photo credit: specialkrb

Few fictional characters are masters of every realm of media and expression like the comic book superhero Batman. From movies to videogames, from books to the original comic strips, Batman is a character that has endured for many years as a hero for children and a nostalgic figure for adults that idolized Batman during their childhood. Batman’s most recent presence in the entertainment industry is The Dark Knight, the sequel to the 2005 film Batman Begins, and it will be released on July 16, 2008. After an aggressive marketing campaign for the movie, The Dark Knight promises to continue the epic nature of the movie franchise, as well as putting to visual interpretation another chapter of Batman’s illustrious career as a crime-fighting superhero.

The creation of Batman as an idea dates back all the way to 1938, when editors at the comic book division of National Publications wanted more superheroes to follow the success of Superman. Bob Kane, with some suggestions from Bill Finger, created the basic framework for the character, including Bruce Wayne, the name which Batman assumes when he is carrying on his normal life. The first name came from Scottish patriot Robert Bruce, and the last name came from Mad Anthony Wayne. Contemporary pop culture of the 1930s heavily influenced everything about Batman, from the clothing to the personality. Some aspects of Batman were modeled after Kane himself, but these are almost indistinguishable from the influences from things like pulp magazines and newspaper headlines. Even films of the era, including The Mark of Zorro and The Bat Whispers, influenced Kane during his creation of the character. Finger’s contributions included influences from sleuth characters like Sherlock Holmes were the reason for Batman’s problem-solving capabilities.

Eventually, Bob Kane signed away ownership of the Batman character for compensation, including the request that his name appear in a byline in all Batman comics. Originally, his name was included on the title page of each story, but in the 1960s, it was completely dropped. As newer comics were created and the creators of the comics had bylines that gave “created by” credit, Kane’s name appeared again. Bill Finger was not so fortunate with getting credit for his work. By his death in 1974, DC Comics had not even acknowledged him as a co-creator of the character and the comic strip, something that left him feeling unfulfilled. Kane later insisted that Finger knowingly took the part of a ghost writer, therefore receiving no credit for his work, and also fiercely shot down the idea that he was not fully responsible for the creation of Batman and all of the major characters that appear in the comic strip.

The first Batman story was “The Case of the Chemical Syndicate” and it was written in the style of contemporary pulp magazines, which featured superheroes that remorselessly used violence to subdue the criminals. It debuted in 1939 and was a huge hit, and by the next year, Batman received his own solo title. Along with Superman, Batman was a cornerstone of National Publications’ success, which, at the time, was the most influential publishing company in the country. Throughout the 1940s, Bob Kane continued to evolve in his representation of Batman, fleshing out the details of the character’s physical features, backgrounds, enemies, and friends, such as Robin, his loyal sidekick. Robin was introduced because of Bill Finger’s suggestion that Batman have a foil character with which he could verbalize his thoughts. Early in the 1940s, it was decreed by an editor that Batman could no longer use firearms or kill criminals. Also at the time, the entire Batman world had almost completely been fleshed out. The 1950s saw a decrease in interest in the genre, along with allegations of an improper portrayal of Batman and Robin’s relationship. They also saw the stories take a lighter feel, which was turned back to “a grim avenger of the night” feel in the 1960s. Regardless of changes made to the comic strip, sales declined heavily, reaching an all-time low in 1985.

photo credit: subbu4

In a move that turned out to be eminently profitable, Frank Miller created the limited series “Batman: The Dark Knight Returns”. This move proved to be a success, and it also renewed interest in the character and the comic strip. Batman, in the limited series, is portrayed as a middle-aged man who comes out of retirement to fight crime. Because of the renewed interest, the character was revamped by the efforts of several comic strip creators, who fleshed out Batman’s origins, added new villains and characters, and turned the series toward a darker and grimmer direction. Sales in the late nineties broke new records, including reaching #1 on the Diamond Comic Distributors sales chart. Today, the franchise continues to be a strong force in the industry, with plenty of merchandising efforts based on the mythos of the Batman world as well as films such as 2005’s Batman Begins and the upcoming movie The Dark Night.

The Dark Knight hits theaters on July 16, and it promises to be an action-packed thriller suitable of the Batman franchise. Batman, Lieutenant James Gordon, and the new district attorney Harvey Dent, are able to pool their efforts and round up many of the major criminals in Gotham City. Things are beginning to look good for the city traditionally besieged by heavy doses of crime when a new, mysterious criminal mastermind in the form of the Joker appears. Batman struggles heavily to combat the Joker, and it becomes very personal for Batman, whose entire morals and ethics are challenged in his pursuit of the evil villain. Throughout the movie, a love triangle between Batman, Harvey Dent, and Bruce Wayne’s childhood friend Rachel Dawes. As a law school graduate and district attorney, Dawes and Dent have a brief relationship, but Batman’s connection with her also surfaces frequently.

photo credit: filthysize

Production of the movie is on a much larger scale than the previous film in the serious because of the advances in technology. Six IMAX cameras were used to film action sequences, the major ones that will leave viewers’ adrenaline racing. Batman’s suit was also redesigned to allow actor Christian Bale, who is reprising his role from Batman Begins, to move around easier. Heath Ledger, who passed away right after completing the filming of the movie, plays Joker, the main villain. Aaron Eckhart plays district attorney Harvey Dent, while Maggie Gyllenhaal plays assistant district attorney Rachel Dawes. The part was originally slated for Katie Holmes, who played the role in Batman Begins, but scheduling conflicts made it impossible for her to reprise her role.

Like Superman, Batman has been a part of global culture for many years, and American culture for even longer. And enduring symbol of good’s victory over evil, Batman appeals to children as well as adults who can appreciate the full depth of the psychological and romantic subtexts in the comics and the film adaptations. Bob Kane and Bill Finger, as well as National Publications and DC Comics, created something that certainly took a life of its own, and The Dark Knight promises to do the franchise justice by combining talented acting with state-of-the-art film technology. Don’t miss it!