In 1939, the comic character first known as "The Bat-Man" made his first appearance in a six-page segment featured in the "No. 27" issue of Detective Comics. Since that time, the darkly clad and threatening crime fighter created by Bob Kane (1915–1998) has appeared to Americans in comic books (see entry under 1930s—Print Culture in volume 2), novels, television (see entry under 1940s—TV and Radio in volume 3) shows, and movies. Americans identify with Batman because he is one of them—a self-trained man from the mythical Gotham City with no superpowers and very visible human problems. Batman's humanity has helped make him one of the most universally appealing American comic heroes.

Comic-book readers soon learned that Batman was the alter ego of millionaire Bruce Wayne. As a child, Wayne had witnessed his wealthy parents' murder in a street holdup. From that moment forward, Bruce Wayne dedicated himself to fighting crime...