Billionaire playboy by day, masked vigilante by night—very few characters have captured the imagination of readers quite like Batman. First appearing in the pages of Detective Comics Number 27 on March 30, 1939, Batman was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger.
Inspired in part by characters with the dual identities like Zorro and the dark mystique of the pulp character The Shadow, Batman has evolved much as different artists and writers have taken their turn manning the Batcave.
Want to take flight with the Batman? Here are some of the best Bat-volumes available in the LAPL catalog.
First published as a four-volume miniseries in 1986, this story, written and drawn by Frank Miller, made Batman cool again for a new generation of comics readers. Bruce Wayne, after a self-imposed retirement, returns to the cape and cowl to fight Two-Face, the Joker, and Superman himself. Miller’s political and media satire make this story timeless.
Miller returns with artist David Mazzucchelli to chronicle Batman’s early days as a costumed crimefighter facing off against Gotham City’s organized crime syndicate. Meet key supporting characters, including a young police lieutenant named James Gordon and Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman.
Batman became a household word in the late 1960s thanks to the campy television series adapted by ABC and starring Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin. In this feature film, the dynamic duo faces off against their most dangerous foes: the Joker(Cesar Romero), the Riddler(Frank Gorshin), the Penguin(Burgess Meredith), and Catwoman(Lee Meriwether). Good for laughs as well as a must-see for bat-fans.
Comic Book Legend Neal Adams took the Dark Knight to new levels of popularity in the early 1970s, introducing new characters and reclaiming the character's dark, stylistic edge following the campy era of the 1960s. In this original story, Batman must embark on a journey of self-discovery, which will reveal secrets about himself and his enemies.
Acclaimed director Christopher Nolan’s second Batman film pits Bruce Wayne(Christian Bale) against the maniacal, anarchistic villain the Joker(Oscar-winning Heath Ledger) in an extreme showdown that threatens to destroy Gotham City. Visually stunning with unforgettable action sequences, this is perhaps the best Batman movie to date. Co-starring Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Aaron Eckhart.
In this graphic novel trilogy, Batman must team up with perhaps his most dangerous foe, Ra’s al Ghul, the Demon’s Head, who has plans of his own, including world domination. Can Batman settle his feelings over his enemy’s daughter to save the world in time?
In 1992, animator Bruce Timm introduced Batman: The Animated Series to a new generation of bat-fans. Although marketed to children, the series was also popular with adult comic readers because it captured the fun of comic books.
Bruce Wayne announces himself as the financial backer of the Dark Knight Detective and goes corporate and global with a Batman in every region of the globe, united to fight a new enemy, Leviathan. Writer Grant Morrison brings a refreshing take to the bat mythos with this volume.
