Action and adventure
Action and adventure |
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Page 18 of 42  Superman's main counterpart, 'Batman', made his appearance in Detective Comics, no 27 (National Periodicals, 1939), and embodied a much darker vision -a 'caped crusader' against the criminal underworld that had killed his parents. Created by Bob Kane, Batman had no supernatural powers as such, but in the early stories relied on four things: his athletic ability, his trusty sidekick 'Robin', the cover of night and an array of gadgets housed in his 'utility belt'. In time, he acquired an innovative line-up of enemies (inspired, in part, by the weird villains in Dick Tracy). Most notoriously they included 'The Penguin', 'Twoface', and, most disturbingly, 'The Joker' - a villain so sadistic that he leaves his murdered victims with grotesque smiles on their faces. Batman too was given his own title, and also generated vast cross-media exploitation. His mythology similarly changed to suit the times. At first, he was a gothic figure: a tortured soul, driven by revenge and most at home in the shadows. The early comics were remarkable for their grim tone and 'noirish' use of bold blocks of black ink. Later though, the stories were progressively 'lightened' in order to draw in a younger readership, a trend which culminated in the 1960s, when the comics became 'camp' comedies to reflect the amazingly successful television series. Later still, there would be a 'return to roots' - the inspiration for the blockbuster movies of the 1980s and 1990s.  Cover, Detective Comics (National Periodicals, 1933). Art: Bob Kane. This is the issue that featured the first appearance of Batman. |