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“ | Criminals are a superstitious, cowardly lot, so my disguise must be able to strike terror into their hearts. I must be a creature of the night, black, terrible... a... a... a bat! | ” |
–Bruce Wayne, realising his future |
Bruce Wayne was an American philanthropist and Gotham City socialite. By night he became the Batman, a sworn enemy of crime.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
Orphaning[]
“ | Father.. Mother! ... Dead! They're... d.. dead! | ” |
–Bruce Wayne |
In 1924, Thomas, Martha, and son Bruce were walking home from the cinema, when they were accosted by a mugger. The elder Wayne tried to fight back, but was shot to death. Martha was killed immediately afterward. Bruce was left alone by the mugger.[1][2] (COMIC: Legend: The Batman and How He Came to Be)
Training[]
Days after the death of his parents, Bruce swore by the spirits of his parents that he would avenge their deaths by dedicating his life to warring on crime.[3] (COMIC: Legend: The Batman and How He Came to Be)
As the years passed by, Wayne trained in the field of science and trained to a degree of physical perfection. After declaring himself ready for his grim task, Wayne realised that he would need a disguise of sorts. A bat flew threw his manor window and provided him with the inspiration he needed. (COMIC: Legend: The Batman and How He Came to Be)
Life as the Batman[]
Case of the Chemical Syndicate[]
Wayne was a guest at the home of Commissioner James Gordon when his host received a phone call about the murder of chemical magnate Lambert. Wayne accompanied Gordon to the scene, and listened to the interrogation of the man's son before overhearing a phone call between Gordon and an acquaintance of Lambert's. Wayne departed, feigning boredom, and made his way to the home of Steven Crane in the guise of the Bat-Man. He got there in time to pummel Crane's murderers and retrieved a stolen paper. After evading the police, Wayne read the paper and immediately understood the motive behind the murders.
He sped off to the home of Alfred Stryker, where he saved Rogers from being gassed to death. When Stryker arrived and tried to kill Rogers himself, Wayne stopped him, and explained to the pair of them how he had uncovered Stryker's motive of killing off the other part-owners of Apex Chemicals so as to not have to continue to make payments. Stryker tried to shoot him, but a fist to the businessman's face sent him falling over a guardrail and into a pool of acid below. Wayne then left through the skylight.
The next day, Wayne met with the Commissioner and discussed the case, dismissing the Bat-Man as a fairytale. Later, he returned to his own home and emerged from his room, in his costume. (COMIC: The Case of the Chemical Syndicate)
Notes[]
Behind the Scenes[]
- Batman was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger.
- American author Jeff Rovin compared Batman to the pulp characters, the Shadow, the Black Bat, and the Phantom.[4]
- Finger admitted to having copied a Shadow story in writing Batman's first appearance,[5] which comic book colourist Anthony Tollin and author Will Murray later tracked down[6] and determined to be Theodore Tinsley's "Partners of Peril".[7]
Trivia[]
- Batman has been featured four times on the web series "DEATH BATTLE!".[8][9][10][11]
Appearances[]
- Detective Comics
- The Case of the Chemical Syndicate (first appearance)
- Legend: The Batman and How He Came to Be (first appearance chronologically)
Links[]
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ The story states these events to have occurred fifteen years earlier, which, given that the comic was published in 1939, means that the mugging transpired in 1924.
- ↑ Legend: The Batman and How He Came to Be - Detective Comics Volume 1 #33 - DC Comics - Published 30 September 1939 - Page 2 - Retrieved 17 July 2023
- ↑ Legend: The Batman and How He Came to Be - Detective Comics Volume 1 #33 - DC Comics - Published 30 September 1939 - Page 3 - Retrieved 17 July 2023
- ↑ The Encyclopedia of Superheroes - Jeff Rovin - Facts on File Publications - Published 1985 - Page 21 - Retrieved 17 December 2020
- ↑ The Shadow…The Super Hero Who Inspired Batman - Rob Young - 13 May 2017 - Cinelinx - Retrieved 17 December 2020
- ↑ The Case of the Chemical Syndicate - Robert Greenberger - 24 June 2007 - ComicMix - Retrieved 17 December 2020
- ↑ The Shadow Knows - Robert Greenberger - 25 June 2007 - ComicMix - Retrieved 17 December 2020
- ↑ Batman VS Spider-Man (DC VS Marvel) | DEATH BATTLE! - DEATH BATTLE! - 11 October 2012 - YouTube - Retrieved 6 March 2024
- ↑ Batman VS Captain America (DC VS Marvel) | DEATH BATTLE! - DEATH BATTLE! - 7 September 2014 - YouTube - Retrieved 6 March 2024
- ↑ Black Panther VS Batman (Marvel VS DC) | DEATH BATTLE! - DEATH BATTLE! - 7 February 2018 - YouTube - Retrieved 6 March 2024
- ↑ Batman VS Iron Man (DC VS Marvel) | DEATH BATTLE! - DEATH BATTLE! - 13 September 2021 - YouTube - Retrieved 6 March 2024