Creators

• Batman was originally created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. Kane is often cited as the official "creator" of Batman, but he frequently attributed Finger as a co-creator in the years before his death.
  
  

First Appearance

• Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27, which was released in May of 1939. He appeared in his very own comic, Batman #1, in May, 1940.
  
  

Character Background

• In all incarnations of the character, Batman is Bruce Wayne, the son of a millionaire whose parents are murdered in front of his eyes as a young boy. When he grows up, he dedicates his life to fighting crime.
  
  

Why Bats?

• "Criminals are a superstitious, cowardly lot," Wayne says in one of the early comics, "So my disguise must be able to strike terror into their hearts." Batman thus wears a menacing costume evoking a bat-like supernatural figure, and his gadgets all have a bat motif in order to remind criminals of his presence.
  
  

No Powers

• Batman is notable among comic book superheroes because he has no super powers: only his keen mind, strong body and vast wealth. To quote director Christopher Nolan, "he's just a guy who does a lot of push-ups."
  
  

Origin in Other Mediums

• Batman became a daily newspaper comic strip in October in 1943, the same year made his first movie appearance in a 13-part serial. A live-action TV show premiered in 1966, starring Adam West, and animated cartoons featuring Batman first appeared in 1968.
  
  

Artistic Legitimacy

• Batman's comic book origins prevented him from receiving the artistic recognition other literary characters have enjoyed. That changed in February 2009 when the late Heath Ledger received an unprecedented Academy Award for portraying Batman's nemesis, The Joker.