 3 of Batman.^[68][69]

After the conclusion of Batman vol. 3 #85^[70] a new creative team consisting of James Tynion IV with art by Tony S. Daniel and Danny Miki replaced Tom King, David Finch and Mikel Janín. Following Tynion’s departure from DC Comics, Joshua Williamson, who previously wrote the backup story in issue #106, briefly became the new head writer in December 2021 starting with issue #118.^[71] Chip Zdarsky then became the head writer with artist Jorge Jimenez returning after having previously illustrated parts of Tynion’s run. Their run begun with issue #125, which was released on July 5, 2022 and starts with «Failsafe», a six-issue story arc.^[72]

Characterization

Bruce Wayne

Batman’s secret identity is Bruce Wayne, a wealthy American industrialist. As a child, Bruce witnessed the murder of his parents, Dr. Thomas Wayne and Martha Wayne, which ultimately led him to craft the Batman persona and seek justice against criminals. He resides on the outskirts of Gotham City in his personal residence, Wayne Manor. Wayne averts suspicion by acting the part of a superficial playboy idly living off his family’s fortune and the profits of Wayne Enterprises, his inherited conglomerate.^[73][74] He supports philanthropic causes through his nonprofit Wayne Foundation, which in part addresses social issues encouraging crime as well as assisting victims of it, but is more widely known as a celebrity socialite.^[75] In public, he frequently appears in the company of high-status women, which encourages tabloid gossip while feigning near-drunkenness with consuming large quantities of disguised ginger ale since Wayne is actually a strict teetotaler to maintain his physical and mental prowess.^[76] Although Bruce Wayne leads an active romantic life, his vigilante activities as Batman account for most of his time.^[77]

Various modern stories have portrayed the extravagant, playboy image of Bruce Wayne as a facade.^[78] This is in contrast to the Post-Crisis Superman, whose Clark Kent persona is the true identity, while the Superman persona is the facade.^[79][80] In Batman Unmasked, a television documentary about the psychology of the character, behavioral scientist Benjamin Karney notes that Batman’s personality is driven by Bruce Wayne’s inherent humanity; that «Batman, for all its benefits and for all of the time Bruce Wayne devotes to it, is ultimately a tool for Bruce Wayne’s efforts to make the world better». Bruce Wayne’s principles include the desire to prevent future harm and a vow not to kill. Bruce Wayne believes that our actions define us, we fail for a reason and anything is possible.^[81]

Writers of Batman and Superman stories have often compared and contrasted the two. Interpretations vary depending on the writer, the story, and the timing. Grant Morrison^[82] notes that both heroes «believe in the same kind of things» despite the day/night contrast their heroic roles display. Morrison notes an equally stark contrast in their real identities. Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent belong to different social classes: «Bruce has a butler, Clark has a boss.» T. James Musler’s book Unleashing the Superhero in Us All explores the extent to which Bruce Wayne’s vast personal wealth is important in his life story, and the crucial role it plays in his efforts as Batman.^[83]

Will Brooker notes in his book Batman Unmasked that «the confirmation of the Batman’s identity lies with the young audience …he doesn’t have to be Bruce Wayne; he just needs the suit and gadgets, the abilities, and most importantly the morality, the humanity. There’s just a sense about him: ‘they trust him …and they’re never wrong.»^[84]

Personality

Batman’s primary character traits can be summarized as «wealth; physical prowess; deductive abilities and obsession».^[85] The details and tone of Batman comic books have varied over the years with different creative teams. Dennis O’Neil noted that character consistency was not a major concern during early editorial regimes: «Julie Schwartz did a Batman in Batman and Detective and Murray Boltinoff did a Batman in the Brave and the Bold and apart from the costume they bore very little resemblance to each other. Julie and Murray did not want to coordinate their efforts, nor were they asked to do so. Continuity was not important in those days.»^[86]

The driving force behind Bruce Wayne’s character is his parents’ murder and their absence. Bob Kane and Bill Finger discussed Batman’s background and decided that «there’s nothing more traumatic than having your parents murdered before your eyes».^[87] Despite his trauma, he sets his mind on studying to become a scientist^[88][89] and to train his body into physical perfection^[88][89] to fight crime in Gotham City as Batman, an inspired idea from Wayne’s insight into the criminal mind.^[88][89] He also speaks over 40 different languages.^[90]

Another of Batman’s characterizations is that of a vigilante; in order to stop evil that started with the death of his parents, he must sometimes break the law himself. Although manifested differently by being re-told by different artists, it is nevertheless that the details and the prime components of Batman’s origin have never varied at all in the comic books, the «reiteration of the basic origin events holds together otherwise divergent expressions».^[91] The origin is the source of the character’s traits and attributes, which play out in many of the character’s adventures.^[85]

Batman is often treated as a vigilante by other characters in his stories. Frank Miller views the character as «a dionysian figure, a force for anarchy that imposes an individual order».^[92] Dressed as a bat, Batman deliberately cultivates a frightening persona in order to aid him in crime-fighting,^[93] a fear that originates from the criminals’ own guilty conscience.^[94] Miller is often credited with reintroducing anti-heroic traits into Batman’s characterization,^[95] such as his brooding personality, willingness to use violence and torture, and increasingly alienated behavior. Batman, shortly a year after his debut and the introduction of Robin, was changed in 1940 after DC editor Whitney Ellsworth felt the character would be tainted by his lethal methods and DC established their own ethical code, subsequently he was retconned to have a stringent moral code,^[32][96] which has stayed with the character of Batman ever since. Miller’s Batman was closer to the original pre-Robin version, who was willing to kill criminals if necessary.^[97]

Others

On several occasions former Robin Dick Grayson has served as Batman; most notably in 2009 while Wayne was believed dead, and served as a second Batman even after Wayne returned in 2010.^[57] As part of DC’s 2011 continuity relaunch, Grayson returned to being Nightwing following the Flashpoint crossover event.

In an interview with IGN, Morrison detailed that having Dick Grayson as Batman and Damian Wayne as Robin represented a «reverse» of the normal dynamic between Batman and Robin, with, «a more light-hearted and spontaneous Batman and a scowling, badass Robin». Morrison explained their intentions for the new characterization of Batman: «Dick Grayson is kind of this consummate superhero. The guy has been Batman’s partner since he was a kid, he’s led the Teen Titans, and he’s trained with everybody in the DC Universe. So he’s a very different kind of Batman. He’s a lot easier; He’s a lot looser and more relaxed.»^[62]

Over the years, there have been numerous others to assume the name of Batman, or to officially take over for Bruce during his leaves of absence. Jean-Paul Valley, also known as Azrael, assumed the cowl after the events of the Knightfall saga.^[57] Jim Gordon donned a mecha-suit after the events of Batman: Endgame, and served as Batman in 2015 and 2016. In 2021, as part of the Fear State crossover event, Lucius Fox’s son Jace Fox succeeds Bruce as Batman in a 2021 storyline, depicted in the series I Am Batman, after Batman was declared dead.

Additionally, members of the group Batman Incorporated, Bruce Wayne’s experiment at franchising his brand of vigilantism, have at times stood in as the official Batman in cities around the world.^[57] Various others have also taken up the role of Batman in stories set in alternative universes and possible futures, including, among them, various former proteges of Bruce Wayne.

Supporting characters

Batman’s interactions with both villains and cohorts have, over time, developed a strong supporting cast of characters.^[85]

Enemies

Batman faces a variety of foes ranging from common criminals to outlandish supervillains. Many of them mirror aspects of the Batman’s character and development, often having tragic origin stories that lead them to a life of crime.^[98] These foes are commonly referred to as Batman’s rogues gallery. Batman’s «most implacable foe» is the Joker, a homicidal maniac with a clown-like appearance. The Joker is considered by critics to be his perfect adversary, since he is the antithesis of Batman in personality and appearance; the Joker has a maniacal demeanor with a colorful appearance, while Batman has a serious and resolute demeanor with a dark appearance. As a «personification of the irrational», the Joker represents «everything Batman [opposes]».^[33] Other long-time recurring foes that are part of Batman’s rogues gallery include Catwoman (a cat burglar anti-heroine who is an occasional ally and romantic interest), the Penguin, Ra’s al Ghul, Two-Face, the Riddler, the Scarecrow, Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, Bane, Clayface, and Killer Croc, among others. Many of Batman’s adversaries are often psychiatric patients at Arkham Asylum.

Allies

Alfred

Batman’s butler, Alfred Pennyworth, first appeared in Batman #16 (1943). He serves as Bruce Wayne’s loyal father figure and is one of the few persons to know his secret identity. Alfred raised Bruce after his parents’ death and knows him on a very personal level. He is sometimes portrayed as a sidekick to Batman and the only other resident of Wayne Manor aside from Bruce. The character «[lends] a homely touch to Batman’s environs and [is] ever ready to provide a steadying and reassuring hand» to the hero and his sidekick.^[98]

«Batman family»

The informal name «Batman family» is used for a group of characters closely allied with Batman, generally masked vigilantes who either have been trained by Batman or operate in Gotham City with his tacit approval. They include: Barbara Gordon, Commissioner Gordon’s daughter, who has fought crime under the vigilante identity of Batgirl and, during a period in which she was reliant on a wheelchair due to a gunshot wound inflicted by the Joker, the computer hacker the Oracle; Helena Bertinelli, the sole surviving member of a mob family turned vigilante, who has worked with Batman on occasion, primarily as the Huntress and as Batgirl for a brief stint; Cassandra Cain, the daughter of professional assassins David Cain, and Lady Shiva, who succeeded Bertinelli as Batgirl.

Civilians

Lucius Fox, a technology specialist and Bruce Wayne’s business manager who is well aware of his employer’s clandestine vigilante activities; Dr. Leslie Thompkins, a family friend who like Alfred became a surrogate parental figure to Bruce Wayne after the deaths of his parents, and is also aware of his secret identity; Vicki Vale, an investigative journalist who often reports on Batman’s activities for the Gotham Gazette; Ace the Bat-Hound, Batman’s canine partner who was mainly active in the 1950s and 1960s;^[99] and Bat-Mite, an extra-dimensional imp mostly active in the 1960s who idolizes Batman.^[99]

GCPD

As Batman’s ally in the Gotham City police, Commissioner James «Jim» Gordon debuted along with Batman in Detective Comics #27 and has been a consistent presence ever since. As a crime-fighting everyman, he shares Batman’s goals while offering, much as the character of Dr. Watson does in Sherlock Holmes stories, a normal person’s perspective on the work of Batman’s extraordinary genius.

Justice League

Batman is at times a member of superhero teams such as the Justice League of America and the Outsiders. Batman has often been paired in adventures with his Justice League teammate Superman, notably as the co-stars of World’s Finest Comics and Superman/Batman series. In Pre-Crisis continuity, the two are depicted as close friends; however, in current continuity, they are still close friends but an uneasy relationship, with an emphasis on their differing views on crime-fighting and justice. In Superman/Batman #3 (December 2003), Superman observes, «Sometimes, I admit, I think of Bruce as a man in a costume. Then, with some gadget from his utility belt, he reminds me that he has an extraordinarily inventive mind. And how lucky I am to be able to call on him.»^[100]

Robin

Robin, Batman’s vigilante partner, has been a widely recognized supporting character for many years.^[101] Bill Finger stated that he wanted to include Robin because «Batman didn’t have anyone to talk to, and it got a little tiresome always having him thinking.»^[102] The first Robin, Dick Grayson, was introduced in 1940. In the 1970s he finally grew up, went off to college and became the hero Nightwing. A second Robin, Jason Todd, appeared in the 1980s. In the stories he was eventually badly beaten and then killed in an explosion set by the Joker, but was later revived. He used the Joker’s old persona, the Red Hood, and became an antihero vigilante with no qualms about using firearms or deadly force. Carrie Kelley, the first female Robin to appear in Batman stories, was the final Robin in the continuity of Frank Miller’s graphic novels The Dark Knight Returns and The Dark Knight Strikes Again, fighting alongside an aging Batman in stories set out of the mainstream continuity.

The third Robin in the mainstream comics is Tim Drake, who first appeared in 1989. He went on to star in his own comic series, and currently goes by the Red Robin, a variation on the traditional Robin persona. In the first decade of the new millennium, Stephanie Brown served as the fourth in-universe Robin between stints as her self-made vigilante identity the Spoiler, and later as Batgirl.^[103] After Brown’s apparent death, Drake resumed the role of Robin for a time. The role eventually passed to Damian Wayne, the 10-year-old son of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul, in the late 2000s.^[104] Damian’s tenure as du jour Robin ended when the character was killed off in the pages of Batman Incorporated in 2013.^[105] Batman’s next young sidekick is Harper Row, a streetwise young woman who avoids the name Robin but followed the ornithological theme nonetheless; she debuted the codename and identity of the Bluebird in 2014. Unlike the Robins, the Bluebird is willing and permitted to use a gun, albeit non-lethal; her weapon of choice is a modified rifle that fires taser rounds.^[106] In 2015, a new series began titled We Are…Robin, focused on a group of teenagers using the Robin persona to fight crime in Gotham City. The most prominent of these, Duke Thomas, later becomes Batman’s crimefighting partner as The Signal.

Relationships

Family tree

Helena Wayne is the biological daughter of Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle of an alternate universe established in the early 1960s (Multiverse) where the Golden Age stories took place. Damian Wayne is the biological son of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul,^{[62][107][108]} and thus the grandson of Ra’s al Ghul. Terry McGinnis and his brother Matt are the biological sons of Bruce Wayne and Mary McGinnis in the DC animated universe, and Terry has taken over the role as Batman when Bruce has become too old to do so.

Romantic interests

Writers have varied in the approach over the years to the «playboy» aspect of Bruce Wayne’s persona. Some writers show his playboy reputation as a manufactured illusion to support his mission as Batman, while others have depicted Bruce Wayne as genuinely enjoying the benefits of being «Gotham’s most eligible bachelor». Bruce Wayne has been portrayed as being romantically linked with many women throughout his various incarnations. The most significant relationships occurred with Selina Kyle, who is also Catwoman^[109] and Talia al Ghul, as both women gave birth to his biological offsprings, Helena Wayne and Damian Wayne, respectively.

Batman’s first romantic interest was Julie Madison in Detective Comics #31 (September 1939); however, their romance was short-lived. Some of Batman’s romantic interests have been women with a respected status in society, such as Julie Madison, Vicki Vale, and Silver St. Cloud. Batman has also been romantically involved with allies, such as Kathy Kane (Batwoman), Sasha Bordeaux, and Wonder Woman, and with villains, such as Selina Kyle (Catwoman), Jezebel Jet, Pamela Isley (Poison Ivy), and Talia al Ghul.

Catwoman

While most of Batman’s romantic relationships tend to be short in duration, Catwoman has been his most enduring romance throughout the years.^[110] The attraction between Batman and Catwoman, whose real name is Selina Kyle, is present in nearly every version and medium in which the characters appear, including a love story between their two secret identities as early as in the 1966 film Batman. Although Catwoman is typically portrayed as a villain, Batman and Catwoman have worked together in achieving common goals and are usually depicted as having a romantic connection.

In an early 1980s storyline, Selina Kyle and Bruce Wayne develop a relationship, in which the closing panel of the final story shows her referring to Batman as «Bruce». However, a change in the editorial team brought a swift end to that storyline and, apparently, all that transpired during the story arc. Out of costume, Bruce and Selina develop a romantic relationship during The Long Halloween. The story shows Selina saving Bruce from Poison Ivy. However, the relationship ends when Bruce rejects her advances twice; once as Bruce and once as Batman. In Batman: Dark Victory, he stands her up on two holidays, causing her to leave him for good and to leave Gotham City for a while. When the two meet at an opera many years later, during the events of the 12-issue story arc called «Hush», Bruce comments that the two no longer have a relationship as Bruce and Selina. However, «Hush» sees Batman and Catwoman allied against the entire rogues gallery and rekindling their romantic relationship. In «Hush», Batman reveals his true identity to Catwoman.

The Earth-Two Batman, a character from a parallel world, partners with and marries the reformed Earth-Two Selina Kyle, as shown in Superman Family #211. They have a daughter named Helena Wayne, who becomes the Huntress. Along with Dick Grayson, the Earth-Two Robin, the Huntress takes the role as Gotham’s protector once Bruce Wayne retires to become police commissioner, a position he occupies until he is killed during one final adventure as Batman.

Batman and Catwoman are shown having a sexual encounter on the roof of a building in Catwoman vol. 4 #1 (2011); the same issue implies that the two have an ongoing sexual relationship.^[111] Following the 2016 DC Rebirth continuity reboot, the two once again have a sexual encounter on top of a building in Batman vol. 3 #14 (2017).^[112]

Following the 2016 DC Rebirth continuity reboot, Batman and Catwoman work together in the third volume of Batman. The two also have a romantic relationship, in which they are shown having a sexual encounter on a rooftop and sleeping together.^{[112][113][114]} Bruce proposes to Selina in Batman vol. 3 #24 (2017),^[115] and in issue #32, Selina asks Bruce to propose to her again. When he does so, she says, «Yes.»^[114]

Batman vol. 3 Annual #2 (January 2018) centers on a romantic storyline between Batman and Catwoman. Towards the end, the story is flash-forwarded to the future, in which Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle are a married couple in their golden years. Bruce receives a terminal medical diagnosis, and Selina cares for him until his death.^[114]

Abilities

Skills and training

Batman has no inherent superhuman powers; he relies on «his own scientific knowledge, detective skills, and athletic prowess».^[27] Batman’s inexhaustible wealth gives him access to advanced technologies, and as a proficient scientist, he is able to use and modify these technologies to his advantage. In the stories, Batman is regarded as one of the world’s greatest detectives, if not the world’s greatest crime solver.^[116] Batman has been repeatedly described as having a genius-level intellect, being one of the greatest martial artists in the DC Universe, and having peak human physical and mental conditioning.^[117] As a polymath, his knowledge and expertise in countless disciplines is nearly unparalleled by any other character in the DC Universe. He has shown prowess in assorted fields such as mathematics, biology, physics, chemistry, and several levels of engineering. ^[118] He has traveled the world acquiring the skills needed to aid him in his endeavors as Batman. In the Superman: Doomed story arc, Superman considers Batman to be one of the most brilliant minds on the planet.^[119]

Batman has trained extensively in various different fighting styles, making him one of the best hand-to-hand fighters in the DC Universe. He has fully utilized his photographic memory to master a total of 127 different forms of martial arts including, but not limited to, Aikido, boxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Capoeira, Eskrima, fencing, Gatka, Hapkido, Jeet Kune Do, Judo, Kalaripayattu, Karate, Kenjutsu, Kenpo, kickboxing, Kobudo, Krav Maga, Kyudo, Muay Thai, Ninjutsu, Pankration, Sambo, Savate, Silat, Taekwondo, wrestling, numerous different styles of Wushu (Kung Fu) (such as Baguazhang, Chin Na, Hung Ga, Shaolinquan, Tai Chi, Wing Chun), and Yaw-Yan.^[120] In terms of his physical condition, Batman is in peak, Olympic-athlete-level condition, easily-able to run-across rooftops in a Parkour-esque fashion. Superman describes Batman as «the most dangerous man on Earth», able to defeat an entire team of superpowered extra-terrestrials by himself in order to rescue his imprisoned teammates in Grant Morrison’s first storyline in JLA.

Batman is strongly disciplined, and he has the ability to function under great physical pain and resist most forms of telepathy and mind control. He is a master of disguise, multilingual, and an expert in espionage, often gathering information under the identity of a notorious gangster named Matches Malone. Batman is highly skilled in stealth movement and escapology, which allows him to appear and disappear at will and to break free of nearly inescapable deathtraps with little to no harm.

Batman is an expert in interrogation techniques and his intimidating and frightening appearance alone is often all that is needed in getting information from suspects. Despite having the potential to harm his enemies, Batman’s most defining characteristic is his strong commitment to justice and his reluctance to take a life. This unyielding moral rectitude has earned him the respect of several heroes in the DC Universe, most notably that of Superman and Wonder Woman.

Among physical and other crime fighting related training, he is also proficient at other types of skills. Some of these include being a licensed pilot (in order to operate the Batplane), as well as being able to operate other types of machinery. In some publications, he underwent some magician training.

Technology

Batman utilizes a vast arsenal of specialized, high-tech vehicles and gadgets in his war against crime, the designs of which usually share a bat motif. Batman historian Les Daniels credits Gardner Fox with creating the concept of Batman’s arsenal with the introduction of the utility belt in Detective Comics #29 (July 1939) and the first bat-themed weapons the batarang and the «Batgyro» in Detective Comics #31 and 32 (Sept. and October 1939).^[23]

Personal armor

Batman’s batsuit aids in his combat against enemies, having the properties of both Kevlar and Nomex. It protects him from gunfire and other significant impacts, and incorporates the imagery of a bat in order to frighten criminals.^[121]

The details of the Batman costume change repeatedly through various decades, stories, media and artists’ interpretations, but the most distinctive elements remain consistent: a scallop-hem cape; a cowl covering most of the face; a pair of bat-like ears; a stylized bat emblem on the chest; and the ever-present utility belt. His gloves typically feature three scallops that protrude from long, gauntlet-like cuffs, although in his earliest appearances he wore short, plain gloves without the scallops.^[122] The overall look of the character, particularly the length of the cowl’s ears and of the cape, varies greatly depending on the artist. Dennis O’Neil said, «We now say that Batman has two hundred suits hanging in the Batcave so they don’t have to look the same …Everybody loves to draw Batman, and everybody wants to put their own spin on it.»^[123]

Finger and Kane originally conceptualized Batman as having a black cape and cowl and grey suit, but conventions in coloring called for black to be highlighted with blue.^[121] Hence, the costume’s colors have appeared in the comics as dark blue and grey;^[121] as well as black and grey. In the Tim Burton’s Batman and Batman Returns films, Batman has been depicted as completely black with a bat in the middle surrounded by a yellow background. Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy depicted Batman wearing high-tech gear painted completely black with a black bat in the middle. Ben Affleck’s Batman in the DC Extended Universe films wears a suit grey in color with a black cowl, cape, and bat symbol.

Batmobile

Batman’s primary vehicle is the Batmobile, which is usually depicted as an imposing black car, often with tailfins that suggest a bat’s wings.

Batman also has an aircraft called the Batplane (later called the «Batwing»), along with various other means of transportation.

In proper practice, the «bat» prefix (as in Batmobile or batarang) is rarely used by Batman himself when referring to his equipment, particularly after some portrayals (primarily the 1960s Batman live-action television show and the Super Friends animated series) stretched the practice to campy proportions. For example, the 1960s television show depicted a Batboat, Bat-Sub, and Batcycle, among other bat-themed vehicles. The 1960s television series Batman has an arsenal that includes such «bat-» names as the Bat-computer, Bat-scanner, bat-radar, bat-cuffs, bat-pontoons, bat-drinking water dispenser, bat-camera with polarized bat-filter, bat-shark repellent bat-spray, and Bat-rope. The storyline «A Death in the Family» suggests that given Batman’s grim nature, he is unlikely to have adopted the «bat» prefix on his own. In The Dark Knight Returns, Batman tells Carrie Kelley that the original Robin came up with the name «Batmobile» when he was young, since that is what a kid would call Batman’s vehicle.

The Batmobile was redesigned in 2011 when DC Comics relaunched its entire line of comic books, with the Batmobile being given heavier armor and new aesthetics.

Utility belt

Batman keeps most of his field equipment in his utility belt. Over the years it has shown to contain an assortment of crime-fighting tools, weapons, and investigative and technological instruments. Different versions of the belt have these items stored in compartments, often as pouches or hard cylinders attached evenly around it.

Batman is often depicted as carrying a projectile which shoots a retractable grappling hook attached to a cable. This allows him to attach to distant objects, be propelled into the air, and thus swing from the rooftops of Gotham City.

An exception to the range of Batman’s equipment are hand guns, which he refuses to use on principle, since a gun was used in his parents’ murder. In modern stories in terms of his vehicles, Batman compromises on that principle to install weapon systems on them for the purpose of non-lethally disabling other vehicles, forcing entry into locations and attacking dangerous targets too large to defeat by other means.

Bat-Signal

When Batman is needed, the Gotham City police activate a searchlight with a bat-shaped insignia over the lens called the Bat-Signal, which shines into the night sky, creating a bat-symbol on a passing cloud which can be seen from any point in Gotham. The origin of the signal varies, depending on the continuity and medium.

In various incarnations, most notably the 1960s Batman TV series, Commissioner Gordon also has a dedicated phone line, dubbed the Bat-Phone, connected to a bright red telephone (in the TV series) which sits on a wooden base and has a transparent top. The line connects directly to Batman’s residence, Wayne Manor, specifically both to a similar phone sitting on the desk in Bruce Wayne’s study and the extension phone in the Batcave.

Batcave

The Batcave is Batman’s secret headquarters, consisting of a series of caves beneath his mansion, Wayne Manor. As his command center, the Batcave serves multiple purposes; supercomputer, surveillance, redundant power-generators, forensics lab, medical infirmary, private study, training dojo, fabrication workshop, arsenal, hangar and garage. It houses the vehicles and equipment Batman uses in his campaign to fight crime. It is also a trophy room and storage facility for Batman’s unique memorabilia collected over the years from various cases he has worked on.

In both the comic book Batman: Shadow of the Bat #45 and the 2005 film Batman Begins, the cave is said to have been part of the Underground Railroad.

Fictional character biography

Batman’s history has undergone many retroactive continuity revisions, both minor and major. Elements of the character’s history have varied greatly. Scholars William Uricchio and Roberta E. Pearson noted in the early 1990s, «Unlike some fictional characters, the Batman has no primary urtext set in a specific period, but has rather existed in a plethora of equally valid texts constantly appearing over more than five decades.»^[124]

20th century

Origin

The central fixed event in the Batman stories is the character’s origin story.^[85] As a young boy, Bruce Wayne was horrified and traumatized when he watched his parents, the physician Dr. Thomas Wayne and his wife Martha, murdered with a gun by a mugger named Joe Chill. Batman refuses to utilize any sort of gun on the principle that a gun was used to murder his parents. This event drove him to train his body to its peak condition and fight crime in Gotham City as Batman. Pearson and Uricchio also noted beyond the origin story and such events as the introduction of Robin, «Until recently, the fixed and accruing and hence, canonized, events have been few in number»,^[85] a situation altered by an increased effort by later Batman editors such as Dennis O’Neil to ensure consistency and continuity between stories.^[125]

Golden Age

In Batman’s first appearance in Detective Comics #27, he is already operating as a crime-fighter.^[126] Batman’s origin is first presented in Detective Comics #33 (November 1939) and is later expanded upon in Batman #47. As these comics state, Bruce Wayne is born to Dr. Thomas Wayne and his wife Martha, two very wealthy and charitable Gotham City socialites. Bruce is brought up in Wayne Manor, and leads a happy and privileged existence until the age of 8, when his parents are killed by a small-time criminal named Joe Chill while on their way home from a movie theater. That night, Bruce Wayne swears an oath to spend his life fighting crime. He engages in intense intellectual and physical training; however, he realizes that these skills alone would not be enough. «Criminals are a superstitious cowardly lot», Wayne remarks, «so my disguise must be able to strike terror into their hearts. I must be a creature of the night, black, terrible …» As if responding to his desires, a bat suddenly flies through the window, inspiring Bruce to craft the Batman persona.^[127]

In early strips, Batman’s career as a vigilante earns him the ire of the police. During this period, Bruce Wayne has a fiancé named Julie Madison.^[128] In Detective Comics #38, Wayne takes in an orphaned circus acrobat, Dick Grayson, who becomes his vigilante partner, Robin. Batman also becomes a founding member of the Justice Society of America,^[129] although he, like Superman, is an honorary member,^[130] and thus only participates occasionally. Batman’s relationship with the law thaws quickly, and he is made an honorary member of Gotham City’s police department.^[131] During this time, Alfred Pennyworth arrives at Wayne Manor, and after deducing the Dynamic Duo’s secret identities, joins their service as their butler.^[132]

Silver Age

The Silver Age of Comic Books in DC Comics is sometimes held to have begun in 1956 when the publisher introduced Barry Allen as a new, updated version of the Flash. Batman is not significantly changed by the late 1950s for the continuity which would be later referred to as Earth-One. The lighter tone Batman had taken in the period between the Golden and Silver Ages led to the stories of the late 1950s and early 1960s that often feature many science-fiction elements, and Batman is not significantly updated in the manner of other characters until Detective Comics #327 (May 1964), in which Batman reverts to his detective roots, with most science-fiction elements jettisoned from the series.

After the introduction of DC Comics’ Multiverse in the 1960s, DC established that stories from the Golden Age star the Earth-Two Batman, a character from a parallel world. This version of Batman partners with and marries the reformed Earth-Two Catwoman (Selina Kyle). The two have a daughter, Helena Wayne, who becomes the Huntress. She assumes the position as Gotham’s protector along with Dick Grayson, the Earth-Two Robin, once Bruce Wayne retires to become police commissioner. Wayne holds the position of police commissioner until he is killed during one final adventure as Batman. Batman titles, however, often ignored that a distinction had been made between the pre-revamp and post-revamp Batmen (since unlike the Flash or Green Lantern, Batman comics had been published without interruption through the 1950s) and would occasionally make reference to stories from the Golden Age.^[133] Nevertheless, details of Batman’s history were altered or expanded upon through the decades. Additions include meetings with a future Superman during his youth, his upbringing by his uncle Philip Wayne (introduced in Batman #208 (February 1969)) after his parents’ death, and appearances of his father and himself as prototypical versions of Batman and Robin, respectively.^[134][135] In 1980, then-editor Paul Levitz commissioned the Untold Legend of the Batman miniseries to thoroughly chronicle Batman’s origin and history.

Batman meets and regularly works with other heroes during the Silver Age, most notably Superman, whom he began regularly working alongside in a series of team-ups in World’s Finest Comics, starting in 1954 and continuing through the series’ cancellation in 1986. Batman and Superman are usually depicted as close friends. As a founding member of the Justice League of America, Batman appears in its first story, in 1960’s The Brave and the Bold #28. In the 1970s and 1980s, The Brave and the Bold became a Batman title, in which Batman teams up with a different DC Universe superhero each month.

Bronze Age

In 1969, Dick Grayson attends college as part of DC Comics’ effort to revise the Batman comics. Additionally, Batman also moves from his mansion, Wayne Manor into a penthouse apartment atop the Wayne Foundation building in downtown Gotham City, in order to be closer to Gotham City’s crime. In 1974’s «Night of the Stalker» storyline, a diploma on the wall reveals Bruce Wayne as a graduate of Yale Law School.^[136] Batman spends the 1970s and early 1980s mainly working solo, with occasional team-ups with Robin and/or Batgirl. Batman’s adventures also become somewhat darker and more grim during this period, depicting increasingly violent crimes, including the first appearance (since the early Golden Age) of the Joker as a homicidal psychopath, and the arrival of Ra’s al Ghul, a centuries-old terrorist who knows Batman’s secret identity. In the 1980s, Dick Grayson becomes Nightwing.^[137]

In the final issue of The Brave and the Bold in 1983, Batman quits the Justice League and forms a new group called the Outsiders. He serves as the team’s leader until Batman and the Outsiders #32 (1986) and the comic subsequently changed its title.

Modern Age

After the 12-issue miniseries Crisis on Infinite Earths, DC Comics retconned the histories of some major characters in an attempt at updating them for contemporary audiences. Frank Miller retold Batman’s origin in the storyline «Year One» from Batman #404–407, which emphasizes a grittier tone in the character.^[138] Though the Earth-Two Batman is erased from history, many stories of Batman’s Silver Age/Earth-One career (along with an amount of Golden Age ones) remain canonical in the Post-Crisis universe, with his origins remaining the same in essence, despite alteration. For example, Gotham’s police are mostly corrupt, setting up further need for Batman’s existence. The guardian Phillip Wayne is removed, leaving young Bruce to be raised by Alfred Pennyworth. Additionally, Batman is no longer a founding member of the Justice League of America, although he becomes leader for a short time of a new incarnation of the team launched in 1987. To help fill in the revised backstory for Batman following Crisis, DC launched a new Batman title called Legends of the Dark Knight in 1989 and has published various miniseries and one-shot stories since then that largely take place during the «Year One» period.

Subsequently, Batman begins exhibiting an excessive, reckless approach to his crimefighting, a result of the pain of losing Jason Todd. Batman works solo until the decade’s close, when Tim Drake becomes the new Robin.^[139]

Many of the major Batman storylines since the 1990s have been intertitle crossovers that run for a number of issues. In 1993, DC published «Knightfall». During the storyline’s first phase, the new villain Bane paralyzes Batman, leading Wayne to ask Azrael to take on the role. After the end of «Knightfall», the storylines split in two directions, following both the Azrael-Batman’s adventures, and Bruce Wayne’s quest to become Batman once more. The story arcs realign in «KnightsEnd», as Azrael becomes increasingly violent and is defeated by a healed Bruce Wayne. Wayne hands the Batman mantle to Dick Grayson (then Nightwing) for an interim period, while Wayne trains for a return to the role.^[140]

The 1994 company-wide crossover storyline Zero Hour: Crisis in Time! changes aspects of DC continuity again, including those of Batman. Noteworthy among these changes is that the general populace and the criminal element now considers Batman an urban legend rather than a known force.

Batman once again becomes a member of the Justice League during Grant Morrison’s 1996 relaunch of the series, titled JLA. During this time, Gotham City faces catastrophe in the decade’s closing crossover arc. In 1998’s «Cataclysm» storyline, Gotham City is devastated by an earthquake and ultimately cut off from the United States. Deprived of many of his technological resources, Batman fights to reclaim the city from legions of gangs during 1999’s «No Man’s Land».

Meanwhile, Batman’s relationship with the Gotham City Police Department changed for the worse with the events of «Batman: Officer Down» and «Batman: War Games/War Crimes»; Batman’s long-time law enforcement allies Commissioner Gordon and Harvey Bullock are forced out of the police department in «Officer Down», while «War Games» and «War Crimes» saw Batman become a wanted fugitive after a contingency plan of his to neutralize Gotham City’s criminal underworld is accidentally triggered, resulting in a massive gang war that ends with the sadistic Black Mask the undisputed ruler of the city’s criminal gangs. Lex Luthor arranges for the murder of Batman’s on-again, off-again love interest Vesper Lynd (introduced in the mid-1990s) during the «Bruce Wayne: Murderer?» and «Bruce Wayne: Fugitive» story arcs. Though Batman is able to clear his name, he loses another ally in the form of his new bodyguard Sasha, who is recruited into the organization known as «Checkmate» while stuck in prison due to her refusal to turn state’s evidence against her employer. While he was unable to prove that Luthor was behind the murder of Vesper, Batman does get his revenge with help from Talia al Ghul in Superman/Batman #1–6.

21st century

2000s

DC Comics’ 2005 miniseries Identity Crisis reveals that JLA member Zatanna had edited Batman’s memories to prevent him from stopping the Justice League from lobotomizing Dr. Light after he raped Sue Dibny. Batman later creates the Brother I satellite surveillance system to watch over and, if necessary, kill the other heroes after he remembered. The revelation of Batman’s creation and his tacit responsibility for the Blue Beetle’s death becomes a driving force in the lead-up to the Infinite Crisis miniseries, which again restructures DC continuity. Batman and a team of superheroes destroy Brother EYE and the OMACs, though, at the very end, Batman reaches his apparent breaking point when Alexander Luthor Jr. seriously wounds Nightwing. Picking up a gun, Batman nearly shoots Luthor in order to avenge his former sidekick, until Wonder Woman convinces him to not pull the trigger.

