The Dark Knight: FAQs: The Batman FAQ - version 2.2

[Author's note: As you may have noticed, the time between postings is getting larger and larger. Regrettably, this will be the last issue of this and the Batman comics list for quite a while unless I can find someone to take it over. I just don't have the time to do it anymore. If you feel you can do the work to keep them up to date and post them regularly, drop me a line. I can offer advice, assistance, and look up info for you, but I just can't give this the time it deserves anymore. Regards, Pete]

Batman FAQ
Frequently-Asked Questions about the Darknight Detective
VERSION 2.2 July 1995

Current author (versions 2.0 onwards) Peter Williams.
Original author (versions to 1.10) David T. Chappell.
Comments, suggestions and corrections
can be sent to peterw@zip.com.au

Leagal Stuff: Batman and all related characters are trademarks of DC Comics. Mention of these characters in this document is without permission of DC Comics, but said use is not intended to challenge DC's trademark rights or copyrights. Readers who want to learn more about Batman are encouraged to purchase the comic books. Permission is granted for non- profit distribution of this document, provided all headers remain intact and the original authorship is acknowledged. Any other use requires the written permission of the author.

Avaliability: This FAQ is posted regularly to Internet newsgroups and ftp sites (see Q6a and Q6b). Permission is granted to distribute the FAQ in its entirety and without modification electronically as long as such is done without charge. For other use beyond that appropriate for using other resource material, please contact the author for prior permission. The author requests that anyone posting the FAQ to another major computer network contact him (so that he can keep track of where it's got to :).

This FAQ gives comic-book readers an introduction to Batman. Though most english-speaking people are familiar with the lead character (usually through the current movies and 60's television series) , the current comic books include many characters and events with which new readers will be unfamiliar. This FAQ tries to keep new readers from wondering about the background information. All facts are about the post-Crisis universe (see Q3a) and current Batman (see Q3b) unless specified.

All information is claimed accurate as of the date of this document (currently July 1995), and some details (notably current story line events and mailing addresses) may change. Events from the most recent comic issues will not appear in the FAQ to prevent spoiling the story for readers.

Note: The term "Batman" implies the character rather than the comic book of the same name. "Comic" means comic book. ALL CAPS are used in lieu of italics to indicate a title; a "title" is a series of comics under the same published title (e.g., DETECTIVE COMICS).

Changes since last version

Changed author address (new provider)
Expanded section on Batman's abilities/history
Corrected lettercol titles and addresses
Expanded section on Alfred and Azrael
Added section on Batgirl/Oracle
Added section on Harold
Added section on costume
Added reference to SWORD OF AZRAEL series
Added effects of Zero Hour on Batman

Contents

[+ indicates an updated question, and * indicates a new question since the last version.]

Section 1: What Is He?

Section 1: What Is He?

+ 1a Who is Batman?

Batman is among the best-known superheroes in the world. Batman comic books have been around for over 50 years (see Q1b), though his appearances in movies and television (see Q2g) have probably done more to make him famous.

Bruce Wayne is a normal human who decided to become a super-hero. Taking the theme of the bat, he has good fighting skills and is an expert detective. During the day, Bruce keeps up the image of being a millionaire playboy, but at night he fights crime as the Batman.

Bruce has a significant personal fortune as owner of WayneCorp and its associated companies. His original fortune was inherited from his parents, Thomas and Martha Wayne. Thomas Wayne had a large family fortune, mainly from prime real estate holdings in Gotham, and worked as a doctor to help people, even though he hardly needed to work.

Bruce tends to separate himself from the day to day running of WayneCorp (even though he would be quite capable of managing it), to reinforce the image of an idle playboy. WayneCorp is run by Lucius Fox, a close and trusted friend of Bruce.

+ 1b Who created Batman? When did Batman first appear?

