History of the Batman, pt. 1: Batman’s Literal Year One

Created in light of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster’s practically invincible character Superman, editor Vin Sullivan asked Bob Kane to come up with a character that would be as popular as the Man of Steel. Inspired by pulp fiction comics and Leonardo Da Vinci’s flying machine, Kane created the Bat-Man. Once ghostwriter Bill Finger put his influence into this new hero, Bat-Man changed into a dark masked vigilante, donning a grey and black cape and cowl with small swept ears. Different as night and day, the ordinary human with extraordinary mastery of science and martial arts debuted in Detective Comics #27 in May of 1939 (cover date).

75 years later, Batman has become one of the most popular characters in DC Comics. With the most live action actors portraying him on the big screen to appearing in thousands of publications, the Dark Knight has a long and incredible history. If you follow the Bat-Man chronologically in comics, you can see his evolution right before your eyes and realize even more why he is a highly favored fictional crusader.  So, ‘History of the Batman’ will be just that, starting from his first comic, grapple from comic to comic and highlight the important and memorable story arcs along the way. Wanna know where the Joker came from? When the Batmobile premiered? What is exactly in his utility belt? Then you’ll want to stick around for tons of History of the Batman.

Batman’s Year One in DC Comics

The Batman’s literal first year in Detective Comics, from May of 1939 to April/May of 1940 presented a hero straight out of pulp literature, from fighting petty criminals in a New York type metropolis (‘Gotham City’ wasn’t established yet) to traveling to Hungary going up against evil monks and werewolves. Combining the thrilling tales by Bill Finger and Gardner Fox to the illustrations of Bob Kane, Sheldon Moldoff and Jerry Robinson, Batman’s actual ‘Year One’ is a great way to see how the very first Batman was portrayed, especially in comparison to his New 52 persona today.

Detective Comics (Vol 1) #27, May 1939: The Case of the Chemical Syndicate

Created by:

Bill Finger – writer

Bob Kane – cover, pencils, inks

Story: After the death of ‘the chemical king’ Lambert, young socialite Bruce Wayne on the scene transforms into “the Bat-Man” and investigates.  Discovering that one of his business partners, Alfred Stryker, wants to take over the business, killing one partner and kidnapping the other, the Batman glides in and saves Rogers and gives Stryker a nice “SOCK” right into a tank of acid. While Commissioner Gordon learns of Roger’s safety, he asides with believing Bruce leads a boring life. However, at the end of the issue the reader discovers that Bruce Wayne’s secret identity is that of the “Bat-Man!”

Bat Facts: It may not be the most exciting Dark Knight story in the past 75 years, but you are introduced to the dark avenger that looms over the wrong-doers of his city. Another reoccurring theme that today would stand as controversial is that the Bat-Man does not care if the bad guy dies. When Stryker hit that acid, Bat-Man’s response? “a fitting end for his kind”. This attitude during the period of pulp comic heroes is not surprising. In the end, this issue is the debut of Bruce Wayne, the Bat-Man and Commissioner James Gordon.  Best reason to care, well, ever for Batfans.

About the cover: 

Valued as one of the most important American comic books, the first appearance of the Batman, cover to Detective Comics #27 from May of 1939. A stark single line from his grappling hook, harshly and powerfully cutting the logo from top right of the cover, grasped tightly by the hero’s gloved hand, then wrapped around his arm dressed within the faint blue and grey costume, all cocooned within his bat-like cape and sharp ears of the cowl, truly shaping the idea of a fearsome creature, the bat. From the grip around the criminal’s neck to the furrow of his dark brow, these elements bring this Gothic masked vigilante to life for the first time.

Detective Comics #28, June 1939: Frenchy Blake’s Jewel Gang

Created by:

Bill Finger – writer

Fred Guardineer – cover

Bob Kane – pencils, inks

*Part of Chronology

Detective Comics #29, July 1939: The Batman Meets Doctor Death

Created by:

Gardner Fox – writer

Bob Kane – cover, pencils, inks

Story: Doctor Karl Hellfern wants to take over the world with his ‘Death by pollen extract’ but the only one standing in his way is of course, the Batman. Luring him through the public notices, Bruce Wayne has to become the Batman. After a violent meet and greet with two of Doctor Death’s thugs and Jabah, the Batman finally is face to face with Doctor Death, ending in a relentless pursuit and the supposed ‘death…to Doctor Death!’ in a fiery inferno. But did this evil really burn in the laboratory fire? The answers come in next month’s issue!

Detective Comics #30, August 1939: The Return of Doctor Death

Created by:

Gardner Fox – writer

Fred Guardineer – cover

Bob Kane – pencils, inks

Sheldon Moldoff – inks

Story: When Bruce Wayne discovers Doctor Death is alive and plotting to steal priceless jewels from a family, he prepares to become the Batman to face this foe once more. After stopping Doctor Death’s main thug, the Cossack Mikhail, the Batman finds the disguised and brutally burned Doctor Death and retrieves the diamonds, giving both to the police.