Following Infinite Crisis, Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson (having recovered from his wounds), and Tim Drake retrace the steps Bruce had taken when he originally left Gotham City, to «rebuild Batman».^[141] In the Face the Face storyline, Batman and Robin return to Gotham City after their year-long absence. Part of this absence is captured during Week 30 of the 52 series, which shows Batman fighting his inner demons.^[142] Later on in 52, Batman is shown undergoing an intense meditation ritual in Nanda Parbat. This becomes an important part of the regular Batman title, which reveals that Batman is reborn as a more effective crime fighter while undergoing this ritual, having «hunted down and ate» the last traces of fear in his mind.^[143][144] At the end of the «Face the Face» story arc, Bruce officially adopts Tim (who had lost both of his parents at various points in the character’s history) as his son.^[145] The follow-up story arc in Batman, Batman and Son, introduces Damian Wayne, who is Batman’s son with Talia al Ghul. Although originally, in Batman: Son of the Demon, Bruce’s coupling with Talia was implied to be consensual, this arc retconned it into Talia forcing herself on Bruce.^[146]

Batman, along with Superman and Wonder Woman, reforms the Justice League in the new Justice League of America series,^[147] and is leading the newest incarnation of the Outsiders.^[148]

Grant Morrison’s 2008 storyline, «Batman R.I.P.» featured Batman being physically and mentally broken by the enigmatic villain Doctor Hurt and attracted news coverage in advance of its highly promoted conclusion, which would speculated to feature the death of Bruce Wayne.^[149] However, though Batman is shown to possibly perish at the end of the arc, the two-issue arc «Last Rites», which leads into the crossover storyline «Final Crisis», shows that Batman survives his helicopter crash into the Gotham City River and returns to the Batcave, only to be summoned to the Hall of Justice by the JLA to help investigate the New God Orion’s death. The story ends with Batman retrieving the god-killing bullet used to kill Orion, setting up its use in «Final Crisis».^[150] In the pages of Final Crisis Batman is reduced to a charred skeleton.^[151] In Final Crisis #7, Wayne is shown witnessing the passing of the first man, Anthro.^[152][153] Wayne’s «death» sets up the three-issue Battle for the Cowl miniseries in which Wayne’s ex-proteges compete for the «right» to assume the role of Batman, which concludes with Grayson becoming Batman,^[154] while Tim Drake takes on the identity of the Red Robin.^[155] Dick and Damian continue as Batman and Robin, and in the crossover storyline «Blackest Night», what appears to be Bruce’s corpse is reanimated as a Black Lantern zombie,^[156] but is later shown that Bruce’s corpse is one of Darkseid’s failed Batman clones. Dick and Batman’s other friends conclude that Bruce is alive.^[157][158]

2010s

Bruce subsequently returned in Morrison’s miniseries Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne, which depicted his travels through time from prehistory to present-day Gotham.^{[159][160][161]} Bruce’s return set up Batman Incorporated, an ongoing series which focused on Wayne franchising the Batman identity across the globe, allowing Dick and Damian to continue as Gotham’s Dynamic Duo. Bruce publicly announced that Wayne Enterprises will aid Batman on his mission, known as «Batman, Incorporated». However, due to rebooted continuity that occurred as part of DC Comics’ 2011 relaunch of all of its comic books, The New 52, Dick Grayson was restored as Nightwing with Wayne serving as the sole Batman once again. The relaunch also interrupted the publication of Batman, Incorporated, which resumed its story in 2012–2013 with changes to suit the new status quo.

The New 52

During The New 52, all of DC’s continuity was reset and the timeline was changed, making Batman the first superhero to emerge. This emergence took place during Zero Year, where Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham and becomes Batman, fighting the original Red Hood^[162] and the Riddler.^[163] In the present day, Batman discovers the Court of Owls, a secret organization operating in Gotham for decades.^[164] Batman somewhat defeats the Court by defeating Owlman,^[165] although the Court continues to operate on a smaller scale.^[166] The Joker returns after losing the skin on his face (as shown in the opening issue of the second volume of Detective Comics) and attempts to kill the Batman’s allies, though he is stopped by Batman.^[167] After some time, Joker returns again, and both he and Batman die while fighting each other. Jim Gordon temporarily becomes Batman, using a high-tech suit, while it is revealed that an amnesiac Bruce Wayne is still alive.^{[citation needed]} Gordon attempts to fight a new villain called Mr. Bloom, while Wayne, regains his memories with the help of Alfred Pennyworth and Julie Madison. Once with his memories, Wayne becomes Batman again and defeats Mr. Bloom with the help of Gordon.^{[citation needed]}

DC Rebirth

The timeline was reset again during Rebirth, although no significant changes were made to the Batman mythos.^{[citation needed]} Batman meets two new superheroes operating in Gotham named Gotham and Gotham Girl. Psycho-Pirate gets into Gotham’s head and turns against Batman, and is finally defeated when he is killed. This event is very traumatic for Gotham Girl and she begins to lose her sanity.^[168]

Batman forms his own Suicide Squad, including Catwoman, and attempts to take down Bane. The mission is successful, and Batman breaks Bane’s back.^[169] Batman proposes to Catwoman.

After healing from his wounds, an angry Bane travels to Gotham, where he fights Batman and loses.^[170] Batman then tells Catwoman about the War of Jokes and Riddles, and she agrees to marry him.^[171] Bane takes control of Arkham Asylum and manipulates Catwoman into leaving Wayne before the wedding.^[172] This causes Wayne to become very angry, and, as Batman, lashes out against criminals, nearly killing Mr. Freeze.^[173]

Batman learns of Bane’s control over Arkham and teams up with the Penguin to stop him.^[174] Bane captures Batman, and Scarecrow causes him to hallucinate, although he eventually breaks free.^[175] Batman escapes and reunites with Catwoman, while Bane captures and kills Alfred Pennyworth. Batman returns and defeats Bane, although too late to save Alfred. Gotham Girl prompts him to marry Catwoman.^[176]

It is revealed that the Joker who was working for Bane was really Clayface in disguise. The real Joker has been plotting a master plan to take over Gotham. This plan comes to fruition during The Joker War, in which Joker takes over the city. Batman defeats the Joker who vanishes after an explosion.^[177] Ghost-Maker, an enemy from Batman’s past, appears in Gotham, and, after a battle, becomes a sort of ally to Batman.^[178] A new group called the Magistrate rises up in Gotham, led by Simon Saint, whose goal is to outlaw vigilantes such as Batman. At the same time, Scarecrow returns,^[179] fighting Batman. During Fear State, Batman battles and defeats both Scarecrow and the Magistrate’s Peacekeepers.

Other versions

Smallville

Batman/Bruce Wayne is featured in the Smallville Season 11 digital comic based on the TV series. As a young boy, Bruce Wayne saw his parents gunned down by Joe Chill. This incident changed Bruce’s life forever. In 2001, Bruce donned the persona of «Batman», to fight the criminals of Gotham City. Bruce fought criminals on his own for the better part of the next ten years. However, by 2011, Bruce had begun working with the young Barbara Gordon who became known as Nightwing. This same year, Bruce learned that Joe Chill was in Metropolis and went to confront him. His quest for Chill briefly led to Bruce getting into conflict with Superman. However, the two soon joined forces. When they found Chill, Bruce came close to killing him, but the Prankster and Mister Freeze beat him to it, on behalf of Intergang. The Prankster also gunned down Superman with Green Kryptonite bullets. Bruce managed to save his life, after which they apprehended the Prankster and Mister Freeze. ^[180]

Bruce was reluctant to join the Watchtower Network but kept finding himself working alongside its agents. Eventually, Bruce gave in and joined, to help them with the Crisis. After the battle against the Monitors, Bruce became a founding member of the Justice League. Furthermore, as Barbara was leaving Earth, Bruce got a new partner in Dick Grayson. ^[181][182]

• An villainous version of Bruce appears in the form of Earth-13 Batman resembling the Joker with a patchwork costume. ^[183]

Citizen Wayne

In Batman: Citizen Wayne, the role of Batman is taken on by Harvey Dent after his whole face has been destroyed by an enemy. Bruce Wayne is a newspaper publisher who is highly critical of Batman and his brutal methods and goes after him when he actually kills the enemy in question, both men dying in the final battle.

DC Bombshells

In the opening of the DC Bombshells continuity set during World War II, Bruce’s parents are saved from Joe Chill’s attack thanks to the baseball superheroine known as Batwoman. While Batman does not exist in this continuity, Kate Kane does borrow a number of elements from the main version, such as inspiring younger heroines to follow in her steps as Batgirls and losing a child named Jason. In the book’s conclusion that takes place 15 years into the future, a grown up Bruce Wayne becomes Batman (not out of tragedy but out of inspiration by the Bombshells) and is trained by the older Catwoman to herald in the new age of superheroes.^[184]

The Dark Knight Returns

The Batman from Frank Miller’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and its spin-offs, Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again and All Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder is a tired vigilante in a much darker, edgier setting home to Miller’s own new interpretations of various DC characters.

The Dark Multiverse

In the 2017 Dark Nights: Metal event, it is revealed that a Dark Multiverse exists alongside the main DC Multiverse. Each reality in the Dark Multiverse is negative and transient reflection of its existing counterpart, which were intended to be acquired by a third figure in the ‘trinity’ of the Monitor and the Anti-Monitor, who would feed these timelines to his ‘dragon’, Barbatos. However, this balance came to an end when Barbatos escaped his bonds and allowed the rejected timelines to remain in some form of existence. Eventually, Barbatos is released onto the DC universe when Batman is treated with five unique metals, turning him into a portal to the Dark Multiverse, with this portal also allowing Barbatos to summon an army of evil alternate Batmen known as the Dark Knights, led by a God-like Batman, who describe themselves as having been created based on Batman’s dark imaginations of what he could do if he possessed the powers of his colleagues.

• Barbatos is a hooded, God-like being in the Dark Multiverse. Barbatos had previously visited Prime-Earth in the DC Multiverse and founded the Tribe of Judas, which would later become the Court of Owls. Sometime before returning (either willingly or not) to the Dark Multiverse, Barbatos encountered Hawkman/Carter Hall, and was hit by his mace. Barbatos tried to return to the Multiverse but the events of Final Crisis prevented him from doing so. However, after witnessing Bruce Wayne/Batman being sent back in time by Darkseid’s Omega Beams, Barbatos realised the similarities between his and Bruce’s Bat emblems and believed he could use him as a doorway. Barbatos’ followers manipulated events in order for Bruce to be injected with four out of the five metals needed to create the doorway, and after the fifth was injected in the present day, Barbatos was able to transport himself and the Dark Knights to Prime-Earth to conquer it.^[185]
• The Batman Who Laughs is a version of Batman from Earth -22, a dark reflection of the Earth-22. In that reality, the Earth -22 Joker learned of Batman’s identity as Bruce Wayne and killed most of Batman’s other rogues along with Commissioner Gordon. He then subjected a sizeable population of Gotham’s populace to the chemicals that transformed him, subsequently killing several parents in front of their children with the goal of turning them into essentially a combination of himself and Batman. When Batman grappled with the Joker, it resulted in the latter’s death as Batman is exposed to a purified form of the chemicals that gradually turned him into a new Joker, the process proving irreversible by the time Batman discovered what was happening to him. The Batman who Laughs proceeded to take over Earth-22, killing off most of his allies and turning Damian into a mini-Joker. The Batman Who Laughs seems to be the de facto leader or second-in-command of Barbatos’ Dark Knights and recruited the other members. After arriving on Prime-Earth, the Batman Who Laughs takes control of Gotham and oversees events at the Challenger’s mountain. He distributes joker cards to the Batman’s Rogues, giving them the ability to alter reality and take over sections of the city. Accompanying him are Damian and three other youths whom he also calls his sons, all four being twisted versions of Robin, having intended to destroy all of reality by linking the Over-Monitor to Anti-Monitor’s astral brain. But The Batman Who Laughs is defeated when the Prime Universe Batman is aided by the Joker, who notes the alternate Batman’s failure to perceive this scenario due to still being a version of Batman. While assumed dead, the Batman who Laughs is revealed to be in the custody of Lex Luthor who offers him a place in the Legion of Doom.
• The Red Death is a version of Batman from Earth -52, originally an aged man who broke after the deaths of Dick, Jason, Tim, and Damian. Believing he has a chance to prevent the loss of more loved ones, Bruce decides he needs the Flash’s Speed Force to achieve this and equipped himself with the Rogues’ equipment of capture the Flash. He is able to knock Barry out and ties him to the Batmobile which has a machine created from reverse-engineering the Cosmic Treadmill attached to it. Using this machine against Barry’s wishes, Bruce drove straight into the Speed Force while absorbing Barry in the process. Scarred by the ordeal, he developed a split-personality created from residual traces of the Earth -52 Barry’s mind. The newly-born Red Death tests his new powers but realises he cannot stop his Earth from its destruction until he is recruited by The Batman Who Laughs, who promises him a new Earth to live upon. After entering Prime-Earth, the Red Death arrives in Central City and is confronted by Iris West and Wally West, in which he uses his powers to slow Wally and age them both. The Flash confronts the Red Death and before the latter can attack, Doctor Fate saves Barry. The Red Death proclaims that he will save Central City and make it his new home.^[186] After Barry is transported to a ‘sand’-filled cave beneath Central City, the Red Death arrives and reveals several Flashmobiles and chases after Barry.^[187] During the events of the Wild Hunt, the Red Death ceased when exposed by an energy wave from the release of a newly born universe with the restored -52 Barry eventually destroyed from the energy consuming him.
• The Murder Machine is a version of Batman from Earth -44, a dark reflection of the Earth-44. Distraught from having lost Alfred, Batman requested Cyborg to help him finish the Alfred Protocol, an A.I. version of Alfred. But the Alfred Protocol malfunctioned upon activation and began to multiply and kill all of Batman’s Rogues Gallery. Bruce pleaded with Cyborg to help find a way to fix it but the latter refused. The Alfred Protocol began to merge with Bruce and the two became the Murder Machine, and his first act as this new entity was to kill Cyborg. After being recruited by the Batman Who Laughs, the Murder Machine arrives on Prime-Earth with the other Dark Knights. He proceeds to the Justice League’s Watchtower and confronts Cyborg. After Cyborg is incapacitated by the other Dark Knights, the Murder Machine infects and converts the Watchtower as the Dark Knights’ new base of operations.^[188]
• The Dawnbreaker is a version of Batman from Earth -32, a dark reflection of the Earth-32 where Batman became a Green Lantern. When Earth -32 Bruce lost his parents to Joe Chill, he is chosen by a Green Power Ring to become a Green Lantern. But Bruce’s will overrides the ring’s ban on lethal force and corrupts it, enabling him to use it to kill Chill and various criminals. After Bruce killed Gordon when eventually confronted, he wipes out the Green Lantern Corp and the Guardians of the Universe when they confront him. Bruce then entered his giant Green Lantern Power Battery and exits with a new outfit and moniker, the Dawnbreaker. However, he finds that his Earth has begun to collapse and he is met by the Batman Who Laughs who, after recruiting the Red Death and the Murder Machine, recruits the Dawnbreaker, promising him a new world to shroud in darkness. After arriving on Earth-0, Dawnbreaker heads to Coast City where he is confronted by Hal Jordan. Dawnbreaker tries to consume Hal Jordan in a ‘blackout’ but the latter is rescued by Doctor Fate. With Green Lantern gone, Dawnbreaker takes control of Coast City.^[189] The Dawnbreaker confronts Hal Jordan in a blacked out cave underneath Coast City, claiming that the Green Lantern oath is worthless in his cave.^[187]
• The Drowned is a version of Batman from Earth-11, a dark reflection of the reversed-gender Earth-11. Originally known as Batwoman, Bryce Wayne was in a relationship with Sylvester Kyle (Earth-11’s male version of Selina Kyle) until he was killed by a metahuman. A revenge-driven Bryce spent 18 months hunting down every rogue metahuman before Aquawoman and the Atlanteans emerged from their self-imposed exile. While Aquawoman claimed her people came in peace, a skeptical Bryce declared war on Atlantis with the Atlanteans flooding Gotham in retaliation when their queen was killed. Bryce survived the disaster by performing auto-surgery on herself by introducing mutated hybrid DNA into her body, giving Bryce the ability to breath underwater, accelerated healing, and water manipulation. She also created an army of Dead Waters to fight for her. Donning a new attire, Bryce called herself The Drowned and successfully conquered Atlantis at the cost of flooding every city. After seeing her signal being lit, the Drowned met the Batman Who Laughs, who recruits her as a Dark Knight. After arriving on Earth-0, the Drowned headed to Amnesty Bay, where she was confronted by Aquaman and Mera. The two were unable to combat the Drowned and her army of Dead Waters, with Mera becoming infected and controlled by the Drowned while Aquaman was saved by Doctor Fate. The Drowned proceeded to take control of Amnesty Bay.^[190] When Aquaman is transported fathoms below Amnesty Bay, the Drowned attacks him, revealing that the infected Mera has mutated into a gargantuan shark/crab/octopus creature.^[187]
• The Merciless is a version of Batman from Earth -12. Here Batman is in a relationship with Wonder Woman. Having killed Ares in a fit of rage when Ares presumably kills Wonder woman , the Earth -12 Batman acquired Ares’s helmet and assumed that he can channel its power to war with justice and mercy rather than ruthless brutality. But it corrupted him and the ‘Merciless’ Batman ended up killing Wonder Woman (who had actually just been knocked out) while eliminating all his enemies. The Merciless is later depicted as destroying the Valhalla Mountain when Sam Lane, Amanda Waller, Steve Trevor and Mister Bones attempt a counter-attack against the Dark Batmen after the regular heroes have apparently failed.^[191] The Merciless confronts Wonder Woman after she is transported under the foundation of A.R.G.U.S Headquarters in Washington D.C., revealing his armory filled with the divine arsenal of the Gods he killed on his Earth. He reveals to her that his Diana taught him to fight and after he destroyed the Gods, the Merciless found Themyscria and fought them for three days. The Merciless also reveals that he ordered the Ferryman at the River Styx to gather every coin from every dead Amazon seeking passage into the afterlife which he melted into a giant golden drachma, which he strikes with a hammer, summoning the undead Amazons.^[187]
• The Devastator is a version of Batman from Earth -1, a dark reflection of Earth-1. When Superman turned evil and kills friend and foe alike along with Lois, the Earth-1 Batman injected himself with an engineered version of the Doomsday virus to stop the Kryptonian at the cost of his humanity as he transformed into a Doomsday-like monster. Despite his victory, the Devastator still feels remorse for not being able to protect Metropolis from Superman’s wrath. The Batman Who Laughs offers The Devastator a second chance at saving those whom he feels are blindly inspired by Superman. Bruce infects the Earth-0 Lois Lane, Supergirl, and all of Metropolis with the Doomsday virus as he views it as the only way to protect them from Superman’s strength and false prophecies.^[192] Along with the Murder Machine, the Devastator was sent to retrieve the Cosmic Tuning Tower, ripping it out of its foundation and throwing it outside the Fortress of Solitude.^[193] He is then confronted by the two Green Lanterns of Earth (Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz), The Flash/Wally West, Firestorm, and Lobo and he proceeds to incapacitate all except Lobo who he throws into the Sun. Grabbing the Cosmic Tuning Tower, the Devastator leaps into space and lands on the Challenger’s Mountain, planting the tower on top of it.^[192]

Injustice: Gods Among Us

In Injustice: Gods Among Us, Batman was originally close friends with Superman (with Superman even asking him to be godfather to his child with Lois Lane) but when Superman was tricked by the Joker into killing Lois and destroying Metropolis, their relationship slowly went from estranged to antagonistic to enemies. Superman begins a new world order where he and the Justice League use brute force and fear to coerce people into following the law, but Batman sees the tyranny in this and opposes Superman’s Regime with his Insurgency. He suffers a few losses, notably of Dick Grayson by the hands of his biological son Damian (albeit by accident), who sided with Superman. By the end of Year One Superman breaks Batman’s back in an attempt to delay any future defiance. During most of Year Two Batman is out of commission, relying on his allies to stop the Regime when the Green Lantern Corps gets involved. In Year Three Batman allies himself with magic-users, notably John Constantine, though this ends with Constantine revealed to have been using Batman to further his own goals. Year Four has Batman look to the Greek gods to stop Superman. However, he comes to regret this when the gods decide to overpower humanity themselves, leading him to enlist the New God Highfather to stop them. He evades a trap set up by Superman when the fallen hero tries to make a meeting to discuss their problems. By the game’s events, Batman has suffered many losses by the hands of the Regime and in a last-ditch effort summons the counterparts of Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Green Arrow, and Aquaman from the mainstream universe, needing them to help him retrieve a shard of kryptonite from his now-abandoned Batcave; the kryptonite was meant to be a last resort for if Superman went rogue, but Batman made it he could only access it if key members of the League agreed. Since most of them allied with Superman who are dead (Green Arrow) he needed duplicates. When this plan fails, he is reluctant to bring over the mainstream Superman, convinced that any version of Superman is corruptible. However, his prime counterpart convinces him to have faith and he does so, with the mainstream Superman defeating his counterpart and ending the Regime’s influence.

JLA/Avengers

In JLA/Avengers, Batman appears along with his teammates in the Justice League, when they are made to fight the Avengers in the Grandmaster’s cosmic game. While touring the Marvel Universe for the first time, Batman witnesses the Punisher killing a gang of drug dealers, and attacks him (the fight takes place off-panel). He later forms an alliance with Captain America after engaging in a brief fistfight to test his opponent’s skills. Due to this alliance, he realizes the stakes of the game and loses it for the JLA. When the two universes are merged by Krona, the heroes are left confused as to what actually occurred in their reality; the Grandmaster clarifies by showing them the various tragedies that befell the heroes in their lifetimes. Batman, for his part, witnesses Jason Todd’s death and his injury at the hands of Bane. In the final battle, Krona defeats the JLA with minor difficulty, but is defeated when the Flash and Hawkeye disrupt his control of his power source.

Just Imagine

Just Imagine… is a series of comics created by Stan Lee (the co-creator of several Marvel Comics characters), with reimaginings of various DC characters.
In this continuity, Wayne Williams is framed for a crime he did not commit, works his way into getting out of prison, and becomes a mysterious wrestler known as Batman to fund a career as a vigilante using complex equipment to avenge himself against the criminals who originally framed him.

Kingdom Come

The Kingdom Come limited series depicts a Batman who, ravaged by years of fighting crime, uses an exoskeleton to keep himself together and keeps the peace on the streets of Gotham using remote-controlled robots. He is late middle-aged and wears an eerie grin. It is no longer a secret that he is Bruce Wayne and is referred to as the «Batman» even when he appears in civilian guise.

Superman: American Alien

In Superman: American Alien, a 2016 comic that shows an alternate retelling of Superman’s origin, Bruce Wayne is training under Ra’s al Ghul when he is told about someone posing as him at a birthday party thrown for him, causing Bruce to become interested in this person. Years later, having been Batman for a while, he finds out that the same person, revealed to be Clark Kent, is a reporter who spoke to Bruce’s new ward Dick Grayson. Donning his costume, Bruce confronts Clark but is quickly overpowered, and is shocked when none of his equipment harms Clark. Clark finds out Bruce’s identity by taking his mask and cape, and Bruce escapes. He seemingly leaves behind Clark’s recording of his conversation with Dick, and Clark does not reveal Bruce’s double life to the public. Bruce’s cape later becomes part of Clark’s prototype costume as he first begins his crime fighting career.

«Batman: White Knight»

In the reality of Batman: White Knight, Bruce has grown up believing he is a descendant of Malcolm Wayne, the founder of Gotham City. In reality, though, he is actually a descendant of Bakkar, a man who’d murdered Malcolm Wayne and assumed his identity. Jean-Paul Valley, aka Azrael, is actually the real Wayne descendant, which Bruce only learns from Jack Napier right before Jack forces Harley Quinn to kill him as the Joker will not let him kill himself. ^[194]

Cultural impact and legacy

Batman has become a pop culture icon, recognized around the world. The character’s presence has extended beyond his comic book origins; events such as the release of the 1989 Batman film and its accompanying merchandising «brought the Batman to the forefront of public consciousness».^[195] In an article commemorating the sixtieth anniversary of the character, The Guardian wrote, «Batman is a figure blurred by the endless reinvention that is modern mass culture. He is at once an icon and a commodity: the perfect cultural artefact for the 21st century.»^[196]

In other media

The character of Batman has appeared in various media aside from comic books, such as newspaper syndicated comic strips, books, radio dramas, television, a stage show, and several theatrical feature films. The first adaptation of Batman was as a daily newspaper comic strip which premiered on October 25, 1943.^[197] That same year the character was adapted in the 15-part serial Batman, with Lewis Wilson becoming the first actor to portray Batman on screen. While Batman never had a radio series of his own, the character made occasional guest appearances in The Adventures of Superman, starting in 1945 on occasions when Superman voice actor Bud Collyer needed time off.^[198] A second movie serial, Batman and Robin, followed in 1949, with Robert Lowery taking over the role of Batman. The exposure provided by these adaptations during the 1940s «helped make [Batman] a household name for millions who never bought a comic book».^[198]

In the 1964 publication of Donald Barthelme’s collection of short stories Come Back, Dr. Caligari, Barthelme wrote «The Joker’s Greatest Triumph». Batman is portrayed for purposes of spoof as a pretentious French-speaking rich man.^[199]

Television

The Batman television series, starring Adam West, premiered in January 1966 on the ABC television network. Inflected with a camp sense of humor, the show became a pop culture phenomenon. In his memoir, Back to the Batcave, West notes his dislike for the term ‘camp’ as it was applied to the 1960s series, opining that the show was instead a farce or lampoon, and a deliberate one, at that. The series ran for 120 episodes, ending in 1968. In between the first and second season of the Batman television series, the cast and crew made the theatrical film Batman (1966). The Who recorded the theme song from the Batman show for their 1966 EP Ready Steady Who, and The Kinks performed the theme song on their 1967 album Live at Kelvin Hall. Adam West also appeared in character as Batman in several commercials and a 1966 US Government PSA for Savings Bonds.^[200] Despite not having an immediate continuation, the series spawned a (failed) pilot episode for a spin-off Batgirl television series and, decades later, the Batman ’66 (2013-2016) comic book series, the animated films Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders (2016) and Batman vs. Two-Face (2017), and even the mockumentary Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt (2003).

In the 1996 episode Heroes and Villains of Only Fools and Horses, David Jason spoofed the role of Batman.^[201]

The popularity of the Batman TV series also resulted in the first animated adaptation of Batman in The Batman/Superman Hour;^[202] the Batman segments of the series were repackaged as The Adventures of Batman and Batman with Robin the Boy Wonder which produced thirty-three episodes between 1968 and 1977. From 1973 until 1986, Batman had a starring role in ABC’s Super Friends series, which was animated by Hanna-Barbera. Olan Soule was the voice of Batman in all these shows, but was eventually replaced during Super Friends by Adam West, who also voiced the character in Filmation’s 1977 series The New Adventures of Batman.

In 1992, Batman: The Animated Series premiered on the Fox television network, produced by Warner Bros. Animation and featuring Kevin Conroy as the voice of Batman. The series received considerable acclaim for its darker tone, mature writing, stylistic design, and thematic complexity compared to previous superhero cartoons,^[203][204] in addition to multiple Emmy Awards.^[205][206] The series’ success led to the theatrical film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993),^[207] as well as various spin-off TV series that included Superman: The Animated Series, The New Batman Adventures, Justice League and Justice League Unlimited (each of which also featured Conroy as Batman’s voice). The futuristic series Batman Beyond also took place in this same animated continuity and featured a newer, younger Batman voiced by Will Friedle, with the elderly Bruce Wayne (again voiced by Conroy) as a mentor.

In 2004, an unrelated animated series titled The Batman made its debut with Rino Romano voicing Batman. In 2008, this show was replaced by another animated series, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, featuring Diedrich Bader’s voice as Batman. In 2013, a new CGI-animated series titled Beware the Batman made its debut, with Anthony Ruivivar voicing Batman.^[208]

In 2014, the live-action TV series Gotham premiered on the Fox network, featuring David Mazouz as a 12-year-old Bruce Wayne. In 2018, when the series was renewed for its fifth and final season it was announced that Batman would make an appearance in the series finale’s flash-forward.

Iain Glen portrays Bruce Wayne in the live-action series Titans, appearing in the show’s second season in 2019.^[209] Prior to Glen, Batman was played by stunt doubles Alain Moussi and Maxim Savarias in the first season.^[210][211]

To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the character, Warner Bros aired the television short film, Batman: Strange Days, that was also posted on DC’s YouTube channel.

In August 2019, it was announced that Kevin Conroy would make his live-action television debut as an older Bruce Wayne in the upcoming Arrowverse crossover, Crisis on Infinite Earths.^[212] In the crossover, he portrayed a parallel universe iteration of Batman from Earth-99. In Batwoman, the Earth-Prime version of Bruce Wayne / Batman is portrayed by Warren Christie.^[213]

In May 2021, it was announced that a new animated series titled Batman: Caped Crusader was in development by Bruce Timm (co-creator of Batman: The Animated Series), JJ Abrams, and Matt Reeves. The series is said to be a reimagining of the Caped Crusader that returns to the character’s noir roots.^[214]

Film

As previously stated, Batman’s first cinematic appearances consisted of the 1943 serial film Batman and its 1949 sequel Batman and Robin, which were both released by Columbia Pictures and depicted a government-backed version of Batman and Robin (censorship at the time would not have allowed for vigilantes to be depicted as unauthorized crimefighters). The serials (especially the first one) are, though, notorious for their accentuation on anti-Japanese sentiments due to their World War II-period setting. In 1966, 20th Century Fox released Batman’s first feature-length film, titled Batman (also advertised as Batman: The Movie), based on and featuring most of the cast from the 1960s TV series.

In 1989, Warner Bros. released the feature film Batman, directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton as the title character. The film was a huge success; not only was it the top-grossing film of the year, but at the time was the fifth highest-grossing film in history.^[215] The film also won the Academy Award for Best Art Direction.^[216] The film’s success spawned three sequels: Batman Returns (1992), Batman Forever (1995) and Batman & Robin (1997), the latter two of which were directed by Joel Schumacher instead of Burton, and replaced Keaton as Batman with Val Kilmer and George Clooney, respectively. The second Schumacher film failed to outgross any of its predecessors and was critically panned, causing Warner Bros. to cancel the planned fourth sequel, Batman Unchained,^[217] and end the initial film series. The first two films later became the basis for the Burton-inspired comic book series Batman ’89 (2021).^[218] In April 2021, it was announced that Keaton would reprise his role as Bruce Wayne / Batman for the 2023 film, The Flash.^[219]

In 2005, Batman Begins was released by Warner Bros. as a reboot of the film series, directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Christian Bale as Batman. Its sequel, The Dark Knight (2008), set the record for the highest grossing opening weekend of all time in the U.S., earning approximately $158 million,^[220] and became the fastest film to reach the $400 million mark in the history of American cinema (eighteenth day of release).^[221] These record-breaking attendances saw The Dark Knight end its run as the second-highest domestic grossing film (at the time) with $533 million, bested then only by Titanic.^[222] The film also won two Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actor for the late Heath Ledger.^[223] It was eventually followed by The Dark Knight Rises (2012), which served as a conclusion to Nolan’s film series that has since been known as The Dark Knight Trilogy.

Since 2008, Batman has also starred in various direct-to-video films under the DC Universe Animated Original Movies label. Kevin Conroy reprised his voice role of Batman for several of these films while others have featured celebrity voice actors in the role, including Jeremy Sisto, William Baldwin, Bruce Greenwood, Ben McKenzie, Peter Weller, and Jensen Ackles.^[224] In the direct-to-video films of the DC Animated Movie Universe, Batman was voiced by Kevin Conroy again in Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013) and by Jason O’Mara in all subsequent films, such as The Death of Superman (2018) and Batman: Hush (2019). A Lego-themed version of Batman was also featured as one of the protagonists in the theatrically-released animated film The Lego Movie (2014), with Will Arnett providing the voice.^[225] Arnett reprised the voice role for the spin-off film The Lego Batman Movie (2017),^[226] as well as for the sequel The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (2019). Keanu Reeves voiced Batman in the animated film DC League of Super-Pets (2022).^[227]

In 2016, Ben Affleck began portraying Batman in the DC Extended Universe with the release of the film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, directed by Zack Snyder,^[228] a younger child version of the character was played by Brandon Spink in the same film. Affleck also made a cameo appearance as Batman in David Ayer’s film Suicide Squad (2016).^[229] Affleck reprised the role in the 2017 film Justice League,^[230][231] also set in the DC Extended Universe, as well as the director’s cut, Zack Snyder’s Justice League.^{[232][233][234][235]} Affleck will reprise his role in the 2023 film, The Flash, also set in the DC Extended Universe. This will be Affleck’s last appearance in the role.^[236][237]

Dante Pereira-Olson portrays a young Bruce Wayne in the 2019 film Joker.^[238][239]

Robert Pattinson portrays Bruce Wayne / Batman in the 2022 film, The Batman, directed by Matt Reeves.^[240][241]

Fine art

Starting with the Pop Art period, and on a continuing basis, since the 1960s, the character of Batman has been «appropriated» by multiple visual artists and incorporated into contemporary artwork,^[242][243] most notably by Andy Warhol,^[244][245] Roy Lichtenstein,^[246] Mel Ramos,^[247][248] Dulce Pinzon,^[249] Mr. Brainwash,^[250] Raymond Pettibon,^[251] Peter Saul,^[252] and others.^[250]

Video games

Since 1986, Batman has starred in multiple video games, most of which were adaptations of the various cinematic or animated incarnations of the character. Among the most successful of these games is the Batman: Arkham series. The first installment, Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009), was released by Rocksteady Studios to critical acclaim; review aggregator Metacritic reports it as having received 92% positive reviews.^[253] It was followed by the sequel Batman: Arkham City (2011), which also received widespread acclaim and holds a Metacritic ranking of 94%.^[254] A prequel game titled Batman: Arkham Origins (2013) was later released by WB Games Montréal.^[255] A fourth game titled Batman: Arkham Knight (2015) has also been released by Rocksteady.^[256] As with most animated Batman media, Kevin Conroy provided the voice of the character for these games, with the exception of Arkham Origins in which the younger Batman is voiced by Roger Craig Smith. In 2016, Telltale Games released Batman: The Telltale Series adventure game, which changed the Wayne family’s history as it is depicted in the Batman mythos.^[257] A sequel, titled Batman: The Enemy Within, was released in 2017.^[258]

Role-playing games

Mayfair Games published the DC Heroes role-playing game in 1985, then published the 80-page supplement Batman the following year, written by Mike Stackpole, with cover art by Ed Hannigan.^[259] In 1989, Mayfair Games published an updated 96-page softcover Batman Sourcebook, again written by Mike Stackpole, with additional material by J. Santana, Louis Prosperi, Jack Barker and Ray Winninger, with graphic design by Gregory Scott, and cover and interior art by DC Comics staff.^[260]

Mayfair released a simplified version of DC Heroes called The Batman Role-Playing Game in 1989 to coincide with the Batman film.^[261]

Interpretations

Gay interpretations

Gay interpretations of the character have been part of the academic study of Batman since psychologist Fredric Wertham asserted in Seduction of the Innocent in 1954 that «Batman stories are psychologically homosexual …The Batman type of story may stimulate children to homosexual fantasies, of the nature of which they may be unconscious.»^[262] Andy Medhurst wrote in his 1991 essay «Batman, Deviance, and Camp» that Batman is interesting to gay audiences because «he was one of the first fictional characters to be attacked on the grounds of his presumed homosexuality».^[263] Professor of film and cultural studies Will Brooker argues the validity of a queer reading of Batman, and that gay readers would naturally find themselves drawn to the lifestyle depicted within, whether the character of Bruce Wayne himself were explicitly gay or not. He also identifies a homophobic element to the vigor with which mainstream fandom rejects the possibility of a gay reading of the character.^[264] In 2005, painter Mark Chamberlain displayed a number of watercolors depicting both Batman and Robin in suggestive and sexually explicit poses,^[265] prompting DC to threaten legal action.^[266]

Creators associated with the character have expressed their own opinions. Writer Alan Grant has stated, «The Batman I wrote for 13 years isn’t gay …everybody’s Batman all the way back to Bob Kane …none of them wrote him as a gay character. Only Joel Schumacher might have had an opposing view.»^[267] Frank Miller views the character as sublimating his sexual urges into crimefighting so much so that he is «borderline pathological», concluding «He’d be much healthier if he were gay.»^[268] Grant Morrison said that «Gayness is built into Batman …Obviously as a fictional character he’s intended to be heterosexual, but the basis of the whole concept is utterly gay.»^[269]

Psychological interpretations

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2019)

Batman has been the subject of psychological study for some time, and there have been a number of interpretations into the character’s psyche.

In Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight, Dr. Travis Langley argues that the concept of archetypes as described by psychologists Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell is present in the Batman mythos, such that the character represents the «shadow archetype». This archetype, according to Langley, represents a person’s own dark side; it is not necessarily an evil one, but rather one that is hidden from the outside and concealed from both the world and oneself. Langley argues that Bruce Wayne confronts his own darkness early in life; he chooses to use it to instill fear in wrongdoers, with his bright and dark sides working together to fight evil. Langley uses the Jungian perspective to assert that Batman appeals to our own need to face our «shadow selves».^[270][271] Langley also taught a class called Batman, a title he was adamant about. «I could have called it something like the Psychology of Nocturnal Vigilantism, but no. I called it Batman,» Langley says.^[272]

Several psychologists have explored Bruce Wayne/Batman’s mental health. Robin. S. Rosenberg evaluated his actions and problems to determine if they reach the level of mental disorders. She examined the possibility of several mental health issues, including dissociative identity disorder, obsessive–compulsive disorder, and several others. She concluded that Bruce Wayne/Batman may have a disorder or a combination of disorders but due to his fictional nature, a definitive diagnosis will remain unknown.^{[273][274][275]} However, Langley himself states in his book that Batman is far too functional and well-adjusted, due to his training, confrontation of his fear early on and other factors, to be mentally ill. More likely, he asserts Batman’s mental attitude is far more in line with a dedicated Olympic athlete.

See also

• Batman rapist
• Camazotz

Notes

References

Sources

Further reading

External links

• Official website
• Batman Bio at the Unofficial Guide to the DC Universe
• Batman on DC Database, a DC Comics wiki
• Batman (1940–present) Comics Inventory
• Batman at Curlie

Batman
Cover of the DC Comics Absolute Edition of Batman: Hush (2011) Art by Jim Lee
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Detective Comics #27 (cover-dated May 1939; published March 30, 1939)[1]
Created by	Bob Kane Bill Finger[2][3]
In-story information
Alter ego	Bruce Wayne
Place of origin	Gotham City
Team affiliations	Justice League Batman Family Batmen of All Nations Batman Incorporated Wayne Enterprises Outsiders
Partnerships	Robin (various) Batgirl (various) Alfred Pennyworth James Gordon Superman Wonder Woman Catwoman
Notable aliases	Matches Malone
Abilities	Genius-level intellect Industrialist Expert detective Master martial artist and hand-to-hand combatant Master tactician, strategist, and field commander Peak human physical and mental condition Utilizes high-tech equipment and weapons

The Batman^[a] is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in the 27th issue of the comic book Detective Comics on March 30, 1939. In the DC Universe continuity, Batman is the alias of Bruce Wayne, a wealthy American playboy, philanthropist, and industrialist who resides in Gotham City. Batman’s origin story features him swearing vengeance against criminals after witnessing the murder of his parents Thomas and Martha as a child, a vendetta tempered with the ideal of justice. He trains himself physically and intellectually, crafts a bat-inspired persona, and monitors the Gotham streets at night. Kane, Finger, and other creators accompanied Batman with supporting characters, including his sidekicks Robin and Batgirl; allies Alfred Pennyworth, James Gordon, and Catwoman; and foes such as the Penguin, the Riddler, Two-Face, and his archenemy, the Joker.

Kane conceived Batman in early 1939 to capitalize on the popularity of DC’s Superman; although Kane frequently claimed sole creation credit, Finger substantially developed the concept from a generic superhero into something more bat-like. The character received his own spin-off publication, Batman, in 1940. Batman was originally introduced as a ruthless vigilante who frequently killed or maimed criminals, but evolved into a character with a stringent moral code and strong sense of justice. Unlike most superheroes, Batman does not possess any superpowers, instead relying on his intellect, fighting skills, and wealth. The 1960s Batman television series used a camp aesthetic, which continued to be associated with the character for years after the show ended. Various creators worked to return the character to his darker roots in the 1970s and 1980s, culminating with the 1986 miniseries The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller.

DC has featured Batman in many comic books, including comics published under its imprints such as Vertigo and Black Label. The longest-running Batman comic, Detective Comics, is the longest-running comic book in the United States. Batman is frequently depicted alongside other DC superheroes, such as Superman and Wonder Woman, as a member of organizations such as the Justice League and the Outsiders. In addition to Bruce Wayne, other characters have taken on the Batman persona on different occasions, such as Jean-Paul Valley / Azrael in the 1993–1994 «Knightfall» story arc; Dick Grayson, the first Robin, from 2009 to 2011; and Jace Fox, son of Wayne’s ally Lucius, as of 2021.^[4] DC has also published comics featuring alternate versions of Batman, including the incarnation seen in The Dark Knight Returns and its successors, the incarnation from the Flashpoint (2011) event, and numerous interpretations from Elseworlds stories.

One of the most iconic characters in popular culture, Batman has been listed among the greatest comic book superheroes and fictional characters ever created. He is one of the most commercially successful superheroes, and his likeness has been licensed and featured in various media and merchandise sold around the world; this includes toy lines such as Lego Batman and video games like the Batman: Arkham series. Batman has been adapted in live-action and animated incarnations, including the 1960s Batman television series played by Adam West and in film by Michael Keaton in Batman (1989), Batman Returns (1992), and The Flash (2023), Val Kilmer in Batman Forever (1995), George Clooney in Batman and Robin (1997), Christian Bale in The Dark Knight trilogy (2005–2012), Ben Affleck in the DC Extended Universe (2016–present), and Robert Pattinson in The Batman (2022). Kevin Conroy, Diedrich Bader, Jensen Ackles and Will Arnett, among others, have provided the character’s voice.

Publication history

Creation

In early 1939, the success of Superman in Action Comics prompted editors at National Comics Publications (the future DC Comics) to request more superheroes for its titles. In response, Bob Kane created «the Bat-Man».^[6] Collaborator Bill Finger recalled that «Kane had an idea for a character called ‘Batman,’ and he’d like me to see the drawings. I went over to Kane’s, and he had drawn a character who looked very much like Superman with kind of …reddish tights, I believe, with boots …no gloves, no gauntlets …with a small domino mask, swinging on a rope. He had two stiff wings that were sticking out, looking like bat wings. And under it was a big sign …BATMAN».^[7] The bat-wing-like cape was suggested by Bob Kane, inspired as a child by Leonardo da Vinci’s sketch of an ornithopter flying device.^[8]

Finger suggested giving the character a cowl instead of a simple domino mask, a cape instead of wings, and gloves; he also recommended removing the red sections from the original costume.^{[9][10][11][12]} Finger said he devised the name Bruce Wayne for the character’s secret identity: «Bruce Wayne’s first name came from Robert the Bruce, the Scottish patriot. Wayne, being a playboy, was a man of gentry. I searched for a name that would suggest colonialism. I tried Adams, Hancock …then I thought of Mad Anthony Wayne.»^[13] He later said his suggestions were influenced by Lee Falk’s popular The Phantom, a syndicated newspaper comic-strip character with which Kane was also familiar.^[14]

Kane and Finger drew upon contemporary 1930s popular culture for inspiration regarding much of the Bat-Man’s look, personality, methods, and weaponry. Details find predecessors in pulp fiction, comic strips, newspaper headlines, and autobiographical details referring to Kane himself.^[15] As an aristocratic hero with a double identity, Batman had predecessors in the Scarlet Pimpernel (created by Baroness Emmuska Orczy, 1903) and Zorro (created by Johnston McCulley, 1919). Like them, Batman performed his heroic deeds in secret, averted suspicion by playing aloof in public, and marked his work with a signature symbol. Kane noted the influence of the films The Mark of Zorro (1920) and The Bat Whispers (1930) in the creation of the character’s iconography. Finger, drawing inspiration from pulp heroes like Doc Savage, The Shadow, Dick Tracy, and Sherlock Holmes, made the character a master sleuth.^[16][17]

In his 1989 autobiography, Kane detailed Finger’s contributions to Batman’s creation:

One day I called Bill and said, ‘I have a new character called the Bat-Man and I’ve made some crude, elementary sketches I’d like you to look at.’ He came over and I showed him the drawings. At the time, I only had a small domino mask, like the one Robin later wore, on Batman’s face. Bill said, ‘Why not make him look more like a bat and put a hood on him, and take the eyeballs out and just put slits for eyes to make him look more mysterious?’ At this point, the Bat-Man wore a red union suit; the wings, trunks, and mask were black. I thought that red and black would be a good combination. Bill said that the costume was too bright: ‘Color it dark grey to make it look more ominous.’ The cape looked like two stiff bat wings attached to his arms. As Bill and I talked, we realized that these wings would get cumbersome when Bat-Man was in action and changed them into a cape, scalloped to look like bat wings when he was fighting or swinging down on a rope. Also, he didn’t have any gloves on, and we added them so that he wouldn’t leave fingerprints.^[14]

Golden Age

Subsequent creation credit

Kane signed away ownership in the character in exchange for, among other compensation, a mandatory byline on all Batman comics. This byline did not originally say «Batman created by Bob Kane»; his name was simply written on the title page of each story. The name disappeared from the comic book in the mid-1960s, replaced by credits for each story’s actual writer and artists. In the late 1970s, when Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster began receiving a «created by» credit on the Superman titles, along with William Moulton Marston being given the byline for creating Wonder Woman, Batman stories began saying «Created by Bob Kane» in addition to the other credits.

Finger did not receive the same recognition. While he had received credit for other DC work since the 1940s, he began, in the 1960s, to receive limited acknowledgment for his Batman writing; in the letters page of Batman #169 (February 1965) for example, editor Julius Schwartz names him as the creator of the Riddler, one of Batman’s recurring villains. However, Finger’s contract left him only with his writing page rate and no byline. Kane wrote, «Bill was disheartened by the lack of major accomplishments in his career. He felt that he had not used his creative potential to its fullest and that success had passed him by.»^[13] At the time of Finger’s death in 1974, DC had not officially credited Finger as Batman co-creator.

Jerry Robinson, who also worked with Finger and Kane on the strip at this time, has criticized Kane for failing to share the credit. He recalled Finger resenting his position, stating in a 2005 interview with The Comics Journal:

Bob made him more insecure, because while he slaved working on Batman, he wasn’t sharing in any of the glory or the money that Bob began to make, which is why …[he was] going to leave [Kane’s employ]. …[Kane] should have credited Bill as co-creator, because I know; I was there. …That was one thing I would never forgive Bob for, was not to take care of Bill or recognize his vital role in the creation of Batman. As with Siegel and Shuster, it should have been the same, the same co-creator credit in the strip, writer, and artist.^[18]

Although Kane initially rebutted Finger’s claims at having created the character, writing in a 1965 open letter to fans that «it seemed to me that Bill Finger has given out the impression that he and not myself created the »Batman, t’ [sic] as well as Robin and all the other leading villains and characters. This statement is fraudulent and entirely untrue.» Kane himself also commented on Finger’s lack of credit. «The trouble with being a ‘ghost’ writer or artist is that you must remain rather anonymously without ‘credit’. However, if one wants the ‘credit’, then one has to cease being a ‘ghost’ or follower and become a leader or innovator.»^[19]

In 1989, Kane revisited Finger’s situation, recalling in an interview:

In those days it was like, one artist and he had his name over it [the comic strip] — the policy of DC in the comic books was, if you can’t write it, obtain other writers, but their names would never appear on the comic book in the finished version. So Bill never asked me for it [the byline] and I never volunteered — I guess my ego at that time. And I felt badly, really, when he [Finger] died.^[20]

In September 2015, DC Entertainment revealed that Finger would be receiving credit for his role in Batman’s creation on the 2016 superhero film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and the second season of Gotham after a deal was worked out between the Finger family and DC.^[2] Finger received credit as a creator of Batman for the first time in a comic in October 2015 with Batman and Robin Eternal #3 and Batman: Arkham Knight Genesis #3. The updated acknowledgment for the character appeared as «Batman created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger».^[3]

Early years

The first Batman story, «The Case of the Chemical Syndicate», was published in Detective Comics #27 (cover dated May 1939). Finger said, «Batman was originally written in the style of the pulps»,^[21] and this influence was evident with Batman showing little remorse over killing or maiming criminals. Batman proved a hit character, and he received his own solo title in 1940 while continuing to star in Detective Comics. By that time, Detective Comics was the top-selling and most influential publisher in the industry; Batman and the company’s other major hero, Superman, were the cornerstones of the company’s success.^[22] The two characters were featured side by side as the stars of World’s Finest Comics, which was originally titled World’s Best Comics when it debuted in fall 1940. Creators including Jerry Robinson and Dick Sprang also worked on the strips during this period.

Over the course of the first few Batman strips elements were added to the character and the artistic depiction of Batman evolved. Kane noted that within six issues he drew the character’s jawline more pronounced, and lengthened the ears on the costume. «About a year later he was almost the full figure, my mature Batman», Kane said.^[23] Batman’s characteristic utility belt was introduced in Detective Comics #29 (July 1939), followed by the boomerang-like batarang and the first bat-themed vehicle, the Batplane, in #31 (September 1939). The character’s origin was revealed in #33 (November 1939), unfolding in a two-page story that establishes the brooding persona of Batman, a character driven by the death of his parents. Written by Finger, it depicts a young Bruce Wayne witnessing his parents’ murder at the hands of a mugger. Days later, at their grave, the child vows that «by the spirits of my parents [I will] avenge their deaths by spending the rest of my life warring on all criminals».^[24][25][26]

The early, pulp-inflected portrayal of Batman started to soften in Detective Comics #38 (April 1940) with the introduction of Robin, Batman’s junior counterpart.^[27] Robin was introduced, based on Finger’s suggestion, because Batman needed a «Watson» with whom Batman could talk.^[28] Sales nearly doubled, despite Kane’s preference for a solo Batman, and it sparked a proliferation of «kid sidekicks».^[29] The first issue of the solo spin-off series Batman was notable not only for introducing two of his most persistent enemies, the Joker and Catwoman, but for a pre-Robin inventory story, originally meant for Detective Comics #38, in which Batman shoots some monstrous giants to death.^[30][31] That story prompted editor Whitney Ellsworth to decree that the character could no longer kill or use a gun.^[32]

By 1942, the writers and artists behind the Batman comics had established most of the basic elements of the Batman mythos.^[33] In the years following World War II, DC Comics «adopted a postwar editorial direction that increasingly de-emphasized social commentary in favor of lighthearted juvenile fantasy». The impact of this editorial approach was evident in Batman comics of the postwar period; removed from the «bleak and menacing world» of the strips of the early 1940s, Batman was instead portrayed as a respectable citizen and paternal figure that inhabited a «bright and colorful» environment.^[34]

Silver and Bronze Ages

1950s and early 1960s

Batman was one of the few superhero characters to be continuously published as interest in the genre waned during the 1950s. In the story «The Mightiest Team in the World» in Superman #76 (June 1952), Batman teams up with Superman for the first time and the pair discover each other’s secret identity.^[35] Following the success of this story, World’s Finest Comics was revamped so it featured stories starring both heroes together, instead of the separate Batman and Superman features that had been running before.^[36] The team-up of the characters was «a financial success in an era when those were few and far between»;^[37] this series of stories ran until the book’s cancellation in 1986.

Batman comics were among those criticized when the comic book industry came under scrutiny with the publication of psychologist Fredric Wertham’s book Seduction of the Innocent in 1954. Wertham’s thesis was that children imitated crimes committed in comic books, and that these works corrupted the morals of the youth. Wertham criticized Batman comics for their supposed homosexual overtones and argued that Batman and Robin were portrayed as lovers.^[38] Wertham’s criticisms raised a public outcry during the 1950s, eventually leading to the establishment of the Comics Code Authority, a code that is no longer in use by the comic book industry. The tendency towards a «sunnier Batman» in the postwar years intensified after the introduction of the Comics Code.^[39] Scholars have suggested that the characters of Batwoman (in 1956) and the pre-Barbara Gordon Bat-Girl (in 1961) were introduced in part to refute the allegation that Batman and Robin were gay, and the stories took on a campier, lighter feel.^[40]

In the late 1950s, Batman stories gradually became more science fiction-oriented, an attempt at mimicking the success of other DC characters that had dabbled in the genre.^[41] New characters such as Batwoman, the original Bat-Girl, Ace the Bat-Hound, and Bat-Mite were introduced. Batman’s adventures often involved odd transformations or bizarre space aliens. In 1960, Batman debuted as a member of the Justice League of America in The Brave and the Bold #28 (February 1960), and went on to appear in several Justice League comic book series starting later that same year.

«New Look» Batman and camp

By 1964, sales of Batman titles had fallen drastically. Bob Kane noted that, as a result, DC was «planning to kill Batman off altogether».^[42] In response to this, editor Julius Schwartz was assigned to the Batman titles. He presided over drastic changes, beginning with 1964’s Detective Comics #327 (May 1964), which was cover-billed as the «New Look». Schwartz introduced changes designed to make Batman more contemporary, and to return him to more detective-oriented stories. He brought in artist Carmine Infantino to help overhaul the character. The Batmobile was redesigned, and Batman’s costume was modified to incorporate a yellow ellipse behind the bat-insignia. The space aliens, time travel, and characters of the 1950s such as Batwoman, Ace the Bat-Hound, and Bat-Mite were retired. Bruce Wayne’s butler Alfred was killed off (though his death was quickly reversed) while a new female relative for the Wayne family, Aunt Harriet Cooper, came to live with Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson.^[43]

The debut of the Batman television series in 1966 had a profound influence on the character. The success of the series increased sales throughout the comic book industry, and Batman reached a circulation of close to 900,000 copies.^[44] Elements such as the character of Batgirl and the show’s campy nature were introduced into the comics; the series also initiated the return of Alfred. Although both the comics and TV show were successful for a time, the camp approach eventually wore thin and the show was canceled in 1968. In the aftermath, the Batman comics themselves lost popularity once again. As Julius Schwartz noted, «When the television show was a success, I was asked to be campy, and of course when the show faded, so did the comic books.»^[45]

Starting in 1969, writer Dennis O’Neil and artist Neal Adams made a deliberate effort to distance Batman from the campy portrayal of the 1960s TV series and to return the character to his roots as a «grim avenger of the night».^[46] O’Neil said his idea was «simply to take it back to where it started. I went to the DC library and read some of the early stories. I tried to get a sense of what Kane and Finger were after.»^[47]

O’Neil and Adams first collaborated on the story «The Secret of the Waiting Graves» in Detective Comics #395 (January 1970). Few stories were true collaborations between O’Neil, Adams, Schwartz, and inker Dick Giordano, and in actuality these men were mixed and matched with various other creators during the 1970s; nevertheless the influence of their work was «tremendous».^[48] Giordano said: «We went back to a grimmer, darker Batman, and I think that’s why these stories did so well …»^[49] While the work of O’Neil and Adams was popular with fans, the acclaim did little to improve declining sales; the same held true with a similarly acclaimed run by writer Steve Englehart and penciler Marshall Rogers in Detective Comics #471–476 (August 1977 – April 1978), which went on to influence the 1989 movie Batman and be adapted for Batman: The Animated Series, which debuted in 1992.^[50] Regardless, circulation continued to drop through the 1970s and 1980s, hitting an all-time low in 1985.^[51]

Modern Age

The Dark Knight Returns

Frank Miller’s limited series The Dark Knight Returns (February – June 1986) returned the character to his darker roots, both in atmosphere and tone. The comic book, which tells the story of a 55-year-old Batman coming out of retirement in a possible future, reinvigorated interest in the character. The Dark Knight Returns was a financial success and has since become one of the medium’s most noted touchstones.^[52] The series also sparked a major resurgence in the character’s popularity.^[53]

That year Dennis O’Neil took over as editor of the Batman titles and set the template for the portrayal of Batman following DC’s status quo-altering 12-issue miniseries Crisis on Infinite Earths. O’Neil operated under the assumption that he was hired to revamp the character and as a result tried to instill a different tone in the books than had gone before.^[54] One outcome of this new approach was the «Year One» storyline in Batman #404–407 (February – May 1987), in which Frank Miller and artist David Mazzucchelli redefined the character’s origins. Writer Alan Moore and artist Brian Bolland continued this dark trend with 1988’s 48-page one-shot issue Batman: The Killing Joke, in which the Joker, attempting to drive Commissioner Gordon insane, cripples Gordon’s daughter Barbara, and then kidnaps and tortures the commissioner, physically and psychologically.

The Batman comics garnered major attention in 1988 when DC Comics created a 900 number for readers to call to vote on whether Jason Todd, the second Robin, lived or died. Voters decided in favor of Jason’s death by a narrow margin of 28 votes (see Batman: A Death in the Family).^[55]

Knightfall

The 1993 «Knightfall» story arc introduced a new villain, Bane, who critically injures Batman after pushing him to the limits of his endurance. Jean-Paul Valley, known as Azrael, is called upon to wear the Batsuit during Bruce Wayne’s convalescence. Writers Doug Moench, Chuck Dixon, and Alan Grant worked on the Batman titles during «Knightfall», and would also contribute to other Batman crossovers throughout the 1990s. 1998’s «Cataclysm» storyline served as the precursor to 1999’s «No Man’s Land», a year-long storyline that ran through all the Batman-related titles dealing with the effects of an earthquake-ravaged Gotham City. At the conclusion of «No Man’s Land», O’Neil stepped down as editor and was replaced by Bob Schreck.^[56]

Another writer who rose to prominence on the Batman comic series, was Jeph Loeb. Along with longtime collaborator Tim Sale, they wrote two miniseries (The Long Halloween and Dark Victory) that pit an early-in-his-career version of Batman against his entire rogues gallery (including Two-Face, whose origin was re-envisioned by Loeb) while dealing with various mysteries involving serial killers Holiday and the Hangman. In 2003, Loeb teamed with artist Jim Lee to work on another mystery arc: «Batman: Hush» for the main Batman book. The 12–issue story line has Batman and Catwoman teaming up against Batman’s entire rogues gallery, including an apparently resurrected Jason Todd, while seeking to find the identity of the mysterious supervillain Hush.^[57] While the character of Hush failed to catch on with readers, the arc was a sales success for DC. The series became #1 on the Diamond Comic Distributors sales chart for the first time since Batman #500 (October 1993) and Todd’s appearance laid the groundwork for writer Judd Winick’s subsequent run as writer on Batman, with another multi-issue arc, «Under the Hood», which ran from Batman #637–650 (April 2005 – April 2006).

21st century

All Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder

In 2005, DC launched All Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder, a stand-alone comic book miniseries set outside the main DC Universe continuity. Written by Frank Miller and drawn by Jim Lee, the series was a commercial success for DC Comics,^[58][59] although it was widely panned by critics for its writing and strong depictions of violence.^[60][61]

Starting in 2006, Grant Morrison and Paul Dini were the regular writers of Batman and Detective Comics, with Morrison reincorporating controversial elements of Batman lore. Most notably of these elements were the science fiction-themed storylines of the 1950s Batman comics, which Morrison revised as hallucinations Batman experienced under the influence of various mind-bending gases and extensive sensory deprivation training. Morrison’s run climaxed with «Batman R.I.P.», which brought Batman up against the villainous «Black Glove» organization, which sought to drive Batman into madness. «Batman R.I.P.» segued into Final Crisis (also written by Morrison), which saw the apparent death of Batman at the hands of Darkseid. In the 2009 miniseries Batman: Battle for the Cowl, Wayne’s former protégé Dick Grayson becomes the new Batman, and Wayne’s son Damian becomes the new Robin.^[62][63] In June 2009, Judd Winick returned to writing Batman, while Grant Morrison was given their own series, titled Batman and Robin.^[64]

In 2010, the storyline Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne saw Bruce travel through history, eventually returning to the present day. Although he reclaimed the mantle of Batman, he also allowed Grayson to continue being Batman as well. Bruce decided to take his crime-fighting cause globally, which is the central focus of Batman Incorporated. DC Comics would later announce that Grayson would be the main character in Batman, Detective Comics, and Batman and Robin, while Wayne would be the main character in Batman Incorporated. Also, Bruce appeared in another ongoing series, Batman: The Dark Knight.

The New 52

In September 2011, DC Comics’ entire line of superhero comic books, including its Batman franchise, were cancelled and relaunched with new #1 issues as part of The New 52 reboot. Bruce Wayne is the only character to be identified as Batman and is featured in Batman, Detective Comics, Batman and Robin, and Batman: The Dark Knight. Dick Grayson returns to the mantle of Nightwing and appears in his own ongoing series. While many characters have their histories significantly altered to attract new readers, Batman’s history remains mostly intact. Batman Incorporated was relaunched in 2012–2013 to complete the «Leviathan» storyline.

With the beginning of The New 52, Scott Snyder was the writer of the Batman title. His first major story arc was «Night of the Owls», where Batman confronts the Court of Owls, a secret society that has controlled Gotham for centuries. The second story arc was «Death of the Family», where the Joker returns to Gotham and simultaneously attacks each member of the Batman family. The third story arc was «Batman: Zero Year», which redefined Batman’s origin in The New 52. It followed Batman vol. 2 #0, published in June 2012, which explored the character’s early years. The final storyline before the Convergence (2015) storyline was «Endgame», depicting the supposed final battle between Batman and the Joker when he unleashes the deadly Endgame virus onto Gotham City. The storyline ends with Batman and the Joker’s supposed deaths.

Starting with Batman vol. 2 #41, Commissioner James Gordon takes over Bruce’s mantle as a new, state-sanctioned, robotic-Batman, debuting in the Free Comic Book Day special comic Divergence. However, Bruce Wayne is soon revealed to be alive, albeit now with almost total amnesia of his life as Batman and only remembering his life as Bruce Wayne through what he has learned from Alfred. Bruce Wayne finds happiness and proposes to his girlfriend, Julie Madison, but Mr. Bloom heavily injures Jim Gordon and takes control of Gotham City and threatens to destroy the city by energizing a particle reactor to create a «strange star» to swallow the city. Bruce Wayne discovers the truth that he was Batman and after talking to a stranger who smiles a lot (it is heavily implied that this is the amnesic Joker) he forces Alfred to implant his memories as Batman, but at the cost of his memories as the reborn Bruce Wayne. He returns and helps Jim Gordon defeat Mr. Bloom and shut down the reactor. Gordon gets his job back as the commissioner, and the government Batman project is shut down.^[65]

In 2015, DC Comics released The Dark Knight III: The Master Race, the sequel to Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns and The Dark Knight Strikes Again.^[66]

DC Rebirth and Infinite Frontier

In June 2016, the DC Rebirth event relaunched DC Comics’ entire line of comic book titles. Batman was rebooted as starting with a one-shot issue entitled Batman: Rebirth #1 (August 2016). The series then began shipping twice-monthly as a third volume, starting with Batman vol. 3 #1 (August 2016). The third volume of Batman was written by Tom King, and artwork was provided by David Finch and Mikel Janín. The Batman series introduced two vigilantes, Gotham and Gotham Girl. Detective Comics resumed its original numbering system starting with June 2016’s #934, and the New 52 series was labeled as volume 2, with issues numbering from #1-52.^[67] Similarly with the Batman title, the New 52 issues were labeled as volume 2 and encompassed issues #1-52. Writer James Tynion IV and artists Eddy Barrows and Alvaro Martinez worked on Detective Comics #934, and the series initially featured a team consisting of Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown, Cassandra Cain, and Clayface, led by Batman and Batwoman.

DC Comics ended the DC Rebirth branding in December 2017, opting to include everything under a larger DC Universe banner and naming. The continuity established by DC Rebirth continues across DC’s comic book titles, including volume 1 of Detective Comics and volume 3 of Batman.^[68][69]

After the conclusion of Batman vol. 3 #85^[70] a new creative team consisting of James Tynion IV with art by Tony S. Daniel and Danny Miki replaced Tom King, David Finch and Mikel Janín. Following Tynion’s departure from DC Comics, Joshua Williamson, who previously wrote the backup story in issue #106, briefly became the new head writer in December 2021 starting with issue #118.^[71] Chip Zdarsky then became the head writer with artist Jorge Jimenez returning after having previously illustrated parts of Tynion’s run. Their run begun with issue #125, which was released on July 5, 2022 and starts with «Failsafe», a six-issue story arc.^[72]

Characterization

Bruce Wayne

Batman’s secret identity is Bruce Wayne, a wealthy American industrialist. As a child, Bruce witnessed the murder of his parents, Dr. Thomas Wayne and Martha Wayne, which ultimately led him to craft the Batman persona and seek justice against criminals. He resides on the outskirts of Gotham City in his personal residence, Wayne Manor. Wayne averts suspicion by acting the part of a superficial playboy idly living off his family’s fortune and the profits of Wayne Enterprises, his inherited conglomerate.^[73][74] He supports philanthropic causes through his nonprofit Wayne Foundation, which in part addresses social issues encouraging crime as well as assisting victims of it, but is more widely known as a celebrity socialite.^[75] In public, he frequently appears in the company of high-status women, which encourages tabloid gossip while feigning near-drunkenness with consuming large quantities of disguised ginger ale since Wayne is actually a strict teetotaler to maintain his physical and mental prowess.^[76] Although Bruce Wayne leads an active romantic life, his vigilante activities as Batman account for most of his time.^[77]

Various modern stories have portrayed the extravagant, playboy image of Bruce Wayne as a facade.^[78] This is in contrast to the Post-Crisis Superman, whose Clark Kent persona is the true identity, while the Superman persona is the facade.^[79][80] In Batman Unmasked, a television documentary about the psychology of the character, behavioral scientist Benjamin Karney notes that Batman’s personality is driven by Bruce Wayne’s inherent humanity; that «Batman, for all its benefits and for all of the time Bruce Wayne devotes to it, is ultimately a tool for Bruce Wayne’s efforts to make the world better». Bruce Wayne’s principles include the desire to prevent future harm and a vow not to kill. Bruce Wayne believes that our actions define us, we fail for a reason and anything is possible.^[81]

Writers of Batman and Superman stories have often compared and contrasted the two. Interpretations vary depending on the writer, the story, and the timing. Grant Morrison^[82] notes that both heroes «believe in the same kind of things» despite the day/night contrast their heroic roles display. Morrison notes an equally stark contrast in their real identities. Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent belong to different social classes: «Bruce has a butler, Clark has a boss.» T. James Musler’s book Unleashing the Superhero in Us All explores the extent to which Bruce Wayne’s vast personal wealth is important in his life story, and the crucial role it plays in his efforts as Batman.^[83]

Will Brooker notes in his book Batman Unmasked that «the confirmation of the Batman’s identity lies with the young audience …he doesn’t have to be Bruce Wayne; he just needs the suit and gadgets, the abilities, and most importantly the morality, the humanity. There’s just a sense about him: ‘they trust him …and they’re never wrong.»^[84]

Personality

Batman’s primary character traits can be summarized as «wealth; physical prowess; deductive abilities and obsession».^[85] The details and tone of Batman comic books have varied over the years with different creative teams. Dennis O’Neil noted that character consistency was not a major concern during early editorial regimes: «Julie Schwartz did a Batman in Batman and Detective and Murray Boltinoff did a Batman in the Brave and the Bold and apart from the costume they bore very little resemblance to each other. Julie and Murray did not want to coordinate their efforts, nor were they asked to do so. Continuity was not important in those days.»^[86]

The driving force behind Bruce Wayne’s character is his parents’ murder and their absence. Bob Kane and Bill Finger discussed Batman’s background and decided that «there’s nothing more traumatic than having your parents murdered before your eyes».^[87] Despite his trauma, he sets his mind on studying to become a scientist^[88][89] and to train his body into physical perfection^[88][89] to fight crime in Gotham City as Batman, an inspired idea from Wayne’s insight into the criminal mind.^[88][89] He also speaks over 40 different languages.^[90]

Another of Batman’s characterizations is that of a vigilante; in order to stop evil that started with the death of his parents, he must sometimes break the law himself. Although manifested differently by being re-told by different artists, it is nevertheless that the details and the prime components of Batman’s origin have never varied at all in the comic books, the «reiteration of the basic origin events holds together otherwise divergent expressions».^[91] The origin is the source of the character’s traits and attributes, which play out in many of the character’s adventures.^[85]

Batman is often treated as a vigilante by other characters in his stories. Frank Miller views the character as «a dionysian figure, a force for anarchy that imposes an individual order».^[92] Dressed as a bat, Batman deliberately cultivates a frightening persona in order to aid him in crime-fighting,^[93] a fear that originates from the criminals’ own guilty conscience.^[94] Miller is often credited with reintroducing anti-heroic traits into Batman’s characterization,^[95] such as his brooding personality, willingness to use violence and torture, and increasingly alienated behavior. Batman, shortly a year after his debut and the introduction of Robin, was changed in 1940 after DC editor Whitney Ellsworth felt the character would be tainted by his lethal methods and DC established their own ethical code, subsequently he was retconned to have a stringent moral code,^[32][96] which has stayed with the character of Batman ever since. Miller’s Batman was closer to the original pre-Robin version, who was willing to kill criminals if necessary.^[97]

Others

On several occasions former Robin Dick Grayson has served as Batman; most notably in 2009 while Wayne was believed dead, and served as a second Batman even after Wayne returned in 2010.^[57] As part of DC’s 2011 continuity relaunch, Grayson returned to being Nightwing following the Flashpoint crossover event.

In an interview with IGN, Morrison detailed that having Dick Grayson as Batman and Damian Wayne as Robin represented a «reverse» of the normal dynamic between Batman and Robin, with, «a more light-hearted and spontaneous Batman and a scowling, badass Robin». Morrison explained their intentions for the new characterization of Batman: «Dick Grayson is kind of this consummate superhero. The guy has been Batman’s partner since he was a kid, he’s led the Teen Titans, and he’s trained with everybody in the DC Universe. So he’s a very different kind of Batman. He’s a lot easier; He’s a lot looser and more relaxed.»^[62]

Over the years, there have been numerous others to assume the name of Batman, or to officially take over for Bruce during his leaves of absence. Jean-Paul Valley, also known as Azrael, assumed the cowl after the events of the Knightfall saga.^[57] Jim Gordon donned a mecha-suit after the events of Batman: Endgame, and served as Batman in 2015 and 2016. In 2021, as part of the Fear State crossover event, Lucius Fox’s son Jace Fox succeeds Bruce as Batman in a 2021 storyline, depicted in the series I Am Batman, after Batman was declared dead.

