Batman. A History and Some Dark Knight Facts.
Batman
Batman is one of the most successful comic book superheros of all time. Created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, Batman first appeared in the thirties and since then has featured for the most part in DC Comics. The Dark Knight Slot has quite a lineage, when you start looking back at how the character has developed over the years.
The Batman is also know as the The Caped Crusader, The Dark Knight and The World's Greatest Detective. His real identity is Bruce Wayne, an American industrialist, and philanthropist. His parents were murdered while he was a child, and since then he has dedicated his life to fighting crime.
Batman lives and fight in Gotham City, with his crime-fighting buddies, Robin, his butler Alfred Pennyworth, the police commissioner Jim Gordon, and every now and then Batgirl. His criminal enemies include the Joker, the Penguin, the Riddler, Poison Ivy, and Catwoman, among others.
Although he does not have any superpowers as such, his superior intellect, technological skills, wealth, physicality and his iron will are a formidable force in the fight against crime.
In terms of the Superhero league, he is probably only second to Superman.
The First Ever Batman Story
The first ever storyline featuring Batman appreared in Detective Comics #27 which hit the shelves in May 1939. He hasn't looked back since.
The story in question was "The Case of the Chemical Syndicate,"
Batman then hit the small screen in 1966- kicking off a very successful TV series that has a cult following to this day. Batman and his friends were depicted in a more "camp" way, which DC comics initially benefitted from. Once the TV series was over, however, comic sales fell again, and DC comics tried to distance themselves from the "Campness". "Holy Smoke, Batman!"
The stories became more grim and real, and this shift focused the later movies, including the 1989 movie Batman.
The one thing that sets Batman apart from the rest of us is his strong moral compass, commitment to justice and his refusal to kill. These morals have earned him the respect of Superman and Wonder Woman, among other superheroes.
The Batman 1966 TV Series. A Collection of the Best Clips. Adam West.
With thanks to "pitcherst".
Batman's gadgets
Batman is something of a technological whizz, and his gizmos are what often make tha idfference for him when he is out and about fighting crime. There's the Batmobile, (recenly auctioned off for an unbelievable $4.62 million) which was built by George Barris from a Lincoln Futura concept car, and a number of gadgets, allof which carry the bat logo. There's the batarang, the Batplane (or the Batwing), Batboat, the Bat-Sub, and Bat Cycle.
Batman keeps most of his stuff when he is out and about in his belt.
The Bat-Signal
A Bat Signal is used by Gotham City Police to summon Batman (if he can't be reached on the Bat-Phone. No-one had mobiles in those days). The City police switch on a searchlight with a bat-shaped logo over the lens called the Bat-Signal, which powers up in the night sky, projecting a bat-symbol on any clouds that can be seen from miles around. Obviously, this is not a lot of good if the skies are clear or if it is in the middle of the day. But for crimes that kick off during the night when the weathers a bit cloudy, it worls a treat.
The Bat-Phone, (bright red) connects straight through to Batman's pad, Wayne Manor. Batman has to phones connected to the line- one in the Bat Cave,and one on his desk in his stud
The Bat Cave
The Batcave is Batman'sHQ. It's location is highly secret (only all of the readers of DC comics know where it is).
A series of interconnecting underground caves underneath Wayne Manor is the Command and Control Centre for all things Batman. It also doubles up as a parking lot for Batman's various modes of transport.
Our Favourite Batman Sayings From the TV Series.
OK, OK, we admit the TV series from the sixties was a bit camp. But you have to admit, it did have some great sayings. Here is a list of our favourite quotes:
- Holy Almost
- Holy Armadillo
- Holy Ashtray (wouldn't be able to say that now)
- Holy Ball And Chain
- Holy Bargain Basements
- Holy Barracuda
- Holy Bikini (one for the lads)
- Holy Bouncing Boiler Plate
- Holy Caffene
- Holy Cats
- Holy Cold Creeps (runs off the tongue)
- Holy Crack Up (bit camp this one)
- Holy Diversionary Tactics
- Holy Fork In The Road (sounds rude if you say it at speed)
- Holy Fruit Salad (also a bit camp)
- Holy Glow Pot (it was the sixties)
- Holy Graf Zeppelin (ditto)
- Holy Guacamole (very San Francisco)
- Holy Haberdashery
- Holy Hairdo
- Holy Harem
- Holy Hole In A Donut
- Holy Human Pearls (??)
- Holy Interplanetary Yardstick
- Holy Knock Out Drops
- Holy Love Birds
- Holy Priceless Collection of Etruscan Snoods (whattttt?)
- Holy Purple Cannibals (purple haze?)
- Holy Red Snapper
- Holy Rip Van Winkle
- Holy Sewer Pipe
- Holy Smoke (the most famous Batman saying?)
- Holy Smokes (or is it this one)
- Holy Tuxedo
- Holy Zorro
One word.... Classic.
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