Batman is the star of a DC comic book.  To this day, he is one of the major stars of the DC comic stable.  He was first called, "the Bat-man."  His real identity is that of Bruce Wayne, a wealthy business owner.  He resides in Gotham City, a city which is based on a darker version of New York City, where he aids the police in stopping the criminals that seem to overrun the city. Batman was driven to fight crime after the death of his parents at the hands of a criminal when he was only eight years old.  Batman's secret lair is the Batcave, which is hidden beneath Wayne Manor. 

Unlike many other comic superheroes, Batman is unique in that he has no actual super powers.  He is very smart and cunning and uses his intelligence to fight the villains of Gotham City.  Batman has also made appearances in another DC comic called, "Superman."  He's a friend of Superman's and they have fought together in many different comics.  Batman's most notable foes include the Joker, Catwoman, Penguin, the Riddler, and Two-Face.  Batman first appeared in the comics in May of 1939 in Detective Comics #27.  Batman's sidekick, Robin, first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in 1940. 

Batman has been the star of many movies.  The first Batman rendition was released in 1943 as a 15 part serial movie entitled, "The Batman." In 1966, Batman was released as the first feature length film based on the character.  It starred Adam West and Burt Ward; the same actors from the over-the-top television show "Batman."  The movie was filmed in between the first and second season of the television show and was first released in Austin, Texas.  A more serious version of the Batman story was released by Tim Burton in 1989 and starred Michael Keaton as Batman/Bruce Wayne and Jack Nicholson as the Joker.  Three years later, a sequel to Batman was released, "Batman Returns," this time with the Catwoman and the Penguin plaguing Gotham City.  Two other sequels were released and directed by Joel Schumaker and took a different, less dark approach to the dark knight.  After the last sequel directed by Schumaker, "Batman & Robin," was released in 1997, the series reached a dead end. 

Finally in 2005, Batman Begins restarted the Batman story, this time with Christian Bale in the title role and with a more realistic and less campy story.  There have also been many different animated features based on Batman, a radio show that was launched in 1943 and lasted until 1950, as well as video games that have continued the Batman saga.   To this day he is one of the most popular characters in the superhero genre. 

Trivia :  Christian Bale, the star of Batman Begins, also starred in a Disney musical film in 1992 called Newsies, which was based on the story of the newsboys at the turn of the 20th century, alongside Bill Pullman.

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