My youth was in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Drawing from that period, this is one of a series of travel bugs made to commemorate favorite characters from comic books, comic strips, movie cartoons, B-movies and animated feature-length movies. Some of the characters had only a brief existence, some survived as radio and early TV programs and some have been digitally-modernized into some of the blockbuster movies of today. There were many other characters, but these are the ones on which I was willing to spend my dimes (comic books) and quarters (movie, candy and popcorn). However, I didn’t have to pay for the daily comic strips or Sunday funnies that came with the newspaper.
Batman is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and first appeared in Detective Comics in 1939. Originally named the Bat-Man, the character is also referred to by such epithets as the "Caped Crusader", the Dark Knight, and the World's Greatest Detective.
Batman's secret identity is Bruce Wayne, an American billionaire, playboy, philanthropist, and owner of Wayne Enterprises. After witnessing the murder of his parents as a child, he swore revenge on criminals, an oath tempered by a sense of justice. Wayne trains himself both physically and intellectually and crafts a bat-inspired persona to fight crime. Batman operates in the fictional Gotham City, with assistance from various supporting characters, including his butler Alfred, police commissioner Jim Gordon, and vigilante allies such as Robin. Unlike most superheroes, Batman does not possess any superpowers; rather, he relies on his genius intellect, physical prowess, martial arts abilities, detective skills, science and technology, vast wealth, provocation of fear and intimidation, and an indomitable will.
A large assortment of villains make up Batman's rogues gallery, some recurring examples follow.
The Joker is perhaps one of Batman's oldest and most dedicated foes. A sadistic clown bent on chaotic nihilism and grinning death, despite having no obvious powers, he has presented more of a challenge to Batman over the years than any number of those more powerful or well-trained than himself.
Two-Face is a criminal who has one half of his face horribly scarred, and the other stunningly handsome. He's completely obsessed with the number 2, duality, and fate. He carries a double-headed coin around with him that has one of the heads scarred, and he flips the coin before he makes any decisions involving a question of law and illegal activities.
The Penguin, Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot, a short round man with a long pointed nose, fancies himself a gentleman of crime. He usually wears a tuxedo, top hat, and monocle, and carries any variety of umbrellas which have various hidden functions such as vehicles or weapons.
Catwoman, Selina Kyle, starting as a criminal who wore a cat-themed costume and often operated as a burglar, has a love/hate relationship with Batman. For years, she skirted on the edge between villain and antiheroine. However, she has largely reformed in recent years, adopting the role of the guardian of Gotham City's crime-infested East End, though she still comes into conflict with Batman on occasion. She has also been known to take revenge upon those who commit crimes against animals, especially cats.
Bane, an escaped prisoner from an island prison in South America, he has abnormal strength as a result of having had experiments with a derivative of the drug Venom performed on him.
The Riddler, Edward Nigma, is a criminal mastermind who has a strange compulsion to challenge Batman by leaving clues to his crimes in the form of riddles and puzzles. Later, he seemingly abandoned his criminal lifestyle and has opted to utilize his skills to turn a profit as a freelance investigator.
Poison Ivy, Pamela Lillian Isley, a former student of advanced botanical biochemistry, employs plants of all varieties and their derivatives in her crimes, usually of an eco-terroristic variety. Whether through heretofore unknown capabilities or self-affected genetic engineering, she possesses both the ability to control/manipulate all plant life and an immunity to all known poisons and toxins.
Batman became popular soon after his introduction and gained his own comic book title, Batman, in 1940. As the decades went on, differing interpretations of the character emerged. The late 1960s Batman television series used a campy aesthetic, which continued to be associated with the character for years after the show ended. Various creators worked to return the character to his dark roots, culminating in 1986 movie The Dark Knight Returns. The success of Warner Bros. live-action Batman feature films have subsequently helped maintain public interest in the character.