What is the name of Batman's team? Batman - Fictional Biography

(Batman) was originally written as Bat-Man, his real name Bruce Wayne- a fictional superhero character appearing in the universe . He debuted in a comic called Detective comics No. 27 (May 1939). The character was created by artist Bob Kane in collaboration with writer Bill Finger, but Kane is officially the sole creator of the character.

Batman took 2nd place on the list " The 100 Best Comic Book Characters of All Time"According to IGN.

Biography

Wealthy philanthropist Thomas Wayne, his wife, Martha, and their 8-year-old son, Bruce Wayne, were leaving a movie theater at 10:47 p.m. As they set foot on Park Row (now called Crime Alley), a gun-toting gunman named Joe Chill approached them from the shadows to steal the pearl necklace Martha was wearing. Thomas, approaching the gunman to protect his wife, was shot by Chill, causing Martha to scream. Chill then shot at her, saying, "This will make you shut up!" Bruce, traumatized by the death of his parents, will never be the same. Later, Bruce was raised by his wise and loyal butler, Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce also inherited his family's large fortune, as well as his father's company, Wayne Enterprises. Standing at the gravestones of his parents, Bruce swore an oath to avenge the death of his parents.

Despite financial security, happiness eluded Bruce. Young Bruce was comforted by Doctor Leslie Thompkins, who helped him cope with the death of his parents and find a purpose in life. At the age of fourteen, Bruce began a twelve-year journey around the world, seeking out experts in various fields, preparing himself spiritually and physically. Academically, he studied at Cambridge in England, Sorbonne in France and other famous European universities. A Frenchman named Henri Ducard taught him how to properly track people, a ninja named Kiriji taught him stealth, an African hillbilly taught him the arts of hunting, and Nepalese monks taught him healing.

Bruce returned to Gotham City, where he became a vigilante. But despite all his honed skills, he knew something was missing. Bruce believed that criminals were "superstitious and cowardly", and in order to rid Gotham of evil, he needed to change himself, and become a fearsome symbol of the city that would strike fear into the hearts of criminals. While Bruce was in his father's office, a large bat broke through the glass in the window. Bruce took this as an omen and remembered his fear of bats when he was still a child. This became his symbol; The Bat will sow fear in the cold world of Gotham. Using his large fortune, Bruce designed a suit and modern equipment, thus beginning a difficult double life: during the day, he will be the owner of a billion dollar fortune, a playboy and businessman, Bruce Wayne, and at night, he is Batman.

Character evolution

Golden age

From its first appearance in Detective Comics#27 in 1939, Batman was immediately introduced as a crime fighter. Bruce Wayne's childhood story was revealed in issue #33 and later fleshed out in issue #46. According to these releases, Bruce was born on February 19 to Thomas and Martha Wayne, wealthy Gotham industrialists involved in charity and improvement of the city, but Thomas Wayne worked as a doctor in a hospital instead of being involved in a corporation. Bruce grew up in the Wayne family mansion in the suburbs of Gotham and grew up as a privileged child until he was eight years old, until his parents were killed in front of little Bruce by the hands of petty bandit Joe Chilla on his way out of the cinema. At his parents' funeral, Bruce vowed to avenge his parents' death and to eradicate crime in Gotham. He undergoes intensive physical training, learning martial arts, possession of firearms and bladed weapons, surveillance and espionage skills, but understands that physical fitness alone is not enough. Wayne believed that “criminals are quite superstitious and cowardly,” and therefore he appearance should instill fear in them. He searched suitable image, at that time a bat flew into the window, and Bruce decided to take its image as a basis and take the pseudonym Batman.

Early in his career, Batman was negatively perceived by the police, who considered the "masked vigilante" to be nothing more than a psychopath. At that time, Bruce had a fiancee, Julie Madison, and a little later Wayne takes in the orphan Dick Grayson, who was a circus acrobat, who became his partner Robin. Batman becomes one of the founders of the Justice Society of America and, together with, an honorary member of it. The city's police begin to treat him more favorably, and he soon receives the title of honorary detective of the Gotham City Police Department. Some time later, Alfred Pennyworth, the butler of the Wayne couple, arrives in the city and, after he learns the secret of Batman's identity, becomes his ally and assistant.

silver Age

The beginning of the Silver Age of DC is considered to be 1956 and the appearance of the new Flash - Barry Allen. The style of Batman stories changed to a less dark style between the Golden and Silver Ages, and by the early 1960s they included science fiction elements - space aliens, scientific experiments, but for release Detective Comics#327, published in May 1964, Batman returned to his detective roots.

Following the introduction of the Multiverse in the early 1960s, it is revealed that all of the Golden Age characters lived on Earth-2 and the Silver Age on Earth-1, and the origin story previously described was that of what is now considered an alternate version of Batman. . The character himself was referred to as Earth-2 Batman, and later in the issue Superman Family#211, it was revealed that he married Earth-2 Catwoman (Selina Kyle) and became the father of Helena Wayne, later known as Huntress. Huntress subsequently joins Dick Grayson (Earth-2's Robin) in defending Gotham when Wayne leaves Batman's career to become police commissioner and is then killed during his final mission as Batman. This Batman story is considered an alternate story and not part of the main canon, however Batman comics were published without interruption, unlike similar characters DC: Alan Scott and Hal Jordan and Flash Jay Garrick and . Over the following decades, details of the origin of the main Earth-1 Batman were changed or expanded, such as meeting the future Superman in his youth and being raised by his uncle Philip Wayne, who appeared in the issue Batman No. 208 in February 1969. In 1980, then-series editor Paul Levitz became the author of the series The untold story of Batman, which carefully and chronologically described the biography of Bruce Wayne.

Throughout the period, Batman works alongside other heroes, most notably Superman, with whom he first teamed up in 1954 as part of the series World's Finest Comics and appeared until its end in 1986. Batman and Superman are generally portrayed as close friends who are aware of each other's true identities. Together they become the founders of the Justice League of America in issue Brave and the Bold No. 28. In the 1970s Brave and the Bold changed the name to Batman, and the hero himself appeared monthly in a team with several characters.

