He may not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, possess x-ray vision, or do anything remotely super-heroic, but that hasn't stopped Batman becoming one of the comic world's great icons.
Since he was created by Bob Kane in 1939, the Caped Crusader has taken many forms, but has always maintained his fan's love - for, unlike Superman, Batman is simply a normal person, waging a one-man war against all that is bad in the world of Gotham City.
Making his first film appearance in 1943, Batman has had his ups and downs, occasionally joined by his sidekick Robin. People thought the film franchise dead after George Clooney and Joel Schumacher unleashed Batman and Robin on the world, but instead he took himself into his Bat Cave to sleep off the next few years, emerging triumphant in the hands of Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale's Batman Begins.
Gigwise takes a look at the changing face of Batman over the years, as we eagerly await next year's release of The Dark Knight Rises.
Where does he get those wonderful toys...