Batman was created by Bob Kane. The first appearance of Batman was in DETECTIVE COMICS #27 (5/39). The name "DC" itself is derived from DETECTIVE COMICS, which shows the importance of the title to the company. The title has been published continuously in one form or another since then, and is DC's longest running title. (ACTION COMICS has had more issues due to being published weekly for close to a year in the late eighties.)

+ 1c What are Batman's abilities? How did he get his abilities?

Batman has no super-human powers but has trained himself to learn many skills. He is an excellent fighter and knows several martial arts styles. He is also skilled in acrobatics and has highly-trained reflexes. Batman is a world-class detective and a smart thinker. In addition to his personal abilities, Batman has developed several tools (e.g., the Batarang, Batmobile, and various weapons and defensive tools) that help him fight crime.

At age 14 he travelled to Europe, and spent time at Cambridge University, the Sorbonne in Paris, Berlin School of Science and a dozen other places. He spent time with the denizens of the street, learning less savoury skills. At age 20 he entered the FBI and stayed for six weeks before realizing that shuffling papers was no way to fight crime. He then travelled to the East to learn further skills.

He learnt karate from an ascended master in the Paektusan mountains of Korea, and savate from a convicted killer living as a beach bum on an island off Borneo. He discovered the value of judo and ju-jitsu during six months in a Japanese hermitage, and learned the secrets of the tao from an old Chinese woman. He mastered a dozen disciplines, and merged them all into a style which was uniquely his.

In Africa he learned how to read the environment for the signs of human passage - how to follow a trail to which ordinary men were blind. From the ninjas he learned how to use the shadows, how to use psychology to win the battle before it's even fought, the precautions to take when you make yourself a target, and how to use fear.

All of these skills, combined with a photographic memory and a genius level intellect make Batman a formidable opponent for criminals.

Section 2: The Comic Books

+ 2a What Batman comics are published regularly?

There are currently five monthly Batman comics (BATMAN, DETECTIVE COMICS, BATMAN: SHADOW OF THE BAT, BATMAN: LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT, and THE BATMAN ADVENTURES), as well as three monthly comics starring supporting characters (ROBIN, CATWOMAN, and AZRAEL). Each also has its own annual issue, appearing once each year. In May 1995 a new quarterly title was released: THE BATMAN CHRONICLES. All of these are published by DC Comics.

[For convenience and reasons of space, the main titles will be referred to respectively as BATMAN, DETECTIVE, SHADOW, LEGENDS and CHRONICLES.]

BATMAN, DETECTIVE, SHADOW and CHRONICLES all contain Batman stories in the modern continuity. LEGENDS is a special case, as it occasionally crosses over with the regular titles for major story arcs, such as KnightQuest (see Q3f). Usually though, LEGENDS deals with early cases in Batman's career. Several storylines have been declared as out-of-continuity in this title, and it is generally a more `experimental' title. In general, stories in this title may, or may not have happened.

Batman-related characters also star in the ROBIN, CATWOMAN, and AZRAEL series, and Batman occasionally appears in these titles. In recent times, with the major arcs of KnightQuest, KnightsEnd, and Prodigal, there have been regular crossovers into one or both of these titles. At present, it seems we are heading towards regular storylines in BATMAN, DETECTIVE, SHADOW and CHRONICLES, with crossovers into ROBIN on a recurring basis.

THE BATMAN ADVENTURES has stories in the style of the Batman animated TV series of the same name, and they are not connected with stories in the other titles. It is finishing in August, and will be relaunched as THE BATMAN AND ROBIN ADVENTURES in September, to match the new name of the animated series. In addition, the SHOWCASE '94 anthology series featured a story about a character from the Batman mythos in each issue.

+ 2b I only want to read one Batman title rather than all of them. Which one should I choose?

Alas, this is not that easy anymore. With the growing trend of multi-part story arcs crossing over into all titles, it is very difficult to only read one book. In between these story arcs, however, it is possible to have continuing storylines within the one book.