In 1969, Dick Grayson begins to attend college, which became the impetus for revising some aspects of the Batman stories. Bruce Wayne himself moves from his mansion to a penthouse at the top of the Wayne Enterprises skyscraper in downtown Gotham in order to be closer to crime scenes and respond more quickly. Between the mid-1970s and early 1980s, Batman almost always worked alone, sometimes teaming up with Robin or Batgirl. The stories returned to their traditional dark content and design, and the crimes depicted were increasingly serious. During this period, several new characters appeared and old ones returned, such as Ra's al Ghul, a terrorist several hundred years old who knows that Bruce Wayne and Batman are the same person. In the early 1980s, Dick Grayson steps down as Robin and becomes a separate superhero under the alias Nightwing.

In the final release Brave and the Bold#200 in July 1983, Batman leaves the Justice League and forms a new team called the Outsiders. He remains the team leader until graduation Batman and the Outsiders#32 in 1986, when the series was cancelled.

Capabilities

Although he does not possess any innate superpowers, Batman is considered by many (even Superman) to be among the most dangerous people in the world. Batman has become one of the most powerful men in the DC Universe, despite not having any superhuman abilities at any point in his life. Starting at the age of 14, Bruce began training and studying with the brightest minds on the planet to learn about biology, forensics, anatomy and other fields that would help him become the world's greatest detective.

Batman is also a master of stealth, disguise and escape, using his Ninjutsu training. He infiltrated high security missions, including Lexcorp. He would disappear in sight of regular humans and metahumans such as Azrael. His stealth skills are so high that even superhero groups such as the Legion of Super-Heroes were unable to find him. His accuracy is said to be on par with Green Arrow. He is the second greatest escape artist, the first being Mister Miracle. Batman escaped the straitjacket in 52 seconds, then stated that it was too slow for him. He always carries several master keys with him. He usually uses disguises, one of his most famous identities being Mitch Malone.

To acquire all these skills, Bruce needed money. When his parents died, Bruce inherited millions of his parents' dollars, which he later turned into billions through investing. Bruce owns and operates Wayne International as well as Batman Incorporated.

Batman is the "World's Greatest Detective", solving the biggest mysteries with little or no data. He also speaks many languages such as English, Spanish, French, Russian, German, Japanese, Chinese and others. Bruce has extensive knowledge in criminology, psychology, medicine and anatomy. Batman is an excellent strategist, and is always several steps ahead of his opponents. This incredible ability is due to the fact that he studies his opponents, not only physically, but also mentally. He is a mentor for the Justice League International. Has deep knowledge of business, great in finance and marketing. He hacked into alien and future technologies.

Batman, trained in every martial art, known to mankind, and from each of those forms of combat, he knows 127 that are deadly. These 127 are the main forms of battles that make up his normal fighting style. He is known to change his style to become unpredictable for his opponent. His main fighting style is a mixture of Judo, Ninjutsu, Muay Thai, Taekwondo, Jujutsu, Boxing, Karate and Dragon Style Kung Fu.

Thanks to his training, Batman can also handle almost all types of weapons, known to man, even most of firearms- even though he despises them, considering them to be the weapons of cowards, and repeatedly avoids using them even when in need of help. Batman's fighting skills surpass most metahumans and normal men, and he even knows every pain point in the human body, as well as Dim Mak ("touch of death") methods. They can cause dangerous pain to his enemies, which can lead to dizziness, numbness, unconsciousness, temporary paralysis, disorientation, and even death.

Through intense training and diet, Batman achieved remarkable results that ordinary people would call superhuman. Batman is in peak physical and mental state. Batman showed amazing power, and can lift at least 1,000 pounds on the bench press and has personally stated that his maximum weight is 2,500 pounds (over 1,133 kg) on the leg press. However, as shown in Batman Odyssey #2, Batman was able to overcome his record leg press weight by using the power of his legs to move a stuck carriage. In Gotham After Midnight #2, Batman was able to apprehend two golden sarcophagi with an estimated weight of at least 1 ton, within one minute. Additionally, Batman is an accomplished gymnast and acrobat, although not on Nightwing's level. Batman's training and peak condition means he is very fast in combat. His high speed combined with his strength makes him phenomenally strong. One day, he caught Green Arrow's arrow and occasionally avoided being shot at point-blank range. He can hold his breath for 3 minutes and 15 seconds. He survived the vacuum of space after 27 seconds.

Weapons and equipment:

Thanks to his wealth, money is no obstacle to the development of various devices and devices that he uses in the fight against crime. The most famous of these is the Batarang, a sharp throwing weapon that has a boomerang-like return ability. Other items include smoke or flash grenades, caltrops (wire hedgehogs), a rebreather, and various types of antidote. There is a sonic device on the heel of his boots that can cause a swarm bats to his location.

Batman costume is an experimental military body armor that is too expensive for the military to put into production. Various types of Batman suits have appeared over the years, but the fact is that Bruce's suit is indestructible, bulletproof, and immune to temperature changes (it will not melt when exposed to fire, etc.). The suit is shock-absorbing and acid-resistant. When he fails to defend himself, his mask emits gas and electrocutes attackers who try to remove any part of his equipment. However, despite all this protection, the suit is vulnerable to sharp objects such as knives, and Batman has sometimes reduced the amount of armor in the suit to increase mobility.

One of his iconic pieces of equipment. Batman designed the pockets to be closed, and only he knows how to open them. His belt has a safety device, it can give an electric shock or activate an internal explosive device if someone tries to open it. It's made from leather belt with solid steel clasp. There are also compartments that contain collapsible Batarangs. Other equipment Batman carries includes various types of poison.

Some devices include:

EMP Emitter
Energy deflector
Degausser
Magnets
Batarangs (freezing, explosive, electric, boomerang, etc.)
Sonic grenades
Sonic weapon
Sound emitter
Explosive plastic substance
Smoke balls
Tranquilizer darts
Miniature explosive devices
Foam gun against fire
Mask
Lockpicks
Antidotes for poisons and fear toxin Scarecrow
Kryptonite Ring
Batmobile controller

Suit Insider

Upon returning from his apparent death, Bruce created the Insider Suit, which had abilities similar to those of the Justice League. It requires constant charging, but can be charged by absorbing energy.

