Batman is a famous comic-book hero who dedicates himself to fighting crime in a costume that features a black bat mask and a flowing cape. The character first appeared in 1939 in the American comic-book series “Detective Comics.” Bob Kane was the artist, and Bill Finger wrote the stories. In 1940, a teenage assistant called Robin joined Batman to form a crime-fighting team. In 1961, a young assistant called Batgirl joined Batman and Robin.
Batman was really Bruce Wayne, a wealthy playboy. As a boy, he witnessed his parents’ murder by a criminal. That memory drove him to become a crime fighter as an adult. Robin was really Dick Grayson, also an orphan whose parents were murdered. Bruce Wayne became Dick’s guardian. As Robin, Dick wore a colorful red and green costume with a yellow cape.
Batman and Robin were both skilled acrobats, and together they used an arsenal of weapons and gadgets in their crime fighting. Their equipment included the Batmobile and the Batplane, which were stored in the Batcave, and various items in Batman’s all-purpose utility belt. The two fought a gallery of villains, including the Penguin, the Joker, Two-Face, and Catwoman.
In the 1940’s, the popularity of Batman led to motion-picture serials—that is, series of short films that made up longer stories and were shown in theaters at regular intervals. Batman also starred in a prime-time television series from 1966 to 1968. Adam West played Batman and Burt Ward was Robin. Celebrities made guest appearances as Batman’s enemies, notably Frank Gorshin as the Riddler, Cesar Romero as the Joker, Julie Newmar and Eartha Kitt as Catwoman, and Burgess Meredith as the Penguin. The series had humorous scripts that often poked fun at the superhero and his opponents. The show’s bright colors, complicated plots, and camera angles were meant to recall elements of the comic books.
Batman also has appeared in a number of full-length motion pictures. In the late 1980’s, for example, the Warner Bros. studio began making a series of full-length Batman movies. Unlike the lighthearted TV series, these Batman movies featured a dark and ominous look, marked by a brooding atmosphere and many nighttime scenes. This approach had proven popular in later issues of the comic books, in part as a reaction to the television show. The films were Batman (1989), Batman Returns (1992), Batman Forever (1995), and Batman & Robin (1997). Another Warner Bros. Batman series of films consisted of Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), and The Dark Knight Rises (2012). Another Batman movie, The Batman, was released in 2022.