Each title has a slightly different flavour. BATMAN and DETECTIVE are the more mainstream titles, and tend to keep to a standard style. SHADOW is a `darker' book, which tends to tell more serious and gritty storylines when it is not crossing over with the other titles. LEGENDS is the historical/out of continuity title, dealing with earlier cases in a more experimental and `what-if' style. The events in LEGENDS may or may not have happened in the current continuity. CHRONICLES ties in with ongoing storylines, and contains backup stories not directly tied to the current stories.

BATMAN ADVENTURES (to be relaunched in September as BATMAN AND ROBIN ADVENTURES) is a good standalone book, with occasionally a more humorous style. ROBIN, and CATWOMAN are also good standalone books when they are not tangled up in crossovers. AZRAEL is a very good standalone title, with little connection with the main titles at the moment. I would recommend either BATMAN ADVENTURES, ROBIN, or AZRAEL if you must choose only one title.

+ 2c How do I subscribe to Batman comics?

Many comic-book stores will hold incoming comics each week for customers in what they call a "subscription service." In addition, you can order a mail subscription from the publisher. Write to DC Comics, P. O. Box 0528, Dept. DC-7, Baldwin NY 11510, or check current comics for subscription advertisements.

2d How do I find old Batman comic books?

Many comic-book dealers will sell old comics. Comic-book conventions feature many new and used comics for sale. Furthermore, many current comics will include advertisements for dealers who sell old comics by mail order. Finally, DC reprints some collections of Batman stories in books. Do not try to contact the publisher for old issues of comics. In addition to current titles (see Q2b), comics from the past that featured Batman include THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD, BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS, WORLD'S FINEST, and BATMAN FAMILY.

2e How much money are old Batman comics worth?

The crude answer is that they are worth whatever someone is willing to pay for them. In general, the value depends on the importance of the story, the number of copies printed, the physical quality of the book, and whether it is the first printing or a reprint. For example, the first issue of Knightfall (BATMAN #492) is valuable because fans consider the story important and the demand exceeded the supply. Second printings of that book are worth much less, and a poor-condition copy would not be worth as much. The OVERSTREET COMIC BOOK PRICE GUIDE is often accepted as the best guide to comic prices.

+ 2f How do I contact the creators of Batman comics?

The address for DC Comics is 1700 Broadway, New York, NY 10019. To ensure that a letter gets to the desired title's creative team, use the appropriate letters-page name:

DETECTIVE COMICS - Detective Comments
BATMAN - Bat Signals
BATMAN: LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT - Legends of the Dark Knight
BATMAN: SHADOW OF THE BAT - Batman: Shadow of the Bat
CATWOMAN - Copy Cats
ROBIN - Robin
THE BATMAN ADVENTURES - The Batman Adventures
AZRAEL - Azrael
THE BATMAN CHRONICLES - The Batman Chronicles

It is also now possible to send e-mail to the letter columns. The address is dcconline@aol.com . You should probably mention the letters-page name in the subject to ensure it reaches the right title.

Following the Knightfall saga, DC has been inundated with letters about the Dark Knight, so a personal reply or printing of your letter is unlikely, but the team is likely to read your correspondence.

+ 2g In what other media has Batman appeared?

Although comic books are the first and foremost medium for Batman stories, the Darknight Detective has appeared in several others over the years. Examples include animated cartoons, a television program, novels, feature films, and a syndicated newspaper strip. Details are too numerous to list here, and this FAQ deals primarily with the comic series. For the most part, the stories in these other media do not fit into the continuity of the regular comic books.

The FOX television cartoon THE ADVENTURES OF BATMAN AND ROBIN deserves special note because it is contemporary. The stories seem to be set during Bruce's early years as Batman. Thus, in the TV series, Dick Grayson is Robin, Bane never Broke Batman, and other important events have not yet happened. (This cartoon follows on from the earlier cartoon THE BATMAN ADVENTURES).

