Batman: Through the Years
The Caped Crusader, the Dark Knight, Bruce Wayne, these are all aliases for an enigmatic character in popular culture most commonly known as Batman. While having his humble origins in the pulp magazines of the late 1930’s, over the span of his existence, he has expanded into a full-blown franchise. There have been 3 TV shows on him, 4 movies (1 more still in the making), various videogames, and over 20 comic book series that currently feature his name. Even after 60 years of being in print, it was a Batman issue that was the highest selling comic book of the last week of November, 2004. It is the aim of this project to explore the reasons why this one particular comic book superhero has managed to keep his
…show more content…
However, this was a program that reached millions of people, and if someone were to build their opinion solely on the depiction this tubby, good-natured Batman, they would be shocked to learn that the original Batman created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger in 1939 “…was portrayed as a relentless manhunter dedicated to the eradication of crime [who] would play on criminals’ fear of the night and exploit his batlike appearance. He could be vicious – he shot more than one man – and his amazing abilities overwhelmed the common hoodlum. In short, The Batman was an avenging vigilante” (Horn, Maurice).
Clearly the TV networks deemed it necessary to clean up the image of the angry crime fighter in order to placate the censor boards and parents, so the image of Batman that they put out was one that did not correspond at all to what he started out as. Yet, this show was able to attract its own audience, just like the darker comic book version had its own fan base. Batman would not have been able to be as successful as he was if he depended solely on his comic book image, because it would have limited his audience and eventually, he would have been phased out of the collective mind of society. By appearing in film and TV, Batman was able to transcend the conventional borders that limited normal comic book heroes.
Batman to me:
In all honesty, the first time I read a Batman comic, I thought he was kind of lame. The guy was supposed to be a superhero, but he didn’t
Is this modern concept much different than other stories we have grown up watching from an early age? I believe there are many similarities in stories of superheroes and comic many of us grew up reading and watching on Saturday mornings. Batman, a well-known super hero, fought crime in Gotham and was the “Dark Knight” that restored peace in his community. While Batman did not kill the criminals he was chasing after he did bring them to justice!
In the world of superheroes, there are numerous that believe they are heroes, while in actuality, they are merely vigilantes. This is demonstrated throughout the world of superheroes, but it is not as prominently demonstrated as in Batman. Batman presents himself as a hero, while he is only an over imaginative vigilante. He is more a vigilante than a hero since he has the ability to stop crime, but doesn’t, he only does deeds for his own benefit, and he helps the law but isn’t part of it. These are only a few ways Batman is a vigilante, rather than a hero. These are mainly based upon the idea of him trying to right his own past.
Batman is a depiction of hope. Batman was the answer to a lot of people’s problems in a place where nobody felt safe like they should in their home. He was like the rain after a long, dry spell for
Batman is an anti representative character with some good and bad traits, I will be discussing these points and specifically Batman’s eagerness to “fight crime” no matter what gets in the way, Batman and Bruce Wayne’s impulsive ways, Bruce Wayne and his money, the history of the Batman comic strip and then lastly Batman’s good side. Along with these points I will be explaining how Bruce became Batman.
Many of us have grown up watching cartoons throughout our childhood. Of the many cartoons on television is Batman. This cartoon has been on television for many years. It is a story of a man who is a successful businessman during the day and a mysterious superhero by night. Bruce Wayne is the man who is this mysterious man with the two identities. He is both Bruce Wayne and Batman. Only a selected few know both of his identities. Many of us have grown up thinking that he is a great man and a great superhero. Yet, why is it that we do not question how unusual the whole situation is? If we take a closer look, we can find that he is a disturbed man who may
In a movie where good and evil are divided by a very thin line, the Dark Knight rises up to fight against injustice and corruption in Gotham City. An action sequel to the original Batman Begins, this installment is a lot darker filled with more explosion, twists, and suspense. For the first time, a comic has been integrated into the issues of the real world. With the help of District Attorney Harvey Dent and Lieutenant Gordon, Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining mob members and clean the streets of Gotham for good. Their success is only short-lived when they encounter the Joker, a mysterious mastermind who is out to prove that nobility cannot hold in a world of anarchy.
