Difference between revisions of "Batman"
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==Comics lore== | ==Comics lore== | ||
The man who was to become Batman is Bruce Wayne, a Gotham City multi-millionaire who inherited his wealth from his father, a prominent doctor and philanthropist named Thomas Wayne. A trip to the movies with the family ended in tragedy: Thomas and his wife are murdered by a common thug in front of Bruce, who's childhood is effectively ended at the age of eight. Growing up in the care of his father's butler, Alfred Pennyworth, he inherits a fortune, his father's business and philanthropic empire, and a seething anger directed at the criminal world. Realizing that criminals are superstitious as well as cowardly, he goes after them one by one, costumed as a bat. | The man who was to become Batman is Bruce Wayne, a Gotham City multi-millionaire who inherited his wealth from his father, a prominent doctor and philanthropist named Thomas Wayne. A trip to the movies with the family ended in tragedy: Thomas and his wife are murdered by a common thug in front of Bruce, who's childhood is effectively ended at the age of eight. Growing up in the care of his father's butler, Alfred Pennyworth, he inherits a fortune, his father's business and philanthropic empire, and a seething anger directed at the criminal world. Realizing that criminals are superstitious as well as cowardly, he goes after them one by one, costumed as a bat. | ||
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| + | ==Film and television== | ||
| + | The first film dealing with the Caped Crusader was a 1943 12-chapter serial from Columbia Pictures starring Lewis Wilson and Douglas Croft as Batman and Robin. The plot of the film centered on a nefarious, stereotypical Asian scientist, Dr. Daka (J. Carrol Naish), who has a plan to steal valuable resources from the United States in order to support the Axis during the World War II. Although low-budget, ''Batman'' introduced the concept of the Batcave (called the "Bat's Cave" in the film) and the hidden entry to it, as well as altering the appearence of Alfred from a portly servant to a leaner, robust individual. ''Batman and Robin'' would follow it in 1949, also as a serial, starring Robert Lowery and Johnny Duncan (Muir, 9; 72) | ||
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==References== | ==References== | ||
*Kane, Bob (with Tom Andrae). ''Batman & Me'', Eclipse Books, Forestville, California (1989). | *Kane, Bob (with Tom Andrae). ''Batman & Me'', Eclipse Books, Forestville, California (1989). | ||
| − | *Goulart, Ron. ''Comic Book Encyclopedia'', Harper Entertainment, New York (2004). | + | *Goulart, Ron. ''Comic Book Encyclopedia'', Harper Entertainment, New York (2004). |
| + | *Muir, John Kenneth. ''The Encyclopedia of Superheroes on Film and Television'', McFarland & Company, Jefferson, North Carolina (2004) | ||
[[Category:Entertainment]] | [[Category:Entertainment]] | ||
[[Category:Superheroes]] | [[Category:Superheroes]] | ||
[[Category:Comic characters]] | [[Category:Comic characters]] | ||
Revision as of 14:45, March 11, 2008
Batman is a fictional superhero first appearing in Detective Comics in May, 1939. The creation of artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, Batman remains one of the most famous and recognizable of the superhero genre, resulting in the creation of several television series, motion pictures, and graphic novels. The original comics are highly-prized by collectors and routinely fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars on the auction block.
Comics lore
The man who was to become Batman is Bruce Wayne, a Gotham City multi-millionaire who inherited his wealth from his father, a prominent doctor and philanthropist named Thomas Wayne. A trip to the movies with the family ended in tragedy: Thomas and his wife are murdered by a common thug in front of Bruce, who's childhood is effectively ended at the age of eight. Growing up in the care of his father's butler, Alfred Pennyworth, he inherits a fortune, his father's business and philanthropic empire, and a seething anger directed at the criminal world. Realizing that criminals are superstitious as well as cowardly, he goes after them one by one, costumed as a bat.
Film and television
The first film dealing with the Caped Crusader was a 1943 12-chapter serial from Columbia Pictures starring Lewis Wilson and Douglas Croft as Batman and Robin. The plot of the film centered on a nefarious, stereotypical Asian scientist, Dr. Daka (J. Carrol Naish), who has a plan to steal valuable resources from the United States in order to support the Axis during the World War II. Although low-budget, Batman introduced the concept of the Batcave (called the "Bat's Cave" in the film) and the hidden entry to it, as well as altering the appearence of Alfred from a portly servant to a leaner, robust individual. Batman and Robin would follow it in 1949, also as a serial, starring Robert Lowery and Johnny Duncan (Muir, 9; 72)
References
- Kane, Bob (with Tom Andrae). Batman & Me, Eclipse Books, Forestville, California (1989).
- Goulart, Ron. Comic Book Encyclopedia, Harper Entertainment, New York (2004).
- Muir, John Kenneth. The Encyclopedia of Superheroes on Film and Television, McFarland & Company, Jefferson, North Carolina (2004)