This suit has the following abilities:

Spectral mode: night vision, neutralization of sound/light waves from outside
Speed Force (Flash): Grants tremendous speed.
Thermal Mode (Superman: Heat Vision)
Willpower (Green Lantern): Copies the capabilities of green energy
Camouflage Mode (Martian Manhunter): Invisibility
Truth Mode (Wonder Woman): Cord with lie detectors and produce electric shocks
Ability to fly
Teleportation: 3 meter radius, can also move other people

In the media

Cartoon series

Batman appears in the animated series:

"Super Friends" aired from 1973 to 1974.
"Absolutely new hour Superfriends" published between 1977 and 1978.
"Challenge of the Superfriends: New Episodes" aired from 1978 to 1979.
"The World's Greatest Super Friends" published between 1979 and 1980.
"Super Friends" aired from 1980 to 1983.
"Super Friends: Legendary" super show"published between 1984 and 1985.
"Super Power Team: Guardians of the Galaxy" was released between 1985 and 1986.

New Batman Adventures", published between 1977 and 1978. In this animated series, Batman, along with his partners, faces various villains. For example, in the episode "Bite-Sized", an alien named Electro took over the consciousness of Batman and Robin so that they would help him steal government secrets. And in the episode "Bermuda Rectangle", a villain named Professor Bubbles and his henchman, Flux, hijack ships carrying some of the weapons he can use to take over the world.

Batman appears in the animated series" "published between 1992 and 1995. The character was voiced by Kevin Conroy. He is the main character of the animated series, for example in the series "Forteller", Batman investigates a cult called the Brotherhood, which was founded by the "mystic" Nostromus. And after Bruce finds out from many of his colleagues That Nostromus has the ability to predict the future, he decides to investigate. Eventually, Batman learns that Nostromus is a fraudster who has been setting up accidents to gain the trust of Gotham's upper-class citizens.

Batman appears in the animated series" Superman" ran from 1997 to 1999. The character was voiced by Kevin Conroy. He appears in the episodes entitled "World's Finest", "Time of the Knight" and "The Demon Reborn".

Batman appears in the animated series" New Batman Adventures" ran from 1997 to 1999. The character was voiced by Kevin Conroy. For example, in the episode "Never Be Afraid", Pugolo developed a new toxin that, instead of causing fear, eliminates it by making ordinary people carefree and dangerous, including Batman.

Bruce Wayne appears in the animated series " Batman of the Future" ran from 1999 to 2001, the character was voiced by Kevin Conroy. In the animated series, an elderly Bruce Wayne passes on the suit a teenager named Terry McGuinness, whom Voiced by Will Friedle.

Batman appears in the animated series" Project Zeta" airing in 2001. He appears in the episode entitled "Shadows".

Batman appears in the animated series" Static Shock" aired between 2002 and 2004. The character was voiced by Kevin Conroy. He appears in episodes of " Major League", "Iron men", "A League of Their Own" and "Future Shock". In the episode entitled "Major League", he comes to the aid of a young superhero when the Joker appears in town planning to destroy Static Shock.

Batman appears in the animated series" Justice League", the character was voiced by Kevin Conroy. He is one of the main characters of the cartoon, as well as one of the founders Leagues.

Batman appears in the animated series" " ran between 2004 and 2008. The character was voiced by Rino Romano. The series follows the early years of Batman's adventures in the first two seasons, but was seen with Robin and Batgirl in the later two seasons, and even Superman; he also fought many usual villains.

Batman appears in the animated series" Batman: The Brave and the Bold", the character was voiced by Diedrich Bader. The animated series was aimed at a young audience and was not as dark as previous shows about Batman.

Batman appears in the animated series" Young Justice", the character is voiced by Bruce Greenwood. He is one of the 7 founding members of the Justice League. He is also responsible for sending the team on secret missions. He is also the mentor to many of the team members especially Superboy, who is not on good terms with Superman. His alter ego Bruce Wayne also plays a key role in some episodes.Batman is also a mentor to three incarnations of the Robins (Dick Grayson, Jason Todd and Tim Drake) as well as Barbra Gordon/Batgirl throughout the series.

Batman appears in the animated series" Teen Titans", the character was voiced by Kevin Michael. In the episode "Red X Unmasked", when the team begins to remove the masks from the enemy they have captured, Batman's face appears and says "I am vengeance, I am the night, I am", but he is not allowed to finish and Robin takes it off mask.

Batman appears in the animated series" Teen Titans, forward!". Batman makes cameo appearances in various episodes of the animated series (for example, "Books", "Slumber Party" and others).

Batman appears in the animated series" Watch out for Batman", the character was voiced by Anthony Ruivivar. The action of the animated series unfolds during early years Bruce Wayne acting as. During the season, he hones his skills with the help of his butler, Alfred five kopecks. Bruce introduced Alfred Pennyworth, who is a former MI6 agent.

Batman appears in the animated series" Justice League Action", the character was voiced by Kevin Conroy. Batman appears as one of the main characters in the animated series.

Animated films

Batman appears in " Batman: Mask of the Phantasm"released in 1993, the role of the character was voiced by Kevin Conroy. A new vigilante appears in Gotham and, unlike Batman, he does not leave his victims alive. The vigilante begins to hunt for the former leaders of Gotham gangster groups. Mysterious nature vigilante, and also due to his similarity in appearance to Batman, causes the city of Gotham to doubt Batman and put him on the wanted list. This film also shows Bruce's life before he put on the mask, especially his romantic relationship with Andrea Beaumont.

Batman appears in " Batman and Mister Freeze"released in 1998, the character was voiced by Kevin Conroy. Batman encounters Mr. Freeze again after he returns from the Arctic, where he spent a lot of time. He is forced to return due to Nora's deteriorating condition. Freeze returned to Gotham, to find treatment for his wife.

Batman appears in " Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker" released in 2000, the character was voiced by Kevin Conroy. In Neo-Gotham City, the Joker, who has been absent for the past 35 years, returns and begins to manage a criminal team. On his orders, they steal high-tech communications equipment. Despite the intervention of Terry McGinnis (successor Bruce Wayne, who plays Batman), the Joker escapes. Bruce insists that the Joker must be an impostor, claiming that he witnessed the Joker's death after their final battle.

Batman appears in " Batman and the Mystery of the Batwoman"released in 2003, the character was voiced by Kevin Conroy. Batman and Robin must face a new caped vigilante, whose identity is unknown even to Batman. Now, Batman and Robin are trying to find out what kind of person is hidden under the mask, as well as deal with old enemies Penguin and Rupert Thorne.