In addition, the current series of movies is likely to continue. The third movie "Batman Forever" is currently showing in cinemas. It stars Val Kilmer as Batman, Jim Carrey as the Riddler, and Tommy Lee Jones as Two-Face. It will be the first of the films to feature Robin, played by Christopher O'Donnell.

Section 3: The Storylines

3a What was the Crisis?

The Crisis on Infinite Earths was a major event in DC stories. In 1985, the 50th anniversary of DC Comics was highlighted by a comic-book maxi-series, CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS, which included all of DC's heroes and also had cross-overs in most DC titles.

Prior to the Crisis, DC explained the existence of many heroes in different times by having multiple universes. On Earth-1, for example, all the major heroes were in their prime in modern times, whereas the Earth-2 heroes were in their prime during the 1940s. This explained how Batman stories from both WWII and today showed him at roughly the same age.

In the Crisis on Infinite Earths, an evil force (the Anti-Monitor) tried to destroy the multiverse, but a good force (the Monitor) summoned the major heroes to battle the Anti-Monitor. In the process, they travelled back to the start of time, and caused the universe to be remade with only one Earth. The heroes destroyed the Anti-Monitor, but the history of the Earth had been significantly changed.

Afterwards, everyone in the universe forgot about the events of the Crisis and everything proceeded as though there had only ever been one Earth. In the modern story, the one and only Batman became a hero a decade ago, and other heroes (mystery men) existed during WWII. The entire Crisis story is much more detailed than presented here, and interested readers are encouraged to read other Internet Crisis discussions (see Q4a) or read the comic books. The Crisis actually had little effect on Batman (see Q3b).

+ 3b When and how was Batman revamped in recent years?

(This is a summary of the full version which appears in the Batman Stories list, by the same author. It is available in the same locations as this file.)

Batman never got a full rewrite from the start, the process was slow and gradual, with several additions and alterations over the years. Due to this process, there is no 'official' cutoff point between the 'old' and 'new' continuities. A general rule of thumb is that all stories are part of the new continuity, until contradicted by a later story.

It all started with the limited series "Dark Knight" (aka 'The Dark Knight Returns'), appearing shortly after Crisis finished (3/86 to 6/86). Set in the future, it covered Batman's return from ten years of retirement. The story is now generally regarded as an Elseworlds story (DC's line of stories set outside the normal continuity). It has been considered as the start of a 'darker' Batman.

The real changes began in 1987, with the "Batman: Year One" storyline (BATMAN 404-407, 2/87 to 5/87). This story provided a new, darker, realistic image, and the realistic image, and the definitive origin. The basics of the Batman character generally remained intact. Year One told the story of Batman's first days as a hero. When it starts, Bruce is not in costume, and as it progresses he learns how to instil fear in criminals; for a while, no one knows whether he is human, bat, or demon. While the story did not have an immediate effect on present-day continuity, a few elements like a redefined origin for Catwoman and new love interest for Gordon popped up later. This storyline remains largely intact at present.

While this was running in BATMAN, an issue of DETECTIVE dealt with the gunshot wounding of Jason Todd (DETECTIVE 574, 5/87). This was similar to the incident which led to the leaving of Dick Grayson (BATMAN 408, 6/87). These two issues helped define the relationship between Batman and Robin, as well as that between Bruce and Leslie Thomkins. Leslie was the one who, with Alfred, took care of Bruce after the death of his parents.

This was followed immediately by "Batman: Year Two" (DETECTIVE 575- 578, 6/87 to 9/87). It featured a new villainous vigilante - the Reaper - and Batman's confrontation with Joe Chill (the guy who murdered his parents). This story also showed the reasons behind Batman's refusal to use firearms. Events in Zero Hour have altered the story so that Batman now does not know the identity of his parents murderer.

"Did Robin Die Tonight" (BATMAN 408, 6/87) also contained the new origin and first meeting with Jason Todd. This differed markedly from the previous origin, as Jason was now a street kid, who stole the tires off the Batmobile. The earlier Jason was a circus performer, whose family knew the Graysons. This earlier version is no longer in continuity.