Additionally, members of the group Batman Incorporated, Bruce Wayne’s experiment at franchising his brand of vigilantism, have at times stood in as the official Batman in cities around the world.^[57] Various others have also taken up the role of Batman in stories set in alternative universes and possible futures, including, among them, various former proteges of Bruce Wayne.

Supporting characters

Batman’s interactions with both villains and cohorts have, over time, developed a strong supporting cast of characters.^[85]

Enemies

Batman faces a variety of foes ranging from common criminals to outlandish supervillains. Many of them mirror aspects of the Batman’s character and development, often having tragic origin stories that lead them to a life of crime.^[98] These foes are commonly referred to as Batman’s rogues gallery. Batman’s «most implacable foe» is the Joker, a homicidal maniac with a clown-like appearance. The Joker is considered by critics to be his perfect adversary, since he is the antithesis of Batman in personality and appearance; the Joker has a maniacal demeanor with a colorful appearance, while Batman has a serious and resolute demeanor with a dark appearance. As a «personification of the irrational», the Joker represents «everything Batman [opposes]».^[33] Other long-time recurring foes that are part of Batman’s rogues gallery include Catwoman (a cat burglar anti-heroine who is an occasional ally and romantic interest), the Penguin, Ra’s al Ghul, Two-Face, the Riddler, the Scarecrow, Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, Bane, Clayface, and Killer Croc, among others. Many of Batman’s adversaries are often psychiatric patients at Arkham Asylum.

Allies

Alfred

Batman’s butler, Alfred Pennyworth, first appeared in Batman #16 (1943). He serves as Bruce Wayne’s loyal father figure and is one of the few persons to know his secret identity. Alfred raised Bruce after his parents’ death and knows him on a very personal level. He is sometimes portrayed as a sidekick to Batman and the only other resident of Wayne Manor aside from Bruce. The character «[lends] a homely touch to Batman’s environs and [is] ever ready to provide a steadying and reassuring hand» to the hero and his sidekick.^[98]

«Batman family»

The informal name «Batman family» is used for a group of characters closely allied with Batman, generally masked vigilantes who either have been trained by Batman or operate in Gotham City with his tacit approval. They include: Barbara Gordon, Commissioner Gordon’s daughter, who has fought crime under the vigilante identity of Batgirl and, during a period in which she was reliant on a wheelchair due to a gunshot wound inflicted by the Joker, the computer hacker the Oracle; Helena Bertinelli, the sole surviving member of a mob family turned vigilante, who has worked with Batman on occasion, primarily as the Huntress and as Batgirl for a brief stint; Cassandra Cain, the daughter of professional assassins David Cain, and Lady Shiva, who succeeded Bertinelli as Batgirl.

Civilians

Lucius Fox, a technology specialist and Bruce Wayne’s business manager who is well aware of his employer’s clandestine vigilante activities; Dr. Leslie Thompkins, a family friend who like Alfred became a surrogate parental figure to Bruce Wayne after the deaths of his parents, and is also aware of his secret identity; Vicki Vale, an investigative journalist who often reports on Batman’s activities for the Gotham Gazette; Ace the Bat-Hound, Batman’s canine partner who was mainly active in the 1950s and 1960s;^[99] and Bat-Mite, an extra-dimensional imp mostly active in the 1960s who idolizes Batman.^[99]

GCPD

As Batman’s ally in the Gotham City police, Commissioner James «Jim» Gordon debuted along with Batman in Detective Comics #27 and has been a consistent presence ever since. As a crime-fighting everyman, he shares Batman’s goals while offering, much as the character of Dr. Watson does in Sherlock Holmes stories, a normal person’s perspective on the work of Batman’s extraordinary genius.

Justice League

Batman is at times a member of superhero teams such as the Justice League of America and the Outsiders. Batman has often been paired in adventures with his Justice League teammate Superman, notably as the co-stars of World’s Finest Comics and Superman/Batman series. In Pre-Crisis continuity, the two are depicted as close friends; however, in current continuity, they are still close friends but an uneasy relationship, with an emphasis on their differing views on crime-fighting and justice. In Superman/Batman #3 (December 2003), Superman observes, «Sometimes, I admit, I think of Bruce as a man in a costume. Then, with some gadget from his utility belt, he reminds me that he has an extraordinarily inventive mind. And how lucky I am to be able to call on him.»^[100]

Robin

Robin, Batman’s vigilante partner, has been a widely recognized supporting character for many years.^[101] Bill Finger stated that he wanted to include Robin because «Batman didn’t have anyone to talk to, and it got a little tiresome always having him thinking.»^[102] The first Robin, Dick Grayson, was introduced in 1940. In the 1970s he finally grew up, went off to college and became the hero Nightwing. A second Robin, Jason Todd, appeared in the 1980s. In the stories he was eventually badly beaten and then killed in an explosion set by the Joker, but was later revived. He used the Joker’s old persona, the Red Hood, and became an antihero vigilante with no qualms about using firearms or deadly force. Carrie Kelley, the first female Robin to appear in Batman stories, was the final Robin in the continuity of Frank Miller’s graphic novels The Dark Knight Returns and The Dark Knight Strikes Again, fighting alongside an aging Batman in stories set out of the mainstream continuity.

The third Robin in the mainstream comics is Tim Drake, who first appeared in 1989. He went on to star in his own comic series, and currently goes by the Red Robin, a variation on the traditional Robin persona. In the first decade of the new millennium, Stephanie Brown served as the fourth in-universe Robin between stints as her self-made vigilante identity the Spoiler, and later as Batgirl.^[103] After Brown’s apparent death, Drake resumed the role of Robin for a time. The role eventually passed to Damian Wayne, the 10-year-old son of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul, in the late 2000s.^[104] Damian’s tenure as du jour Robin ended when the character was killed off in the pages of Batman Incorporated in 2013.^[105] Batman’s next young sidekick is Harper Row, a streetwise young woman who avoids the name Robin but followed the ornithological theme nonetheless; she debuted the codename and identity of the Bluebird in 2014. Unlike the Robins, the Bluebird is willing and permitted to use a gun, albeit non-lethal; her weapon of choice is a modified rifle that fires taser rounds.^[106] In 2015, a new series began titled We Are…Robin, focused on a group of teenagers using the Robin persona to fight crime in Gotham City. The most prominent of these, Duke Thomas, later becomes Batman’s crimefighting partner as The Signal.

Relationships

Family tree

Helena Wayne is the biological daughter of Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle of an alternate universe established in the early 1960s (Multiverse) where the Golden Age stories took place. Damian Wayne is the biological son of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul,^{[62][107][108]} and thus the grandson of Ra’s al Ghul. Terry McGinnis and his brother Matt are the biological sons of Bruce Wayne and Mary McGinnis in the DC animated universe, and Terry has taken over the role as Batman when Bruce has become too old to do so.

Romantic interests

Writers have varied in the approach over the years to the «playboy» aspect of Bruce Wayne’s persona. Some writers show his playboy reputation as a manufactured illusion to support his mission as Batman, while others have depicted Bruce Wayne as genuinely enjoying the benefits of being «Gotham’s most eligible bachelor». Bruce Wayne has been portrayed as being romantically linked with many women throughout his various incarnations. The most significant relationships occurred with Selina Kyle, who is also Catwoman^[109] and Talia al Ghul, as both women gave birth to his biological offsprings, Helena Wayne and Damian Wayne, respectively.

Batman’s first romantic interest was Julie Madison in Detective Comics #31 (September 1939); however, their romance was short-lived. Some of Batman’s romantic interests have been women with a respected status in society, such as Julie Madison, Vicki Vale, and Silver St. Cloud. Batman has also been romantically involved with allies, such as Kathy Kane (Batwoman), Sasha Bordeaux, and Wonder Woman, and with villains, such as Selina Kyle (Catwoman), Jezebel Jet, Pamela Isley (Poison Ivy), and Talia al Ghul.

Catwoman

While most of Batman’s romantic relationships tend to be short in duration, Catwoman has been his most enduring romance throughout the years.^[110] The attraction between Batman and Catwoman, whose real name is Selina Kyle, is present in nearly every version and medium in which the characters appear, including a love story between their two secret identities as early as in the 1966 film Batman. Although Catwoman is typically portrayed as a villain, Batman and Catwoman have worked together in achieving common goals and are usually depicted as having a romantic connection.

In an early 1980s storyline, Selina Kyle and Bruce Wayne develop a relationship, in which the closing panel of the final story shows her referring to Batman as «Bruce». However, a change in the editorial team brought a swift end to that storyline and, apparently, all that transpired during the story arc. Out of costume, Bruce and Selina develop a romantic relationship during The Long Halloween. The story shows Selina saving Bruce from Poison Ivy. However, the relationship ends when Bruce rejects her advances twice; once as Bruce and once as Batman. In Batman: Dark Victory, he stands her up on two holidays, causing her to leave him for good and to leave Gotham City for a while. When the two meet at an opera many years later, during the events of the 12-issue story arc called «Hush», Bruce comments that the two no longer have a relationship as Bruce and Selina. However, «Hush» sees Batman and Catwoman allied against the entire rogues gallery and rekindling their romantic relationship. In «Hush», Batman reveals his true identity to Catwoman.

The Earth-Two Batman, a character from a parallel world, partners with and marries the reformed Earth-Two Selina Kyle, as shown in Superman Family #211. They have a daughter named Helena Wayne, who becomes the Huntress. Along with Dick Grayson, the Earth-Two Robin, the Huntress takes the role as Gotham’s protector once Bruce Wayne retires to become police commissioner, a position he occupies until he is killed during one final adventure as Batman.

Batman and Catwoman are shown having a sexual encounter on the roof of a building in Catwoman vol. 4 #1 (2011); the same issue implies that the two have an ongoing sexual relationship.^[111] Following the 2016 DC Rebirth continuity reboot, the two once again have a sexual encounter on top of a building in Batman vol. 3 #14 (2017).^[112]

Following the 2016 DC Rebirth continuity reboot, Batman and Catwoman work together in the third volume of Batman. The two also have a romantic relationship, in which they are shown having a sexual encounter on a rooftop and sleeping together.^{[112][113][114]} Bruce proposes to Selina in Batman vol. 3 #24 (2017),^[115] and in issue #32, Selina asks Bruce to propose to her again. When he does so, she says, «Yes.»^[114]

Batman vol. 3 Annual #2 (January 2018) centers on a romantic storyline between Batman and Catwoman. Towards the end, the story is flash-forwarded to the future, in which Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle are a married couple in their golden years. Bruce receives a terminal medical diagnosis, and Selina cares for him until his death.^[114]

Abilities

Skills and training

Batman has no inherent superhuman powers; he relies on «his own scientific knowledge, detective skills, and athletic prowess».^[27] Batman’s inexhaustible wealth gives him access to advanced technologies, and as a proficient scientist, he is able to use and modify these technologies to his advantage. In the stories, Batman is regarded as one of the world’s greatest detectives, if not the world’s greatest crime solver.^[116] Batman has been repeatedly described as having a genius-level intellect, being one of the greatest martial artists in the DC Universe, and having peak human physical and mental conditioning.^[117] As a polymath, his knowledge and expertise in countless disciplines is nearly unparalleled by any other character in the DC Universe. He has shown prowess in assorted fields such as mathematics, biology, physics, chemistry, and several levels of engineering. ^[118] He has traveled the world acquiring the skills needed to aid him in his endeavors as Batman. In the Superman: Doomed story arc, Superman considers Batman to be one of the most brilliant minds on the planet.^[119]

Batman has trained extensively in various different fighting styles, making him one of the best hand-to-hand fighters in the DC Universe. He has fully utilized his photographic memory to master a total of 127 different forms of martial arts including, but not limited to, Aikido, boxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Capoeira, Eskrima, fencing, Gatka, Hapkido, Jeet Kune Do, Judo, Kalaripayattu, Karate, Kenjutsu, Kenpo, kickboxing, Kobudo, Krav Maga, Kyudo, Muay Thai, Ninjutsu, Pankration, Sambo, Savate, Silat, Taekwondo, wrestling, numerous different styles of Wushu (Kung Fu) (such as Baguazhang, Chin Na, Hung Ga, Shaolinquan, Tai Chi, Wing Chun), and Yaw-Yan.^[120] In terms of his physical condition, Batman is in peak, Olympic-athlete-level condition, easily-able to run-across rooftops in a Parkour-esque fashion. Superman describes Batman as «the most dangerous man on Earth», able to defeat an entire team of superpowered extra-terrestrials by himself in order to rescue his imprisoned teammates in Grant Morrison’s first storyline in JLA.

Batman is strongly disciplined, and he has the ability to function under great physical pain and resist most forms of telepathy and mind control. He is a master of disguise, multilingual, and an expert in espionage, often gathering information under the identity of a notorious gangster named Matches Malone. Batman is highly skilled in stealth movement and escapology, which allows him to appear and disappear at will and to break free of nearly inescapable deathtraps with little to no harm.

Batman is an expert in interrogation techniques and his intimidating and frightening appearance alone is often all that is needed in getting information from suspects. Despite having the potential to harm his enemies, Batman’s most defining characteristic is his strong commitment to justice and his reluctance to take a life. This unyielding moral rectitude has earned him the respect of several heroes in the DC Universe, most notably that of Superman and Wonder Woman.

Among physical and other crime fighting related training, he is also proficient at other types of skills. Some of these include being a licensed pilot (in order to operate the Batplane), as well as being able to operate other types of machinery. In some publications, he underwent some magician training.

Technology

Batman utilizes a vast arsenal of specialized, high-tech vehicles and gadgets in his war against crime, the designs of which usually share a bat motif. Batman historian Les Daniels credits Gardner Fox with creating the concept of Batman’s arsenal with the introduction of the utility belt in Detective Comics #29 (July 1939) and the first bat-themed weapons the batarang and the «Batgyro» in Detective Comics #31 and 32 (Sept. and October 1939).^[23]

Personal armor

Batman’s batsuit aids in his combat against enemies, having the properties of both Kevlar and Nomex. It protects him from gunfire and other significant impacts, and incorporates the imagery of a bat in order to frighten criminals.^[121]

The details of the Batman costume change repeatedly through various decades, stories, media and artists’ interpretations, but the most distinctive elements remain consistent: a scallop-hem cape; a cowl covering most of the face; a pair of bat-like ears; a stylized bat emblem on the chest; and the ever-present utility belt. His gloves typically feature three scallops that protrude from long, gauntlet-like cuffs, although in his earliest appearances he wore short, plain gloves without the scallops.^[122] The overall look of the character, particularly the length of the cowl’s ears and of the cape, varies greatly depending on the artist. Dennis O’Neil said, «We now say that Batman has two hundred suits hanging in the Batcave so they don’t have to look the same …Everybody loves to draw Batman, and everybody wants to put their own spin on it.»^[123]

Finger and Kane originally conceptualized Batman as having a black cape and cowl and grey suit, but conventions in coloring called for black to be highlighted with blue.^[121] Hence, the costume’s colors have appeared in the comics as dark blue and grey;^[121] as well as black and grey. In the Tim Burton’s Batman and Batman Returns films, Batman has been depicted as completely black with a bat in the middle surrounded by a yellow background. Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy depicted Batman wearing high-tech gear painted completely black with a black bat in the middle. Ben Affleck’s Batman in the DC Extended Universe films wears a suit grey in color with a black cowl, cape, and bat symbol.

Batmobile

Batman’s primary vehicle is the Batmobile, which is usually depicted as an imposing black car, often with tailfins that suggest a bat’s wings.

Batman also has an aircraft called the Batplane (later called the «Batwing»), along with various other means of transportation.

In proper practice, the «bat» prefix (as in Batmobile or batarang) is rarely used by Batman himself when referring to his equipment, particularly after some portrayals (primarily the 1960s Batman live-action television show and the Super Friends animated series) stretched the practice to campy proportions. For example, the 1960s television show depicted a Batboat, Bat-Sub, and Batcycle, among other bat-themed vehicles. The 1960s television series Batman has an arsenal that includes such «bat-» names as the Bat-computer, Bat-scanner, bat-radar, bat-cuffs, bat-pontoons, bat-drinking water dispenser, bat-camera with polarized bat-filter, bat-shark repellent bat-spray, and Bat-rope. The storyline «A Death in the Family» suggests that given Batman’s grim nature, he is unlikely to have adopted the «bat» prefix on his own. In The Dark Knight Returns, Batman tells Carrie Kelley that the original Robin came up with the name «Batmobile» when he was young, since that is what a kid would call Batman’s vehicle.

The Batmobile was redesigned in 2011 when DC Comics relaunched its entire line of comic books, with the Batmobile being given heavier armor and new aesthetics.

Utility belt

Batman keeps most of his field equipment in his utility belt. Over the years it has shown to contain an assortment of crime-fighting tools, weapons, and investigative and technological instruments. Different versions of the belt have these items stored in compartments, often as pouches or hard cylinders attached evenly around it.

Batman is often depicted as carrying a projectile which shoots a retractable grappling hook attached to a cable. This allows him to attach to distant objects, be propelled into the air, and thus swing from the rooftops of Gotham City.

An exception to the range of Batman’s equipment are hand guns, which he refuses to use on principle, since a gun was used in his parents’ murder. In modern stories in terms of his vehicles, Batman compromises on that principle to install weapon systems on them for the purpose of non-lethally disabling other vehicles, forcing entry into locations and attacking dangerous targets too large to defeat by other means.

Bat-Signal

When Batman is needed, the Gotham City police activate a searchlight with a bat-shaped insignia over the lens called the Bat-Signal, which shines into the night sky, creating a bat-symbol on a passing cloud which can be seen from any point in Gotham. The origin of the signal varies, depending on the continuity and medium.

In various incarnations, most notably the 1960s Batman TV series, Commissioner Gordon also has a dedicated phone line, dubbed the Bat-Phone, connected to a bright red telephone (in the TV series) which sits on a wooden base and has a transparent top. The line connects directly to Batman’s residence, Wayne Manor, specifically both to a similar phone sitting on the desk in Bruce Wayne’s study and the extension phone in the Batcave.

Batcave

The Batcave is Batman’s secret headquarters, consisting of a series of caves beneath his mansion, Wayne Manor. As his command center, the Batcave serves multiple purposes; supercomputer, surveillance, redundant power-generators, forensics lab, medical infirmary, private study, training dojo, fabrication workshop, arsenal, hangar and garage. It houses the vehicles and equipment Batman uses in his campaign to fight crime. It is also a trophy room and storage facility for Batman’s unique memorabilia collected over the years from various cases he has worked on.

In both the comic book Batman: Shadow of the Bat #45 and the 2005 film Batman Begins, the cave is said to have been part of the Underground Railroad.

Fictional character biography

Batman’s history has undergone many retroactive continuity revisions, both minor and major. Elements of the character’s history have varied greatly. Scholars William Uricchio and Roberta E. Pearson noted in the early 1990s, «Unlike some fictional characters, the Batman has no primary urtext set in a specific period, but has rather existed in a plethora of equally valid texts constantly appearing over more than five decades.»^[124]

20th century

Origin

The central fixed event in the Batman stories is the character’s origin story.^[85] As a young boy, Bruce Wayne was horrified and traumatized when he watched his parents, the physician Dr. Thomas Wayne and his wife Martha, murdered with a gun by a mugger named Joe Chill. Batman refuses to utilize any sort of gun on the principle that a gun was used to murder his parents. This event drove him to train his body to its peak condition and fight crime in Gotham City as Batman. Pearson and Uricchio also noted beyond the origin story and such events as the introduction of Robin, «Until recently, the fixed and accruing and hence, canonized, events have been few in number»,^[85] a situation altered by an increased effort by later Batman editors such as Dennis O’Neil to ensure consistency and continuity between stories.^[125]

Golden Age

In Batman’s first appearance in Detective Comics #27, he is already operating as a crime-fighter.^[126] Batman’s origin is first presented in Detective Comics #33 (November 1939) and is later expanded upon in Batman #47. As these comics state, Bruce Wayne is born to Dr. Thomas Wayne and his wife Martha, two very wealthy and charitable Gotham City socialites. Bruce is brought up in Wayne Manor, and leads a happy and privileged existence until the age of 8, when his parents are killed by a small-time criminal named Joe Chill while on their way home from a movie theater. That night, Bruce Wayne swears an oath to spend his life fighting crime. He engages in intense intellectual and physical training; however, he realizes that these skills alone would not be enough. «Criminals are a superstitious cowardly lot», Wayne remarks, «so my disguise must be able to strike terror into their hearts. I must be a creature of the night, black, terrible …» As if responding to his desires, a bat suddenly flies through the window, inspiring Bruce to craft the Batman persona.^[127]

In early strips, Batman’s career as a vigilante earns him the ire of the police. During this period, Bruce Wayne has a fiancé named Julie Madison.^[128] In Detective Comics #38, Wayne takes in an orphaned circus acrobat, Dick Grayson, who becomes his vigilante partner, Robin. Batman also becomes a founding member of the Justice Society of America,^[129] although he, like Superman, is an honorary member,^[130] and thus only participates occasionally. Batman’s relationship with the law thaws quickly, and he is made an honorary member of Gotham City’s police department.^[131] During this time, Alfred Pennyworth arrives at Wayne Manor, and after deducing the Dynamic Duo’s secret identities, joins their service as their butler.^[132]

Silver Age

The Silver Age of Comic Books in DC Comics is sometimes held to have begun in 1956 when the publisher introduced Barry Allen as a new, updated version of the Flash. Batman is not significantly changed by the late 1950s for the continuity which would be later referred to as Earth-One. The lighter tone Batman had taken in the period between the Golden and Silver Ages led to the stories of the late 1950s and early 1960s that often feature many science-fiction elements, and Batman is not significantly updated in the manner of other characters until Detective Comics #327 (May 1964), in which Batman reverts to his detective roots, with most science-fiction elements jettisoned from the series.

After the introduction of DC Comics’ Multiverse in the 1960s, DC established that stories from the Golden Age star the Earth-Two Batman, a character from a parallel world. This version of Batman partners with and marries the reformed Earth-Two Catwoman (Selina Kyle). The two have a daughter, Helena Wayne, who becomes the Huntress. She assumes the position as Gotham’s protector along with Dick Grayson, the Earth-Two Robin, once Bruce Wayne retires to become police commissioner. Wayne holds the position of police commissioner until he is killed during one final adventure as Batman. Batman titles, however, often ignored that a distinction had been made between the pre-revamp and post-revamp Batmen (since unlike the Flash or Green Lantern, Batman comics had been published without interruption through the 1950s) and would occasionally make reference to stories from the Golden Age.^[133] Nevertheless, details of Batman’s history were altered or expanded upon through the decades. Additions include meetings with a future Superman during his youth, his upbringing by his uncle Philip Wayne (introduced in Batman #208 (February 1969)) after his parents’ death, and appearances of his father and himself as prototypical versions of Batman and Robin, respectively.^[134][135] In 1980, then-editor Paul Levitz commissioned the Untold Legend of the Batman miniseries to thoroughly chronicle Batman’s origin and history.

Batman meets and regularly works with other heroes during the Silver Age, most notably Superman, whom he began regularly working alongside in a series of team-ups in World’s Finest Comics, starting in 1954 and continuing through the series’ cancellation in 1986. Batman and Superman are usually depicted as close friends. As a founding member of the Justice League of America, Batman appears in its first story, in 1960’s The Brave and the Bold #28. In the 1970s and 1980s, The Brave and the Bold became a Batman title, in which Batman teams up with a different DC Universe superhero each month.

Bronze Age

In 1969, Dick Grayson attends college as part of DC Comics’ effort to revise the Batman comics. Additionally, Batman also moves from his mansion, Wayne Manor into a penthouse apartment atop the Wayne Foundation building in downtown Gotham City, in order to be closer to Gotham City’s crime. In 1974’s «Night of the Stalker» storyline, a diploma on the wall reveals Bruce Wayne as a graduate of Yale Law School.^[136] Batman spends the 1970s and early 1980s mainly working solo, with occasional team-ups with Robin and/or Batgirl. Batman’s adventures also become somewhat darker and more grim during this period, depicting increasingly violent crimes, including the first appearance (since the early Golden Age) of the Joker as a homicidal psychopath, and the arrival of Ra’s al Ghul, a centuries-old terrorist who knows Batman’s secret identity. In the 1980s, Dick Grayson becomes Nightwing.^[137]

In the final issue of The Brave and the Bold in 1983, Batman quits the Justice League and forms a new group called the Outsiders. He serves as the team’s leader until Batman and the Outsiders #32 (1986) and the comic subsequently changed its title.

Modern Age

After the 12-issue miniseries Crisis on Infinite Earths, DC Comics retconned the histories of some major characters in an attempt at updating them for contemporary audiences. Frank Miller retold Batman’s origin in the storyline «Year One» from Batman #404–407, which emphasizes a grittier tone in the character.^[138] Though the Earth-Two Batman is erased from history, many stories of Batman’s Silver Age/Earth-One career (along with an amount of Golden Age ones) remain canonical in the Post-Crisis universe, with his origins remaining the same in essence, despite alteration. For example, Gotham’s police are mostly corrupt, setting up further need for Batman’s existence. The guardian Phillip Wayne is removed, leaving young Bruce to be raised by Alfred Pennyworth. Additionally, Batman is no longer a founding member of the Justice League of America, although he becomes leader for a short time of a new incarnation of the team launched in 1987. To help fill in the revised backstory for Batman following Crisis, DC launched a new Batman title called Legends of the Dark Knight in 1989 and has published various miniseries and one-shot stories since then that largely take place during the «Year One» period.

Subsequently, Batman begins exhibiting an excessive, reckless approach to his crimefighting, a result of the pain of losing Jason Todd. Batman works solo until the decade’s close, when Tim Drake becomes the new Robin.^[139]

Many of the major Batman storylines since the 1990s have been intertitle crossovers that run for a number of issues. In 1993, DC published «Knightfall». During the storyline’s first phase, the new villain Bane paralyzes Batman, leading Wayne to ask Azrael to take on the role. After the end of «Knightfall», the storylines split in two directions, following both the Azrael-Batman’s adventures, and Bruce Wayne’s quest to become Batman once more. The story arcs realign in «KnightsEnd», as Azrael becomes increasingly violent and is defeated by a healed Bruce Wayne. Wayne hands the Batman mantle to Dick Grayson (then Nightwing) for an interim period, while Wayne trains for a return to the role.^[140]

The 1994 company-wide crossover storyline Zero Hour: Crisis in Time! changes aspects of DC continuity again, including those of Batman. Noteworthy among these changes is that the general populace and the criminal element now considers Batman an urban legend rather than a known force.

Batman once again becomes a member of the Justice League during Grant Morrison’s 1996 relaunch of the series, titled JLA. During this time, Gotham City faces catastrophe in the decade’s closing crossover arc. In 1998’s «Cataclysm» storyline, Gotham City is devastated by an earthquake and ultimately cut off from the United States. Deprived of many of his technological resources, Batman fights to reclaim the city from legions of gangs during 1999’s «No Man’s Land».

Meanwhile, Batman’s relationship with the Gotham City Police Department changed for the worse with the events of «Batman: Officer Down» and «Batman: War Games/War Crimes»; Batman’s long-time law enforcement allies Commissioner Gordon and Harvey Bullock are forced out of the police department in «Officer Down», while «War Games» and «War Crimes» saw Batman become a wanted fugitive after a contingency plan of his to neutralize Gotham City’s criminal underworld is accidentally triggered, resulting in a massive gang war that ends with the sadistic Black Mask the undisputed ruler of the city’s criminal gangs. Lex Luthor arranges for the murder of Batman’s on-again, off-again love interest Vesper Lynd (introduced in the mid-1990s) during the «Bruce Wayne: Murderer?» and «Bruce Wayne: Fugitive» story arcs. Though Batman is able to clear his name, he loses another ally in the form of his new bodyguard Sasha, who is recruited into the organization known as «Checkmate» while stuck in prison due to her refusal to turn state’s evidence against her employer. While he was unable to prove that Luthor was behind the murder of Vesper, Batman does get his revenge with help from Talia al Ghul in Superman/Batman #1–6.

21st century

2000s

DC Comics’ 2005 miniseries Identity Crisis reveals that JLA member Zatanna had edited Batman’s memories to prevent him from stopping the Justice League from lobotomizing Dr. Light after he raped Sue Dibny. Batman later creates the Brother I satellite surveillance system to watch over and, if necessary, kill the other heroes after he remembered. The revelation of Batman’s creation and his tacit responsibility for the Blue Beetle’s death becomes a driving force in the lead-up to the Infinite Crisis miniseries, which again restructures DC continuity. Batman and a team of superheroes destroy Brother EYE and the OMACs, though, at the very end, Batman reaches his apparent breaking point when Alexander Luthor Jr. seriously wounds Nightwing. Picking up a gun, Batman nearly shoots Luthor in order to avenge his former sidekick, until Wonder Woman convinces him to not pull the trigger.

Following Infinite Crisis, Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson (having recovered from his wounds), and Tim Drake retrace the steps Bruce had taken when he originally left Gotham City, to «rebuild Batman».^[141] In the Face the Face storyline, Batman and Robin return to Gotham City after their year-long absence. Part of this absence is captured during Week 30 of the 52 series, which shows Batman fighting his inner demons.^[142] Later on in 52, Batman is shown undergoing an intense meditation ritual in Nanda Parbat. This becomes an important part of the regular Batman title, which reveals that Batman is reborn as a more effective crime fighter while undergoing this ritual, having «hunted down and ate» the last traces of fear in his mind.^[143][144] At the end of the «Face the Face» story arc, Bruce officially adopts Tim (who had lost both of his parents at various points in the character’s history) as his son.^[145] The follow-up story arc in Batman, Batman and Son, introduces Damian Wayne, who is Batman’s son with Talia al Ghul. Although originally, in Batman: Son of the Demon, Bruce’s coupling with Talia was implied to be consensual, this arc retconned it into Talia forcing herself on Bruce.^[146]

Batman, along with Superman and Wonder Woman, reforms the Justice League in the new Justice League of America series,^[147] and is leading the newest incarnation of the Outsiders.^[148]

Grant Morrison’s 2008 storyline, «Batman R.I.P.» featured Batman being physically and mentally broken by the enigmatic villain Doctor Hurt and attracted news coverage in advance of its highly promoted conclusion, which would speculated to feature the death of Bruce Wayne.^[149] However, though Batman is shown to possibly perish at the end of the arc, the two-issue arc «Last Rites», which leads into the crossover storyline «Final Crisis», shows that Batman survives his helicopter crash into the Gotham City River and returns to the Batcave, only to be summoned to the Hall of Justice by the JLA to help investigate the New God Orion’s death. The story ends with Batman retrieving the god-killing bullet used to kill Orion, setting up its use in «Final Crisis».^[150] In the pages of Final Crisis Batman is reduced to a charred skeleton.^[151] In Final Crisis #7, Wayne is shown witnessing the passing of the first man, Anthro.^[152][153] Wayne’s «death» sets up the three-issue Battle for the Cowl miniseries in which Wayne’s ex-proteges compete for the «right» to assume the role of Batman, which concludes with Grayson becoming Batman,^[154] while Tim Drake takes on the identity of the Red Robin.^[155] Dick and Damian continue as Batman and Robin, and in the crossover storyline «Blackest Night», what appears to be Bruce’s corpse is reanimated as a Black Lantern zombie,^[156] but is later shown that Bruce’s corpse is one of Darkseid’s failed Batman clones. Dick and Batman’s other friends conclude that Bruce is alive.^[157][158]

2010s

Bruce subsequently returned in Morrison’s miniseries Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne, which depicted his travels through time from prehistory to present-day Gotham.^{[159][160][161]} Bruce’s return set up Batman Incorporated, an ongoing series which focused on Wayne franchising the Batman identity across the globe, allowing Dick and Damian to continue as Gotham’s Dynamic Duo. Bruce publicly announced that Wayne Enterprises will aid Batman on his mission, known as «Batman, Incorporated». However, due to rebooted continuity that occurred as part of DC Comics’ 2011 relaunch of all of its comic books, The New 52, Dick Grayson was restored as Nightwing with Wayne serving as the sole Batman once again. The relaunch also interrupted the publication of Batman, Incorporated, which resumed its story in 2012–2013 with changes to suit the new status quo.

The New 52

During The New 52, all of DC’s continuity was reset and the timeline was changed, making Batman the first superhero to emerge. This emergence took place during Zero Year, where Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham and becomes Batman, fighting the original Red Hood^[162] and the Riddler.^[163] In the present day, Batman discovers the Court of Owls, a secret organization operating in Gotham for decades.^[164] Batman somewhat defeats the Court by defeating Owlman,^[165] although the Court continues to operate on a smaller scale.^[166] The Joker returns after losing the skin on his face (as shown in the opening issue of the second volume of Detective Comics) and attempts to kill the Batman’s allies, though he is stopped by Batman.^[167] After some time, Joker returns again, and both he and Batman die while fighting each other. Jim Gordon temporarily becomes Batman, using a high-tech suit, while it is revealed that an amnesiac Bruce Wayne is still alive.^{[citation needed]} Gordon attempts to fight a new villain called Mr. Bloom, while Wayne, regains his memories with the help of Alfred Pennyworth and Julie Madison. Once with his memories, Wayne becomes Batman again and defeats Mr. Bloom with the help of Gordon.^{[citation needed]}

DC Rebirth

The timeline was reset again during Rebirth, although no significant changes were made to the Batman mythos.^{[citation needed]} Batman meets two new superheroes operating in Gotham named Gotham and Gotham Girl. Psycho-Pirate gets into Gotham’s head and turns against Batman, and is finally defeated when he is killed. This event is very traumatic for Gotham Girl and she begins to lose her sanity.^[168]

Batman forms his own Suicide Squad, including Catwoman, and attempts to take down Bane. The mission is successful, and Batman breaks Bane’s back.^[169] Batman proposes to Catwoman.

After healing from his wounds, an angry Bane travels to Gotham, where he fights Batman and loses.^[170] Batman then tells Catwoman about the War of Jokes and Riddles, and she agrees to marry him.^[171] Bane takes control of Arkham Asylum and manipulates Catwoman into leaving Wayne before the wedding.^[172] This causes Wayne to become very angry, and, as Batman, lashes out against criminals, nearly killing Mr. Freeze.^[173]

Batman learns of Bane’s control over Arkham and teams up with the Penguin to stop him.^[174] Bane captures Batman, and Scarecrow causes him to hallucinate, although he eventually breaks free.^[175] Batman escapes and reunites with Catwoman, while Bane captures and kills Alfred Pennyworth. Batman returns and defeats Bane, although too late to save Alfred. Gotham Girl prompts him to marry Catwoman.^[176]

It is revealed that the Joker who was working for Bane was really Clayface in disguise. The real Joker has been plotting a master plan to take over Gotham. This plan comes to fruition during The Joker War, in which Joker takes over the city. Batman defeats the Joker who vanishes after an explosion.^[177] Ghost-Maker, an enemy from Batman’s past, appears in Gotham, and, after a battle, becomes a sort of ally to Batman.^[178] A new group called the Magistrate rises up in Gotham, led by Simon Saint, whose goal is to outlaw vigilantes such as Batman. At the same time, Scarecrow returns,^[179] fighting Batman. During Fear State, Batman battles and defeats both Scarecrow and the Magistrate’s Peacekeepers.

