Batman: Through the Years Essays -- Media Fiction Super Heroes Papers

Batman Through the YearsThe Caped Crusader, the Dark Knight, Bruce Wayne, these are all aliases for an enigmatic timber in popular culture most commonly known as Batman. While having his humble origins in the pulp magazines of the late 1930s, over the span of his existence, he has spread out into a full-blown franchise. There take aim been 3 TV shows on him, 4 movies (1 more still in the making), various videogames, and over 20 suspect daybook series that currently feature his name. Even after 60 years of being in print, it was a Batman issue that was the highest selling comic book of the last week of November, 2004. It is the aim of this project to explore the reasons why this one particular comic book superhero has managed to keep his relevance where so many others have faltered, with a focused look into how Batman artwork has changed over the sixty years of his existence.Who is Batman to you?Almost everybody knows something about Batman, from my Sunday school teacher (who con fiscated my Batman comic book traffic him devilish and violent) to my little cousins who play the new Batman videogame incessantly. What many people fail to realize though is that the character of Batman has always been evolving, always being special to fit the purposes of both the medium and the audience. Take for example the Batman television series that lasted from 1966 till 1968. Adam West as Batman, a little lumpy in his Batsuit, would fight crime accompanied by his faithful sidekick, Robin (Burt Ward). They would awkwardly beat up their enemies, (Listen to the classic soundtrack)accompanied by the classic POW BIFF bonk sound effects and use goofy phrases like, if two plus two equals fourQuick Robin, to the Batmobile In all t... ...ewer is interested in Bruce Wayne is an after thought. alone with a movie, the viewer is forced to see the Bruce Wayne character and on a sub-conscious level is forced to connect that character with the traits one already has of the actor from foregoing experience, which reduces the mystery of the Batman character.Concluding ThoughtsWhile the Batman character grown into an international franchise, many of his fellow superhero peers have fallen by the proverbial road side. Riding on his mysterious and dark persona, he is one of the most famous fictional characters of modern times. It is a unique blend of super-hero fantasy and realism that has allowed him to be legitimate by such a wide audience, and it is to the credit of his producers that they have been able to mould the character the character to fit their needs while capitalizing on the characters essence.