The "Batman: Year Three" story arc (BATMAN 436-439, 9/89 to 10/89 [biweekly]), takes place both in the present and the past. It deals with the death of Dick's parents, leading to him becoming Robin. In the present, it deals with the release of the man who caused their deaths, Anthony Zucco. (Note: this storyline will be expanded upon by the upcoming NIGHTWING miniseries, dealing with the cause of the death of Dick's parents in greater detail.)

Zero Hour, and the following Zero Month issues have made some subtle, and not so subtle alterations to Batman'and not so subtle alterations to Batman's history (see Q3f). BATMAN #0, DETECTIVE #0, SHADOW OF THE BAT #0, and ROBIN #0 provide an updated version of the origins and motivations of the major players.

3c What happened in Knightfall?

In Knightfall, Batman's new nemesis Bane (see Q4b) decided to defeat Batman once and for all. He released all of Arkham Asylum's inmates, and Batman had to defeat them all. In the process, Batman was weakened and tired. When Bane finally faced Batman, the Dark Knight was too weary to put up a decent fight. Rather than kill him, Bane decided that it would be more humiliating to merely defeat Batman, so he broke Batman's back. Bruce survived the incident, but he clearly could not continue his role as Batman.

3d What was Knightquest?

Knightquest was the story line that followed Knightfall. It consisted of two independent parts. Knightquest: The Crusade told the story of how Jean Paul Valley (Azrael; see Q4c) became Batman in Bruce's absence. He created a new costume and was tougher, fiercer, and more impulsive than Bruce. Meanwhile, Knightquest: The Search told of Bruce Wayne's search to find and rescue two kidnapping victims: Tim Drake's father and Dr. Shondra Kinsolving. At the conclusion, Shondra used her healing powers to psychically restore Bruce's physical health.

3e How did Bruce return to take the Mantle of the Bat?

In the KnightsEnd story line, Bruce Wayne trained to regain possession of his physical abilities. After hearing of Azrael's misuse of the Batman identity, Bruce donned his Batman costume and challenged Jean- Paul. At the end of the story, Bruce used his intellect to defeat Jean- Paul and become the one, true Batman. For a short time after Zero Hour, Bruce asked former Robin Dick Grayson to take the Mantle of the Bat, but Bruce returned to take his proper role.

* 3f How did Zero Hour affect Batman?

While the events of Zero Hour did not have a major effect on Batman's present character, Zero Hour was used by the Batman Group Editor Dennis O'Neil to "correct" some issues in Batman's history. (Zero Hour gave writers/editors the right to make one retcon - retroactive continuity change - per title.) These issues are:

Batman never found out who murdered his parents. This invalidates the BATMAN: YEAR TWO storyline among others.
Batman never slept with Talia (daughter of Ra's Al Ghul). This invalidates some of the BRIDE/SON OF THE DEMON storylines.
Batman was never in the Justice League. This affects many of the early issues of JUSTICE LEAGUE (AMERICA), and even invalidates the recent JUSTICE LEAGUE AMERICA annual. This is currently the subject of discussions between the Batman and JL editors, and may require significant rewriting of the modern League history.

Section 4: Supporting Cast

4a Who is Robin? How many Robins have there been?

Robin is Batman's sidekick, and has assisted him in fighting crime since his first appearance in DETECTIVE COMICS #38 (4/40). There have been three Robins in the modern continuity: Richard (Dick) Grayson, Jason Todd, and Timothy Drake.

Dick Grayson was the first Robin. He became Robin after his parents, circus performers, were killed. He remained Robin for about 6 years, until his near death in an incident led Bruce to break up the team. He now fights crime as Nightwing, and has stood in for Batman in recent times.

Jason Todd became the second Robin a while after. Batman found him on the streets after stealing the tyres off the Batmobile. He was killed by the Joker about 2 years later in the "Death in the Family" storyline.