Other versions

Smallville

Batman/Bruce Wayne is featured in the Smallville Season 11 digital comic based on the TV series. As a young boy, Bruce Wayne saw his parents gunned down by Joe Chill. This incident changed Bruce’s life forever. In 2001, Bruce donned the persona of «Batman», to fight the criminals of Gotham City. Bruce fought criminals on his own for the better part of the next ten years. However, by 2011, Bruce had begun working with the young Barbara Gordon who became known as Nightwing. This same year, Bruce learned that Joe Chill was in Metropolis and went to confront him. His quest for Chill briefly led to Bruce getting into conflict with Superman. However, the two soon joined forces. When they found Chill, Bruce came close to killing him, but the Prankster and Mister Freeze beat him to it, on behalf of Intergang. The Prankster also gunned down Superman with Green Kryptonite bullets. Bruce managed to save his life, after which they apprehended the Prankster and Mister Freeze. ^[180]

Bruce was reluctant to join the Watchtower Network but kept finding himself working alongside its agents. Eventually, Bruce gave in and joined, to help them with the Crisis. After the battle against the Monitors, Bruce became a founding member of the Justice League. Furthermore, as Barbara was leaving Earth, Bruce got a new partner in Dick Grayson. ^[181][182]

• An villainous version of Bruce appears in the form of Earth-13 Batman resembling the Joker with a patchwork costume. ^[183]

Citizen Wayne

In Batman: Citizen Wayne, the role of Batman is taken on by Harvey Dent after his whole face has been destroyed by an enemy. Bruce Wayne is a newspaper publisher who is highly critical of Batman and his brutal methods and goes after him when he actually kills the enemy in question, both men dying in the final battle.

DC Bombshells

In the opening of the DC Bombshells continuity set during World War II, Bruce’s parents are saved from Joe Chill’s attack thanks to the baseball superheroine known as Batwoman. While Batman does not exist in this continuity, Kate Kane does borrow a number of elements from the main version, such as inspiring younger heroines to follow in her steps as Batgirls and losing a child named Jason. In the book’s conclusion that takes place 15 years into the future, a grown up Bruce Wayne becomes Batman (not out of tragedy but out of inspiration by the Bombshells) and is trained by the older Catwoman to herald in the new age of superheroes.^[184]

The Dark Knight Returns

The Batman from Frank Miller’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and its spin-offs, Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again and All Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder is a tired vigilante in a much darker, edgier setting home to Miller’s own new interpretations of various DC characters.

The Dark Multiverse

In the 2017 Dark Nights: Metal event, it is revealed that a Dark Multiverse exists alongside the main DC Multiverse. Each reality in the Dark Multiverse is negative and transient reflection of its existing counterpart, which were intended to be acquired by a third figure in the ‘trinity’ of the Monitor and the Anti-Monitor, who would feed these timelines to his ‘dragon’, Barbatos. However, this balance came to an end when Barbatos escaped his bonds and allowed the rejected timelines to remain in some form of existence. Eventually, Barbatos is released onto the DC universe when Batman is treated with five unique metals, turning him into a portal to the Dark Multiverse, with this portal also allowing Barbatos to summon an army of evil alternate Batmen known as the Dark Knights, led by a God-like Batman, who describe themselves as having been created based on Batman’s dark imaginations of what he could do if he possessed the powers of his colleagues.

• Barbatos is a hooded, God-like being in the Dark Multiverse. Barbatos had previously visited Prime-Earth in the DC Multiverse and founded the Tribe of Judas, which would later become the Court of Owls. Sometime before returning (either willingly or not) to the Dark Multiverse, Barbatos encountered Hawkman/Carter Hall, and was hit by his mace. Barbatos tried to return to the Multiverse but the events of Final Crisis prevented him from doing so. However, after witnessing Bruce Wayne/Batman being sent back in time by Darkseid’s Omega Beams, Barbatos realised the similarities between his and Bruce’s Bat emblems and believed he could use him as a doorway. Barbatos’ followers manipulated events in order for Bruce to be injected with four out of the five metals needed to create the doorway, and after the fifth was injected in the present day, Barbatos was able to transport himself and the Dark Knights to Prime-Earth to conquer it.^[185]
• The Batman Who Laughs is a version of Batman from Earth -22, a dark reflection of the Earth-22. In that reality, the Earth -22 Joker learned of Batman’s identity as Bruce Wayne and killed most of Batman’s other rogues along with Commissioner Gordon. He then subjected a sizeable population of Gotham’s populace to the chemicals that transformed him, subsequently killing several parents in front of their children with the goal of turning them into essentially a combination of himself and Batman. When Batman grappled with the Joker, it resulted in the latter’s death as Batman is exposed to a purified form of the chemicals that gradually turned him into a new Joker, the process proving irreversible by the time Batman discovered what was happening to him. The Batman who Laughs proceeded to take over Earth-22, killing off most of his allies and turning Damian into a mini-Joker. The Batman Who Laughs seems to be the de facto leader or second-in-command of Barbatos’ Dark Knights and recruited the other members. After arriving on Prime-Earth, the Batman Who Laughs takes control of Gotham and oversees events at the Challenger’s mountain. He distributes joker cards to the Batman’s Rogues, giving them the ability to alter reality and take over sections of the city. Accompanying him are Damian and three other youths whom he also calls his sons, all four being twisted versions of Robin, having intended to destroy all of reality by linking the Over-Monitor to Anti-Monitor’s astral brain. But The Batman Who Laughs is defeated when the Prime Universe Batman is aided by the Joker, who notes the alternate Batman’s failure to perceive this scenario due to still being a version of Batman. While assumed dead, the Batman who Laughs is revealed to be in the custody of Lex Luthor who offers him a place in the Legion of Doom.
• The Red Death is a version of Batman from Earth -52, originally an aged man who broke after the deaths of Dick, Jason, Tim, and Damian. Believing he has a chance to prevent the loss of more loved ones, Bruce decides he needs the Flash’s Speed Force to achieve this and equipped himself with the Rogues’ equipment of capture the Flash. He is able to knock Barry out and ties him to the Batmobile which has a machine created from reverse-engineering the Cosmic Treadmill attached to it. Using this machine against Barry’s wishes, Bruce drove straight into the Speed Force while absorbing Barry in the process. Scarred by the ordeal, he developed a split-personality created from residual traces of the Earth -52 Barry’s mind. The newly-born Red Death tests his new powers but realises he cannot stop his Earth from its destruction until he is recruited by The Batman Who Laughs, who promises him a new Earth to live upon. After entering Prime-Earth, the Red Death arrives in Central City and is confronted by Iris West and Wally West, in which he uses his powers to slow Wally and age them both. The Flash confronts the Red Death and before the latter can attack, Doctor Fate saves Barry. The Red Death proclaims that he will save Central City and make it his new home.^[186] After Barry is transported to a ‘sand’-filled cave beneath Central City, the Red Death arrives and reveals several Flashmobiles and chases after Barry.^[187] During the events of the Wild Hunt, the Red Death ceased when exposed by an energy wave from the release of a newly born universe with the restored -52 Barry eventually destroyed from the energy consuming him.
• The Murder Machine is a version of Batman from Earth -44, a dark reflection of the Earth-44. Distraught from having lost Alfred, Batman requested Cyborg to help him finish the Alfred Protocol, an A.I. version of Alfred. But the Alfred Protocol malfunctioned upon activation and began to multiply and kill all of Batman’s Rogues Gallery. Bruce pleaded with Cyborg to help find a way to fix it but the latter refused. The Alfred Protocol began to merge with Bruce and the two became the Murder Machine, and his first act as this new entity was to kill Cyborg. After being recruited by the Batman Who Laughs, the Murder Machine arrives on Prime-Earth with the other Dark Knights. He proceeds to the Justice League’s Watchtower and confronts Cyborg. After Cyborg is incapacitated by the other Dark Knights, the Murder Machine infects and converts the Watchtower as the Dark Knights’ new base of operations.^[188]
• The Dawnbreaker is a version of Batman from Earth -32, a dark reflection of the Earth-32 where Batman became a Green Lantern. When Earth -32 Bruce lost his parents to Joe Chill, he is chosen by a Green Power Ring to become a Green Lantern. But Bruce’s will overrides the ring’s ban on lethal force and corrupts it, enabling him to use it to kill Chill and various criminals. After Bruce killed Gordon when eventually confronted, he wipes out the Green Lantern Corp and the Guardians of the Universe when they confront him. Bruce then entered his giant Green Lantern Power Battery and exits with a new outfit and moniker, the Dawnbreaker. However, he finds that his Earth has begun to collapse and he is met by the Batman Who Laughs who, after recruiting the Red Death and the Murder Machine, recruits the Dawnbreaker, promising him a new world to shroud in darkness. After arriving on Earth-0, Dawnbreaker heads to Coast City where he is confronted by Hal Jordan. Dawnbreaker tries to consume Hal Jordan in a ‘blackout’ but the latter is rescued by Doctor Fate. With Green Lantern gone, Dawnbreaker takes control of Coast City.^[189] The Dawnbreaker confronts Hal Jordan in a blacked out cave underneath Coast City, claiming that the Green Lantern oath is worthless in his cave.^[187]
• The Drowned is a version of Batman from Earth-11, a dark reflection of the reversed-gender Earth-11. Originally known as Batwoman, Bryce Wayne was in a relationship with Sylvester Kyle (Earth-11’s male version of Selina Kyle) until he was killed by a metahuman. A revenge-driven Bryce spent 18 months hunting down every rogue metahuman before Aquawoman and the Atlanteans emerged from their self-imposed exile. While Aquawoman claimed her people came in peace, a skeptical Bryce declared war on Atlantis with the Atlanteans flooding Gotham in retaliation when their queen was killed. Bryce survived the disaster by performing auto-surgery on herself by introducing mutated hybrid DNA into her body, giving Bryce the ability to breath underwater, accelerated healing, and water manipulation. She also created an army of Dead Waters to fight for her. Donning a new attire, Bryce called herself The Drowned and successfully conquered Atlantis at the cost of flooding every city. After seeing her signal being lit, the Drowned met the Batman Who Laughs, who recruits her as a Dark Knight. After arriving on Earth-0, the Drowned headed to Amnesty Bay, where she was confronted by Aquaman and Mera. The two were unable to combat the Drowned and her army of Dead Waters, with Mera becoming infected and controlled by the Drowned while Aquaman was saved by Doctor Fate. The Drowned proceeded to take control of Amnesty Bay.^[190] When Aquaman is transported fathoms below Amnesty Bay, the Drowned attacks him, revealing that the infected Mera has mutated into a gargantuan shark/crab/octopus creature.^[187]
• The Merciless is a version of Batman from Earth -12. Here Batman is in a relationship with Wonder Woman. Having killed Ares in a fit of rage when Ares presumably kills Wonder woman , the Earth -12 Batman acquired Ares’s helmet and assumed that he can channel its power to war with justice and mercy rather than ruthless brutality. But it corrupted him and the ‘Merciless’ Batman ended up killing Wonder Woman (who had actually just been knocked out) while eliminating all his enemies. The Merciless is later depicted as destroying the Valhalla Mountain when Sam Lane, Amanda Waller, Steve Trevor and Mister Bones attempt a counter-attack against the Dark Batmen after the regular heroes have apparently failed.^[191] The Merciless confronts Wonder Woman after she is transported under the foundation of A.R.G.U.S Headquarters in Washington D.C., revealing his armory filled with the divine arsenal of the Gods he killed on his Earth. He reveals to her that his Diana taught him to fight and after he destroyed the Gods, the Merciless found Themyscria and fought them for three days. The Merciless also reveals that he ordered the Ferryman at the River Styx to gather every coin from every dead Amazon seeking passage into the afterlife which he melted into a giant golden drachma, which he strikes with a hammer, summoning the undead Amazons.^[187]
• The Devastator is a version of Batman from Earth -1, a dark reflection of Earth-1. When Superman turned evil and kills friend and foe alike along with Lois, the Earth-1 Batman injected himself with an engineered version of the Doomsday virus to stop the Kryptonian at the cost of his humanity as he transformed into a Doomsday-like monster. Despite his victory, the Devastator still feels remorse for not being able to protect Metropolis from Superman’s wrath. The Batman Who Laughs offers The Devastator a second chance at saving those whom he feels are blindly inspired by Superman. Bruce infects the Earth-0 Lois Lane, Supergirl, and all of Metropolis with the Doomsday virus as he views it as the only way to protect them from Superman’s strength and false prophecies.^[192] Along with the Murder Machine, the Devastator was sent to retrieve the Cosmic Tuning Tower, ripping it out of its foundation and throwing it outside the Fortress of Solitude.^[193] He is then confronted by the two Green Lanterns of Earth (Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz), The Flash/Wally West, Firestorm, and Lobo and he proceeds to incapacitate all except Lobo who he throws into the Sun. Grabbing the Cosmic Tuning Tower, the Devastator leaps into space and lands on the Challenger’s Mountain, planting the tower on top of it.^[192]

Injustice: Gods Among Us

In Injustice: Gods Among Us, Batman was originally close friends with Superman (with Superman even asking him to be godfather to his child with Lois Lane) but when Superman was tricked by the Joker into killing Lois and destroying Metropolis, their relationship slowly went from estranged to antagonistic to enemies. Superman begins a new world order where he and the Justice League use brute force and fear to coerce people into following the law, but Batman sees the tyranny in this and opposes Superman’s Regime with his Insurgency. He suffers a few losses, notably of Dick Grayson by the hands of his biological son Damian (albeit by accident), who sided with Superman. By the end of Year One Superman breaks Batman’s back in an attempt to delay any future defiance. During most of Year Two Batman is out of commission, relying on his allies to stop the Regime when the Green Lantern Corps gets involved. In Year Three Batman allies himself with magic-users, notably John Constantine, though this ends with Constantine revealed to have been using Batman to further his own goals. Year Four has Batman look to the Greek gods to stop Superman. However, he comes to regret this when the gods decide to overpower humanity themselves, leading him to enlist the New God Highfather to stop them. He evades a trap set up by Superman when the fallen hero tries to make a meeting to discuss their problems. By the game’s events, Batman has suffered many losses by the hands of the Regime and in a last-ditch effort summons the counterparts of Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Green Arrow, and Aquaman from the mainstream universe, needing them to help him retrieve a shard of kryptonite from his now-abandoned Batcave; the kryptonite was meant to be a last resort for if Superman went rogue, but Batman made it he could only access it if key members of the League agreed. Since most of them allied with Superman who are dead (Green Arrow) he needed duplicates. When this plan fails, he is reluctant to bring over the mainstream Superman, convinced that any version of Superman is corruptible. However, his prime counterpart convinces him to have faith and he does so, with the mainstream Superman defeating his counterpart and ending the Regime’s influence.

JLA/Avengers

In JLA/Avengers, Batman appears along with his teammates in the Justice League, when they are made to fight the Avengers in the Grandmaster’s cosmic game. While touring the Marvel Universe for the first time, Batman witnesses the Punisher killing a gang of drug dealers, and attacks him (the fight takes place off-panel). He later forms an alliance with Captain America after engaging in a brief fistfight to test his opponent’s skills. Due to this alliance, he realizes the stakes of the game and loses it for the JLA. When the two universes are merged by Krona, the heroes are left confused as to what actually occurred in their reality; the Grandmaster clarifies by showing them the various tragedies that befell the heroes in their lifetimes. Batman, for his part, witnesses Jason Todd’s death and his injury at the hands of Bane. In the final battle, Krona defeats the JLA with minor difficulty, but is defeated when the Flash and Hawkeye disrupt his control of his power source.

Just Imagine

Just Imagine… is a series of comics created by Stan Lee (the co-creator of several Marvel Comics characters), with reimaginings of various DC characters.
In this continuity, Wayne Williams is framed for a crime he did not commit, works his way into getting out of prison, and becomes a mysterious wrestler known as Batman to fund a career as a vigilante using complex equipment to avenge himself against the criminals who originally framed him.

Kingdom Come

The Kingdom Come limited series depicts a Batman who, ravaged by years of fighting crime, uses an exoskeleton to keep himself together and keeps the peace on the streets of Gotham using remote-controlled robots. He is late middle-aged and wears an eerie grin. It is no longer a secret that he is Bruce Wayne and is referred to as the «Batman» even when he appears in civilian guise.

Superman: American Alien

In Superman: American Alien, a 2016 comic that shows an alternate retelling of Superman’s origin, Bruce Wayne is training under Ra’s al Ghul when he is told about someone posing as him at a birthday party thrown for him, causing Bruce to become interested in this person. Years later, having been Batman for a while, he finds out that the same person, revealed to be Clark Kent, is a reporter who spoke to Bruce’s new ward Dick Grayson. Donning his costume, Bruce confronts Clark but is quickly overpowered, and is shocked when none of his equipment harms Clark. Clark finds out Bruce’s identity by taking his mask and cape, and Bruce escapes. He seemingly leaves behind Clark’s recording of his conversation with Dick, and Clark does not reveal Bruce’s double life to the public. Bruce’s cape later becomes part of Clark’s prototype costume as he first begins his crime fighting career.

«Batman: White Knight»

In the reality of Batman: White Knight, Bruce has grown up believing he is a descendant of Malcolm Wayne, the founder of Gotham City. In reality, though, he is actually a descendant of Bakkar, a man who’d murdered Malcolm Wayne and assumed his identity. Jean-Paul Valley, aka Azrael, is actually the real Wayne descendant, which Bruce only learns from Jack Napier right before Jack forces Harley Quinn to kill him as the Joker will not let him kill himself. ^[194]

Cultural impact and legacy

Batman has become a pop culture icon, recognized around the world. The character’s presence has extended beyond his comic book origins; events such as the release of the 1989 Batman film and its accompanying merchandising «brought the Batman to the forefront of public consciousness».^[195] In an article commemorating the sixtieth anniversary of the character, The Guardian wrote, «Batman is a figure blurred by the endless reinvention that is modern mass culture. He is at once an icon and a commodity: the perfect cultural artefact for the 21st century.»^[196]

In other media

The character of Batman has appeared in various media aside from comic books, such as newspaper syndicated comic strips, books, radio dramas, television, a stage show, and several theatrical feature films. The first adaptation of Batman was as a daily newspaper comic strip which premiered on October 25, 1943.^[197] That same year the character was adapted in the 15-part serial Batman, with Lewis Wilson becoming the first actor to portray Batman on screen. While Batman never had a radio series of his own, the character made occasional guest appearances in The Adventures of Superman, starting in 1945 on occasions when Superman voice actor Bud Collyer needed time off.^[198] A second movie serial, Batman and Robin, followed in 1949, with Robert Lowery taking over the role of Batman. The exposure provided by these adaptations during the 1940s «helped make [Batman] a household name for millions who never bought a comic book».^[198]

In the 1964 publication of Donald Barthelme’s collection of short stories Come Back, Dr. Caligari, Barthelme wrote «The Joker’s Greatest Triumph». Batman is portrayed for purposes of spoof as a pretentious French-speaking rich man.^[199]

Television

The Batman television series, starring Adam West, premiered in January 1966 on the ABC television network. Inflected with a camp sense of humor, the show became a pop culture phenomenon. In his memoir, Back to the Batcave, West notes his dislike for the term ‘camp’ as it was applied to the 1960s series, opining that the show was instead a farce or lampoon, and a deliberate one, at that. The series ran for 120 episodes, ending in 1968. In between the first and second season of the Batman television series, the cast and crew made the theatrical film Batman (1966). The Who recorded the theme song from the Batman show for their 1966 EP Ready Steady Who, and The Kinks performed the theme song on their 1967 album Live at Kelvin Hall. Adam West also appeared in character as Batman in several commercials and a 1966 US Government PSA for Savings Bonds.^[200] Despite not having an immediate continuation, the series spawned a (failed) pilot episode for a spin-off Batgirl television series and, decades later, the Batman ’66 (2013-2016) comic book series, the animated films Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders (2016) and Batman vs. Two-Face (2017), and even the mockumentary Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt (2003).

In the 1996 episode Heroes and Villains of Only Fools and Horses, David Jason spoofed the role of Batman.^[201]

The popularity of the Batman TV series also resulted in the first animated adaptation of Batman in The Batman/Superman Hour;^[202] the Batman segments of the series were repackaged as The Adventures of Batman and Batman with Robin the Boy Wonder which produced thirty-three episodes between 1968 and 1977. From 1973 until 1986, Batman had a starring role in ABC’s Super Friends series, which was animated by Hanna-Barbera. Olan Soule was the voice of Batman in all these shows, but was eventually replaced during Super Friends by Adam West, who also voiced the character in Filmation’s 1977 series The New Adventures of Batman.

In 1992, Batman: The Animated Series premiered on the Fox television network, produced by Warner Bros. Animation and featuring Kevin Conroy as the voice of Batman. The series received considerable acclaim for its darker tone, mature writing, stylistic design, and thematic complexity compared to previous superhero cartoons,^[203][204] in addition to multiple Emmy Awards.^[205][206] The series’ success led to the theatrical film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993),^[207] as well as various spin-off TV series that included Superman: The Animated Series, The New Batman Adventures, Justice League and Justice League Unlimited (each of which also featured Conroy as Batman’s voice). The futuristic series Batman Beyond also took place in this same animated continuity and featured a newer, younger Batman voiced by Will Friedle, with the elderly Bruce Wayne (again voiced by Conroy) as a mentor.

In 2004, an unrelated animated series titled The Batman made its debut with Rino Romano voicing Batman. In 2008, this show was replaced by another animated series, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, featuring Diedrich Bader’s voice as Batman. In 2013, a new CGI-animated series titled Beware the Batman made its debut, with Anthony Ruivivar voicing Batman.^[208]

In 2014, the live-action TV series Gotham premiered on the Fox network, featuring David Mazouz as a 12-year-old Bruce Wayne. In 2018, when the series was renewed for its fifth and final season it was announced that Batman would make an appearance in the series finale’s flash-forward.

Iain Glen portrays Bruce Wayne in the live-action series Titans, appearing in the show’s second season in 2019.^[209] Prior to Glen, Batman was played by stunt doubles Alain Moussi and Maxim Savarias in the first season.^[210][211]

To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the character, Warner Bros aired the television short film, Batman: Strange Days, that was also posted on DC’s YouTube channel.

In August 2019, it was announced that Kevin Conroy would make his live-action television debut as an older Bruce Wayne in the upcoming Arrowverse crossover, Crisis on Infinite Earths.^[212] In the crossover, he portrayed a parallel universe iteration of Batman from Earth-99. In Batwoman, the Earth-Prime version of Bruce Wayne / Batman is portrayed by Warren Christie.^[213]

In May 2021, it was announced that a new animated series titled Batman: Caped Crusader was in development by Bruce Timm (co-creator of Batman: The Animated Series), JJ Abrams, and Matt Reeves. The series is said to be a reimagining of the Caped Crusader that returns to the character’s noir roots.^[214]

Film

As previously stated, Batman’s first cinematic appearances consisted of the 1943 serial film Batman and its 1949 sequel Batman and Robin, which were both released by Columbia Pictures and depicted a government-backed version of Batman and Robin (censorship at the time would not have allowed for vigilantes to be depicted as unauthorized crimefighters). The serials (especially the first one) are, though, notorious for their accentuation on anti-Japanese sentiments due to their World War II-period setting. In 1966, 20th Century Fox released Batman’s first feature-length film, titled Batman (also advertised as Batman: The Movie), based on and featuring most of the cast from the 1960s TV series.

In 1989, Warner Bros. released the feature film Batman, directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton as the title character. The film was a huge success; not only was it the top-grossing film of the year, but at the time was the fifth highest-grossing film in history.^[215] The film also won the Academy Award for Best Art Direction.^[216] The film’s success spawned three sequels: Batman Returns (1992), Batman Forever (1995) and Batman & Robin (1997), the latter two of which were directed by Joel Schumacher instead of Burton, and replaced Keaton as Batman with Val Kilmer and George Clooney, respectively. The second Schumacher film failed to outgross any of its predecessors and was critically panned, causing Warner Bros. to cancel the planned fourth sequel, Batman Unchained,^[217] and end the initial film series. The first two films later became the basis for the Burton-inspired comic book series Batman ’89 (2021).^[218] In April 2021, it was announced that Keaton would reprise his role as Bruce Wayne / Batman for the 2023 film, The Flash.^[219]

In 2005, Batman Begins was released by Warner Bros. as a reboot of the film series, directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Christian Bale as Batman. Its sequel, The Dark Knight (2008), set the record for the highest grossing opening weekend of all time in the U.S., earning approximately $158 million,^[220] and became the fastest film to reach the $400 million mark in the history of American cinema (eighteenth day of release).^[221] These record-breaking attendances saw The Dark Knight end its run as the second-highest domestic grossing film (at the time) with $533 million, bested then only by Titanic.^[222] The film also won two Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actor for the late Heath Ledger.^[223] It was eventually followed by The Dark Knight Rises (2012), which served as a conclusion to Nolan’s film series that has since been known as The Dark Knight Trilogy.

Since 2008, Batman has also starred in various direct-to-video films under the DC Universe Animated Original Movies label. Kevin Conroy reprised his voice role of Batman for several of these films while others have featured celebrity voice actors in the role, including Jeremy Sisto, William Baldwin, Bruce Greenwood, Ben McKenzie, Peter Weller, and Jensen Ackles.^[224] In the direct-to-video films of the DC Animated Movie Universe, Batman was voiced by Kevin Conroy again in Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013) and by Jason O’Mara in all subsequent films, such as The Death of Superman (2018) and Batman: Hush (2019). A Lego-themed version of Batman was also featured as one of the protagonists in the theatrically-released animated film The Lego Movie (2014), with Will Arnett providing the voice.^[225] Arnett reprised the voice role for the spin-off film The Lego Batman Movie (2017),^[226] as well as for the sequel The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (2019). Keanu Reeves voiced Batman in the animated film DC League of Super-Pets (2022).^[227]

In 2016, Ben Affleck began portraying Batman in the DC Extended Universe with the release of the film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, directed by Zack Snyder,^[228] a younger child version of the character was played by Brandon Spink in the same film. Affleck also made a cameo appearance as Batman in David Ayer’s film Suicide Squad (2016).^[229] Affleck reprised the role in the 2017 film Justice League,^[230][231] also set in the DC Extended Universe, as well as the director’s cut, Zack Snyder’s Justice League.^{[232][233][234][235]} Affleck will reprise his role in the 2023 film, The Flash, also set in the DC Extended Universe. This will be Affleck’s last appearance in the role.^[236][237]

Dante Pereira-Olson portrays a young Bruce Wayne in the 2019 film Joker.^[238][239]

Robert Pattinson portrays Bruce Wayne / Batman in the 2022 film, The Batman, directed by Matt Reeves.^[240][241]

Fine art

Starting with the Pop Art period, and on a continuing basis, since the 1960s, the character of Batman has been «appropriated» by multiple visual artists and incorporated into contemporary artwork,^[242][243] most notably by Andy Warhol,^[244][245] Roy Lichtenstein,^[246] Mel Ramos,^[247][248] Dulce Pinzon,^[249] Mr. Brainwash,^[250] Raymond Pettibon,^[251] Peter Saul,^[252] and others.^[250]

Video games

Since 1986, Batman has starred in multiple video games, most of which were adaptations of the various cinematic or animated incarnations of the character. Among the most successful of these games is the Batman: Arkham series. The first installment, Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009), was released by Rocksteady Studios to critical acclaim; review aggregator Metacritic reports it as having received 92% positive reviews.^[253] It was followed by the sequel Batman: Arkham City (2011), which also received widespread acclaim and holds a Metacritic ranking of 94%.^[254] A prequel game titled Batman: Arkham Origins (2013) was later released by WB Games Montréal.^[255] A fourth game titled Batman: Arkham Knight (2015) has also been released by Rocksteady.^[256] As with most animated Batman media, Kevin Conroy provided the voice of the character for these games, with the exception of Arkham Origins in which the younger Batman is voiced by Roger Craig Smith. In 2016, Telltale Games released Batman: The Telltale Series adventure game, which changed the Wayne family’s history as it is depicted in the Batman mythos.^[257] A sequel, titled Batman: The Enemy Within, was released in 2017.^[258]

Role-playing games

Mayfair Games published the DC Heroes role-playing game in 1985, then published the 80-page supplement Batman the following year, written by Mike Stackpole, with cover art by Ed Hannigan.^[259] In 1989, Mayfair Games published an updated 96-page softcover Batman Sourcebook, again written by Mike Stackpole, with additional material by J. Santana, Louis Prosperi, Jack Barker and Ray Winninger, with graphic design by Gregory Scott, and cover and interior art by DC Comics staff.^[260]

Mayfair released a simplified version of DC Heroes called The Batman Role-Playing Game in 1989 to coincide with the Batman film.^[261]

Interpretations

Gay interpretations

Gay interpretations of the character have been part of the academic study of Batman since psychologist Fredric Wertham asserted in Seduction of the Innocent in 1954 that «Batman stories are psychologically homosexual …The Batman type of story may stimulate children to homosexual fantasies, of the nature of which they may be unconscious.»^[262] Andy Medhurst wrote in his 1991 essay «Batman, Deviance, and Camp» that Batman is interesting to gay audiences because «he was one of the first fictional characters to be attacked on the grounds of his presumed homosexuality».^[263] Professor of film and cultural studies Will Brooker argues the validity of a queer reading of Batman, and that gay readers would naturally find themselves drawn to the lifestyle depicted within, whether the character of Bruce Wayne himself were explicitly gay or not. He also identifies a homophobic element to the vigor with which mainstream fandom rejects the possibility of a gay reading of the character.^[264] In 2005, painter Mark Chamberlain displayed a number of watercolors depicting both Batman and Robin in suggestive and sexually explicit poses,^[265] prompting DC to threaten legal action.^[266]

Creators associated with the character have expressed their own opinions. Writer Alan Grant has stated, «The Batman I wrote for 13 years isn’t gay …everybody’s Batman all the way back to Bob Kane …none of them wrote him as a gay character. Only Joel Schumacher might have had an opposing view.»^[267] Frank Miller views the character as sublimating his sexual urges into crimefighting so much so that he is «borderline pathological», concluding «He’d be much healthier if he were gay.»^[268] Grant Morrison said that «Gayness is built into Batman …Obviously as a fictional character he’s intended to be heterosexual, but the basis of the whole concept is utterly gay.»^[269]

Psychological interpretations

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2019)

Batman has been the subject of psychological study for some time, and there have been a number of interpretations into the character’s psyche.

In Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight, Dr. Travis Langley argues that the concept of archetypes as described by psychologists Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell is present in the Batman mythos, such that the character represents the «shadow archetype». This archetype, according to Langley, represents a person’s own dark side; it is not necessarily an evil one, but rather one that is hidden from the outside and concealed from both the world and oneself. Langley argues that Bruce Wayne confronts his own darkness early in life; he chooses to use it to instill fear in wrongdoers, with his bright and dark sides working together to fight evil. Langley uses the Jungian perspective to assert that Batman appeals to our own need to face our «shadow selves».^[270][271] Langley also taught a class called Batman, a title he was adamant about. «I could have called it something like the Psychology of Nocturnal Vigilantism, but no. I called it Batman,» Langley says.^[272]

Several psychologists have explored Bruce Wayne/Batman’s mental health. Robin. S. Rosenberg evaluated his actions and problems to determine if they reach the level of mental disorders. She examined the possibility of several mental health issues, including dissociative identity disorder, obsessive–compulsive disorder, and several others. She concluded that Bruce Wayne/Batman may have a disorder or a combination of disorders but due to his fictional nature, a definitive diagnosis will remain unknown.^{[273][274][275]} However, Langley himself states in his book that Batman is far too functional and well-adjusted, due to his training, confrontation of his fear early on and other factors, to be mentally ill. More likely, he asserts Batman’s mental attitude is far more in line with a dedicated Olympic athlete.

See also

• Batman rapist
• Camazotz

Notes

References

Sources

Further reading

External links

• Official website
• Batman Bio at the Unofficial Guide to the DC Universe
• Batman on DC Database, a DC Comics wiki
• Batman (1940–present) Comics Inventory
• Batman at Curlie

batman

1 batman

2 batman

3 batman

4 Batman

5 batman

6 batman

7 Batman

8 batman

9 batman

10 Batman

11 Batman

12 batman

13 batman

14 Batman

15 batman

16 batman

17 batman

18 batman

19 batman

См. также в других словарях:

Batman — (engl. für „Fledermausmann“) ist ein Comic Held, der von Bob Kane geschaffen und von Bill Finger vor dem Erscheinen weiterentwickelt wurde. Finger veränderte das ursprünglich steife Cape in ein wallendes und konzipierte Batman als zweite… … Deutsch Wikipedia

BATMAN — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Batman (homonymie). Bruce Wayne Personnage de Batman … Wikipédia en Français

Batman (MD) — Batman (Megadrive) Pour les articles homonymes, voir Batman (homonymie). Batman … Wikipédia en Français

Batman 3 — est un projet de film d action et fantastique qui sera réalisé par Christopher Nolan, est basé sur le célèbre personnage de fiction DC Comics, Batman. Sa sortie est prévue pour 2012. C est la suite de Batman Begins, sorti en 2005 et de The Dark… … Wikipédia en Français

Batman — Bat man (b[a^]t m[a^]n), n. [Turk. ba[.t]man.] A weight used in the East, varying according to the locality; in Turkey, the greater batman is about 157 pounds, the lesser only a fourth of this; at Aleppo and Smyrna, the batman is 17 pounds.… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

Batman — Batman, también conocido como el Hombre Murciélago es un personaje ficticio y superhéroe creado por el escritor Bill Finger y el artista Bob Kane (aunque solo Kane recibe crédito oficial) para una de las historietas del número 27 del comic book… … Enciclopedia Universal

batman — batmán s. m., pl. batmáni Trimis de siveco, 10.08.2004. Sursa: Dicţionar ortografic  BATMÁN s.m. (Sport) Jucător din ofensiva unei echipe de crichet. [< engl. batsman]. Trimis de LauraGellner, 13.09.2007. Sursa: DN  BATMÁN s. m. Jucător din… … Dicționar Român

Batman — Bat man (b[add] man or b[a^]t man), n.; pl. (b[a^]t men). [F. b[^a]t packsaddle + E. man. Cf. .] A man who has charge of a bathorse and his load. Macaulay. [1913 Webster] || … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

Batman — Batman, türkisches u. persisches Gewicht. In der Türkei ist ein großes B. = 20,4 Zollpfd., ein kleines B. = 1/4 des großen. In Constantinopel 1 B. persische Seide = 73/4 Zollpfd., in Persien 1 B. = 11,56 Zollpfd … Pierer’s Universal-Lexikon

Источник

Бэтмен

«	Я — отмщение. Я — ночь. Я — Бэтмен!	»
— Герой о себе

«	Надрал нам задницы… низкий голос… украл у Рафа сай.	»
— Черепах-Ниндзя Микеланджело о Бэтмене

Бэтмен (англ. Batman, Человек-летучая мышь) — супергерой комиксов, Тёмный рыцарь, защитник города Готэма (Gotham City) и гроза преступников. Впервые появился в серии DC Comics в 30-е годы XX века.

Когда маленькому Брюсу Уэйну было 8, его родители были убиты у него на глазах, что нанесло ему огромную травму. Мальчику удалось спастись. Используя богатство родителей, он путешествовал по свету, изучая боевые искусства и оттачивая своё детективное мастерство, чтобы однажды вернуться в Готэм и покарать всех преступников, до которых он сможет дотянуться.

Оказавшись в Готэме, страдающем от засилья организованной преступности, Брюс объявил ей войну. По ночам он переодевается в костюм летучей мыши и выходит на улицы, чтобы сражаться со злом, а днём играет роль безобидного плейбоя-мультимиллионера. У Бэтмена есть помощник Робин (Robin), который меняется от комикса к комиксу: когда погибает один, Уэйн заводит нового. Нынешний — уже четвёртый.

