One of the most iconic characters in all of the “superhero” universes, whether that be DC or Marvel is the dark, imposing figure known as Batman. With his trusty, yet seemingly endless stream of sidekicks, who all want to call themselves after the person who died before them, and his inexhaustible wealth (even though he never works a day in his life), he takes bad guys by surprise, forcing them to surrender with his awesome supergadgets and guns. The 1939 May issue of Detective Comics featured an inspiring new hero. His tragic past and chiseled features made him, not instantly popular, but intriguing and left readers wanting more. He was dark for his time, both physically and emotionally, as compared to Superman who was made around the same time as him. His relationships were shorter than Jr-Sr afterparty dresses, mostly because they died fairly easily (red flag, that), and his actions were based off a sense of revenge, not duty to the human race. As a person, he’s kind of a psychopath, who’s got an over-developed sense of vengeance but as a superhero, it kind of works. Despite all that broodiness, people kept coming back and turning the page. There was something magnetic about the normal-ish man who had no superpowers and yet defending his city with just brains, brawn, and billions. To be fair, it was mostly the billions, but who cares, because spectacle sells, and Batman delivers it in spades. He’s the perfect blend of mystery, melodrama, and vulnerability, wrapped in a cape that somehow never gets caught in doors. For all his questionable coping mechanisms and morally gray choices, he’s become a symbol people latch onto—a reminder that even the most flawed person can still choose to fight for something bigger than themselves. And maybe that’s why he’s lasted this long: not because he’s the strongest or the nicest, but because he’s the most stubbornly human.