Origins in comics: DC's Batman

Detective Comics #27 (1939)

Since his first appearance in Detective Comics #27 in 1939, Batman became part of popular culture and an icon over the past 70 years.  His popularity and longevity is also due to the early introduction of his sidekick, Robin.  The role of Robin has been held by a number of different characters over the years with Batman as his ever-present ally. More than that, Batman eventually took on a fatherly figure to the young sidekicks and he saw the successes and failures of his “sons” just any other father does. Even if it is a family who lives in a world of complete violence, It is this family structure that gives Batman and Robin a touchstone that the audience can immediately relate to and identify with.  Family is at the heart of story of Batman and Robin and it is a story of how that family deals with this world of violence and a changing audience. 

The Birth of Batman

The Batman was born when a thief gunned down Bruce Wayne’s parents right before his young eyes. Martha and Thomas Wayne took their young son Bruce to see the movie adventure Zorro at the theatre but the night ended with the reality of the tragic shooting in Gotham City’s Crime Alley. In that moment, Bruce became a young orphan with no parents to care for him or to look after him but he did have a wish for vengeance. The seed planted in Bruce’s mind grew into manhood and a strive for vengeance upon evil that brought him to that point while also protecting the innocent from letting tragedy ever strike again. The early Batman based himself around the simple idea of fear. His costume design took on its dark look as a way to strike fear into the hearts of the criminals. Bob Kane, creator of Batman, felt that Batman should be a dark, vengeful figure of the night, striking terror into hoodlums and gangsters. He worked the dark streets at night, seeking vengeance against the killer of his parents. Along the way, Batman faced villains like a multi-personality Two Face or a criminal taking crime to a level of art with the Joker. The fearful monstrous looks of the villains and the mysterious white eye-slits of Batman all fed the fearful vengeful summation of this comic book avenger. They also found a sole, angry, powerful voice speaking for what is right and punishing the evil-doers with an absolute vengeance. Batman accepts this vow of vengeance for his lost parents when Bruce accepted the mantle of being Batman. It is at the heart of why he garbs himself in the costume and seeks out the criminal elements in society. He does it for the sake of his family’s memory.

The death of Bruce Wayne's parents