Tim Drake is the current Robin. He became Robin after deducing the identities of Bruce and Dick, and helped Batman out in the "Lonely Place of Dying" storyline. He has expertise with computers, and is currently aged about 14 or 15.

4b What major villains has he fought?

Batman has fought many villains over the course of his career. Recent villains include the Joker, Penguin, Two-Face, Riddler, and Bane.

The Joker is one of Batman's most dangerous and well known foes. His origins are uncertain, but the most common one is that he was a gangster known as the Red Hood, who fell into a vat of chemicals while trying to escape the Batman. The chemicals bleached his skin white, and turned his hair green. They also drove him insane.

He has fought Batman many times, and was also responsible for crippling Batgirl and killing Jason Todd. His most common weapon is a chemical potion called "Joker Venom", which causes instant death, and contorts the victim's face into a hideous smile.

The Penguin is the alter ego of Oswald Cobblepot. His portly appearance, and dress style match his name. He is always armed with trick umbrellas, and often commits crimes involving birds.

Two-Face was formerly Gotham district attorney Harvey Dent. While prosecuting gangster "Boss" Maroni, he was seriously injured by a vial of acid Maroni threw at his face. Hideously scarred, he lost his job and his wife, and turned to crime. He possesses a double headed silver dollar, with one scarred side. He is obsessed with the number two and duality, and makes all of his decisions on the toss of the coin.

The Riddler aka Edward Nigma, is obsessed with puzzles. He will always notify Batman and the police of his intentions by sending them puzzles. While often notoriously difficult to solve, these clues invariably lead Batman to the scene of the crime, where he always stops the Riddler.

Bane is the son of an insurgent from the island of Santa Priscia. His father was killed in a failed coup, and he was imprisoned from birth to serve his father's sentence. While a child he was injured in a fall, and fell into a coma. He awoke a month later, changed and violent. He was imprisoned in solitary confinement, where he taught himself meditation techniques, and killed his fear, which took the form of a bat.

When released back into the prison, he sought knowledge, and read many thousands of books. He also trained his body to perfection. He became the subject of an army experiment using a modified version of the Venom toxin (seen in the Venom arc of LEGENDS). The Venom gives him great strength, but he is dependent upon it. After escaping from Santa Priscia, he came to Gotham, seeking the Batman who resembled the creature of his dreams.

He fought and defeated Batman (in the Knightfall arc), but was himself defeated by Azrael. He is currently incarcerated in Gotham, but a rematch is expected in the future.

+ 4c Who does he work with in the police force?

Batman had a long relationship with James Gordon, former Commissioner of Gotham's police force. He was replaced by his wife, who doesn't trust Batman at all, and he left the police force. He is currently running for mayor. Other notable officers are Sgt. Harvey Bullock and Detectives Montoya and Bock. Robin tends to deal with the Gotham County Sherriff when working on his own.

Batman's relationship with James Gordon is currently in danger, due the changing Batmen in recent times (first Bruce, then Azrael, then Nightwing, now Bruce again). Gordon feels he can no longer trust the man behind the Batman mask. This may have serious effects in the future.

+ 4d Who is Azrael?

Azrael is Jean Paul Valley, an initiate into the ancient order of St Dumas. He was mind-controlled from an early age, and is now suffering from the legacies of this `System'. He first made an appearance in the SWORD OF AZRAEL miniseries, which led to his inclusion in the main titles. He assisted Batman and Robin in crimefighting, and was called on by Bruce to replace him when Batman was crippled by Bane in Knightfall (see Q3c).

While serving as Gotham's protector, he became obsessed with violently ridding Gotham of crime, and brutally meted out his own version of justice. Bruce realised upon his return that this state of affairs could not continue, and a major fight ensued in KnightsEnd (see Q3e). Following this, Jean Paul left and ended up on the streets.