Batman appears in " Batman vs Dracula"released in 2005, the role of the character was voiced by Rino Romano. After Dracula himself comes to life, people begin to disappear in the city and Batman tries to find out what is really happening. On one of the nights of his patrol, the Dark Knight encounters Dracula.

Batman appears in " Justice League: The New Barrier"released in 2008, the role of the character was voiced by Kevin Conroy. According to the plot, a new generation of superheroes who must join forcesto fight with threat posed by Earth.

Batman appears in " Batman: Gotham Knight", released in 2008, the role of the character was voiced by Jeremy Sisto. Children gather on the set, each of them tells one of the stories they heard about Batman.

Batman appears in " Superman/Batman: Public Enemies" released in 2009, the character was voiced by Kevin Conroy. The story centers on Superman and Batman stopping an asteroid from destroying the Earth and stopping , who has now become President and intends to destroy the Man of Steel, whom Lex blamed for the death of Major Force, exposing Superman to his eyes a great threat to the public.

Batman appears in " Batman: Under the Red Hood" released in 2010, the character was voiced by Bruce Greenwood. The story follows the death of Jason Todd (Robin), and several years later a new adversary appears in the city, who uses the Joker's old alias, wreaks havoc on organized crime in Gotham City, Batman realizes that the new opponent is somehow familiar to him.

Batman appears in " Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths" released in 2010, the character was voiced by William Baldwin. Lex Luthor comes from another universe to ask for the Justice League's help in confronting an evil version of the League.

Batman appears in " Superman/Batman: Apocalypse" released in 2010, the character was voiced by Kevin Conroy. Batman discovers a mysterious teenage girl with superhuman powers and a connection to Superman. The girl attracts the attention of Darkseid, the evil overlord of the Apocalypse.

Batman appears in " Batman: Year One"released in 2011, the role of the character was voiced by Ben McKenzie. The story will tell about the early years of Batman, how and why he became the Masked Avenger. Also, the plot tells about Gordon, who only recently came to Gotham City.

Batman appears in " The Dark Knight Rises. Part 1" released in 2012, the character was voiced by Peter Weller. Blaming himself for the death of Jason Todd, Bruce Wayne resigns And allows Gotham City plunge into the breeding ground of evil. But Bruce eventually has to return from the return of Two-Face. After this, a new Robin joins Bruce, young girl named Carrie Kelly, who helps him in the battle against mutants who strive to control all of Gotham.

Batman appears in " Justice League: Doom"released in 2012, the character was voiced by Kevin Conroy. Batman developed a plan to neutralize each member of the Justice League in case any or all of them fall under someone else's control. Mirror Master manages to take possession of this data and transfer it to Vandal Savage , which gathers the Legion of Doom to destroy the heroes.

Batman appears in " The Dark Knight Rises. Part 2"released in 2013, the role of the character was voiced by Peter Weller. After Batman returns, he decides to use this time to restore order in Gotham. But when the Joker finds out about the return of the Dark Knight, he decides to remind himself.

Batman appears in " Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox" released in 2013, the character was voiced by Kevin Conroy. , together with the rest Leagues , appears at the beginning of the film, he helps defuse one of the bombs that Professor Zoom set up. But when The Flash changes history, Bruce Wayne is killed and Thomas Wayne acts as . And when the Flash takes it all back, he pays a visit and conveys him the letter that I gave him father Bruce.

Batman appears in " Justice League: War" released in 2014, the role of the character was voiced by Jason O'Mara. The film is based on the stories of the New 52. Batman investigates the appearance of an unknown monster, which many mistake for him. During this time, he encounters Green Lantern and together they stumble upon an unknown device (MaserBox). Suddenly, the Parodemons attack, and then Darkseid himself appears. Now, individual heroes have to unite to confront the powerful forces of evil and save the world.

Batman appears in " Batman's son" released in 2014, the role of the character was voiced by Jason O'Mara. Batman learns that he has a son named Damian, whom Talia leaves with Bruce to keep him safe. Although, Damian believes that he can take care of himself and doesn't need Batman.

Batman appears in " Batman: Assault on Arkham"released in 2014, the role of the character was voiced by Kevin Conroy. Batman is trying his best to find the bomb that the Joker planted before he got into Arkham. On the night of his patrol, he notices something strange is happening in Arkham and heads there. There , he encounters the Suicide Squad, who are trying to kill Waller.

Batman appears in " Justice League: Trapped in Time", released in 2014, the character was voiced by Diedrich Bader.

Batman appears in " Batman vs Robin

Batman appears in " Justice League: Throne of Atlantis" released in 2015, the character was voiced by Jason O'Mara.

Batman appears in " Batman Unlimited: Animal Instincts" released in 2015, the character was voiced by Roger Craig Smith.

Batman appears in " Justice League: Gods and Monsters" released in 2015, the character was voiced by Michael Hall.

Batman appears in " Batman Unlimited: Chaos" released in 2016, the character was voiced by Roger Craig Smith.

Batman appears in " Batman: Bad Blood

Batman appears in " Justice League vs Teen Titans" released in 2016, the character was voiced by Jason O'Mara.

Batman appears in " Batman: The Killing Joke" released in 2016, the character was voiced by Kevin Conroy.

Series

Batman appears in the TV series Batman, which ran from 1966 to 1968, played by Adam West.

Batman appears in the 1979 TV series Legends of Superheroes, reprized by Adam West.

In the 2002 TV series Birds of Prey, Batman appeared in the first episode.

In the 2014 TV series The Flash, Wayne Tech, owned by billionaire Bruce Wayne, is mentioned in a news article that details its merger with rival company Queen Incorporated, owned by Oliver Queen, better known as the superhero Green Arrow, in 2024.

Young Bruce Wayne appears in the television series Gotham, played by actor David Mazouz.

In Legends of Tomorrow, Rip Hunter tells his team that he saw "the death of the Man of Steel and the fall of the Dark Knight" in the future.

Batman appears in the TV series Titans, played by stuntman Alain Moussi.

Batman is a fictional superhero from one of the most famous American comic book publishers, DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. He first appeared in Detective Comics 27 in May 1939. Literal translation The hero's name sounds like "Man-Bat", but is often referred to as " Dark Knight Gotham."

