Batman
𐑚𐑨𐑑𐑥𐑩𐑯
Detective Comics #27
Batman is a fictional masked vigilante, and a whole franchise of comics, films, and TV shows. Essentially, he's Superman's goth cousin. Literally, he's just some guy dressed up as a bat. Clearly, he has issues.
The first stories, their characters, and their imagery were originally created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's "Design for a Flying Machine", Sherlock Holmes, The Mark of Zorro, The Man Who Laughs, and The Phantom. Kane later gave Bill the finger, as it were, falsely claiming sole credit.
It's a timeless tale of a rich orphan who becomes a masked vigilante by night. This mythology is malleable enough to be periodically updated to better fit the current social mores, from the camp 1960s TV show to the gritty 1980s limited series The Dark Knight Returns.
Admittedly, it might say something worrying about human impulses and society that there are so many stories glorifying violent revenge. Still, a brooding loner is always relatable, just as a stylised old city at night is always atmospheric.
Notable books
Some Batman limited series are generally well regarded, and available as trade paperbacks, alongside equally well regarded graphic novels. They make a good starting point (and quite possibly ending point, too) for anyone who casually likes the Burton, Nolan, and Reeves films.
| Released | Name |
|---|---|
| 1986 | The Dark Knight Returns |
| 1987 | Year One |
| 1989 | Arkham Asylum |
| 1990 | Gotham by Gaslight |
| 1996-1997 | The Long Halloween |
| 2002-2003 | Hush |
| 2005-2006 | City of Crime |
| 2006 | Year 100 |
| 2011-2012 | The Court of Owls Saga |
| 2017-2018 | White Knight |
| 2024-2025 | Dark Patterns |
DC: 1982 DC colour palette | Batman | DC Compact Comics | Superman
Masked vigilantes: Batman