He now has his own monthly title, AZRAEL (see Q2a). Jean Paul is currently coming to grips with the System in his title, and has reverted to his original costume. His character and temperament has changed back to what it originally was prior to Knightfall.

+ 4e Who is Alfred?

Alfred is Bruce Wayne's butler and confidant. He has assisted Bruce throughout his crimefighting career as Batman, as well as taking care of Wayne Manor and it's occupants. Alfred has field medical skills from earlier army experience, as well as technical and computer skills. He also has expertise in acting, with strong ability in makeup, disguise and vocal mimicry. He is a fully trained chauffeur, four-star chef, and all purpose mechanic.

He left Batman during the KnightQuest arc, after growing tired of seeing Bruce push his body beyond his limits as Batman. He is expected to return in the near future, following the incidents in the NIGHTWING: ALFRED'S RETURN one-shot.

* 4f Who is Harold?

Harold is a gifted inventor and repairer of all types of equipment. He is mute, and unable to communicate. He first appeared as a henchman of the Penguin, but joined Batman in BATMAN #458. He has built many pieces of electronic equipment for Batman and Robin. He was forced out of the Batcave by Azrael during KnightQuest (see Q3d), but has returned. He knows Batman's identity.

* 4g Who is Batgirl/Oracle?

Batgirl is Barbara Gordon, adopted daughter of James Gordon. While she worked as a librarian, she fought crime as Batgirl, inspired by Batman and her father's fight against crime. After a final fight with the Cormorant, who had almost killed her in a previous encounter, she gave up the Batgirl identity (BATGIRL SPECIAL). Later, the Joker shot her through the spine, crippling her, in an attempt to drive James Gordon insane (THE KILLING JOKE).

Confined to a wheelchair, she uses her skills as a librarian to fight crime as Oracle, with connections to a vast source of information which she provides to Batman and others as required. She had a brief stint with the Suicide Squad. While her father knew she was Batgirl (although he never told her), he is unaware of her current role. She knows Batman's identity, and he also knows hers.

Section 5: General Info

+ 5a What is Batman's origin?

Young Bruce Wayne watched a gunman murder his parents as they returned home from watching "The Mark of Zorro" at the theatre. He was cared for by the family butler Alfred (see Q4e) and a doctor he met on the night of the murder, Dr Leslie Thomkins. He was obsessed by his failure to prevent his parents' murder, and thereafter dedicated his life to fighting crime, with the intent of never failing again. He learned the various skills he needed by seeking out experts in their fields (see Q1c).

His first (uncostumed) attempt to fight crime failed miserably, and he nearly died from a gunshot wound as a result. Reasoning that "Criminals are a cowardly and superstitious lot", he saw the need to inspire fear to achieve his goals. A monstrous bat crashing through his window gave him the inspiration for the Batman costume and name. Many criminals in Gotham are now terrified of the Batman, unsure if he is even human.

Batman's operations and equipment are financed by his personal fortune. His civilian identity as "Bruce Wayne, idle millionaire playboy" gives him the freedogives him the freedom to pursue his goal of eliminating crime. He is still haunted by his parents' deaths and they drive his obsession.

5b What are Batman's nicknames?

At various times, Batman is also known as the Dark Knight, the Darknight Detective, and the Caped Crusader. Other, less dignified names by which he is called include Bats.

5c How old is Batman?

The character has existed for over 50 years (see Q1b). By tradition, Bruce Wayne is a 34-year-old. Though flashbacks and stories of his early years may show a younger Bruce/Batman, all current stories show him at the approximate age of 34.

5d Where does Batman live?

Batman lives in Gotham City (see Q5e). He usually fights crime only in Gotham and leaves the city only for important reasons. Bruce lives in "stately Wayne Manor" in Gotham and uses the Batcave (see Q5f) for his headquarters.

5e What and where is Gotham City?

