Batman
"Because he's the hero Gotham deserves. But not the one it needs right now. So we hunt him. Because he can take it. Because he's not a hero. He's a silent guardian, a vigilant protector. A dark knight."
- Jim Gordon
When Thomas Wayne became Batman
Batman has been around for over 80 years. But the Dark Knight was not always brought to us by Bruce Wayne! Time and again, others took on the role, such as Jean-Paul Valley after Bane was victorious in the comic Knightfall. Or in an alternative timeline where Bruce Wayne, rather than Thomas, is shot after attending the theatre — and his father then creates Batman. Even Kal-El, aka Superman, has put on the bat costume, just like Alfred Pennyworth and these characters: Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Damian Wayne, Terry McGinnis, Hugo Strange, the Joker and Bane.
Batman: a hero in transition
Over the course of 80 years, Batman has given us countless iconic moments, whether it's in the comics, the TV series, video games or major cinema blockbusters. Today, everyone — yes, really everyone — knows The Dark Knight. Creators Bill Finger and Bob Kane certainly never imagined the comic book character would achieve such fame when they created The Case of the Chemical Syndicate in 1939 for the 27th issue of Detective Comics. But their new hero, who was originally supposed to be called Birdman, soon became a fan favourite.
Just one year later, they gave Batman his own comic book series. For the design, Bob Kane was inspired by Superman, Zorro, a Leonardo da Vinci drawing and the film The Bat Whispers. But the last son of Krypton played the biggest role as Batman was intended as a counterpoint to Superman in the so-called Golden Age of Comics: he had no superpowers and did not act out of nobility, but represented a darker, more complex world.
In the Silver Age of Comics (50s and 60s) the Batman stories became more outlandish. He fought alongside Superman against aliens and the world of the not-so-dark knight became increasingly cheerful. It would take until the late 1980s for Batman to return to his roots, thanks in large part to Frank Miller and comics such as The Dark Knight Returns.
Batman, the theatrical character
A character that has endured for more than 80 years and is still one of the most recognisable brands in the world can surely be described as the epitome of "relevant". How did Batman do it? First and foremost, by constantly adapting to the spirit of the times. From the foolish Adam West who can't stop a burglar because he still has to quickly move his illegally parked Batmobile, to the depressed Ben Affleck who wants to destroy Superman because there's a one per cent chance he might be evil.
Performer and voice actor Kevin Conroy sees classic stories that we have been telling for thousands of years as the main reason for the success. He even compared Bruce Wayne to well-known theatre characters. "Batman is Achilles. He is Orestes. He is Hamlet." The Greek character Orestes is also intent on avenging the death of his father. On his quest for revenge, the hero becomes increasingly insane, going through hell to quench his thirst for revenge. Similar to Batman, but with this subtle difference: "Batman comes out of the fire, but instead of letting life destroy him, he channels his rage and creates something bigger than himself [...]"
Scott Snyder, who wrote Court of Owls among others, thinks Batman's approachability is more important. For him, this is a story about a boy who experienced bad things but who goes on to make sure similar things cannot happen to anyone else. "It's about overcoming your own fears, your greatest tragedies, and turning that loss into a gain." Artist Bruce Timm, on the other hand, cites a simpler reason for Batman's enduring popularity: "He looks great. He has perhaps the best comic costume ever." The latter is certainly underscored many times over by director Matt Reeves with his wonderful The Batman.
Who's your Batman?
Batman's continued relevance and adaptability are also part and parcel of our Batman merchandise. The right merch lets you express your enthusiasm for Batman in a way that is really personal to you. After all, you're expressing something very different when you put on a Batman T-shirt with the fairly circular, classic Batman logo on a yellow background compared with a more sombre interpretation in black on very dark grey. The same applies if you opt for a Batman logo T-shirt for a special film or even a comic book themed T-shirt that only real insiders will be able to identify.
Maybe you'll even go one step further and create your own Batcave with cool merch! With baseball caps neatly hanging on the wall or lined up on a shelf as if they were part of the sprawling Batman kit. With mugs and collectible figures on your desk. With lamps to create the right lighting mood (not too bright!) and stationery for your (hopefully non-crime-related) notes. And even some movie replicas like a Batman batarang? The colourful ... or rather more accurately, the grey and black world of Batman merch is about as diverse and adaptable as the Dark Knight himself.