Bat Facts: For the first time in his history, Batman faces a rather deadly enemy in Doctor Death who plots to take over the world. Can’t get more evil with those goals. No major bat-named gadgets were introduced, but you do get to see some of his usual tools in action, from his glass pellets of chocking gas to his suction gloves and knee pads. In part two of this tale, we see this masked menace kill his opponent (“There is a sickening snap as the cossack’s neck breaks under the mighty pressure of the Batman’s foot.”), which as we’ve said is uncommon in modern Batman lore. In the end, Detective Comics #29 – #30 is the first ‘story arc’ of the Batman and we get to see his detective skills and acrobatic talent at work stopping these horrific crimes.

Detective Comics #31, September 1939: Batman Versus the Vampire, Part One

Created by:

Gardner Fox – writer

Bill Finger – writer

Bob Kane – cover, pencils, inks

Sheldon Moldoff – inks

Story: As the Batman is scaling the dark skylines, he finds his fiancé Julie Madison has been the victim of hypnosis. After returning her home as the Batman, the next morning as her fiancé they go to the doctors who suggest an ocean voyage to Paris, then Hungary, which just so happens to have a history of werewolves. Even though Bruce is skeptical and believes the doctor himself is hypnotized, he sends Julie off on her voyage. But to answer his own curiosity, he follows her as the Batman on his Batgyro along with his flying Batarang. Finally reaching Julie, they both are approached by a masked Monk who attacks and evades the thrown Batarang. After following both the ship and the Monk, he reaches Paris and finally finds Julie. The Batman goes up against the mad Monk, a huge ape and a powerful car and thanks to his trusted new batarang, Bat-plane and glass pellets, he escapes and rescues Julie, the issue ending with both off to Hungary, home of the Monk and Werewolves.

About the Cover: 

The cover to Detective Comics #31 from September of 1939 truly embodies the Gothic era of the late 1930s. The contrast of the dark/ light blue shadings and distinct lining of his cape drapes over the bright yellow moon and dark sky, mastering the natural elements that surrounds him; the fog crossing jaggedly across the cover, over the mountains and the castle, yet cautiously distant of The Batman’s chest emblem, not daring to shield the bat’s “powerful and awesome” representation, gives more emphasis to the glare of the Batman at his enemy clutching the helpless love of his life. Neal Adams recreates this now iconic cover when revitalizing the Dark Knight’s roots in the early 1970s.

Detective Comics #32, October 1939: Batman Versus the Vampire, Part Two

Created by:

Gardner Fox – writer

Fred Guardineer – cover

Bob Kane – pencils, inks

Sheldon Moldoff – inks

Story: Arriving in Hungary and following the Monk’s trail, the Batman drops into a speeding carriage and with his pellets, takes the woman inside and both ride the Bat-plane to Julie Madison’s location. Unfortunately, Batman discovers that the mysterious woman, Dala, has bitten Julie..she is a vampire. Dala convinces Batman that she will take him to the evil Monk if he promises to kill him. They travel in the Bat-plane to the land of the Monk, but Batman becomes overpowered by the Monk through his hypnotic powers. The manipulative Dala convinces the Monk to bring Julie to create the perfect revenge on the Dark Avenger. As Batman comes out of his hypnosis, he realizes he has been thrown into a den of wolves. After casting glass pellets on the werewolves and uses his batarang, he escapes to find the Monk. He finds Julie who is safe and knows how to take down both the Monk and Dala; he melts a silver statue to create two silver bullets to put in his gun. Finding the coffins the villains are placed, he shoots them both, breaking Julie’s trance. She thanks this mysterious masked vigilante and both return home.

Bat Facts: Detective Comics #31 introduced not only Bruce Wayne’s fiancé Julie Madison, but also the Batgyro (which is called the Batplane) and the Batarang, two of our hero’s most known gadgets. This two part story puts Batman, a human wearing a cape and cowl up against mysticism and the supernatural for the first time.; Batman won against vampires, werewolves and evil Hungarian Monks all with using the tools in his utility belt, probably one of the reasons why people love Batman comics. Also, Part Two establishes that Batman carries a gun with him and used it to kill the Monk. From issue 32 until our ‘Year One’ ends, Batman’s gun can be seen wielded on his hip and utilized in hand frequently. It isn’t until Robin the Boy Wonder enters where his usage of guns to kill becomes a thing of the past.  But  ‘Batman versus the Vampire’ is a perfect example of the Gothic pulp fiction of the late 1930s, illustrating our ordinary hero as quite extraordinary.

