Superhero - Antecedents. The origins of superheroes can be found in several prior forms of fiction. Many share traits with protagonists of later Victorian literature, such as The Scarlet Pimpernel and Sherlock Holmes. One notable fore-runner of the modern superhero was Spring Heeled Jack, who first emerged as an urban legend in England during the 1830s. Reports of a mysterious figure, apparently capable of superhuman feats of agility and sometimes said to bear unusual weapons including a gas or flame proje ...

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Superhero, Superhero - Common traits, Superhero - Common costume features, Superhero - Character subtypes, Superhero - Divergent character examples, Superhero - History of superheroes in comic books, Superhero - Antecedents, Superhero - Golden Age, Superhero - Silver Age, Superhero - Deconstruction of the superhero, Superhero - Struggles of the 1990s, Superhero - Growth in diversity, Superhero - Female characters, Superhero - Non-Caucasian characters, Superhero - Gay characters, Superhero - Diversified teams, Superhero - Treatment in other media, Superhero - Film, Superhero - Live-action television series, Superhero - Animation, Superhero - Radio, Superhero - Prose, Superhero - Computer games, Superhero - Notes

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From their birth until the early 1960s, superheroes largely conformed to the model of lead characters in American popular fiction in the first half of the 20th century. Hence, the typical superhero was a white, middle to upper class, heterosexual, professional, young-to-middle-aged man. A majority of superheroes still fit this description but, in subsequent decades, many minority characters have broken the mold.

Superhero, Superhero - Common traits, Superhero - Common costume features, Superhero - Character subtypes, Superhero - Divergent character examples, Superhero - History of superheroes in comic books, Superhero - Antecedents, Superhero - Golden Age, Superhero - Silver Age, Superhero - Deconstruction of the superhero, Superhero - Struggles of the 1990s, Superhero - Growth in diversity, Superhero - Female characters, Superhero - Non-Caucasian characters, Superhero - Gay characters, Superhero - Diversified teams, Superhero - Treatment in other media, Superhero - Film, Superhero - Live-action television series, Superhero - Animation, Superhero - Radio, Superhero - Prose, Superhero - Computer games, Superhero - Notes

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Superhero - Film. Main articles: Superhero films, and [[{{{2}}}]], and [[{{{3}}}]], and [[{{{4}}}]]See also:

Superhero, Superhero - Common traits, Superhero - Common costume features, Superhero - Character subtypes, Superhero - Divergent character examples, Superhero - History of superheroes in comic books, Superhero - Antecedents, Superhero - Golden Age, Superhero - Silver Age, Superhero - Deconstruction of the superhero, Superhero - Struggles of the 1990s, Superhero - Growth in diversity, Superhero - Female characters, Superhero - Non-Caucasian characters, Superhero - Gay characters, Superhero - Diversified teams, Superhero - Treatment in other media, Superhero - Film, Superhero - Live-action television series, Superhero - Animation, Superhero - Radio, Superhero - Prose, Superhero - Computer games, Superhero - Notes

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Over the years, Batman's origin story, history and tone have undergone various revisions, both minor and major. Some elements have changed drastically; others, like the death of his parents and his pursuit of justice, have remained constant. Batman - Golden Age version. The Golden Age Batman's origin was first presented in Detective Comics #33 in November 1939, and was later fleshed out in Batman #47, the 1985 four-issue limited series America vs. the Justice Society and ...

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Batman, Batman - Publication history, Batman - Evolution of the character, Batman - Character history, Batman - Golden Age version, Batman - Silver Age version, Batman - Modern Age version, Batman - Personas, Batman - Bruce Wayne, Batman - The Dark Knight, Batman - Dual identities, Batman - Matches Malone, Batman - Gotham City, Batman - The Bat-Signal, Batman - Powers and abilities, Batman - Weaknesses, Batman - Equipment vehicles and weapons, Batman - The Batcave, Batman - Costume, Batman - Supporting characters, Batman - Enemies of Batman, Batman - Crossovers, Batman - Homosexual interpretations, Batman - Bibliography, Batman - Batman in other media, Batman - Trivia, Batman - Notes and references, Batman - Additional Batman information, Batman - Related information

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The series was produced in the United States of America and debuted at 7:30, Wednesday evening, January 12, 1966 on ABC television, at a time when other popular TV series included The Monkees and Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In. The Batman series set a standard that identifies it as a product of the 1960s. It was known for its silly high camp humour and continues to be the version some associate with the Batman character despite it being least reflective of the Batman mythos ...

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Batman TV series, Batman TV series - The series, Batman TV series - Genesis of the series, Batman TV series - Plot summary, Batman TV series - Popularity, Batman TV series - Trivia, Batman TV series - Cast, Batman TV series - Regular cast, Batman TV series - Notable guest cast, Batman TV series - Cameos, Batman TV series - Bit parts before they were famous, Batman TV series - Last appearances on screen, Batman TV series - Parodies, Batman TV series - External links

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Batman is also slated to appear in a novel by cyberpunk/horror novelist John Shirley, entitled Batman: Dead White from Del Rey books. Many other novels and short story collections featuring Batman have been published over the years, including novelizations of each of the recent movies and several of the more popular comic book arcs. There are also several more scholarly works, aimed at either Batman's history or art, such as Les Daniels' Batman: The Complete History and compilations such as Batman: Cover to Cover : The Gre ...

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Batman in other media, Batman in other media - Television, Batman in other media - Animated, Batman in other media - Newspaper, Batman in other media - Books, Batman in other media - Radio, Batman in other media - Musical theatre, Batman in other media - Video games, Batman in other media - Theme park attractions, Batman in other media - Batman parodies and references

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Several Batman video games were created: Batman for the Amstrad PCW in 1985. Now known as Batman 3D. Batman: The Caped Crusader for various 8-bit and 16-bit platforms. Batman for Sega Genesis, Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Atari Lynx, Commodore Amiga, Sinclair ZX Spectrum and other platforms. (In October 1989, the Amiga 500 was bundled with this game as part of the Batman Pack [1], which was sold in the United Kingdom and was a phenomenal success). Batman: R ...

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Batman in other media, Batman in other media - Television, Batman in other media - Animated, Batman in other media - Newspaper, Batman in other media - Books, Batman in other media - Radio, Batman in other media - Musical theatre, Batman in other media - Video games, Batman in other media - Theme park attractions, Batman in other media - Batman parodies and references

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Several Six Flags theme parks, formerly owned by Warner Brothers, opened live-action "Batman Stunt Shows" as the movies increased in popularity. Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey is home to a looping, suspended roller coaster named "Batman: The Ride" as well as twin roller coasters named "Batman and Robin: The Chiller." On the latter attraction, riders may ride on either the Batman or Robin versions of the coaster. Six Flags Over Georgia contains the same "Batman: The Ride" and also features a basic looping ...

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Batman in other media, Batman in other media - Television, Batman in other media - Animated, Batman in other media - Newspaper, Batman in other media - Books, Batman in other media - Radio, Batman in other media - Musical theatre, Batman in other media - Video games, Batman in other media - Theme park attractions, Batman in other media - Batman parodies and references

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In addition to comic books, Batman has appeared in newspaper syndicated comic strips, books, radio dramas, television and several theatrical feature films, including Batman Begins, the 2005 smash hit which Ebert and Roeper called "one of the best films of the year." In addition, there is a musical theatre (Batman: The Musical), set to premiere sometime in 2006/2007. There are several Batman video games, and even the Six Flags theme parks host Batman shows and rides. Over the last decade, Batman has appeared in starring or supporting roles in the Bruc ...

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Batman, Batman - Publication history, Batman - Evolution of the character, Batman - Character history, Batman - Golden Age version, Batman - Silver Age version, Batman - Modern Age version, Batman - Personas, Batman - Bruce Wayne, Batman - The Dark Knight, Batman - Dual identities, Batman - Matches Malone, Batman - Gotham City, Batman - The Bat-Signal, Batman - Powers and abilities, Batman - Weaknesses, Batman - Equipment vehicles and weapons, Batman - The Batcave, Batman - Costume, Batman - Supporting characters, Batman - Enemies of Batman, Batman - Crossovers, Batman - Homosexual interpretations, Batman - Bibliography, Batman - Batman in other media, Batman - Trivia, Batman - Notes and references, Batman - Additional Batman information, Batman - Related information

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Robin is perhaps Batman's most important ally; no fewer than five teenage sidekicks having served in the role: Dick Grayson (the original Robin, later Nightwing), Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown, and Carrie Kelly in the non-canonical The Dark Knight Returns. Both Jason Todd and Stephanie Brown were killed in the line of duty. Alfred Pennyworth is Bruce Wayne's loyal butler and father figure while Lucius Fox acts as his business manager. Former Police Commissioner James ("Jim") Gordon worked closely with Batman des ...

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Batman, Batman - Publication history, Batman - Evolution of the character, Batman - Character history, Batman - Golden Age version, Batman - Silver Age version, Batman - Modern Age version, Batman - Personas, Batman - Bruce Wayne, Batman - The Dark Knight, Batman - Dual identities, Batman - Matches Malone, Batman - Gotham City, Batman - The Bat-Signal, Batman - Powers and abilities, Batman - Weaknesses, Batman - Equipment vehicles and weapons, Batman - The Batcave, Batman - Costume, Batman - Supporting characters, Batman - Enemies of Batman, Batman - Crossovers, Batman - Homosexual interpretations, Batman - Bibliography, Batman - Batman in other media, Batman - Trivia, Batman - Notes and references, Batman - Additional Batman information, Batman - Related information

Read more here: » Batman: Encyclopedia II - Batman - Supporting characters

Batman - Bruce Wayne. To the world at large, Bruce Wayne is an irresponsible, superficial playboy who lives off his family's personal fortune (amassed when Bruce's parents invested in Gotham real estate before the city was a bustling metropolis) and the profits of Wayne Enterprises, a major private technological firm that he has inherited. However, Wayne is also known for his contributions to charity, notably through the Wayne Foundation, a foundation devoted to helping the victims of crime and preventing people from turning to it. Bruce Wayne's playboy public persona was generated by Bruce to aid in throwing of ...