Batman's socialized alter ego is Bruce Wayne, who is a billionaire, playboy, philanthropist and owner of Wayne Enterprises. As a child, Bruce witnessed the murder of his parents Thomas and Martha Wayne, after which he vowed revenge on the criminals. Thanks to many years grueling workouts he prepared his body and spirit, after which, wearing a specially designed suit, he embarks on the path of eradicating crime in his hometown.

Batman operates in the fictional city of Gotham, the prototype for which was to some extent Chicago and New York. Together with a few assistants (butler Alfred, city police commissioner Gordon, partner Robin and some others), Batman declares a vendetta against corrupt officials, organized crime and psychopathic maniacs of various stripes.

Batman's opponents

Among the most prominent opponents of the hero are such city villains as:

Two-Faced;
Penguin;
Scarecrow;
and of course, the city's greatest villain - the Joker.

Despite the fact that initially Batman - Bruce Wayne does not have any extraordinary abilities, except for an extremely keen sense of justice, he was able to equip himself with various technical devices, his trained body and masterful martial arts. Unlike those he fights, Batman does not kill anyone, instead leaving criminals tied up and surrounded by evidence. Thus, acting independently, Bruce Wayne indirectly cooperates with the city's law enforcement agencies, although his activities remain illegal.

From his first appearances, Batman becomes a popular character and soon receives his own series of graphic novels. Over time, the development of Batman continued and already in 1966 a series about the adventures of the hero was released. Actor Adam West, who played main role, so vividly and originally embodied the character of Batman in the cinema that after that the image migrated to comics, becoming “canonical”.

However, later, by the beginning of the eighties, the creators decided to add darkness to the image of the superhero Batman, which was subsequently enhanced by directors Tim Burton and Christopher Nolan. Batman is included in the honorable hundred of the best superheroes, where he ranks second.

Batman - Publication History

After Superman received a warm welcome among readers at the beginning of the distant 1939, the creators began to think about expanding the universe with other characters. Then Bob Kane came up with a hero named Batman, that is, literally “man-bat.” Early concepts depicting his appearance vary somewhat in style, but the idea remains the same - a masked man in a cloak resembling bat wings.

So, in the 27th issue of Detective Comics, published in May 1939, a character named Batman appeared as one of the main characters. He immediately received the approval of readers and, together with Superman and Wonder Woman, became one of the components of the success of the entire publishing house as a whole.

During the decline in readership for graphic novels that occurred in the 1950s and 1960s, Batman was one of the few characters whose series continued to be published. However, in the mid-fifties, amid increased teenage crime, comics practically ceased to be published. Many saw them as excessive aggression, which forced them to introduce some censorship on publications. In 1960, Batman entered the so-called. Justice League, and later became one of its permanent members.

Batman - Fictional Biography

Over more than sixty years of publication history, the fictional biography of Batman has been subject to changes several times. Often this was due to an internal change in the publishing concept or to external reasons. We can highlight a number of fundamental events in the life of Bruce Wayne and his formation as a hero, Batman.

As a child, little Bruce witnessed the murder of his parents during a street robbery, after which he suffered psychological trauma. However, this event set him on the path of fighting all manifestations of crime in his hometown. Parents of the future super hero Batman's family were fairly wealthy people - owners of a large industrial company, but their father worked in the evenings as a doctor at a city hospital. After their death, Bruce inherited the business and considerable savings. He uses all this to fight crime.

Alternate versions and other characters who have worn the Batman costume

As for the canonical universe of DC Comics, several different characters acted in the Batman costume. So, for example, after the supervillain Hugo Strange found out true name hero, he temporarily began to act in his costume.

In addition, a character named Dick Grayson, at least twice, stood in for Baten, Bruce Wayne, who was recovering from his injuries. Similar functions were once performed by Jean-Paul Valley, whom readers may know under the name Azrael.

There are also many non-canonical publications and series where the action takes place in alternative universes, but the Batman character is in almost all of them. So, for example, there is:

Owlman (Owl Man);
Leatherwing (Nazi Batman);
and even Batmankoff (terrorist from Russia).

Minor characters

Throughout the series, Batman collaborates with many minor characters to varying degrees of effectiveness. Among them we can mention:

Commissioner James Gordon. A Gotham police officer who assists Batman in every possible way.
Alfred Pennyworth. Wayne Manor's butler and Bruce's assistant.
Lucius Fox. Works on the Batcomputer.
Robin. Batman's most prominent sidekick. At different times, three characters worked under this name, replacing each other after death.
Justice League and Outsiders. Batman often collaborates with representatives of these superhero groups, such as Superman.

As for enemies, Batman is especially “revered” by Two-Face, Scarecrow, Penguin and Joker, who is connected with Bruce Wayne by a truly karmic thread.

Powers and abilities - Batman

Bruce Wayne (Batman), apart from an extremely subtle sense of justice and multi-billion dollar corporation assets, is an ordinary person who does not possess any superpowers. However, he has extraordinary physical characteristics that allow him to successfully stand against the evil of Gotham. In addition, Batman is excellent in many martial arts. In addition to this, Wayne is intellectually developed and has good detective skills. He has achieved high success in camouflage, criminology and is well versed in the psychology of criminals.

Batman Costume and Equipment

The Batman costume is his business card. One of its purposes is to have a psychological effect on criminals; in addition, it is literally crammed with various devices, such as shooting hooks.

The Batman belt deserves special attention, as it is a multi-item gadget in its essence, where the most needed items in a particular situation are stored. It should also be noted that the cloak is made of a special material that allows the hero to fly. Batman's arsenal also includes a large number of techniques like:

Batmobile;
bat-cycle;
and beta plan.

When we think of Batman, we tend to think of Batman himself. Which is quite logical. He has a cool suit, tons of gadgets, the best fictional car (not counting ECTO-1), and he's also great at dealing with bad guys, over and over again coming up with more and more inventive ways. Bruce Wayne? He just flashes on screen in boring scenes, right? Not really. Despite the fact that it is rarely really shown interesting character(since in practice this is more difficult than it seems), in theory Bruce Wayne is an important part of the Batman image.

And to portray him correctly, you need to make Bruce's character convincingly combine many facets before trying to connect him to Batman. Firstly, we are talking about a calibrated mixture of intelligence, arrogance and talent, as well as carefully hidden self-doubt and feelings of guilt.

