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In 1939, the "universe" of masked vigilantes was not anything we are used to it being in todays society. Superman had just been printed in 1938 and was just beginning to gain in popularity but Superman was alone in the superhero world in these early days, untill Detective Comics #27 was released in May of 1939. That is when Batman made his first appearance.
Initially written as "the Bat-Man", the Caped Crusader actually was created as a ruthless character in the same fashion of film noir private detectives. He carried an array of weapons and couldn't care less if he killed one of the criminals, but that didn't last more than a year or so untill Batman was published in his very own comic book. From then on Batman's ideas of right and wrong has been just as it is recently, undying, yet he refuses to kill a villain, simply turn them in to the cops. He stood atop the buildings of the city of Gotham just like a
lifesize Batman sculpture.
The single thing that hasn't changed about Batman is his secret identity. One big difference Batman had from Superman, who was from the start hiding behind a fake persona to blend in like he was actually a human,
Batman was a human. The story, also like Superman's legend, is heavily influenced Greek and Dark Ages legends and is quite analogous to tales of the Vigilante Knight in medieval Europe.
Batman was born as Bruce Wayne, the only child of the good hearted billionaires the Waynes, who had always played an important role in the developement of Gotham City . His parents were attempting to revamp
Gotham City and turn it into a cleaner place, but the gangsters in Gotham City wanted to keep the status quo. They gunned down the Wayne's while Bruce watched but allowed Bruce to live. From then on Bruce made a promise to combat criminals in the city. He practices martial arts, reads scientific textbooks whenever he is able to or needs to, and uses his vast sums of money to build or purchase new technology in order to help him fight crime . He hides his true identity from everybody with the exception of the family butler Alfred Pennyworth and once he comes along, his young assistant Robin. The only other character he talks to is generally Police Commissioner Jim Gordon. though he only talks to him as Batman and Gordon doesn't know it's Bruce Wayne.
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Batman is considered a pop-culture icon, and has been called one of the best heroes in fictional history. He has appeared in graphic novels, live television shows, animated shows, feature films and video games. Some of the more recent live action films about him have actually taken home Oscars. The Caped Crusader has been the focus of sculptures, paintings, and has even been spoken of in completely seperate books and movies. If you don't know Batman too well, you have some work to do, because nearly everyone around has already experienced a Batman adventure!