Dark Knight of Evolution
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Dark Knight of Evolution
The character known as Batman, was an idea created from, then eighteen year old, Bob Kane – a newly hired writer for the comic book Detective Comics in 1938. That year witnessed Supermans reign as the comic book world champion. Vin Sullivan, editor for Detective Comics during this period, wanted to capture
the hearts and minds of children with a new superhero for the publishing house. Something that according to him, “would pep sales up.” (Kane, 2009)
Kane has stated the influences for the character Bat-Man were actor Douglas Fairbanks movie portrayal of the swashbuckler Zorro, Leonardo Da Vincis diagram of the ornithopter, a flying machine with huge bat-like wings, and the silent film The Bat (1926), based on Mary Rineharts mystery novel The Circular Staircase (Kane, 2009).
Other culture influences that aided in the creation of Batman included Lee Falks The Phantom and the mighty original comic book hero – Superman were modern popular contemporary titles that Kane had knowledge of. With the help of writer Bill Fingers suggestion to change the character from a “superhero-vigilante” into a “scientific detective” Kane reformatted a darker outfit for the hero and attitude. A change that future writers for the franchise would keep in tradition when creating new stories for Batman.
The debut of Batman was in Detective Comics 27 in May of 1939 becoming an instant hit with popular culture and the imagination of children that is still breaking records in movie ticket sales, holding the fourth highest grossing record for movie ticket sales history (IMDB, 2012) with the release of Christoper Nolans interpretation “The Dark Night” in 2008.
The character Batman is a vigilante with a set of rules that guide him through the dark alleys of the city of Gotham, where he doles out justice to the criminals infecting and preying on citizens of the city. This alter ego of the man named Bruce Wayne, was created from Wayne witnessing the horrible murder of his parents by a gang of thugs when still a small child. Inheriting his parents vast sums of money, Wayne wanted to become something that the very murderers of his parents would tremble at the sight of seeing.
The dual dichotomy of Wayne/Batman has several layers when investigating. First is the secret vigilante versus real persona Wayne struggles in controlling the image of. The identity of who the Batman is would severely hamper Waynes ability to be an inconspicuous, rich socialite. Second is the public image of who Bruce Wayne and the private image that the playboy keeps to himself and a few close contacts.
The humanization of a superhero-vigilante captures the attention of people who read graphic novels. Batman has a disdain for guns or killing an opponent, he uses an intellectualize path of action that enables him to capture and put into custody, for the police the evil villain.
He does not mind destroying public or private property and follows the adage “the ends justify the means.”
The cult following of the Batman franchise depends of which sub category of the legacy of the Batman story is being examined. Christoper