This also includes defiant and sometimes impudent behavior, human, who realizes that he is much smarter than those with whom he communicates, as well as the associated feeling of loneliness. And rage. And uncompromising adherence to one’s own moral code. So, we've already seen more than one Bruce Wayne (the last of whom was Ben Affleck in Justice League), and therefore it's time to determine who was best able to portray the Dark Knight in his human form.

Let's start with the image that showed us...

Clooney-Wayne, we haven't really met. And this is very disappointing, because George Clooney himself is just the spitting image of Bruce Wayne. He is smart, charismatic, doesn't mince words and exudes the right amount of charm. Given a decent script, Clooney could easily portray the perfect Bruce Wayne. Unfortunately, the script was written, apparently, in two days, trying to come up with as many puns with the word “ice” as possible.

It's no surprise that Batman & Robin is an incoherent mess. What we have here is a completely mediocre movie that naively believes that an absurdly depicted Gotham can distract our attention from the problems with the narrative, visual design, the integrity of the plot, the motivation of the characters and the overall tone of the story. Because comedy makes everything better, right? Eh, Joel...

But in short, George did everything that was asked of him; he even had a couple of scenes that showed his potential, which would have been fully realized if this was a serious Batman film. But all of this was overshadowed by the terrible moments with the Bat-Credit, aerial snowboarding and the fact that Arnold “Terrible Miscast” Schwarzenegger received a fee for his role that exceeded the salary of the actor who played Batman.

Over time, Clooney has come to terms with how disastrous the film turned out to be, and is now noticeably wary of superhero films.

Thought Adam West was the very first Bruce Wayne shown on screen? Nothing of the kind, he was ahead of him by as much as 20 years. It is quite possible that you have not even heard of Lewis Wilson, but he is one of the most important people in the history of the development of the hero. Wilson was the first actor to play Batman in the 1943 TV series that essentially launched a 70-year marathon of attempts to bring the comic book character to the big screen.

Moreover, it was in this version of Batman (and not in the comics, as we mistakenly previously believed) that a number of familiar clichés appeared. Thin Alfred with a mustache, for example, is just a find for the series, and later comic book authors copied the character from actor William Austin. The same goes for the Batcave. Before the series, in the comics there was only a secret tunnel connecting Wayne Manor and the barn where the Batmobile was hidden.

But enough historical facts. How does Wilson's Bruce compare to everyone else's portrayal? In fact, it's quite good if you take into account the date of the film adaptation. You remember how pompous Christian Bale's character had to be in Nolan's trilogy to keep everyone at arm's length?

So, Wilson took a completely different path - his Bruce turned out to be more good-natured and less pretentious. Of course, it is worth admitting that the character desperately lacked depth, but given the general mood of the series, one could turn a blind eye to this.

However, this Bruce Wayne had other disadvantages. Despite the fact that the 1943 series introduced us to a lot of details that are now considered canonical, there were some things that absolutely could not be forgiven. Bat-racism and Japanese villains. In 1943. Let's move on...

Okay, Batman v Superman sucks. This isn't just the worst Batman movie (at least Batman & Robin was fun), it's one of the most unsuccessful, overly pretentious and just plain stupid summer blockbusters in recent memory.

Among its problems are excessive posturing, inappropriate darkness, a complete lack of irony, like a story pieced together with a lot of illogical twists and unnecessary characters, as well as a lack of character development. And, of course, Jesse Eisenberg's dubious performance. But guess what? All this did not affect the excellent performance of Ben Affleck. Before us shining example the beautiful Bruce Wayne in the hands of a bad director.

Affleck, who took full responsibility for the image of the gloomy 40-year-old Wayne, thoroughly battered by life (we, by the way, have never seen anything like this on big screen), has become hostage to a terrible script, resulting in the impression that this image was torn from some really good film adaptation, which, alas, we will never see. This image combined everything necessary: intelligence and intelligence, rage and despair, a mask of charm that felt exactly like a mask, and all the versatility of the hero in all its glory.

If Affleck got a movie with a script that didn't fall apart, his Wayne would easily be high on our list. But, alas, Justice League is not that movie at all.

The LEGO Batman Movie version, while a kaleidoscopic compilation of all of Bruce Wayne's major character traits, despite all its exaggerations, looks surprisingly good (as does the 1966 version, but more on that later). On the contrary, exaggeration is only beneficial here. Because this is the secret of competent work with abstract humor.

You need to take the most bright features character or feature of a particular situation, and then blow it out of proportion to create a comical cartoon version that concentrates all the recognizable elements. Adam West understood this, Joel Schumacher did not, and Will Arnett, unlike the latter, is well aware of this, which allowed him to create a great image.

Of course, his Bruce is a kind of parody of all the previous ones (there is no smell of a deeply thought-out character here), however this image captivates with its ironic view of the character. And for all the longtime Batman fans, it also represents a brilliant deconstruction of the hero.

Lego Wayne, which is shown through the prism of all the obviously negative facets, for some reason ignored in other stories about Batman (a self-confident rich loner decides to take the fate of the city into his own hands, completely forgetting about the law enforcement system, simply because he is strong, wealthy and smart) , is presented to us as a arrogant and arrogant upstart who considers himself an involuntary victim (but denies this), which prevents him from being happy.

Therefore, it is a wonderful parody of the character, while elegantly raising topics for discussion that are long overdue. And, by the way, a local story that shows that redemption can be achieved through humanity does a much better job of reimagining classic Batman stories than the writers of Batman & Robin attempted.

5. Christian Bale – The Dark Knight Trilogy (2005 – 2012)

Bale is quite difficult to judge. On the one hand, his Wayne appeared on the big screen more often than others, and also received the most interesting and, most importantly, complete story arc. And, of course, the trilogy itself is undoubtedly best movies about Batman. However, I'm not convinced that Bale is that good as Bruce Wayne. Moreover, I have always felt that the genius of Nolan's trilogy lies in the well-developed world and lively supporting characters, rather than in the main character himself.

That's not to say Bale doesn't have great scenes. His portrayal of Young Bruce adds just the right amount of emotional weight to the superhero's development in Batman Begins, and he portrays melancholy quite convincingly in the other two films. He was also the only Wayne who deliberately created a reputation for himself as a pompous boor in order to keep people at a distance, and for this we cannot but praise the actor. But the problem is that Bale's Wayne is not 100% convincing.

