Victoria M. Horace Greeley High School

Golden Age of Golden Age of Batman Batman

(1939-1956):(1939-1956):

AA Reflection of Reflection of American SocietyAmerican Society

Golden Age of Golden Age of Batman Batman

(1939-1956):(1939-1956):

AA Reflection of Reflection of American SocietyAmerican Society

What does the What does the evolution of “Batman” evolution of “Batman” reveal about American reveal about American

society?society?

What does the What does the evolution of “Batman” evolution of “Batman” reveal about American reveal about American

society?society?

Inspirations for BatmanInspirations for BatmanInspirations for BatmanInspirations for Batman

Scarlet Pimpernel – one of the first masked vigilantes

The Scarlet Pimpernel was an anonymous hero who rescued aristocrats from the guillotine during the French revolution

The Mask of Zorro (1920)Fairbanks played wealthy Diego and his masked alter ego, ZorroZorro had a secret cave behind a grandfather clock in Diego’s living room

Leonardo da VinciKane claims to have developed aspects of Batman’s costume from da Vinci’s sketches of a flying machine

Leonardo da Vinci's Flying Machine- ca. 1485

Douglas Fairbanks in the Mask of Zorro (1920)

The Great DepressionThe Great DepressionThe Great DepressionThe Great Depression

The depression, which caused feelings of hopelessness and despair, lead many American to turn to fictional super heroes as a sign of hopeBatman’s dark persona is a reflection of the gloomy outlook of American society at this time During the Depression most people didn’t have money to spare on entertainment

However, at just 10 cents an issue, comic books were an affordable medium of entertainment

Gotham CityGotham CityGotham CityGotham CityThe name “Gotham City” was first used in Detective Comics #48 in February, 1941It is the universal city, it represents all modern cities

It is modeled after such cities as Chicago, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Pittsburg

Batman editor Danny O’Neil describes Gotham as “New York below Fourteenth Street after eleven o’clock at night”

A reflection of the crime and grittiness of the Depression Era

Batman: Batman: The Ultimate The Ultimate Example of Good Work Example of Good Work

EthicsEthics

Batman: Batman: The Ultimate The Ultimate Example of Good Work Example of Good Work

EthicsEthicsBatman is a super hero without any super powers

He relies upon intense training, discipline, his arsenal of “toys”, and intellect to fight crime

Represents American work ethicTheoretically any individual has the ability to become like Batman through hard work and dedication

The belief, embodied by Batman, that hard work brings about success and greatness gave many Americans hope during a time when unemployment levels reached about 25%

Gangsters and VillainsGangsters and VillainsGangsters and VillainsGangsters and Villains

Batman originated at the end of the “Gangster Era”, a period form the late 1920s to the early 1930s in which the United States experienced a period of widespread lawlessness

This period saw the rise of such notorious mobsters as: Al Capone, “Baby Face” Nelson, George "Machine Gun" Kelly, John Dillinger, and "Pretty Boy" Floyd

Due to the influence of the “Gangster Era”, many of Batman’s earliest enemies are more realistic criminals, such as petty thieves and mobsters

“Baby Face” Nelson

John Dillinger

Original Moral CodeOriginal Moral Code Original Moral CodeOriginal Moral Code “Batman was written originally in the style of the pulps” When first introduced, Batman wore a holster and gun under his cape and didn’t show any remorse for causing death

When the criminal falls into an acid tank at the end Detective Comics #27 Batman declares it “A fitting end for his kind.”In Detective Comics #29, Batman threatens some criminals “Tell me! Or I’ll kill You”In Batman #1, Batman exclaims, “Much as I hate to take human life, I’m afraid this time it’s necessary!” before using the Batplane’s machine gun to kill the criminals

Changing Moral CodeChanging Moral CodeChanging Moral CodeChanging Moral CodeBy the end of 1941, Batman moral credence had gone through a drastic transformation

In Batman #4 Batman tells Robin, “we never kill with weapons of any kind!” and there’s a caption which states “The Batman never carries or kills with a gun.

These changes in Batman were due to audience response and the changing political climate in the world

Letters were written by concerned mothers who were afraid that having their children exposed to such gory material would have a negative impact on them.There were also fears that Batman would be seen as a violent, authoritarian figure like Hitler

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