06 Track 6

Unit 12

Comics

Chapter 1

The Evolution of Batman

Page 203

The Evolution of Batman

The Dark Knight − one nickname for Batman is a name that’s layered with meaning. Batman is a classic super hero, but the modern day Batman is a far more complex character than he was 70 years ago.

Over time, he has evolved from an invincible crime fighter into one of the most “human” superheroes, one who is often faced with dilemmas that challenges morals and conscience.

The nickname “Dark Knight” fits the character we know today because Batman is always in pursuit of justice, but who finds that difficult sacrifices must often be made along the way.

Batman was created in 1939 by artist Robert Kane, who was inspired by crime novels, another comic character called Zorro, and an earlier horror film called The Bat.

Because Kane preferred more realistic heroes, Batman was not given super powers. Instead, Bruce Wayne (Batman’s alter ego) is extremely rich and can afford many useful tools and weapons, such as the Batmobile, a car with special capabilities.

Batman’s original suit and iconic “bat signal” have endured as well. While the design and colors have changed gradually over time, the Batman identity − bat logo, mask with ears, cape − has been remarkably consistent for more than 70 years.

One thing that hasn’t remained so similar over the years is the tone of the Batman stories and, accordingly, Batman’s personality.

The conflicts in Batman stories are often based on real-world problems, which is one element that makes Batman a more complex character than most super heroes.

Not long after the creation of Batman, World War II began. The American government spent lots of time and energy getting its people to be patriotic and to support the war.

Batman appeared in a 15-part serialized movie at this time and was seen as a symbol of justice, fighting evil at home while American soldiers were away defending the country.

At that time, he sometimes used guns and wasn’t afraid to kill his enemies if there was a need to, but the modern Batman is generally against guns and killing because his parents were killed by guns.

The mood in the United States relax considerably by the 1960s, and a Batman show subsequently appeared on television with a very different kind of superhero.

The show became popular with kids and adults alike for its cultural references, cartoonish fight scenes, and funny dialog.

Following the end of the original television series in 1968, the television version of Batman was limited to cartoons for the next two decades. In the 1970s and 80s, Batman was embraced by comic book writers and re-imagined as a more serious character.

When legendary comics writers like Frank Miller and Alan Moore began to write Batman books, the Batman we know today − darker, imperfect, vulnerable − began to emerge.

Miller is often credited with taking the comic genre to a new level with his Batman book The Dark Knight Returns, which was among the first to incorporate real-world elements such as corrupt politicians and poverty.

In his hands, Batman went beyond being just a masked hero. Batman returned to the big screen in 1989 in Tim Burton’s Batman. It featured a tougher Batman, with a colder personality and a redesigned, all-black costume.

In the latest Batman films, the hero’s transformation continues in this direction. Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy features a much more dangerous Gotham City and Bruce Wayne/Batman are not automatically likable characters.

Batman no longer simply fights against “bad guys,” but starts to question if he’s a good guy or hero himself.

Villains like the Joker are no longer crazy personalities with weird hair and makeup that just want to rob a bank or kidnap a famous person; they are now similar to modern day terrorists, trying to make people fight one another and threatening the world economy.

What makes Batman a great character is that he changes as the world changes. So while it is safe to expect that Batman will be a different character in 20 years’ time, we can also expect that he will continue to be a great and compelling superhero.

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