Of course, Nolan's trilogy does not claim to be a faithful adaptation of the comics, but rather a more realistic reimagining. However, local Bruce is very difficult to love, and therefore all his shortcomings are more striking. Yes, behind the mask is hidden good man(no matter how you feel about his voice), but if you take Batman out of the equation, Bruce's personality is not as interesting as we would like.

Perhaps the most charismatic of all Bruce Waynes. Although the 1960s series was not at all shy about its absurd style (after all, it was intended as a parody of the 1943 series, which was re-aired in 1965), it would not have been half as good if not for the jokes in the execution West, who served them with a straight face. West did not try to show Bruce Wayne as a dramatic character, but rather happily parodied the hero who was already well-known at that time.

At the same time, as in Arnett’s version, Wayne’s key character traits were present in this image (he is a strong, smart, witty and more than self-confident hero), but they were all moderately exaggerated, which reflected the mood of the series. And, oddly enough, West's character suited his era perfectly. There was no noticeable emphasis on psychological trauma and its consequences, but it perfectly showed the same genius, billionaire and playboy familiar from the comics.

Another example of "potentially good Bruce Wayne ending up in a terrible movie because, oh my god, there's that Joel Schumacher again." Of all the Waynes who fall into this category, Val Kilmer's character is perhaps the most interesting. And not only because the film with its Batman has some really good and funny moments, unlike the abyss of terrible jokes in which Batman and Robin drowned.

First, Kilmer leads the list of actors who can play either Batman or Bruce, but not both. The fact is that when you are looking for an actor to play Batman, you are actually looking for a person who can play two roles at once, connected to each other with the help of a competent script. That is why casting for this role is quite difficult. And speaking of Val, he gave us a great and greatly underrated Bruce Wayne, as well as a very lackluster Batman. And since this article is about Wayne, we'll focus on him.

Despite all the riot of colors in Batman Forever, Kilmer's Wayne remains a fairly down-to-earth hero. He's thoughtful and moody, but not too dark. He is reserved, but not insensitive. He is charming, but doesn't go overboard with his charm.

He's a focused, no-nonsense Bruce Wayne who acts completely human about it. And he's so good that Batman co-creator Bob Kane declared him his favorite film version of Wayne of all time. If Kilmer didn't have to don the superhero costume yet, he would probably be at the top of our list.

But, alas, he failed to surpass the image that he showed us...

I'll probably go ahead and say right away that Michael Keaton is the most underrated Bruce Wayne of them all. After the wave of fan outrage over Tim Burton's casting of a comedian as Batman, many of us were amazed at how seamlessly he fit into the role. And Keaton's Wayne is wonderful. His detachment, emphasizing that the hero is constantly thinking about something more important than the current situation, creates the impression that he can at any moment lash out at someone who will knock him out of his thoughts, and this works perfectly.

Let's not forget that scene from the 1989 film in which Wayne practically reveals his identity to the Joker in their verbal duel, something that has never been shown on screen before. As we remember, Bruce has already tracked down the clown, knows about his past and can deal with him. But the only problem is that he's not in his superhero costume, so he has to keep a low profile.

And at this moment there is an internal struggle between Bruce and Batman, which ends in an outburst of rage on Bruce's part - partly due to the confusion of the situation, partly in order to distract the Joker from Vicki Vale, thus protecting her. It's a stunning portrayal of the hero's dualism that even Burton himself couldn't replicate in a similar scene from the sequel, Batman Returns.

The best of the best. The king of all screen Bruce Waynes and Batmans. The one and only. I apologize for all this pathos, but I simply cannot imagine Kevin any other way. The fact is that Conroy easily captured all the versatility of Bruce and conveyed it in the animated series “Batman”, while remaining behind the scenes.

Gloominess, restraint and concentration? They're there. Sharp feeling humor, underlined by the aforementioned restraint? Present. When Conroy's Bruce experiences weakness and uncertainty, his voice always sounds like the voice of someone who controls that weakness. And most importantly, he manages to highlight a fundamental aspect of Bruce Wayne's character that many performers forget. His nobility.

Forget the evil, psychopathic, hot-tempered version of Batman from the 80s comics. This is not Batman. This, as Grant Morrison points out in the Arkham Asylum graphic novel additions, is what he could have become if he hadn't stuck to his guns. moral code and would not have learned to control my anger. Conroy shows us the canonical Batman, whose words and actions are always noble, no matter what difficulties he faces.

B Batman, originally Bat-man, is a fictional superhero, a comic book character from DC Comics, who first appeared in Detective Comics No. 27 in May 1939. Along with Superman, Batman is one of the most popular and famous heroes comics. It was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. Until recently, Bob Kane was considered the main creator of the character, but after much research, the credit was transferred to Bill Finger in 2015, as Kane's actual contribution to the creation of the character was very minor.

IN original version biographies Batman is the secret alter ego of billionaire Bruce Wayne, a successful industrialist, philanthropist and favorite of women. As a child, after witnessing the murder of his parents, Bruce vowed to dedicate his life to eradicating crime and fighting for justice. Having prepared himself physically and mentally, he puts on a stylized bat costume and takes to the streets of the city to confront criminals. The setting of the stories in the Batman comic is the fictional American city of Gotham, based on Chicago with elements of New York. With the assistance of several minor characters, including his sidekick Robin, his butler Alfred, Police Commissioner James Gordon, and the occasional superheroine Batgirl, Batman faces off against a criminal underworld, corrupt politicians and corrupt government officials in Gotham, as well as a group of villains including the Joker, Two-Face, Poison Ivy, and the Penguin. , Scarecrow. Unlike most superheroes, Batman does not have superpowers, but uses his intelligence, martial arts skills, knowledge of science and technology, as well as an unbending will, the ability to instill fear and intimidate his enemies. Unlike the criminals he confronts, Batman never kills anyone and never takes revenge on anyone.

From the moment of its appearance, the Batman comic book almost immediately gained popularity, receiving its own comic book series of the same name less than a year later. Over time, several options have emerged different interpretations character. Since the release of the Batman television series in 1966, the character of Batman, portrayed by actor Adam West, has been used in comic books for many years. In the 1980s, it was decided to bring back a more sinister look for the Dark Knight, as reflected in the 1986 Batman comic book miniseries: The Dark Knight Returns (Russian Batman: Return of the Dark Knight) by Frank Miller. Miller's rewrite of the character became the basis for Tim Burton's 1989 film Batman and the 2005 reboot Batman Begins, directed by Christopher Nolan, which revived the character's popularity. As a cultural icon, Batman has been adapted into film, television and books, and has also appeared in various types products sold around the world, such as video games, toys and clothing. Batman is currently ranked #2 on IGN's "Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time" list.

