The Caped Crusader's Hidden Secrets

August 06, 2012

As a huge Batman fan, I have been eagerly awaiting the newest film in the franchise. I consider Christopher Nolan’s films (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises) to be the best made about the Caped Crusader. 

In my excitement about seeing the new film—I’m wearing my Batman movie T-shirt as I write this—I did a bit of research about Batman: the comic books, the films, and the character himself. Here are five hidden secrets I discovered in my investigation.

• Batman made his first comic book appearance in May 1939 in Detective Comics # 27. If you happen to find a copy at a thrift shop or yard sale, it might be worth picking up. It’s currently worth $351,000!
• Superman and Spiderman have nothing on Batman—more stories have been written about the Caped Crusader than any other fictional character in history.
• Before Christopher Nolan agreed to direct his first Batman movie, it almost became Clint Eastwood’s film. There was talk of the legendary filmmaker directing and starring in a version that would show an older Bruce Wayne/Batman.
• Many readers/viewers thought Gotham City was a representation of New York City. However, today it is popularly considered to be across the river from the Big Apple in New Jersey.
• Batman: Arkham Asylum, an action-adventure game based on the comic books, is heralded by the Guinness Book of World Records as the most critically acclaimed video game ever.

(P.S. It also inspired the theme for our summer reading program here at the Platte City Branch.)

Hope these fun facts provide some insight into the world of Batman, and if you have plans to see the new film, enjoy the show!

Jamie C.
Platte City Branch