Gotham City is Bruce Wayne's home city. In the real world, the term "Gotham" was applied to New York City even before Batman's first appearance, but Batman's Gotham City is a distinct city located on the Atlantic Coast of the United States near Metropolis. See also the WELCOME TO REC.ARTS.COMICS posting (see Q6a) for a discussion of where various DC cities are in the real world.

5f What is the Batcave? Where is it?

The Batcave is Batman's secret hideout. It is a large, natural cave underneath Wayne Manor. Bruce has built up his headquarters in the cave. Bruce also constructed a secondary Batcave under the Wayne Foundation headquarters in downtown Gotham City (pre-crisis), but the existence of that cave in modern continuity is uncertain.

+ 5g Who knows Batman's secret identity?

Several people know Batman's real identity. Present and former Robins (see Q4a) clearly know, as do Alfred (see Q4e) and Harold (see Q4f). Superman also discovered Batman was Bruce Wayne, while Batman knows that Superman is Clark Kent (ADVENTURES #440, May 88). Others who know the truth include Azrael (Jean Paul Valley - see Q4d), and Bane (see Q4b). It is uncertain whether James Gordon knows the truth since various stories have implied that he may have found out. However, due to the changes in the man in the costume (Bruce, Azrael, Dick, then Bruce again) (see Q3d, Q3e, Q4c) it appears that he is no longer sure. Barbara Gordon (formerly Batgirl, now Oracle - see Q4g) also knows.

At various times, certain friends and foes have known his secret ID, though the lack of serious continuity in the Batman books makes it uncertain which ones know now. Notable enemies who learned the truth pre-Crisis (see Q3a) include Ra's Al Ghul and Hugo Strange.

* 5h Has Batman's costume changed over the years?

The Batman costume has changed since its original introduction in DETECTIVE COMICS #27. The original costume was grey, with a black bat outline on the chest, and black boots, shorts, gloves, cowl and cape. In the sixties (DETECTIVE #327) the costume was altered by the addition of a yellow oval around the Bat-symbol. Recently, following the events of "Prodigal", a new costume was introduced (ROBIN #13). This is basically an all-black one-piece version of the modern costume, without the shorts. The yellow oval, black cowl, gloves and boots remain. A yellow utility belt has been present throughout most appearances of the costume.

Section 6: Computer Network Resources

+ 6a What Internet newsgroups cover Batman topics?

Further discussion of the Batman comics can be found in the Internet newsgroups rec.arts.comics.dc.universe and alt.comics.batman. BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES is also covered in rec.arts.comics.misc later group. The Batman FAQ is regularly posted to alt.comics.batman and rec.arts.comics.info.

6b Where can I find various Batman-related files on Internet?

This Batman FAQ is available via anonymous ftp at the following site:
Host Name: ftp.hiof.no # Address: 158.36.33.3
File: /pub/Comics/FAQ/Batman.FAQ

Mosaic users can access the above sites via the WWW page ftp://ftp.hiof.no/pub/Comics. In addition, the Batman FAQ can be accessed via gopher: gopher.hiof.no port 70.

Another file, written by the author of this FAQ, is the Batman Stories(comics) list. It contains a list of all major Batman stories in the current (post-Crisis) continuity, plus an approximate timeline. This file is also available on ftp.hiof.no as /pub/Comics/Reference/Batman.ComicList.

The ftp.hiof.no site is the primary rec.arts.comics site, and it has many other comics-related files. For other locations, see the WELCOME TO REC.ARTS.COMICS FAQ, regularly posted to the rec.arts.comics.* groups

6c Where can I find comics-related files on GEnie?

Comic book data can be found on the Comics RoundTable library. The GEnie address is page 1320.

6d Where can I find comics-related files on BBSs?

Comic book discussion can be found on the comic book conference on the Relaynet International Message (RIME) Network. Note that not all bulletin boards are part of the RIME system, and not all RIME boards carry the comics conference.

HTML Presentation by Tim Allen - June 1996

This file was last modified on January 28, 1998

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