Batman is one of the oldest superheroes: he turns 77 this year. How does he manage to remain popular at such a respectable age? Thanks to successful films and games, you will say, and you will be right.

But behind the adaptations is the source material - hundreds and hundreds of comics. Anyone who wants to approach them will immediately run away from the number of volumes, restarts and branches. What is the best place to start, what will be clear to an outsider and will immediately hook him? We offer our version.

Year One (1987)

Everyone knows the origin story of Batman. It has been presented dozens of times already with one or another discrepancy. But the version from this comic is the closest to the generally accepted canon, the most logical and rational.

“Year One” brings all stories about the appearance of a hero to a common denominator. How did wealthy orphan Bruce Wayne come up with the idea to dress up as a bat? How did he present himself to the public? How was his relationship with the only non-corrupt cop, James Gordon? All this is told in Batman: Year One, a graphic novel by Frank Miller that heavily influenced the film Batman Begins.

The Killing Joke (1988)

Batman and Joker are inseparable opposites, they are like black and white, Holmes and Moriarty, cola and mentos. Antipodes born from tragedy. Anyone interested in the Joker should start with The Killing Joke - this is where this villain is revealed best. In this deluxe graphic novel, he and Batman must fight not only for Gotham, but also for the sanity of Commissioner Gordon.

"The Killing Joke" helps to look at Batman from a new perspective. Alan Moore, like no one else, knows how to get into the brain of his characters. In his cynical way, he predicts how the endless confrontation between Batman and the Joker will end, and describes the Dark Knight as, in essence, another madman.

The Long Halloween (1996–1997)

This Halloween, Batman, Commissioner Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent join forces to save the city from a mob war and a mysterious killer. Seasoned weaver spider Jeff Loeb maintains tension and intrigue until the very end - it’s impossible to tear yourself away.

“The Long Halloween,” like “The Dark Knight,” which it inspired, shows the true tragedy of the figure of Harvey Dent, his duality, which not every author was able to grasp. Those who are interested in the origins of one of the brightest villains of the DC universe, and fans of mysteries with a triple bottom, should not pass by.

Knightfall (1993–1994)

A sort of answer to The Death of Superman. Supervillain Bane decides to break Batman, both physically and psychologically. He opens the doors of Arkham Asylum, and the Caped Crusader, at the limit of his strength, has to catch the patients one by one. This time the hero finds himself among villains of all stripes and calibers at the least suitable moment. Mad Hatter, Two-Face, Firefly, Scarecrow, Joker - in this series we will see many of Batman's enemies.

And for dessert - Bane himself. He will inflict such trauma on the hero from which he, it would seem, will never recover. Did you think Batman always wins?

Justice League of America: Tower of Babel (2000)

Batman is not only the protector of Gotham. He is also a member of the Justice League, in which he has to interact with the strongest (and most dangerous!) creatures in the DC universe. "The Tower of Babel" tells how Batman's caution is complemented by paranoia and mistrust even of his fellow man.

Those who are familiar with the members of the Justice League will be interested to see the Dark Knight in an unusual setting, but newcomers will be captivated by the cunning of Ra’s al Ghul, who opposes the heroes.

Quiet! (2002–2003)

Batman's opponents rarely teamed up, but this is exactly the case. A conspiracy has been organized against Batman involving almost all of his old enemies. Who is behind this? The one who passionately hates the hero of Gotham and knows more about him than anyone else.

Screenwriter Jeph Loeb has created another magnificent, vibrant mystery. A tangle of secrets unwinds, lifting the veil over both Bruce Wayne's childhood and his relationships with Selina Kyle and Talia al Ghul.

Mad Love (1994)

The Joker's girlfriend Harley Quinn is perhaps the most popular anti-heroine of the Batman universe (at least among cosplayers, for sure). Not everyone remembers that she first appeared in the animated series Batman: The Animated Series and only then in this comic. Harley has changed a lot these days, and seeing her portrayed by her actual father, screenwriter Paul Dini, is priceless.

The comical, exciting and touching story of Harley Quinn's mad love for the Joker won an Eisner Award. It makes sense to read it before the release of Suicide Squad, in which Harley makes her big screen debut.

The Man Who Laughs (2005)

The Joker appeared in comics almost simultaneously with Batman himself and is too important to be limited to just one volume about him on this list. Unfortunately, the comics of the 1940s, in which this character debuted, can no longer impress today's demanding readers. But Ed Brubaker managed to modernize the first story about the Clown Prince of Crime. The comic not only explains how the Joker immediately managed to become the number one enemy of Batman, Gotham and the entire society, but also shows an ordinary person, Commissioner Gordon, in the face of this disaster.

Batman and Son (2006)

Batman has a son, and he will have to babysit! And everything would be fine, but the shket is a trained killer!

This may sound like the premise of yet another kitschy Joel Schumacher film, but fortunately Grant Morrison didn't slip up. This comic of his became the basis for stories about the Dark Knight for years to come, and at the same time provided answers to all questions about Damian Wayne and his wild nature.

Court of Owls (2011–2012)

The first Batman story since the DC Universe relaunch helps readers figure out what's going on with the Dark Knight right now.

In the story, Gotham has been controlled for centuries by the Court of Owls, a mysterious organization that Batman himself was unaware of until it decided to strike at him. And in the sequel “Night of the Owls,” the entire extended Bat-family fights with the Court’s henchmen. So what does the comic represent? A New Look to Bruce Wayne's entourage: Barbara Gordon, Dick Grayson, Alfred and others.

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Of course, not everyone is included in this list. best stories about the Dark Knight. It doesn't have the complex, newbie graphic novels like Arkham Asylum, Gothic, and Batman, R.I.P. Grant Morrison, cynical crime drama"Joker" by Brian Azzarello, "Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?" Neil Gaiman and Frank Miller's masterpiece The Dark Knight Returns...

All of these things will work better for a reader already familiar with the basics. These are the stories on our list that will help you understand the motives and character of Batman and those around him. Happy reading and welcome to Gotham!