Batman originally began as a DC Comics' detective a superhero quite different from the one envisioned by Nolan and company today. Batman was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger in 1939 for Detective Comics, and for more than two decades it depicted a hero defined by his mystery-solving techniques and cast of quirky characters against whom his braininess and eccentric costume could be balanced (along with his knack for solving crimes). Needless to
In this dissertation I will discuss how DC Comics have developed and improved the design of their comic books since their establishment in 1937. I will compare comics from past and present and talk about the different styles of comic books that have been released from the company. I will also talk about how the artwork from the comic books have influenced character and costume design in recent DC Comic films. I will do this by studying the history of the company and researching the designers behind the comic books. I will thoroughly research in detail the characters and the designs of their costume and equipment and compare them to the different films that have been released over the years. The main character I will look into is Batman. I will study the origins of the character, the man behind the character, the reason behind Batman’s creation, how he has changed over the years, the development of other characters in the series, the famous villains that Batman has had to face, the different costumes he has had over the years and I will also be researching and studying how Batman has become a national icon in American society, and the effects the character has had on people living in the country. Batman
Batman is one of the many fictional superheroes which appears in the “American comic books” that is published by the DC comics. The character is a secret identity for Bruce Wayne, the only heir to Wayne Enterprises. Bruce Wayne swore an oath of vengeance when he witnessed the death of his parents;Thomas Wayne and Martha Wayne (Diamond, 2015). Bat man combats criminals in Gotham: a fictional city, with assistance from various characters, for example, his butler Alfred and Gordon; Gotham city police commissioner. Unlike many of the superheroes characters, Batman possesses no powers .Bruce Wayne trained himself intellectually and physically .it is from dedication to training he possessed the useful traits of physical prowess, martial arts skills, detective skills and indomitable will to fight for justice. Though his motive is to combat crime and protect people of Gotham city from criminals, the justice system in most of the times views Batman as a villain and vigilante. He can inflict fear to Gotham city criminals thereby bringing calmness to the city. I identify myself with the Batman character through his selfless will for justice, his strong determination to do good
Another work by Crutcher emphasizes that ‘Many Lives of the Batman’ and ‘Batman Unmasked’ are bought in three areas: popular culture studies, popular culture as it relates to marketing and consumerism, and the nature of the comic publishing industry. Most writers have examined the impact of Dark Knight Returns on cultural consciousness, politics, and so on. This antihero construction sparks centuries old dialogues on ethics, the kind of business that comprises the bulk of Batman. “The complexities and graphics in the novel and comic of Batman have been defined as his duality with his villains” (Crutcher 66). Due to popularity and the existence of Batman, people began using the Batman symbol as paraphernalia on personal belongings such as clothing, equipment, and supplies.
Chris Gould explains how William Dozier introduced Batman, the crime fighting superhero, to TV in 1966. The show was about a man in a suit that fought crime with his teenage sidekick. The show was aimed at families, it wanted to send a positive message to younger viewers. Gould also notes that the show analized a number of trends that were occurring during that time such as; the hippie movement, corruption in politics, the power of technology, and pop art.
1938 saw the first appearance of Batman. More of a mystery comic than a superhero comic book, Batman was inherently different from the pure and clean Superman. He was a gritty and depressing character that has been able to remain in print even to this day. Rather than using superpowers, Batman uses detective abilities that allowed him to solve cases and find perpetrators. (“The History of Comic Books.” TheComicBooks.com.) But not even Batman, Superman, or even Captain Marvel could brace themselves for the arrival of the Marvel comics.
Batman’s violent actions in Frank’s Miller comic book demonstrated the darkness of his heroic personality. After ten year retirement, Batman became more troubled to Gotham City turning to a crime-ridden and a fugitive. According to Joseph Campbell words “everything begins with a story”. The beginning of Batman’s story started after the death of his parents. They were shot by some criminals because they were going to steal and hurt them. Having to experienced this horrible scene on his childhood, traumatized Batman
Batman's a whole other story. The filmmakers have worked out the mask problems from the previous film; Bale fills the suit with grace and danger. His voice is disguised as well - it's now a bass-heavy synthesized whisper. The character seems more than ever an extension of his high-tech toys (like the neat-o Bat-scooter that pops out of the Batmobile at one point, ecstatically rearing up like the Lone Ranger's Silver). He represents a citizen's darkest urges, though, and it eats at him. He's Dirty Harry crossed with Hamlet.
Batman, a name synonymous with the word hero. He was first introduced to the world in Detective Comics #27 (artist Bob Kane, writer Bill Finger, 1939). He quickly became a fan favourite and has since then seen numerous film, television, and video game adaptations. The first film adaptation being Batman (Lambert Hillyer, 1943), a mere 4 years after his introduction in 1939. Throughout his tenured career Batman has faced numerous villains, each of them reinforcing the themes of evil vs good, power, and anarchy vs order. The themes are especially prevalent when Batman faces off against his arch-rival, and foil, the Joker. In The Dark Knight (Christopher Nolan, 2008) these themes are perfectly encapsulated in the Joker interrogation scene.