Часто Бэтмена сравнивают (и противопоставляют) с Суперменом, идеальным супергероем. Но Бэтмен — антигерой: хотя кажется, что он стоит на страже интересов общества, на самом деле им движет чувство мести и ненависти к преступникам, а не желание воздать по заслугам или восстановить справедливость. Он анонимен не только потому, что боится мести преступников, но и потому, что боится торжества закона в отношении себя. (А ещё для того, чтобы быть символом, а не человеком. Если даже Брюса Уэйна убьют, другой наденет его маску — и Бэтмен снова жив!) В некоторых комиксах Бэтмен показан и как рыцарь без страха и упрёка, и как окончательно свихнувшийся мститель; это неудивительно, учитывая, что серия идёт много лет и в ней отметилось огромное количество авторов. Важный мотив — кризис идентичности личности: кто он на самом деле — Брюс Уэйн или Бэтмен?

Характерно, что среди противников Бэтмена подавляющее большинство характеризуется словами «сумасшедший», «безумный», «страдающий раздвоением личности» или на худой конец «маниакально одержимый».

Содержание

Друзья и враги [ править ]

За многие годы вигилантизма Бэтмен успел обрасти таким количеством врагов и союзников, некоторые из которых зажили собственной жизнью, что о них стоит написать поподробнее.

Источник

Как пишется на английском «бэтмен»?

Как пишется по-английски «бэтмен»?

бэтмен на английском языке как пишется?

Как будет бэтмен на английском языке?

Бетмен это очень известный герой из американских комиксов. Давайте узнаем, как правильно слово «Бэтмен» пишется на английском языке.

Данное слово образуется из двух слов «Bat», которое переводится как летучая мышь. И второе слово «man», которое переводится как «человек».

Соединив эти два слова, мы получим, что по-английски слово «Бэтмен» правильно пишется как «Batman».

Читается так как по-русски.

Слово «рукавица» переводится на английский язык как mitten. Соответственно, слово «рукавички» по-английски будет звучать как mittens. Есть еще выражение knitted gloves, которое переводится как «варежки» (дословно вязаные перчатки).

Приветствую! Я сейчас учусь в университете на техническом направлении, информационная безопасность. Часто, когда нам задают какой-то материал, то приходиться искать в интернете. Так вот, каждая книга, относящаяся каким-либо образом к программированию или компьютерам может помочь при поиске ответа на Ваш второй вопрос. В конце русских книжек обычно указывается литература, из которой взят мателиал. Часто берут из иностранных изданий. Так вот, достаточно самой со словарём посидеть и переводить, по несколько раз, Вы и запомните что-то.

Из учебников могу посоветовать только Маркушевскую Л.П.

Кроме этого, можно заходить на иностранные сайты(версии сайтов) по интересующим Вам темам и самой переводить всё и запоминать. Сначала будет сложно, но потом Вы привыкнете.

Конечно можно сказать по разному, самый употребляемый вариант это: » I am not sure of that.», фразу можно усилить добавив (quite): » I am not quite sure of that.» Конечно можно немного разнообразить лексику: » I’m hazy on that point. » Можно и удлинить фразу, придав ей некий оттенок глубоких мыслительных процессов ): » I wouldn’t be so positive about it.» Вторую частью вопроса можно и упростить, но главное её разбодяжить такими словами как, so / quite / rather / more

И вот на выходе мы можем получить следующие: I am not quite sure of that. This case is more complicated.

Многие из нас путают употребление слов just и only, и это не удивительно, тем более, что в некоторых ситуациях они взаимозаменяемы. Например, слово only может употребляться в предложении как прилагательное, как наречие и даже как союзное слово. Когда only употребляется в предложении как наречие, то его легко, без какого-либо ущерба, можно заменить на слово just: Моцарту было всего лишь 5 лет, когда он начал сочинять музыку.

Mozart was only (just) five when he started composing. Или, вот-Я всего лишь хочу,чтобы ты меня выслушал.I only (just)expect you to listen to what I have to say.

Если only употребляется в качестве прилагательного, то оно означает «единственный».

This is the only photograph I have of my great grandfather.Это у меня единственная фотография прадеда. Only you can understand me. Ты единственный, кто меня понимает.

I think it is an advantage to be an only child.Думаю, что быть единственным ребёнком-это преимущество.

Иногда слово only употребляется как союзное слово и имеет значение but (но) или only if (если только).

We both live in the same city only I live closer to the sea. Мы оба живем в одном городе, только (но) я живу ближе к морю.

He’s got a great sense of humour only he drinks too much.У него классное чувство юмора, только (но) он сильно пьёт.

You may come with us only if you behave. Можешь пойти с нами, если только хорошо будешь вести себя.

Слово just означает недавно, буквально, только что. Они только, что приехали. They have just arrived. Я только, что поговорил с ней о свадьбе. I’ve iust spoken to her about the wedding.Совершенно очевидно, что в этих предложениях нельзя сказать only вместо just.

А еще слово just означает exactly» именно то»,»как раз»,» точно это». This is just (exactly) what I wanted to do. Это именно то, что я хотел сделать.А ещё just встречается в устойчивых словосочетаниях, just a minute, например.

Вот другие примеры: 1. Он только, что вышел из офиса (конечно, just)

Источник

Что делает Бэтмена Бэтменом? Вспоминаем главные атрибуты Темного рыцаря

Бэтаранги

Впервые они появились в Detective Comics #31 (сентябрь 1939 года). И тогда он назывался baterang, а не batarang. В этом же выпуске, кстати, впервые появился и batgyro — прообраз бэт-крыла. Там же прямым текстом указывался источник вдохновения — бумеранги, которыми на протяжении десятков тысяч лет пользовались австралийские аборигены.

Впоследствии название изменилось на уже ставшее классическим batarang.

Спустя двадцать два года Брюс рассказал Робину, как на самом деле в его арсенале появились бэтаранги — в вышеупомянутом комиксе все выглядело так, будто Брюс изобрел их самостоятельно. Это не так.

Бэтмен оказался впечатлен эффективностью бумеранга, и после короткой тренировки (длиной в одну панельку) он в совершенстве овладел им, а Коллинз смастерил ему его первый бэтаранг. В том же выпуске Брюс продемонстрировал еще несколько видов бэтарангов: магнитный, бэтаранг со скрытой камерой, бэтаранг, имитирующий звук полицейского свистка, бэтаранг-вспышку, бэтаранг с тросом — ну и конечно же, Царь-Бэтаранг. На самом деле, это Бэтаранг-Икс, но вы только посмотрите на него.

У Бэтмена, кстати, есть даже специальный бэтаранговый бюджет, который он расходует на восполнение запасов бэтарангов. И он настолько большой, что Робин ухитрился спрятать в нем покупку Бэтмобиля для Юных Титанов, сказав Бистбою, что этот бюджет «больше, чем ты думаешь».

Ну и раз уж упомянули Бэтмобиль, то не грех и про него сказать пару слов.

Бэтмобиль

Про него недавно был большой материал, в котором я рассматривал его эволюцию, поэтому здесь сосредоточимся немного на другом. Бэтмобиль появился в комиксах практически одновременно с самим Бэтменом — в 1941-м году, в Batman #5.

Очень быстро он эволюционировал от простого автомобиля до передвижной криминальной лаборатории и надежной опоры Бэтмена в самых тяжелых ситуациях. На протяжении восьмидесяти лет он постоянно улучшался и модернизировался, но суть его оставалась прежней — быстро добраться в нужную точку Готэма, хорошенько кого-нибудь или что-нибудь протаранить и все в таком духе.

Если рассматривать супергероев «первой волны», то это, пожалуй, первое супергеройское транспортное средство (если не считать автомобиль Тени), которое появилось в силу естественных ограничений Брюса — ни летать, ни быстро бегать он не может — и очень быстро стало одним из самых главных орудий Темного рыцаря.

Бэтмобиль эпичен, и без него представить Бэтмена невозможно. Точно так же, как его невозможно представить без…

Альфред

Я надеюсь, что Альфред Пенниуорт не сильно обидится, если мы включим его в список «атрибутов» Бэтмена — если бы мы делали, например, список союзников Брюса, там был бы он один. Несмотря на все навыки и умения, Бэтмен все равно не может сражаться в одиночку — кто-то должен подсказывать, направлять и давать оперативные сводки в реальном времени. Это уже не говоря о том, что кто-то должен штопать его раны и уговаривать лечь спать или поужинать. Все эти функции взял на себя Альфред.

Сегодня это может прозвучать невероятно, но Альфред не всегда был рядом с Брюсом. Более того — привычный нам образ тоже появился не сразу. Альфред Бигл дебютировал в 16-м выпуске серии Batman в 1943-м году, прибыв в особняк Уэйна и представившись Брюсу и Дику как их новый дворецкий. Первое время он даже не знал об их двойной жизни! И выглядел вот так:

А изменился он благодаря… сериалу. В 1943-м году в телевизионном сериале Batman роль дворецкого исполнил актер Уильям Остин, и редакторы тут же захотели, чтобы комиксный Альфред был похож на сериального. В итоге Альфред отправился «в отпуск», из которого вернулся уже подтянутым и заметно изменившимся внешне.

С течением времени Альфред прошел долгий путь от второстепенного комедийного персонажа до надежного и преданного союзника Бэтмена. Его биография пополнялась и расширялась — он стал бывшим актером театра и сотрудником британских спецслужб, отчего имел богатейший военный и медицинский опыт. Идеальная поддержка для Бэтмена. Он, пожалуй, единственный человек, кому Брюс доверяет полностью, поскольку Альфред взвалил на свои плечи воспитание Уэйна и заботу о нем.

Более того — Брюс может прислушаться только к Альфреду, который в чисто английской ироничной манере частенько выражает сомнение или неодобрение касательно тех или иных решений Бэтмена. Одно известно точно — он не одобряет Бэтмена, но никогда не бросит Брюса.

А там, где Альфред, там и…

Робин

Вообще, Робинов на данный момент аж четверо (пятеро, если считать Стефани Браун, и шестеро, если считать Кэрри Келли). Все они — очень разные, каждый со своим характером, особенностями, силами и слабостями.

Изначально самый первый Робин — Дик Грейсон — появился потому, что, по мнению Билла Фингера, «у Бэтмена должен быть свой Ватсон, с которым он мог бы общаться». К тому же Фингер рассказывал, что он был очарован фильмом The Adventures of Robin Hood, и образ первого Робина очень много почерпнул оттуда. К тому же был серьезный расчет на детскую аудиторию, что могла бы соотносить себя с новым героем. Эксперимент вышел удачным — продажи подскочили вдвое.

С течением времени роль Робина изменялась — из комедийного элемента, нацеленного на детскую аудиторию, он становился все более драматическим персонажем. Бэтмен все больше видел в мальчике самого себя, точно так же потерявшего родителей, и стал для него отцом и наставником, которых сам был лишен. Робин был противоположностью Бэтмена — несмотря на утрату близких, он сохранил оптимизм и даже артистизм, оттеняя все более мрачного и серьезного Брюса.

И несмотря на все разногласия, что были у Бэтмена и его Робинов, они нужны друг другу — поскольку, как и положено у хорошего наставника и хорошего ученика, они учатся и направляют друг друга.

Да, я слегка слукавил — наставник у Бэтмена все-таки был. Точнее не один, а целых пятеро.

Навыки и способности

Кто же были те люди, что помогли Брюсу стать Бэтменом? С течением времени и ребутами они менялись — на данный момент список примерно такой:

Это те, что были недавно упомянуты в последних выпусках Detective Comics. До этого в комиксах упоминались:

Также ходят упорные слухи о том, что Бэтмен какое-то время тренировался с Лигой убийц и лично Раʼс аль Гулом — в «Бэтмен: Начало», например, это показали.

Тем не менее, со всеми этими тренировками и навыками, Брюс — всего лишь человек. Ему был нужен образ, который внушал бы страх и ужас.

Костюм и образ

Вообще, еще в самом первом комиксе о Бэтмене читателям рассказали, почему Брюс решил выбрать себе такой экстравагантный костюм. Да, то самое Criminals are a superstitious cowardly lot:

Это еще не считая приборов ночного видения, тепловизоров, сонара, прямой связи с Бэт-компьютером, пояса с полезными приспособлениями. Плащ тоже варируется от автора к автору — от простого куска ткани до пуленепробиваемого материала, что по своим характеристикам копирует вингсьют.

Маска Бэтмена скрывала его зрачки так, что были видны только белки его глаз. По замыслу Билла Фингера это должно было придать ему более загадочный и таинственный вид. И сработало! Но в первую очередь его костюм должен создавать жуткий и пугающий образ, благодаря которому ему не будет нужна броня — противник просто не сможет оказать сопротивления.

Кстати о поясе — с ним все тоже не так просто.

Как однажды сам сказал Бэтмен: «На поясе у меня есть все, что нужно в экстренных случаях… кроме денег, чтобы заплатить за еду и напитки!».

Просто это было сказано до появления Бэт-кредитки. А если серьезно, то на поясе Бэтмен действительно носит предметы экстренной необходимости — от отмычек до антидотов и дымовых шашек. Изначально он как раз и использовался для крепления Бэт-троса и слезоточивого газа.

Вообще, попытаться перечислить устройства и предметы, что он там носит невозможно — очень быстро пояс стал этаким «Богом из машины», ибо при желании сценариста там могло храниться все, что угодно и что было необходимо для нужд сюжета. Тем не менее, пояс с инструментами стал еще одной характерной особенностью Бэтмена, которую можно сравнить разве что с колчаном Зеленой стрелы, в котором хранятся разнообразные стрелы.

Итак, враг повержен, справедливость восторжествовала — куда потом отправляется Бэтмен? Верно — в Зал трофеев!

Зал трофеев

Если попытаться вспомнить, у кого из персонажей комиксов есть помещение, в котором хранятся памятные вещи и трофеи с поверженных врагов, то можно зависнуть очень надолго. Трофейный зал впервые появился в Detective Comics #137 в 1948-м году.

Зал очень быстро начал заполняться самыми разнообразными вещами. Перечислим самые знаменитые:

Но ведь зал должен быть где-то расположен, верно? Где живут летучие мыши?

Бэт-пещера

Возможно, что не все знают о Зале трофеев — но абсолютно все знают о существовании Бэт-пещеры. Как-то описывать ее или озвучивать ее важность и значимость как для Бэтмена-персонажа, так и для его образа бессмысленно — лучше пробежимся по датам.

Изначально никакой пещеры вообще не было — костюм хранился в шкафу, а Бэтмобиль и Бэткрыло в сарае, к которому был прокопан тоннель.

Затем на замену сараю пришел подземный ангар, и только к Detective Comics #83 появилась полноценная Бэт-пещера — с гаражом, тренажерным залом, сигнализацией и тайным проходом. Туда же впоследствии переехала криминальная лаборатория.

Она постепенно расширялась и модернизировалась — куда же без этого — но не всегда была обиталищем Бэтмена. Несколько раз он покидал пещеру на довольно долгое время — впервые это случилось в ту пору, когда Дик Грейсон поступил в университет и покинул особняк. Брюс решил перебраться с задворок города в самый его центр, переехав жить в пентхаус. Продолжалось это довольно долго — почти десять лет, — до тех пор, пока Темный рыцарь не решил вернуться обратно.

С течением времени пещера приобретала собственную историю — то там обитало племя аборигенов, что поклонялись летучим мышам, то предки Уэйна использовали ее для спасения беглых рабов.

Помимо всего прочего, там хранится огромное количество информации как о врагах Бэтмена, так и о союзниках — на всякий случай. Ведь у Бэтмена всегда есть план, верно?

«Бэтмен готов ко всему»

Вообще, довольно трудно отследить, когда конкретно появилась эту устойчивая максима в головах фанатов. Наиболее очевидный виновник — сюжет Tower of Babel Марка Уэйда 2000 года, суть которого заключалась в следующем: Раʼс аль Гул выкрал планы и наработки Бэтмена по устранению всех членов Лиги в случае, если возникнет такая необходимость, и использовал их же против супергероев. Это вызвало серьезный разлад в команде и неподдельную радость поклонников — ведь Бэтмен воочию показал, что способен навалять всем этим богам и прочим спидстерам.

Хотя, можно копнуть еще глубже — еще в 90-м году Бэтмен заполучил Криптонитовое кольцо, что держал при себе «на всякий случай». Или вообще вспомнить разборку между Брюсом и Кларком в «Возвращении Темного рыцаря». Откуда все это пошло? И почему Бэтмен вдруг превратился в такого жуткого параноика, что он, по мнению некоторых, готов буквально ко всему? Ответ прост — кроссоверы.

Когда в комиксах активно поперли масштабные события с жуткими битвами с инопланетными богами и завоевателями, Бэтмену нужно было как-то приспосабливаться. Чем чаще персонажи ходили друг к другу в гости, тем более отчетливо было заметно то, что Бэтмен — простой человек; и ему нужно что-то посерьезнее, нежели чем бэтаранги или транспорт.

Шаг, в принципе, логичный и оправданный — к тому же, Бэтмен всегда был на пике популярности и просто не мог быть задвинут на второй план своими сверхсоюзниками. Вот только здравая идея превратилась в натуральную паранойю и одержимость — если окинуть взглядом последние комиксы о Бэтмене, становится отчетливо видно, что из детектива и уличного борца с преступностью Бэтмен превратился в какого-то безумного Макиавелли от мира костюмированных героев, бесконечно конструирующего боевых роботов, какие-то звуковые пушки, криптонитовую жвачку (!) и прочие полезные в хозяйстве вещи. Хорошо это или плохо — решать вам. Благо, основные противники Бэтмена не требуют вливания миллиардов долларов в невероятные вундерфавли. Кстати, о них.

Пантеон врагов

Бэтмен обладает, пожалуй, самым разнообразным и оригинальным набором оппонентов. Тут и мафиозные боссы (Двуликий, Черная маска, Фальконе, Чревовещатель, Пингвин), безумные полу-люди полу-непонятно кто (Убийца крок, Ядовитый плющ), просто отмороженные товарищи (Пугало, Джокер), хитрые и расчетливые убийцы и бойцы (Бэйн, Дэдшот), главари полувековых сообществ убийц, что незримо поддерживают баланс в мире (Раʼс аль Гул) и так далее и так далее — на любой вкус и цвет в обширной галерее врагов Бэтмена найдется персонаж вам по душе.

Но как бороться с таким впечатляющим набором? Одними кулаками управиться не выйдет.

Величайший детектив

В одном из прошлых материалов я рассматривал несколько примеров детективной работы Бэтмена. Если говорить начистоту, то от него не стоит ждать уровня Ниро Вульфа или Эркюля Пуаро — все-таки Бэтмен больше герой действия, особенно в последние годы. Да, он декларируется как великий детектив, с ним действительно есть детективные сюжеты — хорошие и не очень — но так уж вышло, что наиболее популярные сюжеты о Бэтмене не содержат даже намека на сколько бы то ни было внятный детектив. Почему?

Вопрос хороший._ Тем не менее, в массовом сознании за ним закрепился такой статус — в общем и целом заслуженно, так как все-таки время от времени он проявляет свои навыки. Нужно просто четко держать в уме, что он «величайший детектив» во вселенной DC, где с этим делом все довольно глухо, и наслаждаться моментами наблюдательности и неожиданных выводов._ Вроде бы все. Или нет?

«Я поклялся на могиле родителей…»

Гибель родителей Брюса долгое время была штукой довольно условной. Много супергероев так или иначе кого-то потеряли, из-за чего они и стали тем, кем стали — на ум тут же приходит Человек-паук, напримерили тот же Найтвинг. С Бэтменом долгое время то же самое — он был Бэтменом просто потому, что был Бэтменом, иногда вспоминая о данной клятве.

Каждый новый автор старается привнести что-то еще, посмотреть на ту трагедию под каким-то новым углом, заставить Брюса страдать снова и как можно сильнее сделать на это упор. Том Кинг, текущий автор серии комиксов о Бэтмене, как-то вообще заявил, что Бэтмен не может не страдать — иначе бы он им не был.

Согласен ли я с этим? Нет. Нравится ли мне эта тенденция? Тоже нет.

Я сейчас не говорю о том, что он должен был забить на это и не вспоминать — я ничего не имею против образа сломленного человека, который потерял себя. Но по-моему иногда с этим очень сильно перегибают.

Грант Моррисон как-то сказал, что он воспринимает Бэтмена как воинствующего монаха, что давно переборол свое горе и помогает людям из чувства долга, сострадания и просто потому, что он может это делать. И лично мне ближе эта интерпретация персонажа, чем бесконечные страдания и прокручивание той самой сцены в переулке.

Увы, обо всем рассказать невозможно — Бэтмен герой довольно многогранный, несмотря на внешнюю простоту. А что для вас делает Бэтмена Бэтменом?

Источник

Бэтмен
Изображение с обложки выпуска Batman №608 (октябрь 2002, второе издание). Художник Джим Ли, контурщик Скотт Уильямс
История публикаций
Издатель	DC Comics
Дебют	Detective Comics №27 (май 1939 года)
Авторы	Боб Кейн (концепция, создание) Билл Фингер[1] (детали разработки)
Характеристики персонажа
Позиция	Добро
Альтер-эго	Брюс Уэйн
Псевдонимы	Тёмный рыцарь Защитник Готэма Лучший в мире детектив Спичка Мэлоун Томас Квигли Старьёвщик Детектив Хоук Сэр Хэмингфорд Грей Фрэнк Диксон Гордон Селкирк Мистер Фледермаус
Вид	Человек
Рост	188 см[2]
Вес	95 кг[2]
Цвет волос	Чёрный
Цвет глаз	Голубой
Место рождения	Крэст Хилл, Бристол Тауншин, округ Готэм
Гражданство	США
Семейное положение	Холост, есть сын Дэмиен Уэйн от Талии аль Гул
Род занятий	Искатель приключений, бизнесмен, владелец корпорации Wayne Enterprises, миллиардер, промышленник и филантроп
Команды и организации
Семья Бэтмена, Лига Справедливости, Аутсайдеры
Союзники
Робин, Женщина-кошка, комиссар Джеймс Гордон, Найтвинг, Бэтгёрл, Спойлер, Затанна
Враги
Джокер, Двуликий, Загадочник, Пингвин, Ра’с аль Гул, Ядовитый Плющ, Мистер Фриз, Пугало, Глиноликий и другие
Особые силы
Гениальный интеллект Большие финансовые возможности Технологические устройства Превосходная физическая форма Мастерство побегов Мастерство рукопашного боя Отличные навыки владения различным оружием Лидерские качества Меткая стрельба Искусство фехтования Проворство и ловкость Невероятная выносливость Огромная сила воли
Оборудование
Бэтмобиль Бэтцикл Бэткрюк Бэткоготь Бэтаранги Бэтаплан Взрывчатый гель Тросомет Особый плащ, позволяющий летать Бронекостюм

Бэ́тмен (англ. Batman), изначально Бэт-мэн (англ. Bat-man, рус. Человек-летучая мышь) — вымышленный супергерой, персонаж комиксов издательства DC Comics, впервые появившийся в Detective Comics (рус. Детективные комиксы) №27 в мае 1939 года. Наряду с Суперменом и Человеком-пауком, Бэтмен является одним из самых популярных и известных героев комиксов и вымышленных персонажей. Был создан художником Бобом Кейном в соавторстве с писателем Биллом Фингером, однако официально Кейн выступает единственным автором персонажа.

В оригинальной версии биографии Бэтмен — тайное альтер-эго миллиардера Брюса Уэйна, успешного промышленника, филантропа и любимца женщин. В детстве, став свидетелем убийства своих родителей, Брюс поклялся посвятить свою жизнь искоренению преступности и борьбе за справедливость. Подготовив себя физически и морально, он надевает стилизованный костюм летучей мыши и выходит на улицы города для противостояния преступникам^[3]. Место действия историй о Бэтмене — вымышленный американский город Готэм, созданный на основе Чикаго с элементами Нью-Йорка^[4][5]. При содействии нескольких второстепенных персонажей, в том числе его напарника Робина, дворецкого Альфреда, комиссара полиции Джеймса Гордона, а также иногда супергероини Бэтгёрл, Бэтмен противостоит группе злодеев, среди которых Джокер, Двуликий, Ядовитый Плющ, Пингвин, Пугало и Женщина-кошка. В отличие от большинства супергероев, Бэтмен не обладает сверхспособностями, а использует свой интеллект, навыки боевых искусств, шпионажа, познания в науке и технике, а также несгибаемую волю, способность внушать страх и запугивать своих врагов.

С момента своего появления Бэтмен почти сразу обрёл популярность, меньше чем через год получив собственную одноимённую серию комиксов. С течением времени появилось несколько вариантов различного толкования персонажа. После выхода телесериала «Бэтмен» в 1966 году образ Бэтмена, воплощённый актёром Адамом Уэстом, использовался в комиксах на протяжении многих лет. В 1980-х годах было решено вернуть более зловещий вид Тёмного рыцаря, что отражено в мини-серии комиксов 1986 года Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (рус. Бэтмен: Возвращение Тёмного рыцаря) авторства Фрэнка Миллера. Образ, переписанный Миллером, стал основой для фильма Тима Бёртона «Бэтмен» 1989 года и перезапуска 2005 года «Бэтмен: Начало» режиссёра Кристофера Нолана, которые позволили возродить популярность персонажа^[6]. Как культурная икона Бэтмен был адаптирован для кино, телевидения и книг, а также появлялся в различных видах товаров, продающихся по всему миру, таких как видеоигры, игрушки и одежда. В мае 2011 года Бэтмен занял 2 место в списке «Сто лучших героев комиксов всех времён» по версии IGN^[7], уступив Супермену.

История публикаций

Создание

В начале 1939 года успех Супермена в серии Action Comics побудил издателей компании National Publications (англ.)русск. (будущей DC Comics) начать работу над созданием и выпуском в печать новых персонажей. В ответ на запрос издательства Боб Кейн придумал персонажа Бэт-мена. Билл Фингер, работавший вместе с Кейном над новым героем, рассказал о деталях работы:

У Кейна была идея персонажа с псевдонимом «Бэтмен», и он хотел, чтобы я посмотрел его рисунки. Я подошёл к Кейну, и он нарисовал персонажа, внешне очень похожего на Супермена, — красноватые трико, по-моему, ботинки, без перчаток и без рукавиц, в небольшой маске и раскачивающегося на верёвке. У него были два больших жёстких крыла, которые торчали, как у летучей мыши, и внизу была подпись — БЭТМЕН[8].

Фингер предложил сделать персонажа в полностью закрытой маске, а не частично, как задумывал Кейн, в плаще вместо крыльев, с перчатками и без красных трико^{[9][10][11][12]}, а также дал имя — Брюс Уэйн, заимствованное у Роберта Брюса — шотландского монарха, дворянина и любимца женщин. Позднее Фингер рассказал, что имя было выбрано под влиянием The Phantom (рус. Фантом) — серии комиксов 1936 года, авторства писателя Ли Фалька, с которым был знаком Кейн^[13].

Различные детали биографии Бэтмена, а также сам сюжет и визуальный дизайн были вдохновлены массовой культурой 1930-х годов — фильмами, журналами, газетами, комиксами, а также личной биографией Кейна. Сам Кейн отмечал, что при создании художественного оформления черпал вдохновение из фильмов «Знак Зорро» 1920 года и «Шёпот летучей мыши» 1930 года, а Фингер называл в качестве повлиявших на его работу литературных персонажей того времени — Дока Сэвиджа из pulp-журналов 30-х годов и Тень из одноимённого журнала при изображении Бэтмена как борца с преступностью и умелого шпиона, а также Шерлока Холмса в качестве основы для детективных навыков Бэтмена^[14].

В автобиографии Кейн поделился подробностями создания персонажа:

Однажды я позвонил Биллу [Фингеру] и сказал, что у меня есть новый персонаж Бэт-мен, но он несколько сырой, с несложными набросками, и я хотел бы, чтобы он посмотрел на них. Он пришёл, и я показал ему рисунки. В то время у персонажа была только небольшая маска, такая, которую позже носил Робин. Билл предложил: «Почему бы не сделать его более похожим на летучую мышь, сделать глухую маску, оставив только прорези для глаз, что бы он был более таинственным?» На том этапе Бэт-мен носил красный костюм, а крылья и маска были чёрными. Я думал, что комбинация с красным цветом будет подходящей. Билл сказал, что костюм слишком яркий: «Сделаем его тёмно-серым, чтобы он выглядел более зловещим». У костюма были жёсткие крылья, прикреплённые к рукам. Мы с Биллом решили, что они будут выглядеть громоздко при движении Бэт-мена, и превратили их в плащ, который был похож на крылья летучей мыши, когда он дрался или спускался вниз по верёвке. Кроме того, у него не было никаких перчаток, и мы добавили их, чтобы он не оставлял отпечатков пальцев.[13]

Вопрос авторских прав

Кейн подписал авторские права на персонажа вместе с условием обязательного указания его авторства на обложках всех комиксов о Бэтмене. Условие перестало соблюдаться в середине 1960-х — имя Кейна на обложке было заменено на стандартные подписи сценаристов и художников, работавших над выпуском. В конце 1970-х, когда Джерри Сигел и Джо Шустер добились упоминания created by (рус. созданный [кем]) в отношении Супермена, вместе с Уильямом Молтоном Марстоном в отношении Чудо-женщины, в комиксах о Бэтмене стали добавлять created by Bob Kane (рус. созданный Бобом Кейном) вместе с традиционными подписями авторов того или иного выпуска.

В отличие от Кейна, Билл Фингер не получил аналогичного признания. Он упоминался как автор персонажа вплоть до 1960-х годов, когда его роль в создании Бэтмена была постепенно приуменьшена. В выпуске Batman №169 в феврале 1965 года редактор Джулиус Шварц назвал Фингера создателем Загадочника — одного из постоянных суперзлодеев в комиксах о Бэтмене. Вскоре контракт с Фингером регулировал только количество выпущенных с его участием номеров, а не упоминание его как автора на обложках. Кейн писал: «Билл был в унынии из-за отсутствия крупных достижений в своей карьере. Он чувствовал, что не использовал весь свой творческий потенциал, и успех прошёл мимо него»^[15]. На момент смерти Фингера в 1974 году DC Comics так официально и не отметила Фингера как одного из создателей Бэтмена, однако он считается одним из главных авторов Зелёного Фонаря.

Джерри Робинсон, работавший в то время вместе с Фингером и Кейном, подверг критике решение Кейна самолично владеть правами на Бэтмена. Он прокомментировал своё заявление в интервью в 2005 году изданию The Comics Journal тем, что Кейн, в отличие от созданного им персонажа, не собирается делиться ни славой, ни деньгами:

Поначалу Кейн опровергал претензии Фингера в адрес прав на персонажа и в 1965 году отправил открытое письмо в адрес поклонников, где говорил, что Фингер «представил всё так, что он сам создал Бэтмена, а также Робина и остальных ведущих супергероев и суперзлодеев». По словам Кейна, все заявления Фингера ни что иное, как мошенничество, и абсолютно не соответствуют действительности. Кейн также прокомментировал отсутствие имени Фингера на обложках комиксов, назвав его одним из тех «писателей-призраков», которые должны оставаться в тени, а если бы он хотел видеть своё имя на обложках, то перестал бы быть «призраком» и предложил бы что-нибудь новаторское^[17]. В 1989 году Кейн снова вернулся к ситуации с Биллом Фингером, упомянув её в одном из интервью:

Первые публикации

Первый сюжет в комиксах о Бэтмене, The Case of the Chemical Syndicate (рус. Дело о Химическом синдикате), был опубликован в выпуске Detective Comics №27 в мае 1939 года. Изначально истории о Бэтмене были написаны в стиле pulp-журналов, что проявлялось не только в оформительской деятельности художников, но в раскаянии самого персонажа в нанесении увечий преступникам. Бэтмен обрёл популярность и получил собственную серию комиксов в 1940 году, параллельно продолжая появляться и в Detective Comics. В то время компания National Publications была самым крупным издателем комиксов, и Бэтмен вместе с Суперменом и Чудо-женщиной стали краеугольным камнем успеха издательства^[19]. Бэтмен и Супермен начали появляться бок о бок в серии World’s Finest Comics (рус. Самые замечательные комиксы мира), которая первоначально выходила под названием World’s Best Comics (рус. Лучшие мировые комиксы) и дебютировала осенью 1940 года. Среди создателей серии были Джерри Робинсон и Дик Спрэнг.

В течение нескольких первых выпусков были добавлены несколько элементов персонажа — детали внешнего вида, характера. Кейн рассказал, что в течение первых шести выпусков он сделал подбородок Бэтмена более выраженным, а также удлинил уши на маске костюма, устоявшийся образ Бэтмена он получил примерно через год^[20]. Пояс Бэтмена, который впоследствии стал его неизменным атрибутом, появился в выпуске Detective Comics №29 в июле 1939 года, а первые технические приспособления — крюки, бумеранги с логотипом летучей мыши, а также первое средство передвижения — Бэтаплан, аналог летательного аппарата, — появились в №31. История происхождения и детство персонажа были показаны в №33 в ноябре 1939 года. Фингер стал автором истории об убийстве родителей Уэйна, свидетелем которого он стал, когда был ребёнком. На странице был изображён юный Брюс Уэйн, который, стоя у могилы своих родителей, клянётся отомстить за их смерть и посвятить свою жизнь борьбе с преступностью^[21][22][23].

Вскоре версия Бэтмена, аналогичная pulp-журналам, стала исчезать, делая его всё более уникальным персонажем. В выпуске Detective Comics №38 в апреле 1940 года случилось первое появление Робина — юного напарника Бэтмена^[24]. Персонаж Робина был введён по предложению Фингера, который посчитал, что Бэтмену необходим свой «Ватсон», с которым он мог бы говорить^[25]. Продажи серии выросли почти в два раза, несмотря на то, что Кейн предпочитал видеть Бэтмена сольным героем, а введение Робина дало начало тенденции появления молодых напарников у взрослых супергероев^[26]. Первый выпуск первого спин-оффа о Бэтмене примечателен не только появлением заметных суперзлодеев Джокера и Женщины-кошки, но и тем, что Бэтмен впервые убивает преступников — нескольких чудовищ-гигантов. Данный сюжет подсказал редактору Уитни Элсворту ввести негласное правило — персонаж не может убивать преступников или использовать оружие^[27].

К 1942 году были введены практически все каноничные детали историй о Бэтмене^[28]. В первые годы после Второй мировой войны DC Comics начала ориентироваться на создание сюжетов, максимально отдалённых от тяжелого положения дел того времени — только что закончившейся войны, которая унесла множество жизней. Издательство избавилось от мрачных и угнетающих сюжетов, которые публиковались вплоть с 1940 года. Вместо них Бэтмен был представлен как респектабельный и добропорядочный гражданин в городе, лишённом засилья преступности и какого-либо иного негатива^[29].

1950 — начало 1960-х годов

После спада популярности комиксов в 1950-х годах Бэтмен стал одним из немногих персонажей, чьи комиксы не были сняты с публикации^[30]. В сюжетной линии The Mightiest Team in the World (рус. Самая могучая команда в мире) в выпуске Superman №76 в июне 1952 года Бэтмен впервые объединяется с Суперменом в рамках основной серии, и оба узнают о настоящих личностях друг друга. Вслед за успехом сюжетной линии серия World’s Finest Comics, где оба героя уже работали вместе, частично изменила структуру повествования, представив героев в одной команде, а не по отдельности, как было ранее. Серия стала коммерчески успешна и просуществовала вплоть до масштабного перезапуска в 1986 году.

