Detective Comics #27 (May 1939). Cover art by Bob Kane.
I have been an avid reader throughout my life. I have read widely across genres of fiction and nonfiction. However, one of my favorite narrative forms is comic books (or graphic novels, if you prefer.) Yeah, I don't read them much anymore, but that's not because I've "outgrown" them. Like all art forms, comic books have aesthetic trends and fads that come and go. I'm not a dedicated fan of the genre, so when a trend arises that I don't appreciate I have no problem jumping ship. There is seemingly an infinity of material to read and there is no excuse to waste our precious time on things we dislike.
But this post is about something that I like very much. BATMAN!!!!!
On this date in 1939, Batman was introduced in the pages of Detective Comics #27. I wasn't around for this grand occasion, but I pay homage to it. Batman is one of my favorite characters in all fiction. He is like a mythic hero of the 20th century. Yeah, you can make interesting arguments in favor of the other "superheroes" like Superman, Captain America, or Spider-man, but I would argue that Batman has a greater mythic depth than all the others.
It isn't just in the character of Batman, but in his environment and antagonists. His iconic stories carry a richness of Jungian archetypes. His conflicts are Campbellian in their underlying structure of conflict and resolution. His character has been reimagined on numerous occasions, but the core concept has remained unchanged.
Anyways, I might return to this topic at some later date. Today, I just want to celebrate a classic American Icon. Here's the intro to the 1989 film:
And here's a link to the Batman Wikipedia page.
Enjoy!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment