|
|
|
|
|
Name
|
Batman
|
|
A.K.A.
|
n/a
|
|
Secret ID.
|
Unknown
|
|
Type
|
Costumed Hero
|
|
Affiliation/Team
|
None
|
|
1st Appearance
|
Unpublished
|
|
Year
|
1932
|
|
Publisher
|
None
|
|
Country of origin
|
USA
|
|
|
Frank Foster was born in Maine in 1909. He moved to Boston where he studied art alongside Al (Lil Abner) Capp. They both graduated in the early '30's and pursued careers as cartoonists. In 1939, Frank had a huge shock when walking past a news-stand he spotted a comic book called Batman. He rushed home to his wife and said, "Will you look at that? They took my idea." Because amongst the ideas Mr. Foster had worked on for submission in the early 1930s was an idea called...Batman. He's done some sketches and put them in his portfolio, and had shown then at the DC offices, which were located just a couple of blocks away. No link between Bob Kane or Mr. Foster has ever been found but is it possible that Kane spotted these sketches in the DC offices in the 30's and used the same name/concept etc? (He also created a masked character called Nightwing at the same time.) If true, it would make this version of Batman the first ever costumed superhero!
|
|
|
|
Name
|
Batman (Rainbow Batman)
|
|
A.K.A.
|
n/a
|
|
Secret ID.
|
Bruce Wayne
|
|
Type
|
Costumed Hero
|
|
Affiliation/Team
|
Batman & Robin
|
|
1st Appearance
|
Detective Comics #241
|
|
Year
|
1957 (Not Golden Age, but fun all the same)
|
|
Publisher
|
National Periodical Publications (DC)
|
|
Country of origin
|
USA
|
|
|
Who can forget Rainbow Batman? In the story where Dick Grayson saves a young girl from an onrushing car and injures his arm in the process. His bold rescue is reported in all of Gotham City s media. Soon after, Batman is seen in public wearing a strange variety of luridly coloured costumes. By the story s end, it s explained to the reader that Batman s reason for his new wardrobe was merely to distract people from noticing that Robin had also received the same injury as Dick, thus saving his secret identity!
|
|
|
|
Name
|
Batman (Strange Costumes of)
|
|
A.K.A.
|
See also Rainbow Batman / Zebra Batman
|
|
Secret ID.
|
Bruce Wayne
|
|
Type
|
Costumed Hero
|
|
Affiliation/Team
|
Robin / Batwoman /Justice Society of America (Honorary member)
|
|
1st Appearance
|
Detective Comics #165
|
|
Year
|
1950
|
|
Publisher
|
National Periodical Publications (DC)
|
|
Country of origin
|
USA
|
|
|
Batman's special costumes include a gold cloth costume once used to enable Batman to masquerade as a gold statue; a luminous bat-costume which glows in the dark, used to frighten a superstitious crook into submission; a bat-space suit for adventures in outer space; a camouflage Costume used in the North Pole. Other costumes include an asbestos bat-costume for use in fires; a glider bat-costume for soaring through the air; an underwater costume, and an emergency foam-rubber costume, superficially identical to Batman's basic costume except for the red-breasted bird symbol emblazoned on its chest, which was specially moulded to Robin's specifications and is designed to enable Robin to impersonate Batman.
|
|
|
|
Name
|
Bat-man (The)
|
|
A.K.A.
|
See also Rainbow Batman / Zebra Batman
|
|
Secret ID.
|
Bruce Wayne
|
|
Type
|
Costumed Hero
|
|
Affiliation/Team
|
Robin / Batwoman /Justice Society of America (Honorary member)
|
|
1st Appearance
|
Detective Comics #27
|
|
Year
|
1939
|
|
Publisher
|
National Periodical Publications (DC)
|
|
Country of origin
|
USA
|
|
|
Bruce Wayne's parents were shot by a mugger. (Joe Chill) In response, he travelled around the world, training himself to fight crime, and needing an image was then inspired by a bat that flew through his window. So putting on a bat costume he became the Bat-man. In his civilian identity he is playboy millionaire Bruce Wayne. He is partnered with Dick (Robin) Grayson. He has no powers, but is a very skilled detective, athlete and fighter and has a utility belt full of gadgets. He also has a Bat-Cave & The Batmobile.
|
|
|
|
Name
|
Batman (Zebra Batman)
|
|
A.K.A.
|
See also Rainbow Batman / Strange Costumes of Batman
|
|
Secret ID.