Комиксы о Бэтмене стали объектом критики в книге психолога Фредерика Вертама (англ.)русск. «Совращение невинных» (англ. Seduction of the Innocent), которая вышла в 1954 году. Вертам высказал мнение, что дети способны подражать увиденному в комиксах, в том числе преступлениям, а потому серии комиксов о Бэтмене негативно влияют на подростков. После всплеска популярности детективов, триллеров и ужасов комиксы обвинили в растущем уровне преступлений среди подростков. Некоторые пойманные юные преступники признавались в чтении комиксов, что и стало причиной принятия их за «общий знаменатель», а Вертам попытался переложить вину за совершённые преступления с детей и их родителей на комиксы, которые они читали^[31]. Ещё одним моментом, на который обратил внимание Вертам, стал намёк на гомосексуальные отношения Бэтмена и Робина в одном из выпусков^[32]. В конечном итоге популярность комиксов снизилась, а издательства ввели систему цензурирования Comics Code Authority (англ.)русск., позволяющую отслеживать уровень насилия в комиксах^[33][34], а истории о супергероях, без труда поддерживающих спокойствие в своём городе, снова стали набирать популярность. DC ввели двух новых персонажей-женщин — Бэтвумен в 1956 и новую Бэтгёрл — Барбару Гордон — в 1961 году^[35].

В конце 1950-х годов сюжеты в комиксах о Бэтмене стали носить научно-фантастический характер, ориентируясь на других персонажей DC, в историях о которых успешно появлялись фантастические допущения в области науки^[36]. Были введены новые персонажи, такие как Бэт-гончая — немецкая овчарка и Бэт-клещ — дух-фамильяр, а в сюжетных линиях всё чаще начинают появляться космические пришельцы. В феврале 1960 года, в выпуске The Brave and the Bold №2, Бэтмен дебютировал в составе Лиги Справедливости Америки, а спустя год — в одноимённой серии комиксов как один из главных персонажей.

Переосмысление персонажа

В 1964 году популярность комиксов о Бэтмене резко упала. Боб Кейн предположил, что вследствие этого DC могут принять решение «убить» Бэтмена^[37], однако вместо этого пост сценариста основной серии занял Джулиус Шварц. Он стал инициатором радикальных изменений, начавшихся с выпуска Detective Comics №327 в мае 1964 года. Шварц решил вернуть детективный жанр в истории о Бэтмене, а для изменения образа персонажа пригласил художника Кармайна Инфантино. Был переработан костюм Бэтмена и бэтмобиль, на которые был добавлен логотип — жёлтый эллипс со стилизованным изображением чёрной летучей мыши. Космические пришельцы и новые персонажи начала 1960-х, а также Бэтвумен и некоторые другие герои были удалены из сюжета, а дворецкий Уэйна, Альфред, был убит, однако быстро возвращён назад из-за негативной реакции читателей. В особняк Пэлисайдс переехала ещё одна родственница Уэйна — тётя Гарриет, которая стала жить вместе с Брюсом и Диком Грейсоном^[38].

Выход телесериала «Бэтмен» в 1966 году оказал значительное влияние на комикс-персонажа. Популярность серии начала расти, а продажи выпусков приблизились к 900 000 копий^[39]. Вслед за телесериалом в серии комиксов были введены такие персонажи как новая Бэтгёрл, а также возвращение Альфреда. Несмотря на успех среди поклонников комиксов сериал был отменён в 1968 году, и продажи комиксов о Бэтмене в очередной раз начали снижаться.

В 1969 году серией занялись писатель Деннис О’Нил и художник Нил Адамс, которые предприняли ряд попыток дистанцировать образ Бэтмена от сериального образа Адама Уэста и вернуть персонажа к его корням, сделав истории снова мрачными, а Бэтмена — «ночным Тёмным рыцарем»^[40]. О’Нил рассказал, что в начале работы посещал библиотеку DC, где читал ранние выпуски комиксов о Бэтмене, чтобы ознакомиться с работой Кейна и Фингера^[41].

Первым совместным сюжетом О’Нила и Адамса был The Secret of the Waiting Graves (рус. Тайна ожидающих могил) в выпуске Detective Comics №395 в январе 1970 года. Несколько сюжетов тех времён были написаны О’Нилом и Адамсом вместе с Джулиусом Шварцем, а также с контурщиком Диком Джордано, а позже — группой различных писателей и художников, работавших над серией^[42]. Джордано рассказывал: «Мы вернулись к мрачному и тёмному Бэтмену, и я думаю, поэтому эти истории были приняты так хорошо. Даже сегодня мы всё ещё используем образ Бэтмена варианта Адамса — с заострённым ушками и длинным плащом». Хотя работа Адамса и О’Нила добилась широкого признания среди поклонников комиксов, она лишь незначительно помогла увеличить уровень продаж. Аналогичная ситуация возникла и со следующими авторами серии — писателем Стивом Энглхартом и художником Маршалом Роджерсом, работавшими над выпусками №471–476 с августа 1977 по апрель 1978 года, впоследствии повлиявшими на Тима Бёртона в работе над фильмом «Бэтмен» 1989 года и адаптированными для одноимённого мультсериала 1992 года. Число продаж комиксов о Бэтмене продолжало снижаться вплоть до 1980-х годов, достигнув рекордно низкого уровня к 1985 году^[43].

Серия Фрэнка Миллера и последующий период

В феврале — июне 1986 года вышла мини-серия Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (рус. Бэтмен: Возвращение Тёмного рыцаря), автором которой стал Фрэнк Миллер. Серия, рассказывающая историю пятидесятилетнего Брюса Уэйна, вызвала крупный всплеск популярности персонажа, вернула былой финансовый успех, а также стала одной из самых заметных серий издательства^[44].

В том же году Деннис О’Нил снова занял пост редактора серии о Бэтмене и стал одним из инициаторов крупномасштабного кроссовера — Кризис на Бесконечных Землях, который изменил статус-кво личностей супергероев издательства. Кроссовер внёс значительные изменения во вселенную DC, изменив 50-летнюю концепцию повествования посредством отмены Мультивселенной — бесконечного множества параллельных миров, после чего все серии DC Comics были обнулены и «перезапущены» заново. О’Нил рассказал, что был нанят специально для того, чтобы полностью обновить персонажа. Одним из результатов стала сюжетная арка Batman: Year One (рус. Бэтмен: Год первый) в выпусках Batman №404–407 в феврале — мае 1987 года, в котором Фрэнк Миллер и художник Дэвид Маззучели переписали происхождение Бэтмена. Позже уже устоявшийся мрачный стиль серии продолжили писатель Алан Мур и художник Брайан Болланд, выпустив одиночный выпуск Batman: The Killing Joke (рус. Бэтмен: Убийственная шутка), в которой Джокер, в попытке свести с ума комиссара Гордона, ранит выстрелом его дочь, Барбару, лишая её возможности ходить, а затем похищая самого Гордона для физических и психологических пыток^[45].

Широкое внимание комиксы о Бэтмене привлекли в 1988 году, когда был открыт аудиотекс для голосования читателей относительно того, умрёт ли второй Робин Джейсон Тодд или нет^[46]. Читатели, с разницей в 28 голосов, проголосовали за смерть Тодда, которая случилась в сюжете Batman: A Death in the Family (рус. Бэтмен: Смерть в семье)^[47]. Спустя год вышел в свет полнометражный фильм Тима Бёртона, который окончательно вернул Бэтмену внимание общественности, а создателям принёс миллионы долларов прокатной и маркетинговой прибыли. Тем не менее, три последующих фильма — «Бэтмен возвращается» Бёртона, а также «Бэтмен навсегда» и «Бэтмен и Робин» Джоэла Шумахера — не были настолько успешны в прокате. Успешный перезапуск франшизы о Бэтмене произошёл с выходом фильмов режиссёра Кристофера Нолана: «Бэтмен: Начало» в 2005 году и «Тёмный рыцарь» в 2008 году. В 1989 году стартовала серия Legends of the Dark Knight (рус. Легенды Тёмного рыцаря), проданная в количестве полумиллиона копий и ставшая первой сольной серией Бэтмена с 1940 года^[48].

В 1993 году в сюжетной арке Batman: Knightfall (рус. Бэтмен: Падение рыцаря) появляется новый злодей — Бэйн, который ломает Брюсу Уэйну позвоночник. Пока Бэтмен выздоравливает, его плащ носит Жан-Поль Велли, известный как Азраил, — потенциальный убийца и линчеватель Готэма. Над этим и следующими кроссоверами о Бэтмене 1990-х годов работали писатели Даг Монк, Чак Диксон и Алан Грант. В 1998 году вышел кроссовер Batman: Cataclysm (рус. Бэтмен: Катаклизм), ставший подводящим к годичной сюжетной линии 1999 года Batman: No Man’s Land (рус. Бэтмен: Безлюдная земля), объединившей в себе все события, произошедшие с Бэтменом с момента перезапуска в 1986 году, и закончившейся разрушением Готэма. После окончания серии О’Нил ушёл с поста редактора, и его место занял Боб Шрек.

2000 год — настоящее время

В конце 1990-х работу над серией начал Джеф Лоэб, ранее работавший в качестве сценариста на телевидении. Вместе с Тимом Сэйлом он написал две мини-серии — The Long Halloween (рус. Длинный Хэллоуин) и Dark Victory (рус. Тёмная победа), события которых стали провалом в ранней карьере Бэтмена, противостоящего суперзлодеям, история которых тоже была переписана (в первую очередь Харви Дента), а некоторые были убраны из сюжета, например, Праздник, что вызвало недовольства поклонников. В 2003 году Лоэб вместе с художником Джимом Ли начал работу над одной сюжетной аркой — Batman: Hush (рус. Бэтмен: Хаш) в рамках основной серии о Бэтмене. Арка из двенадцати выпусков представила Бэтмена и Женщину-кошку в борьбе против рассадника злодеев Готэма, а также «воскресила» Джейсона Тодда, который отправился на поиски таинственного злодея по имени Хаш. Примечательно, что среди читателей комиксов Джейсон Тодд считался одним из персонажей, на воскрешение которых и очередное появление в комиксах не было надежды, несмотря на то, что почти все убитые персонажи рано или поздно возвращаются. Среди поклонников комиксов существовал афоризм, который назывался «Условие Баки» (по имени Баки Барнса, персонажа Marvel Comics, напарника Капитана Америки): «Никто не останется мёртвым, кроме Баки, Джейсона Тодда и дяди Бена»^[49]. Возвращение Тодда было положительно воспринято читателями, а сам сюжет стал первой работой Джима Ли в рамках постоянной серии комиксов. Сюжет стал успешным и в финансовом плане, заняв первое место в списке продаж Diamond Comic Distributors (англ.)русск., где истории о Бэтмене отсутствовали с 1993 года, когда вышел выпуск Batman №500. Возвращение Тодда заложило основы для сюжетной линии писателя Джадда Винника Under the Hood (рус. Под колпаком), где Тодд стал злодеем по имени Красный колпак.

В 2005 году была запущена серия All-Star Batman and Robin (рус. Сверхновый Бэтмен и Робин), которая не входила в основной канон вселенной DC, а события в ней разворачиваются в одном из миров Мультивселенной. Серия, написанная Фрэнком Миллером и иллюстрированная Джимом Ли, была положительно воспринята критиками и читателями^[50][51] и стала успешна в финансовом плане^[52][53].

Начиная с 2006 года постоянными сценаристами двух текущих серий о Бэтмене — Batman и Detective Comics — стали Грант Моррисон и Пол Дини соответственно. Вместе с Дини Моррисон вернул в сюжет тенденции 1950-х годов — научную фантастику, а многие из прошлых сюжетов были пересмотрены и представлены как наркотические галлюцинации Бэтмена. Кульминацией работы Моррисона стала сюжетная линия Batman R.I.P. (рус. Покойся с миром, Бэтмен), где персонаж противостоял неизвестной ранее организации «Чёрная перчатка», целью которой стало свести Бэтмена с ума. Сюжетная линия стала подводящей к масштабному кроссоверу Моррисона — Final Crisis (рус. Финальный кризис), в котором была показана мнимая смерть Бэтмена от руки Дарксайда. В 2009 году вышла серия Batman: Battle for the Cowl (рус. Бэтмен: Битва за капюшон, «капюшон» — ссылка на маску Бэтмена), где герои, убеждённые в смерти Бэтмена, решают, кто займёт его место. Новым Бэтменом становится протеже Уэйна — Дик Грейсон, а сын Уэйна Дэмиен становится новым Робином^[54][55]. В июне 2009 года Винник вернулся к работе над Бэтменом, в то время как Грант Моррисон занялся отдельной серией Batman and Robin (рус. Бэтмен и Робин)^[56].

На 2011 год Бэтмен регулярно появляется в нескольких постоянных сериях (основного канона и альтернативных вселенных): Detective Comics и Batman, стартовавших в 1939 и 1940 году соответственно; переписанном третьем томе Catwoman (рус. Женщина-кошка), стартовавшем в 2010 году после Темнейшей ночи; втором томе серии Batman and the Outsiders (рус. Бэтмен и Аутсайдеры), который был запущен в июле 2011 и рассказывает о работе Бэтмена совместно с командой Аутсайдеров; продолжающихся с августа 2009 года сериях Batman and Robin (рус. Бэтмен и Робин), Gotham City Sirens (рус. Сирены Готэма), Red Robin (рус. Красный Робин)^[57]; Birds of Prey (рус. Хищные птицы), стартовавшей в 2010 году, в которой Бэтмен показан в составе одноимённой команды^[58]; и пяти сериях, стартовавших в 2011 году: Batman: The Dark Knight (рус. Бэтмен: Тёмный рыцарь) (том 2)^[59], Batman Incorporated (рус. Объединение Бэтмена)^[60], Batwoman (рус. Бэтвумен)^[61], The All New Batman: The Brave and the Bold (рус. Полностью новый Бэтмен: Отважный и смелый), основанной на мультсериале «Бэтмен: Отважный и смелый»^[62], а также четвёртый том Batman Beyond (рус. Бэтмен будущего)^[63]. В рамках «перезапуска» DC Comics после окончания кроссовера Flashpoint (рус. Флэшпоинт), получившего название The New 52, 52 серии были обнулены и начаты заново с новыми авторами, а остальные перестали публиковаться. Создатели сообщили, что структура повествования Бэтмена претерпит незначительное изменения и будет во многом походить на оригинальную^[64]. Связанные с Бэтменом серии, которые начались заново с сентября 2011 года:

• Batman #1, под авторством Скотта Снайдера и иллюстрациями Грега Капулло;
• Detective Comics #1, автора и художника Тони Даниэла;
• Batwing #1, писателя Джадда Винника и художника Бена Оливера;
• Batman: The Dark Knight #1, автора и художника Дэвида Финча;
• Batman and Robin #1, автора Питера Томаси и художника Пэта Глисона;
• Batgirl #1, автора Гейла Саймона и художника Адриана Сифа;
• Batwoman #1, автора Джеймса Х. Уильяма III и Хэйдена Блэкмена, и художника Эми Ридер;
• Nightwing #1, автора Кайла Хиггинса и художника Эдди Барроуза;
• Catwoman #1, автора Джадда Виника и художника Гиллема Марча;
• Birds of Prey #1, автора Дуэйна Свержински и художника Джизеса Сэйза;
• Red Hood and the Outlaws #1, автора Скотта Лобделла и художника Кеннета Рокафорта^[65].

Грант Моррисон займёт место сценариста второго тома Batman Incorporated, который начнётся с 2012 года после окончания сюжетной линии Leviathan (рус. Левиафан)^[66].

Вымышленная биография

Биография Бэтмена за 70 лет претерпела множество изменений, значительных и незначительных, что связано с политикой DC. С течением времени персонажи неизбежно стареют, и, чтобы избежать этого или возможных нестыковок с альтернативными сюжетами, издательство может «перезапустить» историю, что и случилось в 1986 году после кроссовера Кризис на Бесконечных Землях. Историк Роберт Пиросон в начале 1990-х годов отметил, что в отличие от многих персонажей у Бэтмена нет своеобразной «предыстории», которая бы имела место в определённый период и которую можно было бы брать за основу; особенности его биографии менялись с течением более чем пяти десятилетий, обрастая новыми подробностями^[67].

Обычно центральным событием в жизни Бэтмена, «отправной точкой» практически любого варианта его биографии принято считать смерть родителей, когда он был ребёнком. Брюс Уэйн был морально травмирован, став свидетелем убийства его отца, врача Томаса Уэйна и матери Марты Уэйн, которых выстрелом из пистолета убивает грабитель Джо Чилл. Юный Брюс решает искоренить преступность в Готэме, позже став мстителем в маске по прозвищу Бэтмен. Историки комиксов также признают значительным появление Робина, однако с приходом Денниса О’Нила на пост сценариста, а позже — редактора серии, Робин отодвинут на задний план, в надежде установить преемственность между сериями^[68].

Золотой век

С первого своего появления в Detective Comics №27 в 1939 году Бэтмен сразу был представлен как борец с преступностью^[69]. История детства Брюса Уэйна была показана в выпуске №33, а позже конкретизирована в №46. Согласно этим выпускам, Брюс родился 19 февраля^[70] в семье Томаса и Марты Уэйн — богатых промышленников Готэма, занимающихся благотворительностью и благоустройством города, однако Томас Уэйн работал врачом в госпитале вместо того, чтобы заниматься корпорацией. Брюс вырос в фамильном особняке Уэйнов — Пэлисайдс — в пригороде Готэма и рос привилегированным ребёнком до восьми лет, пока его родители не погибли на глазах у маленького Брюса от руки мелкого бандита Джо Чилла на пути из кинотеатра. На похоронах родителей Брюс поклялся отомстить за смерть родителей и заняться искоренением преступности в Готэме. Он проходит интенсивную физическую подготовку, обучается боевым искусствам, владению огнестрельным и холодным оружием, навыкам слежки и шпионажа, однако понимает, что одной физической формы недостаточно. Уэйн считал, что «преступники довольно суеверны и трусливы», а потому его внешний вид должен внушать им страх. Он искал подходящий образ, и в это время в окно влетела летучая мышь, и Брюс решил принять за основу её образ и взять псевдоним «Бэтмен»^[71].

В начале своей карьеры Бэтмен был отрицательно воспринят полицией, которые считали «мстителя в маске» не более, чем психопатом. В тот период у Брюса была невеста, Джули Мэдисон, а чуть позже Уэйн берёт к себе сироту Дика Грейсона — циркового акробата, который стал его напарником Робином. Бэтмен становится одним из основателей Общества Справедливости Америки^[72] и вместе с Суперменом — почётным его членом^[73]. Полиция города начинает относиться к нему более благосклонно, и скоро он получает звание почётного детектива полиции Готэма^[74]. Некоторое время спустя в город прибывает Альфред Пенниуорт — дворецкий четы Уэйнов — и после того, как он узнаёт тайну личности Бэтмена, становится его союзником и помощником.

Серебряный век

Началом Серебряного века DC считается 1956 год и появление нового Флэша — Барри Аллена. Стиль историй о Бэтмене сменился менее мрачным в период между Золотым и Серебряным веками, и к началу 1960-х годов они включали в себя научно-фантастические элементы — космических пришельцев, научные опыты, однако к выпуску Detective Comics №327, вышедшему в мае 1964 года, Бэтмен снова вернулся к своим корням детектива.

После введения Мультивселенной в начале 1960-х годов выясняется, что все персонажи Золотого века жили на Земле-2, а Серебряного — на Земле-1, и та история происхождения, что была описана ранее, относилась к той версии Бэтмена, которая теперь стала считаться альтернативной. Сам персонаж обозначался как Бэтмен с Земли-2, и позже в выпуске Superman Family №211 было показано, что он женился на Женщине-кошке Земли-2 — Селине Кайл — и стал отцом Хелены Уэйн, позже известной как Охотница. Впоследствии Охотница вместе с Диком Грейсоном — Робином Земли-2 — встаёт на защиту Готэма, когда Уэйн оставляет карьеру Бэтмена и становится комиссаром полиции, а затем погибает во время своей последней миссии в качестве Бэтмена. Эта история Бэтмена считается альтернативной и не вхожей в основной канон, однако комиксы о Бэтмене были опубликованы без перерыва, в отличие от аналогичных персонажей DC: Зелёного Фонаря Алана Скотта и Хэла Джордана и Флэша Джея Гаррика и Барри Аллена. В течение последующих десятилетий подробности происхождения основного Бэтмена Земли-1 были изменены или расширены, как пример — встреча с будущим Суперменом в юности и воспитание дядей Филипом Уэйном, который появился в выпуске Batman №208 в феврале 1969 года^[75][76]. В 1980 году тогдашний редактор серии Пол Левитц стал автором серии Untold Legend of the Batman (рус. Нерассказанная история Бэтмена), в которой тщательно и в хронологическом порядке описал биографию Брюса Уэйна.

В течение всего периода Бэтмен работает вместе с другими героями, в первую очередь с Суперменом, с которым впервые объединился в 1954 году в рамках серии World’s Finest Comics и появлялся вплоть до её окончания в 1986 году. Бэтмен и Супермен, как правило, изображаются как близкие друзья, которые в курсе настоящих личностей друг друга. Вместе они становятся основателями Лиги Справедливости Америки в выпуске Brave and the Bold №28. В 1970-х Brave and the Bold сменила название на Batman, а сам герой ежемесячно появлялся в команде с несколькими персонажами.

В 1969 году Дик Грейсон начинает посещать колледж, что стало толчком к пересмотру некоторых моментов историй о Бэтмене. Сам Брюс Уэйн переезжает из своего особняка в пентхаус на вершине небоскрёба Wayne Enterprises в центре Готэма для того, чтобы быть ближе к местам преступления и реагировать более оперативно. В период с середины 1970-х по начало 1980-х годов Бэтмен практически всегда работает в одиночку, иногда объединяясь с Робином или Бэтгёрл. Истории снова вернулись к своему традиционному мрачному наполнению и оформлению, а изображённые преступления были всё более тяжкими. В тот период появилось несколько новых персонажей, и вернулись старые, такие как Джокер — убийца-психопат — и Ра’с аль Гул — террорист в возрасте нескольких сотен лет, который знает о том, что Брюс Уэйн и Бэтмен — одно и то же лицо. В начале 1980-х годов Дик Грейсон уходит с поста Робина и становится отдельным супергероем под псевдонимом Найтвинг^[3].

В финальном выпуске Brave and the Bold № 200 в июле 1983 года Бэтмен покидает Лигу Справедливости и формирует новую команду под названием Аутсайдеры. Он остаётся лидером команды вплоть до выпуска Batman and the Outsiders №32 в 1986 году, когда серия была отменена.

Современный век

После ограниченной серии комиксов Crisis on Infinite Earths (рус. Кризис на Бесконечных Землях) серии издательства были перезапущены в попытке обновить персонажей для более современного периода и нового поколения читателей. Фрэнк Миллер переписал происхождение Бэтмена в 1986 году, в выпусках Batman №404–407, сделав акцент на твёрдость характера и непоколебимость воли героя^[77]. Бэтмен Земли-2 был окончательно удалён из сюжета, равно как и некоторые моменты биографии Бэтмена времён Серебряного века/Земли-1, которая теперь именовалась посткризисной, а после отмены Мультивселенной Земля-1 перестала существовать. Пример внёсенных изменений — смена честной и эффективной полиции Готэма на коррумпированную и контролируемую преступными группировками города, которые стремились вывести Бэтмена из игры вместо того, чтобы помогать ему, и в результате чего Бэтмен был объявлен вне закона. Несмотря на то, что прошлое Дика Грейсона не изменилось, появился второй Робин Джейсон Тодд — сирота и сын преступника^[78]. Удалена история об опекуне юного Брюса Уэйна — Филлипе Уэйне, который был заменён Альфредом Пенниуортом, заботившемся о Брюсе после смерти родителей. Бэтмен уже не является основателем Лиги Справедливости Америки, однако некоторое время был её лидером, когда команда была переформирована в 1987 году. Чтобы заполнить пробелы, образовавшиеся в новой истории Бэтмена после кризиса, DC в 1989 году запустили серию Legends of the Dark Knight (рус. Легенды Тёмного рыцаря), а также опубликовали ряд мини-серий и отдельных выпусков, которые были сюжетно связаны с сюжетом Миллера 1986 года.

В 1988 году, в выпусках Batman №426–429, второй Робин Джейсон Тодд погибает от руки Джокера, что делает Бэтмена более жестоким по отношению к преступникам и в то же время менее осторожным. После смерти Тодда Бэтмен несколько лет работает в одиночку и в начале 1990-х годов находит себе нового напарника — Тима Дрейка, который надевает маску Робина^[79]. В 2005 году создатели «воскресили» Джейсона Тодда, который оказался по разные стороны баррикад со своим бывшим наставником.

Многие из основных серий о Бэтмене в 1990-х годах были включены в состав кроссовер-серий. В 1993 году DC издали Death of Superman (рус. Смерть Супермена), а также Knightfall (рус. Падение рыцаря). В сюжете Knightfall злодей Бэйн наносит Брюсу Уэйну травму позвоночника, и он на некоторое время оставляет роль Бэтмена, передав плащ Азраилу. После окончания Knightfall последующая сюжетная линия раскололась на два направления — приключения Азраила в качестве нового Бэтмена и события, случившиеся с Брюсом Уэйном, и поиски способа снова вернуться к роли Тёмного рыцаря. Обе сюжетные линии объединяются в истории Knight’s End (рус. Конец рыцаря), где Азраил, ставший более жестоким, терпит поражение от исцелившегося Брюса Уэйна. Уэйн передаёт мантию Бэтмена Дику Грейсону, который в то время уже известен под псевдонимом Найтвинг, временно предлагая ему принять личность Бэтмена, пока Уэйн не будет готов вернуться^[80].

В 1994 году в сюжетной линии Zero Hour: Crisis in Time (рус. Нулевой час: Кризис времени) DC снова изменили пространственно-временной континуум вымышленной вселенной, что затронуло и судьбу персонажей, в том числе Бэтмена. Одним из нововведений стало восприятие Бэтмена как всего лишь городской легенды в качестве наиболее распространённого мнения среди жителей Готэма. Встреча Бэтмена с убийцей его родителей Джо Чиллом была убрана из хронологии, а сюжетная линии Year Two (рус. Второй год), изданная ранее, была признана неканонической.

Бэтмен вернулся в Лигу Справедливости в 1996 году, когда Грант Моррисон стал автором новой серии JLA. Хотя Бэтмен в значительной степени способствовал успехам команды, Лига Справедливости вскоре отошла на второй план в основных сериях о Бэтмене. В 1998 году Готэм был разрушен землетрясением и в конечном итоге отрезан от остальной части страны. Лишившись многих технологических ресурсов, Бэтмен противостоит бандам, захватившим город в сюжетной линии 1999 года No Man’s Land (рус. Безлюдная земля).

В конце 1990-х годов отношения Бэтмена с департаментом полиции Готэма изменились в худшую сторону во время сюжетов Batman: Officer Down (рус. Бэтмен: Падение офицера) и Batman: War Games/War Crimes (рус. Бэтмен: Военные игры/военные преступления). Союзник Бэтмена в полиции комиссар Джеймс Гордон уволен из департамента, а сам Бэтмен объявлен в розыск после того, как один из его планов приводит к войне криминальных группировок в городе, в результате которой власть в городе захватывает Чёрная маска. Ещё одна проблема Бэтмена — Лекс Лютор, бывший суперзлодей, который, став президентом Соединённых Штатов, отменил все правительственные контракты Wayne Enterprises. Лютор организовывает покушение на возлюбленную Уэйна — Веспер — в сюжетных арках Bruce Wayne: Murderer? (рус. Брюс Уэйн: Убийца?) и Bruce Wayne: Fugitive (рус. Брюс Уэйн: Беглец). Хотя Бэтмену удаётся вернуть доброе имя, он теряет очередного союзника — Сашу Бордо, свою бывшую возлюбленную, которую вербует организация «Шахматы». Когда Бэтмен лишается возможности доказать, что за убийством Веспер стоит Лютор, он решает отомстить ему при содействии Талии аль Гул в выпусках Superman/Batman №1—6: Уэйн занимается промышленным шпионажем и добивается банкротства Лютора и краха его компании.

В 2005 году во время кроссовера Identity Crisis (рус. Кризис личности) Затанна, одна из участниц Лиги Справедливости, удаляет некоторые воспоминания Бэтмена для предотвращения мести Доктору Лайту за изнасилование Сью Дибни, жены супергероя Удлинняющегося человека. Это стало началом возникновения недоверия между Бэтменом и остальными членами команды. В конечном итоге это приводит к тому, что по сюжетной линии Марка Уэйда Tower of Babel (рус. Вавилонская башня) в рамках серии JLA Бэтмен окончательно сходит с ума и создаёт спутниковую систему слежения, позволяющую определять местонахождение других героев и убивать их. Он объединяется с Лордом Максвеллом, который убивает супергероя Голубого жука, чтобы не дать тому предупредить Лигу Справедливости о том, кто стоит за убийствами. Ответственность Бэтмена за смерть Голубого жука становится одной из центральных тем для следующего события DC — Infinite Crisis (рус. Бесконечный кризис), после которого DC снова перестраивает линию повествования. В выпуске Infinite Crisis №7 Александр Лютор-младший становится причиной объединения трёх вселенных в одну — Новую Землю, и её история снова переписана. Убийцей Марты и Томаса Уэйн снова стал Джо Чилл, который был взят под стражу, что отменяет изменение структуры повествования, произошедшее в Zero Hour: Crisis in Time. Когда Лютор тяжело ранит Найтвинга, Бэтмен не справляется с эмоциями — он берёт пистолет, готовясь расправиться с Лютером, но оружие даёт осечку.

После Бесконечного кризиса, в сюжетной линии Face to Face (рус. Лицом к лицу) Бэтмен вместе с Робином Тимом Дрейком и оправившимся от ранения Найтвингом возвращаются в Готэм после годичного отсутствия. В сюжетной линии 52 Бэтмен учится справляться с эмоциями — проходит ритуал медитации в городе Нандра Парбат^[81][82]. Это становится важной частью преображения Бэтмена, делая его более расчётливым и осмотрительным, лишив его страха, который преследовал его последние годы.

После 52 Уэйн официально принимает Тима Дрейка в качестве своего приёмного сына^[83]. Позднее, в сюжете Batman & Son (рус. Бэтмен и сын) у него появляется родной сын — Дэмиен Уэйн — от злодейки Талии аль Гул. Бэтмен вместе с Суперменом и Чудо-женщиной возрождают Лигу Справедливости, а также Аутсайдеров в обновлённом составе^[84][85].

В сюжетной линии 2008 года Batman R.I.P. (рус. Покойся с миром, Бэтмен) Грант Моррисон указал на явные зачатки психических проблем Уэйна. Неизвестная ранее организация «Чёрная перчатка» воспользовалась нестабильностью Бэтмена и практически добилась потери им рассудка и амнезии. Финальным событием сюжета становится исчезновение Брюса Уэйна после разрушения бэтпещеры и особняка Уэйнов, и все решают, что он погиб во взрыве вертолёта своего противника. Позже DC сочла такой ход не совсем удачным и выпустила серию Last Rites (рус. Последний обряд), где Брюс Уэйн жив и здоров, отправляется в штаб-квартиру Лиги Справедливости — Зал Справедливости, чтобы помочь расследовать убийство Ориона. В конце Финального кризиса Бэтмен встречает одного из Новых Богов — Дарксайда, который поражает его Санкцией Омега — силой, способной перемещать во времени и пространстве. Бэтмен отправился в далёкое прошлое, в эпоху палеолита, а его труп остался в текущем измерении, и потому он был объявлен погибшим.

В мини-серии из трёх выпусков Battle for the Cowl (рус. Битва за капюшон) близкие друзья Брюса решают, кто займёт его место, и в итоге Дик Грейсон неохотно соглашается стать новым Бэтменом^[86]. Тим Дрейк берёт псевдоним Красный Робин и вместе с Грейсоном отправляется на поиски Бэтмена, в надежде, что он ещё жив^[87].

В начале кроссовера Blackest Night (рус. Темнейшая ночь) суперзлодей Чёрная рука, один из лидеров Корпуса Чёрных Фонарей, выкапывает тело Брюса Уэйна из могилы и берёт себе его череп^[88]. Используя череп в качестве инструмента, он создаёт чёрные кольца и реанимирует погибших героев и злодеев в качестве зомби, а также «возрождает» Некрона — воплощение силы Корпуса и аналога бога смерти. Тело Бэтмена было воскрешено в качестве Чёрного Фонаря вместе с членами его семьи. Позже, из-за того, что тело Брюса поддельное, планы Некрона частично провалились, а сам череп был возвращён в могилу^[89]. Позже выясняется, что тело, которое приняли за труп Брюса, — его клон, созданный Дарксайдом во время его неудачной попытки создать армию «Бэтменов». Дик Грейсон пытался возродить тело Уэйна в Яме Лазаря, которую Ра’с аль Гул использует для поддержания вечной жизни, и только узнав о клоне, понял, почему это не возымело эффекта^[90][91].

Бэтмен возвращается в настоящее время в сюжетной линии Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne (рус. Бэтмен: Возвращение Брюса Уэйна), где после длительного путешествия по различным периодам мировой истории он узнаёт, что Дарксайд намеревался превратить его в мощное оружие, заставив накапливать омега-энергию^{[92][92][93][94]}. Благодаря членам Лиги Справедливости: Бустеру Голду, Рип Хантеру, Супермену и Хэлу Джордану, которые после Финального кризиса следовали за Брюсом в надежде найти его, Бэтмен возвращается в наше время.

После возвращения он снова становится Тёмным рыцарем, только в более глобальном масштабе, оставляя Готэм под надзор Дика Грейсона и Дэмиена Уэйна. В текущей серии Batman, Incorporated (рус. Объединение Бэтмена) Уэйн решает реализовать идею по созданию своего «Бэтмена» в каждой стране мира, а также публично заявляет, что Wayne Enterprises поможет ему в этом.

«Перезапуск» в рамках The New 52

После «перезапуска» 52-х серий вселенной DC в сентябре 2011 года, Брюс Уэйн вернулся к своему альтер-эго Бэтмена и членству в Лиге Справедливости, а предыдущие события оказались вычеркнутыми из основного канона. Дик Грейсон снова начал работать под псевдонимом Найтвинг в качестве напарника Бэтмена.

Характеристика

Отличительные черты, составляющие характер Бэтмена, — его финансовая состоятельность, физическая форма, способность дедуктивно мыслить и одержимость навязчивыми идеями^[95]. Некоторые особенности менялись в течение всего периода и отчасти зависели от того или иного сценариста, работавшего над написанием серии. Деннис О’Нил отметил, что процесс создания характера на раннем этапе работы над персонажем не был большой проблемой: «Джулиус Шварц делал Бэтмена в Detective, Мюррей Болтинофф — в Brave and the Bold, и, кроме костюма, они мало в чём совпадали». Джулиус и Мюррей не координировали свою работу, так как, по словам О’Нила, в то время постоянство характера персонажа не было важным^[96].

Убийство родителей изменило всю жизнь Брюса Уэйна. Боб Кейн и Билл Фингер, обсуждая происхождение героя, сходились на мнении, что «нет ничего хуже, чем увидеть смерть родителей своими глазами»^[97]. Несмотря на детскую травму, Уэйн стал блестящим учёным, довёл своё тело до пика физической формы и снова вернулся в Готэм уже в качестве Бэтмена. Бэтмен твёрдо убеждён в эффективности таких вещей как самосуд и месть. По его мнению, причиной смерти его родителей стала система, погрязшая в коррупции и власти криминальных авторитетов, один из мелких подельников которых убил и его родителей. В борьбе против преступности города Бэтмену иногда приходится поступаться своими принципами^[98]. Основные черты характера персонажа кардинально не менялись, несмотря на то, что были пересказаны различными авторами.

Брюс Уэйн

В обычной жизни Бэтмен — состоятельный бизнесмен Готэма Брюс Уэйн. Для всего мира он создал себе образ безответственного, не слишком умного молодого человека, любимца женщин, живущего за счёт семейного состояния, которое его семья заработала, инвестируя средства в недвижимость в те времена, когда Готэм был процветающим городом^[99]. Брюс — владелец и генеральный директор компании Wayne Enterprises, которая также досталась ему после смерти родителей. Несмотря на это, Уэйн также известен как меценат, жертвующий крупные суммы на благотворительность, в частности, он владелец благотворительного фонда Wayne Foundation, который перечисляет средства пострадавшим от рук преступников^[100]. Уэйн сознательно создает себе противоположный образ, чтобы отвести от себя подозрения относительно его тайного альтер-эго. Для поддержания образа он делает вид, что употребляет значительное количество алкоголя, хотя в действительности Брюс — строгий трезвенник, так как занимается поддерживанием идеальной физической формы и здоровья.

Писатели часто сравнивают Бэтмена и Супермена, и в течение всего времени публикаций видны схожие моменты биографии. Оба героя скрывают свою настоящую личность, создавая вокруг себя противоположный образ. В современных комиксах Брюс Уэйн изображается в качестве «обёртки» Бэтмена, который является настоящей личностью персонажа^[101], в противовес посткризисному Супермену, когда образ Супермена считался «маской» Кларка Кента^[102]. В документальном фильме о психологии персонажа «Batman Unmasked» (рус. Бэтмен снимает маску) доцент кафедры социальной психологии Калифорнийского университета Кристофер Карни отмечал, что Бэтмен как личность движим врожденным гуманизмом Брюса Уэйна^[103].

Как отмечает Уилл Брукер в своей книге, посвящённой Бэтмену, персонаж в первую очередь ориентирован на молодую аудиторию — детей и подростков, а потому ему не обязательно быть Брюсом Уэйном, ему нужен просто костюм, набор технологических гаджетов, а самое главное — мораль, человечность и способность внушать доверие читателю и никогда не ошибаться в своих поступках. Ти Джеймс Маслер в своей книге Unleashing the Superhero in Us All (рус. Раскрытие супергероя в каждом из нас) называет деньги наиболее важной деталью жизни Брюса Уэйна^[104].

Дик Грейсон

Когда Брюс Уэйн был признан погибшим, а в действительности отправился в путешествие вне пространства и времени, его плащ во второй раз перешёл к Дику Грейсону, ранее известному как Найтвинг. Первый раз, когда Уэйн оправился от перелома позвоночника, но не был готов вернуться, Грейсон неохотно согласился стать новым Бэтменом, однако после предполагаемой смерти Уэйна, он без тени сомнения согласился, заявив, что это никогда не было для него проблемой. Несмотря на это, Уэйн оставил записанное сообщение, где предложил Дику остаться Найтвингом и взять в помощники нового Робина, но Дик, решив, что Готэму необходим новый Тёмный рыцарь, оставил костюм Найтвинга и стал Бэтменом. Уже после возвращение Брюса Уэйна Грейсон всё равно оставался Бэтменом в Готэме, а также членом текущего состава Лиги Справедливости.

В интервью IGN писатель Грант Моррисон рассказал о деталях дальнейшего сотрудничества нового Бэтмена Дика Грейсона с новым Робином Дэмиеном Уэйном, сыном Брюса. Он назвал Робина «противоположным» всем тем, кто носил его маску раньше, а также «задиристым», а нового Бэтмена — более спонтанным и менее мрачным. Комментарий Моррисона:

Альтернативные версии и другие персонажи, носившие костюм Бэтмена

В основной вселенной DC плащ Бэтмена, помимо Брюса Уэйна, носили пять персонажей. Когда суперзлодей Хьюго Стрендж узнал настоящую личность Бэтмена, он на время узурпировал его плащ^[105]. Дик Грейсон работал под псевдонимом Бэтмен дважды: первый раз — в начале 1990-х, после того, как Бэтмен поправился после перелома позвоночника^[106], но не был готов снова вернуться; второй раз — в 2008 году, после мнимой смерти Брюса Уэйна, Грейсон надел его костюм и до сих пор работает в Готэме^[107], в то время как Брюс Уэйн выполняет более широкий круг обязанностей вместе с Аутсайдерами. До Грейсона роль Бэтмена взял на себя Жан-Поль Велли, известный также как Азраил, но после выявления его криминальных наклонностей плащ достался Грейсону^[108][109]. Во время сюжетной линии Batman: Battle for the Cowl (рус. Бэтмен: Битва за капюшон) недолгое время костюм носили сразу три персонажа — Тим Дрейк и Джейсон Тодд, но оба были побеждены Диком Грейсоном.

В рамках Мультивселенной DC существовали альтернативные версии персонажа, не входящие в основной канон. С 1986 года официально неканоничной версией Бэтмена стал Бэтмен Золотого века комиксов — Бэтмен Земли-2, который практически аналогичен Бэтмену текущей Земли-1. Практически в каждом из описываемых миров Мультивселенной существовал «свой» Бэтмен. На Земле-10 имел место Лезервинг — нацистский Бэтмен^[110], на Земле-12 — Бэтмен, показанный в мультсериале «Бэтмен будущего»^[111]. В Анти-материальной вселенной существовал Оулмэн (англ. Owlman, рус. Человек-сова) — суперзлодейская версия Бэтмена Томас Уэйн-младший. В рамках Elseworlds была выпущена серия Batman: Dark Knight Dynasty (рус. Бэтмен: Династия Тёмного рыцаря), где представлена радикально изменённая биография Брюса Уэйна: он рос вместе с родителями, и взять псевдоним Бэтмен его сподвигло мужество его предка Джошуа Уэйнреррайта, а после того, как на его родителей напал Вандал Сэвидж, Брюс решил начать бороться с преступностью. На Земле-30 (Superman: Red Son) существовал Batmankoff — русский террорист, мстящий за убийство своих родителей-диссидентов, одержимый идеей свержения коммунистической партии. В кроссовер-серии Flashpoint, после того, как Флэш Барри Аллен изменяет прошлое, от пули Джо Чилла гибнет Брюс Уэйн, в результате чего его мать Марта сходит с ума и становится Джокером, а его отец Томас становится Бэтменом, который использует в своей борьбе с преступностью более радикальные методы, чем его сын. Точное число альтернативных версий Бэтмена неизвестно; Грант Моррисон уточнил, что наличие многих вселенных лишь подразумевается в тексте комиксов^[112], и почти в каждой теоретически может быть свой Бэтмен.

Второстепенные персонажи

Бэтмен находится в тесном взаимодействии как с героями, так и со злодеями, несмотря на своё выраженное желание работать в одиночку. Комиссар Джеймс «Джим» Гордон, союзник Бэтмена в полицейском департаменте Готэма, появился одновременно с Бэтменом в выпуске Detective Comics №27 в мае 1939 года и продолжает играть заметную роль и по сей день. Немногим позже появились персонажи Альфреда Пенниуорта и Люциуса Фокса. Первый — дворецкий и союзник Бэтмена, помогает ему залечивать раны, а иногда наблюдает за бэткомпьютером или выполняет просьбы Брюса. Альфред заменил Бэтмену отца^[114], бесчисленное множество раз спасал его, помогая с ранами или же морально, а также стал одним из немногих, кому известно, что Брюс Уэйн и есть «мститель в маске». Второй — бизнес-менеджер Уэйна, невольно ставший помощником в поставке вооружения для Бэтмена, когда узнал его настоящую личность.

Наиболее заметную роль в историях о Бэтмене играет его напарник Робин^[115]. Первый герой, носивший псевдоним Робин, Дик Грейсон, в конечном счёте оставил своего наставника и стал самостоятельным супергероем под псевдонимом Найтвинг, хотя по-прежнему и продолжал помогать Бэтмену; второй Робин — Джейсон Тодд — был жестко избит Джокером, а позже погиб из-за взрыва, учинённого им же, однако спустя много лет возвращается уже в качестве суперзлодея по прозвищу Красный колпак. Тим Дрейк, третий Робин, появился в 1989 году и стал главным персонажем в отдельной серии комиксов.

Периодически Бэтмен работает в команде с несколькими супергероями, пример тому — Лига Справедливости и Аутсайдеры, а также вместе с его товарищем по Лиге, Суперменом в сериях World’s Finest Comics и Superman/Batman. В докризисной вселенной оба изображались как близкие друзья, однако после кризиса в 1986 году их отношения не более, чем взаимоуважительные, а иногда и проблемные, ввиду разных взглядов на борьбу с преступностью.

Женщины в жизни Бэтмена присутствовали на протяжении всех этапов его карьеры, как обычные — Вики Вэйл, Джули Мэдисон, Сильвер Клод, так и союзницы и супергероини, такие как Чудо-женщина и Саша Бордо, и даже отрицательные персонажи — Женщина-кошка и Талия аль Гул. Талия стала матерью его сына Дэмиена, а Женщина-кошка — матерью его дочери Хелены на Земле-2 Золотого века комиксов. Все романтические отношения Бэтмена, как правило, непродолжительны, однако близкая дружба с Женщиной-кошкой присутствует практически в каждом новом перезапуске или новой серии. Как Брюс Уэйн, Бэтмен известен как «самый завидный жених Готэма» и периодически делает вид, что с кем-нибудь встречается, а позже расстаётся.

В число других заметных союзников Бэтмена входит Барбара Гордон — дочь комиссара Гордона и бывшая Бэтгёрл, которая после огнестрельного ранения передвигается в инвалидном кресле и более известна как компьютерный хакер Оракул, а новой Бэтгёрл стала Кассандра Кейн. На некоторое время Уэйна на посту Бэтмена заменял Азраил, ныне потенциальный убийца. Стефани Браун, известная как Спойлер, а также недолгое время — как Робин, вместе с Охотницей работает в Готэме и иногда помогает Бэтмену^[116].

Враги

Бэтмен встречался с массой врагов, от обычных преступников до диковинных суперзлодеев, а некоторые из его противников являются узнаваемыми персонажами в поп-культуре, к примеру, Джокер. Большинство отрицательных персонажей в историях о Бэтмене пережили схожие трагические события, что и сам Уэйн, но выбрали путь преступников^[114]. «Самый непримиримый враг» Бэтмена — Джокер, психопат-убийца, загримированный под клоуна, являющийся «олицетворением иррациональности» и всего того, против чего борется Бэтмен^[28]. Другие часто появляющиеся противники — Женщина-кошка, Пугало, Двуликий, Ра’с аль Гул, Ядовитый Плющ, Мистер Фриз, Пингвин, Загадочник и другие.

Навыки и способности

Бэтмен является одним из супергероев, не обладающих сверхспособностями, а использующих исключительно собственный интеллект и физическую подготовку^[24]. В течение всего времени Бэтмен представляется как один из лучших детективов мира^[117]. В первой сюжетной линии Гранта Моррисона, JLA, Супермен описывает Бэтмена как «самого опасного человека на Земле», способного в одиночку победить целую группу пришельцев с суперспособностями, чтобы спасти своих друзей из тюрьмы^[118] . Он мастер маскировки и часто пользуется именем известного гангстера Спички Мэлоуна для сбора информации внутри преступного сообщества. Кроме этого, персонаж часто описывался как один из величайших мастеров боевых искусств во вселенной DC, который сотрудничал или противостоял многим мастерам единоборств, таким как Леди Шива, Бронзовый Тигр и Ричард Дракон. Знание различного рода боевых техник дополняется и мастерским владением оружием, в частности мечом и ножами, а также точностью стрельбы.

Не менее необыкновенными способностями являются возможности его ума. Так его IQ достигает значения 192, а аналитические способности не менее высоки. Обучаясь совершенству своего тела, он также изучал и различные науки: биологию, математику, физику, мифологию, географию и историю, криминологию, информатику, химию; овладел шпионскими способностями: диверсией, техникой взлома охранных систем, ловкостью рук; обладает хорошо развитой памятью и дедуктивным мышлением.

Костюм и оборудование

Костюм Бэтмена в виде летучей мыши используется в качестве инструмента для запугивания преступников^[119]. Внешний вид костюма неоднократно менялся, но основные отличительные черты остаются постоянными, такие как маска с небольшими ушами, очертаниями схожими с ушами летучей мыши, длинный плащ особой конструкции, позволяющий летать и во время полёта похожий на крылья, а также неизменная эмблема на груди костюма и пояс с оружием и техническими приспособлениями. Традиционные цвета костюмов — иссиня-чёрный, серый и тёмно-синий^[119], а в последних сюжетах — практически полностью чёрный, более схожий с бронёй. Вариант Боба Кейна и Билла Фингера изображал Бэтмена в сером костюме с чёрным плащом и маской-капюшоном, однако метод колорирования печатных изданий тех годов не позволял использовать чёрный цвет, а потому плащ был окрашен в тёмно-синий. Ларри Форд в своей книге объяснил использование тёмных цветов тем, что это наиболее подходит для создания образа «плохих парней»^[120]. На руках Бэтмена обычно видны вставки в виде трёх острых гребешков, которые закреплены на длинных перчатках, хотя в первых выпусках герой носил короткие перчатки, не сильно отличающиеся от обычных. Жёлтый эллипс с чёрным логотипом на груди был добавлен в 1964 году и впоследствии стал своеобразной «торговой маркой» героя, аналогичной латинской букве S у Супермена^[121]. Общий вид костюма — размер плаща, маски, ушей — менялся в зависимости от художника. Деннис О’Нил отмечал: «Сейчас мы говорим, что у Бэтмена в Бэтпещере висит двести костюмов, а потому они не должны всегда совпадать. Все любят рисовать Бэтмена, и каждый хочет добавить что-то своё»^[122].

Бэтмен использует большой арсенал специализированных гаджетов, в которых обычно тоже присутствует мотив образа летучих мышей. Пояс Бэтмена был создан Граднером Фоксом и впервые представлен в выпуске Detective Comics №29 в сентябре/октябре 1939 года, а первое оружие с тематикой летучих мышей — бэтаранг — появилось в №31^[123][124]. Основным средством передвижения Бэтмена является бэтмобиль, который обычно внешне похож на высокотехнологичный автомобиль со спойлерами в виде крыльев^[125]. Иногда персонаж пользуется летательным аппаратом бэтапланом, бэтлодкой или бэтциклом. Сам Бэтмен редко употребляет приставку «бэт-», но она иногда используется другими персонажами в качестве ссылок на устройство, изобретённое Бэтменом, например, бэткомпьютер, бэтсканер, бэтрадар и другие.

Важными деталями в историях о Бэтмене являются так называемый бэтсигнал и бэтпещера. Бэтсигнал представляет собой прожектор с фильтром в виде летучей мыши, установленный на здании департамента полиции Готэма, который при включении создаёт в небе символ летучей мыши. История происхождения бэтсигнала менялась в зависимости от вселенной и перезапусков персонажа. В 1950-х годах в комиксах присутствовала и особая телефонная линия, которой пользовался комиссар Гордон, — бэт-телефон^[126].

Бэтпещера выполняет функции штаб-квартиры Бэтмена и является местом хранения оборудования, костюмов, оружия и транспорта, а иногда — и командным центром, например, для Лиги Справедливости. Она находится под фундаментом особняка Уэйнов и согласно сюжетной линии Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne (рус. Бэтмен: Возвращение Брюса Уэйна) была построена его предками ещё в конце XIX века, а в Batman: Shadow of the Bat (рус. Бэтмен: Тень летучей мыши) и в фильме 2005 года «Бэтмен: Начало» показано, что частью пещеры является подземная железная дорога^[127][128]. В теории, о существовании такого места, как бэтпещера, известно многим союзникам и врагам Бэтмена, но её точное местонахождение известно лишь нескольким.

Культурный аспект

Популярность

Первое появление Бэтмена вне комиксов случилось в 1943 году, когда вслед за растущей популярностью персонажа несколько газет начали публиковать собственные истории о нём. Боб Кейн, оценив возможности средств массовой информации, самолично занялся продвижением персонажа Бэтмена и активно работал над этим в период между 1943 и 1946 годом вместе с художниками Доном Кэмероном и Элвином Шварцем^[129][130].

Бэтмен стал признанной иконой поп-культуры во всём мире, а присутствие персонажа распространилось далеко за пределы серий комиксов. Заметный всплеск популярности Бэтмена приходится на 1989 год благодаря выходу фильма Тима Бёртона «Бэтмен», который сопровождался масштабной маркетинговой компанией. Дэвид Финкельштейн из журнала The Guardian в своей статье, посвящённой шестидесятой годовщине персонажа, высказывает мнение, что несмотря на то, что персона Бэтмена размыта бесконечными переосмыслениями, это не помешало ей прочно закрепиться в современной массовой культуре и стать одновременно и символом, и финансово успешным товаром^[131]. Журнал Forbes поставил Брюса Уэйна на девятое место в списке богатейших вымышленных персонажей, оценив его состояние в $ 5,8 млрд^[132], а издание BusinessWeek включило героя в свой список самых умных вымышленных персонажей американских комиксов^[133]. Журнал Entertainment Weekly включил Бэтмена в рейтинг двадцати лучших героев поп-культуры^[134], а Майкл Китон и его исполнение роли Бэтмена в экранизации 1989 года удостоились места в списке 100 лучших героев и злодеев по версии AFI^[135]. Дебютный выпуск Бэтмена Detective Comics №27 считается одним из самых ценных комиксов за всю историю. В 2010 году копия выпуска, качество которой было оценено специальной компанией CGC в 7 баллов из 10, была продана на аукционе за $1 075 000^[136].

Бэтмен стал предметом анализа в нескольких книгах. Доктор Уилл Брукер стал автором книги Вatman Unmasked: Analyzing a Cultural Icon (рус. Бэтмен снимает маску: Анализ культурной иконы), в которой проводит тщательный разбор биографии персонажа, разделяя её на периоды по десятилетиям, и делает выводы о причинах мировой популярности Бэтмена. По мнению Брукера, программа Великое общество, предложенная президентом США Линдоном Джонсоном, в полной мере отражена в комиксах о Бэтмене. Брюс Уэйн — бизнесмен и филантроп, жертвует деньги на благотворительность, что в полной мере сочетается с мнением Джонстона о перераспределении финансовых ресурсов^[137].

Вне комиксов

Помимо комиксов, персонаж был адаптирован для газетных публикаций, театральных постановок, мультипликации и кино. Первым появлением Бэтмена вне основных серий стала газетная полоса в виде небольшого комикса, которая появлялась с 25 октября 1943 года^[138]. В том же году вышла первая киноадаптация героя — «Бэтмен (англ.)русск.», состоящая из пятнадцати эпизодов, а Льюис Уилсон стал первым актёром, воплотившим образ Бэтмена на экране. Отдельных радиопостановок о Бэтмене никогда не выходило, однако он делал гостевые появления в радиопередачах, посвящённых Супермену, начиная с 1945 года^[139]. Вторая экранизация, «Бэтмен и Робин», вышла в 1949 году, а роль главного героя исполнил Роберт Лоури. Первые экранизации 1940-х годов дали начало растущей популярности Бэтмена среди тех, кто не читал комиксы, сделав его имя «нарицательным для миллионов людей»^[139].

В 1964 году в антологии коротких историй Come Back, Dr. Caligari (рус. Возвращайтесь, доктор Калигари) писателя Дональда Бартелма появился рассказ The Joker’s Greatest Triumph (рус. Величайший триумф Джокера), где Бэтмен был представлен отрицательным персонажем, хитрецом и состоятельным человеком^[140].

Премьера телесериала «Бэтмен» с Адамом Уэстом в главной роли состоялась в январе 1966 года на телеканале ABC. Сериал оказал влияние не только на поп-культуру, но и стал основной для комикс-сюжетов о Бэтмене в течение последующих десятилетий. Адам Уэст в своих мемуарах Back to the Batcave (рус. Возвращение в Бэтпещеру) отмечает свою нелюбовь к жанровой составляющей сериала — слегка комедийной, схожей с памфлетом или шаржем. Сериал включал в себя 120 серий и, несмотря на широкую популярность среди поклонников комиксов, был отменён в 1968 году из-за изменившейся политики телеканала, который больше не был заинтересован в продолжении подобного телешоу. В перерыве между первым и вторым сезонами сериала в 1966 году была выпущена театральная постановка. Автором заглавной композиции стала группа The Kinks, и сама песня позже вошла в один из их студийных альбомов^[141][142]. Популярность телесериала привела к первой анимационной адаптации героя — мультсериалу «Приключения Бэтмена (англ.)русск.»^[143], а позже ещё двум — «Час Бэтмена/Супермена (англ.)русск.» и «Бэтмен и Робин Чудо-мальчик (англ.)русск.», которые выходили с 1968 по 1977 год. С 1973 по 1986 год Бэтмен появлялся в качестве одного из главных персонажей мультсериала «Супер-друзья (англ.)русск.», где его озвучил Олан Соул, а в некоторых эпизодах — Адам Уэст. В 1999 году планировался запуск телесериала «Брюс Уэйн (англ.)русск.», рассказывающего о молодых годах жизни Бэтмена, однако когда Warner Bros. начала строить долгосрочные перспективы относительно перезапуска франшизы, телесериал был отменён, чтобы события не шли вразрез с готовящимся фильмом «Бэтмен: Начало»^[144][145].

В 1989 году вышла высокобюджетная экранизация Тима Бёртона «Бэтмен», где главную роль сыграл Майкл Китон. Фильм имел огромный успех и стал не только самым кассовым фильмом 1989 года, но и занимал пятую строчку в списке самых кассовых картин за всё время^[146]. Вслед за первой частью вышло три сиквела — «Бэтмен возвращается» в 1992 году, «Бэтмен навсегда» в 1995 и Бэтмен и Робин в 1997 году. Режиссёром двух последних картин стал Джоэл Шумахер, а Майкл Китон был заменён Вэлом Килмером и Джорджем Клуни в каждом из фильмов. Второй фильм Шумахера не стал успешным, в результате чего компания Warner Bros. решила отменить запланированный выпуск пятого фильма, и франшиза ушла на почти десятилетний перерыв.

В 1992 году состоялся дебют анимационного телесериала «Бэтмен», который стал первым мультсериалом компании Warner Bros. Animation, входящим в анимационную вселенную DC. Вслед за сериалом вышел его спин-офф «Бэтмен: Маска Фантазма» в 1993 году, а также несколько других мультсериалов, сюжетно связанных между собой, в том числе «Новые Приключения Бэтмена», «Бэтмен будущего» и «Лига справедливости», в каждом из которых Бэтмена озвучил Кевин Конрой. В 2004 году дебютировал анимационный сериал «Бэтмен», где голосом Бэтмена стал Рино Романо, а в 2008 году мультсериал был заменён новым — «Бэтмен: Отважный и смелый», где главного героя озвучивает Дитрих Бадер.

Помимо анимациаонных сериалов, персонаж появился в одиннадцати полнометражных direct-to-video мультфильмах, как основанных на анимационных сериалах («Бэтмен и Мистер Фриз», «Бэтмен будущего: Возвращение Джокера») и комиксах («Супермен/Бэтмен: Враги общества», «Бэтмен: Под красным колпаком»), так и являющихся кроссовер-релизами, такими как «Бэтмен против Дракулы», или короткометражными фильмами («Бэтмен: Тупик»). Было выпущено несколько фильмов с участием Бэтмена, никак не связанных со вселенной DC. Первый из них, «Batman Dracula (англ.)русск.», был срежиссирован Энди Уорхолом в 1964 году^[147], и после вышло ещё несколько десятков от фанатских CGI-мультфильмов до полупрофессиональных, таких как неизданный фильм о Дике Грейсоне 2004 года, трейлеры которого были доступны в сети Интернет^[148], или пародийных, таких как «Robin’s Big Date (англ.)русск.» 2005 года^[149].

В 2005 году режиссёр Кристофер Нолан снял новый фильм о персонаже — «Бэтмен: Начало» с Кристианом Бэйлом в роли Бэтмена, а в 2008 году — сиквел, «Тёмный рыцарь», который стал одним из самых кассовых фильмов за всю историю^[150] и до 2011 года был рекордсменом, собравшим самую большую сумму за дебютный выходной проката^[151]. Второй и последний сиквел Нолана, «Тёмный рыцарь: Возрождение легенды», вышел в июле 2012 года.

В 2002 году Джим Штейнман, Дэвид Айвз и Тим Бёртон работали над концепцией создания мюзикла о Бэтмене, и несмотря на то, что проект был отменён^[152], Штейнман выпустил пять композиций, написанных им для мюзикла, которые вошли в альбом «Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose» американского рок-певца Мита Лоуфа, а также их можно услышать на памятном сайте мюзикла^[153]. Летом 2011 года в Великобритании стартовало мировое турне проекта «Batman Live World Tour». Проект включает в себя театральные постановки, трюки, музыкальные номера, и посетить выступление можно будет в Великобритании, Европе и Северной Америке^[154]. Первая видеоигра о Бэтмене вышла в 1986 году и была адаптирована для платформ ZX Spectrum и Amstrad CPC^[155][156]. С тех пор вышло более двух десятков отдельных видеоигр, последняя из них, Batman: Arkham City, вышла в октябре 2011 года^[157].

Помимо изданий DC Comics Бэтмен появлялся в качестве персонажа книг и других литературных произведений, события которых не имеют связи со вселенной DC. В 2000 году состоялся релиз манги Batman: Child of Dreams (рус. Бэтмен: Ребёнок мечты), которую создал Киа Асамия, а чуть позже — Batman: Dark Mask (рус. Бэтмен: Тёмная маска) Нацумэ Ёсинори и Bat-Manga!: The Secret History of Batman in Japan (рус. Бэт-Манга!: Тайная история Бэтмена в Японии) Дзиро Куватани^[158][159]. В течение последних лет были опубликованы новеллизации каждого из вышедших фильмов, а также сборники и руководства, например The Batman Handbook: The Ultimate Training Manual (рус. Справочник Бэтмена: Полное обучающее руководство, ISBN 1-59474-023-2) автора Скотта Батти, а также шуточный The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook (рус. Справочник по выживанию при наихудшем развитии событий), один из выпусков которого был посвящён Бэтмену и включал такие главы как «Как натренировать напарника», «Как выжить после воздействия ядовитого газа», «Как забросить крюк» и другие. Символика Бэтмена встречается в детских книгах, журналах для раскрашивания, игрушках и одежде^[160].

Бэтмен стал одним из самых популярных персонажей, выпущенных в виде коллекционных фигурок. Начиная с 1940 года он регулярно появляется в официальных линиях фигурок DC совместно с другими компаниями, такими как Hasbro и Mattel. Общее число выпущенных коллекций с участием Бэтмена превышает отметку в тридцать, включая одиночные, командные и линии по мотивам фильмов и сериалов^[161][162].

Имя персонажа носят несколько парков развлечений по всему миру. Пять из них принадлежат компании «Шесть флагов»: Batman: The Ride (англ.)русск. в девяти городах США, Мексики; The Dark Knight Coaster в четырёх городах; аттракцион Batman and Robin: The Chiller в двух городах; Gotham City в штате Джорджия, практически аналогичный Batman: The Ride, и аттракцион Batman: The Riddler’s Revenge (англ.)русск. в Калифорнии. Тремя владеет компания Warner Bros. — в австралийском Голд-Косте, испанском Мадриде и немецком Ботропе^{[163][164][165]}.

Вопрос сексуальной ориентации

В первые десятилетия публикации комиксов о Бэтмене возник спор относительно возможной гомосексуальности персонажа. Этот вопрос стал частью исследования психолога Фередерика Вертама в его книге «Совращение невинных», где он обрисовал собственную интерпретацию возможных намёков. По его словам, персонаж Бэтмена способен стимулировать сексуальные фантазии детей, в том числе возможные подсознательные гомосексуальные наклонности. Вертам считал, что причина тому — тонкие намёки в тексте историй о возможных интимных отношениях взрослого мужчины Бэтмена и его более юного напарника Робина^[166].

Энди Мёрхест в своём эссе в 1991 году упомянул, что Бэтмен интересен гомосексуальной аудитории как один из первых вымышленных персонажей, который подвергся нападкам относительно его предполагаемой нетрадиционной ориентации, однако, несмотря на это, он остаётся образцом мужественности^[167].

Писатели, в разные годы работавшие над созданием образа персонажа, имеют на этот счёт своё мнение. Алан Грант заявил, что занимался написанием историй о Бэтмене в течение тринадцати лет и персонаж геем не является. По его словам, Бэтмен Денни О’Нила, Марва Вольфмана или же оригинальный образ Бэтмена не имеет никаких намёков на гомосексуальность, а такое впечатление могло сложиться только при просмотре двух полнометражных фильмов Джоэла Шумахера. Писатель Дэвид Грейсон прокомментировал, что ответ зависит от того, кому задать такой вопрос, но по его собственному мнению слухи о нетрадиционной ориентации Бэтмена ложны^[168]. В своё время Фрэнк Миллер описал отношения между Бэтменом и Джокером как «гомофобный кошмар», а на вопрос о возможной сублимации его сексуальных потребностей в виде борьбы с преступниками, Миллер ответил, что «он был бы гораздо здоровее, если бы был геем»^[169]. Актёр Берт Уорд, который исполнил роль Робина в телесериале 1966 года, упоминал о бытующем мнении в своей автобиографии Boy Wonder: My Life in Tights (рус. Чудо-мальчик: Моя жизнь в трико), объяснив распространение слухов двояким толкованием некоторых моментов^[170].

Подобные интерпретации двусмысленных моментов продолжают привлекать внимание. Один из ярких примеров произошёл в 2000 году, когда DC Comics отказала в разрешении на перепечатку четырёх панелей из выпусков Batman №79, 92, 105 и 139, для иллюстрирования работы Кристофера Йорка All in the Family: Homophobia and Batman Comics in the 1950s^[171]. В 2005 году художник Марк Чемберлен стал автором нескольких рисунков, изображающих сексуальные отношения Бэтмена и Робина^[172]. DC угрожала художнику судебным разбирательством и направила иск в отношении галереи Кейтлин Каллен, призывая их прекратить продажу рисунков и выплатить им всю прибыль, полученную от продаж^[173].

В 2012 году журнал Out включил Бэтмена и Робина в список «Самых гомосексуальных героев комиксов»^[174]. В том же году Грант Моррисон в интервью журналу Playboy назвал Бэтмена «очень, очень гомосексуальным», добавив, что использует это определение отнюдь не в уничижительном смысле:

Библиография

За семидесятилетнюю историю, в дополнение к двум основным сериям — Detective Comics и Batman, персонаж появился в десятках различных серий, как сольных, так и совместных с другими персонажами. Общее число сюжетных линий с его участием превышает 60^[176], а выпусков — более 7000^[177], что практически равно общему числу появлений Супермена.

Награды

За свою историю Бэтмен был удостоен множества наград, в том числе:

Награды и номинации
Год	Награда	Категория	Номинант	Результат
1987	Премия Кирби[178]	Лучший отдельный выпуск	Dark Knight №1	Победа
Лучшая законченная серия	Dark Knight	Победа
Лучший графический альбом	Dark Knight	Победа
Лучшая команда художников	Dark Knight, Фрэнк Миллер, Клаус Дженсен и Линн Вэрли	Победа
1989	Премия Айснера[179]	Лучший графический альбом	Batman: The Killing Joke	Победа
Лучший писатель	Batman: The Killing Joke, Алан Мур	Победа
1992	Лучший художник	Batman: Judgement on Gotham, Саймон Байсли	Победа
1994	Лучший отдельный выпуск	Batman Adventures: Mad Love	Победа
1995	Лучший отдельный выпуск	Batman Adventures Holiday Special	Победа
1996	Лучшая серия для молодых читателей	Batman & Robin Adventures	Победа
Лучший художник	Batman: Manbat	Победа
1997	Лушая антология	Batman: Black and White	Победа
Лучшая короткая история	«Heroes», Batman: Black & White	Победа
1998	Лучшее издание для молодой аудитории	Batman & Robin Adventures	Победа
Лучший новый графический альбом	Batman & Superman Adventures: World’s Finest	Победа
1999	Лучшая ограниченная серия	Batman: The Long Halloween	Победа
Лучшая серия для молодой аудитории	Batman: The Gotham Adventures	Победа
Лучший графический альбом (переиздание)	Batman: The Long Halloween	Победа
2000	Лучший художник	Batman: War on Crime, Алекс Росс	Победа
Лучшая обложка	Batman: No Man’s Land, Batman: Harley Quinn, Batman: War on Crime, Алекс Росс	Победа
2002	Лучший графический альбом (переиздание)	Batman: Dark Victory	Победа
2003	Лучший графический альбом (переиздание)	Batman: Black and White	Победа
2004	Лучший графический альбом (переиздание)	Batman Adventures: Dangerous Dames and Demons	Победа
2007	Лучшая ограниченная серия	Batman: Year 100	Победа
1989	Harvey Award	Лучший художник/график/колорист	Брайан Болланд, Джо Хиггинс, Batman: The Killing Joke[180]	Победа
Лучший сюжет (единичный выпуск)	Batman: The Killing Joke[180]	Победа
1998	Лучший графический альбом	Batman Black & White[181]	Победа

Примечания

Литература

• Scott Beatty The Batman Handbook: The Ultimate Training Manual. — Quirk Books, 2005. — ISBN 1-59474-023-2
• Les Daniels Batman: The Complete History. — Chronicle Books, 1999. — ISBN 0-8118-4232-0
• Daniels Les DC Comics: Sixty Years of the World’s Favorite Comic Book Heroes. — Bulfinch, 1995. — ISBN 0-8212-2076-4
• Gerard Jones Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book. — Basic Books, 1995. — ISBN 0-465-03657-0
• Pearson, Roberta E., Uricchio, William he Many Lives of the Batman: Critical Approaches to a Superhero and His Media. — Routledge: London, 1991. — ISBN 0-85170-276-7
• Wright, Bradford W. Comic Book Nation: The Transformation of Youth Culture in America. — 9. — Johns Hopkins Press, 2001. — 360 с. — ISBN 0-8018-7450-5
• Will Brooker Batman Unmasked: Analyzing a Cultural Icon. — Continuum International Publishing Group, 2001. — ISBN 0-82631343-9
• Dennis O’Neil Batman unauthorized: Vigilantes, Jokers, and Heroes in Gotham City. — BenBella Books, 2008. — ISBN 1-933771-30-5
• Mark D. White, Robert Arp Batman and philosophy: The Dark Knight of the Soul. — John Wiley and Sons, 2008. — ISBN 0470270306

Ссылки

	Портал «Комиксы»
	Бэтмен на Викискладе?
	Проект «Комиксы»

• dccomics.com/batman — официальный сайт Бэтмена (англ.)
• Бэтмен (Земля-1) (англ.)
• Бэтмен (Земля-2) (англ.)
• Посткризисная версия Бэтмена (англ.)
• Бэтмен (англ.) на сайте DC Database Project
• Бэтмен-Вики (англ.)
• Batman (англ.) на сайте Grand Comics Database
• Detective Comics (англ.) на сайте Grand Comics Database
• Batman в каталоге ссылок Open Directory Project (dmoz). (англ.)