Detective Comics #33, November 1939: The Batman Wars Against the Dirigible of Doom

Created by:

Gardner Fox – writer

Bob Kane – cover, pencils, inks

Sheldon Moldoff – inks

Bat Facts: Even if the main plot isn’t as memorable as Batman up against vampires, what makes this story an important part of Batman’s first year in comics is the feature “The Batman and How He Came to Be!”, Batman’s origin story told for the first time. As young Bruce Wayne is walking home from a movie with his parents, Thomas and Martha Wayne, a thug threatens to take Martha’s necklace. As Thomas defends her, the thug shoots him and he dies. Martha running to his side calling from help from the police, the thug shoots her as well to shut her up. A traumatized Bruce sees his parents dead before him.

Then days later, by candlelight, Bruce swears that he will avenge his parents’ deaths by ‘spending the rest of his life warring on all criminals’. The next several years he trains to be the master of sciences and his body to physical perfection.  As he is old enough to have his father’s estate, he wonders how to strike fear into the hearts of criminals, ‘a superstitious cowardly lot’. Suddenly, as he is in his father’s study, a huge bat flies through the window. Bruce proclaims “A bat! That’s it! It’s an omen. I shall become a BAT!” This feature ends with the ‘avenger of evil…the Batman’. After 75 years, this story has been told so much even people who don’t know Batman have somehow heard it. But with every character is the importance of where they began.

Detective Comics #34, December 1939: Peril in Paris

Created by:

Gardner Fox –writer

Creig Flessel – cover

Bob Kane – pencils, inks

Sheldon Moldoff – inks

*Part of Chronology

Detective Comics #35, January 1940: The Case of the Ruby Idol

Created by:

Bill Finger – writer

Bob Kane – cover, pencils, inks

Sheldon Moldoff – inks

Bat Facts: Although not called ‘Batmobile’, the Batman’s ‘high-powered roadster’ appears for the first time. Prior to this Bruce Wayne drove a red convertible.

Detective Comics #36, February 1940: Professor Hugo Strange

Created by:

Bill Finger – writer

Bob Kane – cover, pencils, inks

Jerry Robinson – inks

Story: The brilliant but distorted Professor Hugo Strange kidnaps a young engineer who can create concentrated lightening, which would cause a natural fog in the air, protecting his organized crime syndicate to loot the city under his command. Once Batman saves the prisoner and turns Strange into the police, the issue ends with Hugo Strange behind bars, claiming he will spend the rest of his life seeking revenge against the Batman.

Bat Facts: This is the first chronological appearance of the Batman rogue Hugo Strange, the first enemy that will appear again in another issue against the Caped Crusader (Batman #1, Spring 1940).

 Detective Comics #37, March 1940: The Spies

Created by:

Bill Finger – writer

Bob Kane – cover, pencils, inks

Jerry Robinson – inks

*Part of Chronology

Detective Comics #38, April 1940: Introducing Robin, the Boy Wonder

Created by:

Bill Finger – writer

Bob Kane – cover, pencils, inks

Jerry Robinson – cover, inks

Story: When Haly’s Circus acrobat Dick Grayson of the The Flying Graysons loses his parents, John and Mary Grayson, under criminal Boss Zucco’s orders, he demands to go to the police. But Bruce Wayne, who was in the audience witnessing his parents’ deaths, takes him in. Relating his own parents’ death to Graysons, he tells him he has devoted his life to exterminating criminals such as Zucco. Dick wants to do this as well and they both train him to be the acrobatic crime fighter, Robin, the Boy Wonder. Now with a sidekick, both Batman and Robin hunt down Zucco and get the evidence needed to put him behind bars for murder.

Bat Facts: This is the first chronological appearance of Dick Grayson and the guise of Robin, the Boy Wonder. Dubbed ‘The Sensational Find of 1940”, Grayson’s role as sidekick definitely softens the Batman’s gothic vigilante demeanor and related to young readers of Detective Comics.

About the Cover: 

From the choice of font for the word “Robin” to the bright yellow flutter of his cape, what completes Robin’s introduction on the cover of Detective Comics #38 is Batman standing right beside him, holding the papered wall high, a proud moment for the Caped Crusader himself to be given an aid to his war against the injustice of their city. Another important aspect of this comic cover is the facial expressions of both The Dark Knight and The Boy Wonder: they are both smiling. It seems simple, but in actuality this is one of the few, if not first, times Batman has smiled on the cover of a comic book during this Golden Age period. As we have seen with issue #27 and #31, his face and expressions illustrate him as a menacing vigilante. Here is is inviting and warm, which brings us to the true reason why Detective Comics #38 is iconic: The cover art visually marks the beginnings of the Batman Family.

Detective Comics #38 wraps up Batman’s first year (12 issues) as the Dark Knight, issuing in a new era with a self-titled publication. In Batman’s Year One we see how dark the Dark Knight originally was thanks to Bob Kane and Bill Finger. Next time we will continue our History of the Batman with Batman #1 from Spring of 1940!