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Batman, Batman - Publication history, Batman - Evolution of the character, Batman - Character history, Batman - Golden Age version, Batman - Silver Age version, Batman - Modern Age version, Batman - Personas, Batman - Bruce Wayne, Batman - The Dark Knight, Batman - Dual identities, Batman - Matches Malone, Batman - Gotham City, Batman - The Bat-Signal, Batman - Powers and abilities, Batman - Weaknesses, Batman - Equipment vehicles and weapons, Batman - The Batcave, Batman - Costume, Batman - Supporting characters, Batman - Enemies of Batman, Batman - Crossovers, Batman - Homosexual interpretations, Batman - Bibliography, Batman - Batman in other media, Batman - Trivia, Batman - Notes and references, Batman - Additional Batman information, Batman - Related information

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A fictional city modeled primarily after New York City, it is Bruce Wayne's home and Batman's base of operation. In early Batman comics, he was located in New York City; "Gotham" is in fact a nickname for New York. Gotham is generally thought to be located on the northeast coast, and is located in New Jersey in several sources. Its architecture is tall and Gothic, but it suffers from urban blight. It is generally portrayed as dirty, crime-ridden, and corrupt, in stark contrast to the bright, clean, futuristic feel of Superman's Metropolis. Thomas and Mar ...

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Batman, Batman - Publication history, Batman - Evolution of the character, Batman - Character history, Batman - Golden Age version, Batman - Silver Age version, Batman - Modern Age version, Batman - Personas, Batman - Bruce Wayne, Batman - The Dark Knight, Batman - Dual identities, Batman - Matches Malone, Batman - Gotham City, Batman - The Bat-Signal, Batman - Powers and abilities, Batman - Weaknesses, Batman - Equipment vehicles and weapons, Batman - The Batcave, Batman - Costume, Batman - Supporting characters, Batman - Enemies of Batman, Batman - Crossovers, Batman - Homosexual interpretations, Batman - Bibliography, Batman - Batman in other media, Batman - Trivia, Batman - Notes and references, Batman - Additional Batman information, Batman - Related information

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Unlike Superman and most other costumed heroes, Batman is a human being who does not possess any superhuman abilities. However, he has elevated himself to near-superhuman status through years of rigorous training. Physically he is at the peak of human ability in dozens of areas, most notably martial arts, acrobatics, strength, and escape artistry. Intellectually he is just as peerless, being at once one of the world's greatest scientists, criminologists, and tacticians, as well as a master of disguise. Given his lack of superpowers, he often uses cunning and planning to outwit his foes, rather than simply out-fighting them.

Batman, Batman - Publication history, Batman - Evolution of the character, Batman - Character history, Batman - Golden Age version, Batman - Silver Age version, Batman - Modern Age version, Batman - Personas, Batman - Bruce Wayne, Batman - The Dark Knight, Batman - Dual identities, Batman - Matches Malone, Batman - Gotham City, Batman - The Bat-Signal, Batman - Powers and abilities, Batman - Weaknesses, Batman - Equipment vehicles and weapons, Batman - The Batcave, Batman - Costume, Batman - Supporting characters, Batman - Enemies of Batman, Batman - Crossovers, Batman - Homosexual interpretations, Batman - Bibliography, Batman - Batman in other media, Batman - Trivia, Batman - Notes and references, Batman - Additional Batman information, Batman - Related information

Read more here: » Batman: Encyclopedia II - Batman - Powers and abilities

Batman as a DC Comics' character has from time to time been featured in crossovers with characters from other comic companies, most commonly with Marvel Comics. Many of these stories are not canon for the companies involved, although the DC/Marvel crossovers appear to have some ongoing validity in the DC universe. The first such crossover was with The Incredible Hulk in the late 1970s. Batman (both as Jean-Paul Valley and Bruce Wayne) also encountered The Punisher. Batman and Captain America have both fought each other (in the Marv ...

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Batman, Batman - Publication history, Batman - Evolution of the character, Batman - Character history, Batman - Golden Age version, Batman - Silver Age version, Batman - Modern Age version, Batman - Personas, Batman - Bruce Wayne, Batman - The Dark Knight, Batman - Dual identities, Batman - Matches Malone, Batman - Gotham City, Batman - The Bat-Signal, Batman - Powers and abilities, Batman - Weaknesses, Batman - Equipment vehicles and weapons, Batman - The Batcave, Batman - Costume, Batman - Supporting characters, Batman - Enemies of Batman, Batman - Crossovers, Batman - Homosexual interpretations, Batman - Bibliography, Batman - Batman in other media, Batman - Trivia, Batman - Notes and references, Batman - Additional Batman information, Batman - Related information

Read more here: » Batman: Encyclopedia II - Batman - Crossovers