Every pulp fiction hero who influenced the creation of Batman, explained

Since its creation by Bob Kane and Bill Finger in the pages of Detective Comics #27, Batman became the de facto face of DC Comics. Along with Superman and Spider-Man, few superheroes have achieved the level of recognition, commercial success and popularity as the Caped Crusader. Famously, the Golden Age Dark Knight was inspired by a long line of protagonists from pulp magazines and comic strips, who dominated the medium before superheroes found success.

The Golden Age of Superhero Comics notoriously drew from the ideas, names, abilities, and designs of the heroes of the early and mid-1930s. Some of​​​​the most glaring examples of this can be found in Superman, who shares the first name, hideout name, and oddly similar nickname as Man of Bronze, Clark “Doc” Savage Jr., and his Fortress of Solitude. Batman, however, takes inspiration from heroes dating as far back as Sherlock Holmes – though his pulp pedigree is even more pronounced.

7

Tarzan

Created by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Tarzan may not be the first character readers think of when they imagine Batman’s precursors, but the tale of Lord Greystroke shares something key with Batman: both are wealthy orphans. While a less shared trait, both characters are also raised and, to some extent, trained by a surrogate family, even if Tarzan’s is much more unconventional. The hero of the jungle typically fights poachers, looters, pirates and other threats common to the time and the setting.

Despite being set in the jungles of Africa, rather than the big city, Tarzan’s steadfast commitment to his home closely resembles the same dedication Bruce Wayne has to Gotham. Neither character enjoys being away from their native lands for long, though both are willing to leave when the situation calls for it. The crossover series Batman/Tarzan: Claws of the Catwoman (with artists Igor Kordey and Dave Dorman) was written by Ron Marz as an exploration of the overlapping themes between the two heroes.

6

The spider

Created by Harry Steeger and RTM Scott

The Spider was created by Harry Steeger to serve as a direct competitor to the Shadow. In order to avoid legal disputes, he turned to the writer RTM Scott, hiring him to transform his own detective hero, Aurelius Smith, into the Spider. A veteran of World War I, the Spider is better known in his world as Richard Wentworth, a millionaire who adopts the same playboy persona commonly associated with Bruce Wayne.

The Spider has a few things in common with Bruce Wayne, namely the idea of ​​the hero as the last surviving member of a wealthy family And with some of the deadliest and most creative villains in print. However, he differs from the Caped Crusader in one key way: violence. While Batman will take every measure to ensure he doesn’t take a life, his pulp counterpart isn’t just fine with killing, he would do it preemptively if he felt it necessary. That being said, when it comes to Golden Age Batman, he was no stranger to lethal force.

5

The Green Hornet

Created by George W. Trendle

The Green Hornet was initially created by George W. By day, the hero is Britt Reed, a rich guy and the owner of the Daily Sentinel, a prestigious newspaper. Together with his sidekick, Kato, he focuses on organized crime, corruption and deadly conspiracies. Debuting just three years before Batman, the character’s obvious overlap with the Caped Crusader was abundantly obvious. when the pair shared the small screen during the crossover of their respective 1966 live action shows.

The Green Hornet was effectively a modernized amalgamation of the Lone Ranger (to whom he is related) and Zorro, and his status as a wealthy business owner alter ego is pure Bruce Wayne. The most obvious effect the character had on Batman was that of Robin, clearly borrowing the idea that the hero should be aided by a younger sidekick. In addition, he is one of the heroes most likely responsible for the nocturnal lifestyle of the Dark Knight, something that was not the norm in vigilante comics until the late 30s.

4

Doc wild

Created by Henry W. Ralston, Lester Dent and John L. Nanovic

When it comes to well-known superheroes, it’s hard to avoid Doc Savage’s influence, either on the characters or the genre itself. Created for his own ‘gentleman’s magazine’ in 1933, the hero was a source of action and adventure, typically accompanied by his companions, the Fabulous Five, as he traveled the world. Typically, some of the more outlandish threats in his stories would be revealed as a grounded explanation, one that would highlight the hero’s skills as a detective – something key to Bruce Wayne.

Although Doc Savage’s most obvious influence can be found in Superman, the hero himself is basically Bruce WayneFrom his detective skills to his almost perfect body. Both heroes serve as their universe’s idea of ​​the pinnacle of what a person can be, in mind, body and spirit. The key difference is that, where Savage was basically shaped into the man he is by scientists, Batman got there by his will, seeking teachers after the death of his parents. When it comes to the Caped Crusader’s scientific prowess and keen investigative skills, it’s pure savagery.

3

Zorro

Created by Johnson McCulley

Zorro, also known as Don Diego de la Vega, is the champion of the oppressed in the Old West, especially California. The character would typically fight corrupt authorities, exploitative land barons and ruthless industrialists, ensuring the people had a defense against tyranny. Disguised by his mask and all-black costume, his expertise with a sword is unmatched. The character has since inspired a variety of characters, the most obvious being the Dread Pirate Roberts in The Princess Bride – however, the core elements of his formula have also entered Batman.

Zorro was among the first heroes of the pulp fiction era, and stands out as one of the earliest protagonists to have a distinct alter ego, something borrowed from The Scarlet Pimpernel. In order to avoid suspicion, he would defend incompetence or lunacy, ensuring no one would associate him with the master sword fighter. While this has a more obvious effect on the Superman/Clark Kent distinction, it’s also something that Bruce Wayne adopted as a way to avoid suspicion himself.

2

The Phantom

Created by Lee Falk

Created by Lee Falk as a newspaper strip, the Phantom is the guardian of the fictional African nation of Bengal. Passed between father and son, the most famous version of the character is Keith Walker, the twenty-first person to wear the mantle. Driven by duty and responsibility, the Ghost That Walks is a character without powers, instead relying on physical prowess, intelligence, and combat training to maintain the upper hand.

The Phantom holds a special place in comic book history as the first classic costumed hero. Although Zorro used a mask and cape to put on an early “costume,” the hero’s purple suit firmly established the idea that a costume should be more than just a mask. In the decade since, far more superheroes resemble Falk’s protagonist than the likes of Doc Savage, and Batman was among the first to do so.

1

The shadow

Created by Walter B. Gibson

Of every pulp hero of the 1930s, Batman is most closely tied to Walter Gibson’s shadow for one main reason. When Bob Kane and Bill Finger created the Dark Knight in Detective Comics #27, they almost directly plagiarized a story from a shadow magazine, with Kane even tracing some scenes of the story. Both stories follow a similar plot, and it is almost impossible to see the similarities of the characters once known to Lamont Cranston. Both men are wealthy bachelors who wear a black costume to fight crime, and both maintain an extended network of allies, even if their relationship is different.

While not every element of Shadow’s story made its way to Gotham, the basic premise behind Batman was clearly taken from Shadow’s success. In fact, when it comes to the pulp fiction genre, it’s hard to find a character that isn’t in some way inspired by or created to compete with Gibson’s iconic vigilante. Just as all cosmic superheroes today take their cues from Superman, Almost all of the crime-fighting vigilantes of the 1940s took their turn from the shadows—including Batman..