|
Bruce Wayne
|
|
Type
|
Costumed Hero
|
|
Affiliation/Team
|
Robin / Batwoman /Justice Society of America (Honorary member)
|
|
1st Appearance
|
Detective Comics #275
|
|
Year
|
1960 Not Golden Age but worth a mention
|
|
Publisher
|
National Periodical Publications (DC)
|
|
Country of origin
|
USA
|
|
|
When exposed to the rays of Zebra-Man's weird weapon (Zebra-Man had invented a machine that gives him the ability to emit a force that can either attract or repel objects) Batman became the Zebra-Batman, and out of control (for a while) repelled all solid matter in his path with magnetic force.
|
|
|
|
Name
|
Batman Jr.
|
|
A.K.A.
|
n/a
|
|
Secret ID.
|
John Vance
|
|
Type
|
Costumed Hero
|
|
Affiliation/Team
|
Batman & Robin
|
|
1st Appearance
|
Detective Comics #231
|
|
Year
|
1956 (Not Golden Age, but fun all the same)
|
|
Publisher
|
National Periodical Publications (DC)
|
|
Country of origin
|
USA
|
|
|
Robin discovers evidence that Batman had another partner earlier in his career, Batman, Jr. alias John Vance. Robin leaves the Bat-Cave, and finds Batman and Vance working together. Robin is sent back to the Bat-Cave, but he continues to pursue Binter. He gets captured, but Batman helps rescue him. Batman, Vance, and Robin then recapture Binter. Batman explains to Robin that Vance helped him on capture Binter years ago. Vance wore the Batman, Jr. costume to protect his identity.
|
|
|
|
Name
|
Batman Junior & Robin Senior
|
|
A.K.A.
|
n/a
|
|
Secret ID.
|
Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson
|
|
Type
|
Costumed Team
|
|
Affiliation/Team
|
None
|
|
1st Appearance
|
Detective Comics #218
|
|
Year
|
1955
|
|
Publisher
|
National Periodical Publications (DC)
|
|
Country of origin
|
USA
|
|
|
Robin is hit with an aging gas, while Batman suffers the effects of a youth gas. Effectively the two change roles with Robin the sensible and mature crimefighter while Batman is impulsive and mistake-prone.
|
|
|
|
Name
|
Batman of England (Knight & Squire)
|
|
A.K.A.
|
N/A
|
|
Secret ID.
|
Percy Shelldrake & Son, Cyril Shelldrake
|
|
Type
|
Costumed Team
|
|
Affiliation/Team
|
Batman of England / Batmen of all Nations
|
|
1st Appearance
|
Batman #62
|
|
Year
|
1951
|
|
Publisher
|
National Periodical Publications (DC)
|
|
Country of origin
|
USA
|
|
|
An English village known as Wordenshire was home to the Knight and Squire, a father and son team who were secretly Percy Sheldrake the Earl of Wordenshire and his son Cyril. Inspired by the story of the Bat-Signal, the duo arranged for the townspeople to sound the rectory bell whenever they were needed. These modern cavaliers rode into battle on unique motorcycles with horse's heads mounted on the front their war horses! They have no powers.
|
|
|
|
Name
|
Batmen of all Nations
|
|
A.K.A.
|
Club of Heroes (1957 Onwards)
|
|
Secret ID.
|
Unknown
|
|
Type
|
Costumed Team
|
|
Affiliation/Team
|
Batmen of All Nations
|
|
1st Appearance
|
Detective Comics #215
|
|
Year
|
1955
|
|
Publisher
|
National Periodical Publications (DC)
|
|
Country of origin
|
USA
|
|
|
The Batmen of all Nations were a group of superheroes who were inspired by Batman to fight crime in their countries. The Batmen of all Nations, consisted of The Ranger (Australia), The Musketeer (France), The Legionary (Italy), The Gaucho (South America), and the Knight and the Squire (England)
|
|
|
|
Name
|
Batwoman
|
|
A.K.A.
|
n/a
|
|
Secret ID.
|
Katherine "Kate" Kane
|
|
Type
|
Costumed Heroine
|
|
Affiliation/Team
|
Batman & Robin
|
|
1st Appearance
|
Detective Comics #233
|
|
Year
|
1956 (Not Golden Age, but fun all the same)
|
|
Publisher
|
National Periodical Publications (DC)
|
|
Country of origin
|
USA
|
|
|
Kathy Kane, a wealthy heiress and one time circus daredevil used her skills to battle criminals like her idol, Batman. She had her own Batcave and rode around Gotham City on her red 'Bat-Cycle'. Her utility bag contained lipstick filled with tear gas, a compact filled with sneezing powder, charm bracelets that were actually handcuffs and an oversized hair net, used to snare criminals.
|
|
|
|
|
