The phenomenon of superhero comics is one of the most ambitious and distinctive branches in the American cultural sphere. Batman comics are one of the monoliths of American comic book culture and represent a whole kaleidoscope of topics that could be viewed from different perspectives. In its more than 80 years of existence, the Batman franchise has grown in countless issues, spin-offs, animated and fictional films, and all sorts of other media. It seems logical to say that Batman, with such a rich and varied history, is a kind of mirror of the 20th century’s American culture.
Looking at the concept of culture, one can make some theoretical observations about how mass media phenomena like comics can play an important role in it, moreover, they are a direct reflection of reality. Culture as a term is associated with the Latin words meaning “to preserve” and “to worship” and includes three types of development: artistic, spiritual and intellectual (Keywords for American Cultural Studies). Batman comics are a fresh and original art form, while also providing a new and cost-effective means of conveying information. On the spiritual side of cultural development, the relationship between Batman’s hero and the rise and fall of the American collective spirit throughout the 20th century should be considered.
The appearance of Batman as a specific character is already due to the special situation in American culture. The birth of a grim hero who terrifies the underworld of the fictional city of Gotham is largely due to the deplorable state of morale in American society in the 1930s. The Batman comic series can be perceived as a kind of aggressive reaction to the horror of uncertainty and economic decline during the Great Depression. The Dark Knight lived up to his dark times and was originally planned as a character who would give criminals the most brutal rebuff. But over the years and storylines, going through various, even campy iterations, Batman has evolved into a character with not only a clear moral code but also the ability to sharply reflect.
“Batman: Year One” is especially noteworthy in terms of revealing Batman as a deep and controversial character. Created by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli, this 4-issue comic focuses on Bruce Wayne as a person who has a hard time becoming and staying a crime fighter. Batman’s philosophy is based on a terrifying tragedy – the death of his parents, and a global disillusionment with the concept of goodness in this world. In the first issue of the comic, Wayne, who has not yet become Batman, tries to beat a pimp on the street, but receives a severe rebuff and a gunshot wound (Miller and Mazzucchelli 11). The idea of something more than just a person, something frightening and formidable, capable of influencing already deeply deprived people, gives birth to Batman. Miller shows that a superhero cannot appear as a simple reaction to time – he can only take on heroism as a heavy burden. In “Year One,” Batman’s entire heroic journey revolves around Bruce Wayne’s profound tragedy as a person.
From an aesthetic point of view, dark, gothic tones are clearly expressed in this comic. In particular, the scene of the appearance of the bat and the birth of the idea of Batman echoes the tradition of horror literature and recalls the work of Edgar Poe. The very reality of the city of Gotham follows the tradition of film noir, detective thrillers about the depressive and dangerous America of the 40s, full of femme fatale and stylishly dressed thugs. This is how the Batman comics reveal their close connection with other phenomena of purely American art.
It would also be interesting to note the parallels built-in Batman Year One between the tortured superhero and Police Lieutenant Jim Gordon, who plays an important role in the comic. Frank Miller arranges the sequence of events in the comic in such a way that Gordon faces similar adversity and disappointment as Bruce Wayne. At the same time, synchronizing the positions of Gordon and Wayne, Miller criticizes the state of American society in the 80s. This was even more noticeable in his previous highly social comic The Dark Knight Rises, which prompted DC to commission him for the Batman origin story (Cortiel and Oehme, “The Dark Knight’s Dystopian Vision”). From the very arrival of both characters in Gotham, it becomes obvious that the lives of these two heroes are connected long before they have to meet. Jim Gordon experiences similar suffering to Wayne when he realizes that he is in the company of corrupt police officers, which subsequently puts even his young son at risk. Being on opposite sides of the law, they embody the desire for real revenge and justice. At the same time, they are constantly worried about whether they have the right to perform it in a world where nothing is sacred.
The legend of Bruce Wayne continues to grow in additions and details, and there is clearly an academic interest in it. Recent studies analyze the protagonist from the point of view of psychoanalysis and even find Freudian motives in the hero’s actions (Jeong et al., “Batman, Trauma and the Self”). However, it is safe to say that, first of all, Batman is a social phenomenon, giving an idea of the complexity of defining real justice in times of hypocrisy and crisis.
Works Cited
Cortiel, Jeanne and Oehme, Laura. “The Dark Knight’s Dystopian Vision: Batman, Risk, and American National Identity”. European Journal of American Studies 10(2), 2015.
“Culture.” Keywords for American Cultural Studies. 2nd ed. NYU Press, 2014.
Jeong, Jae Yoon et al. “Batman, Trauma and the Self: The Hidden Narcissism Caused by Severe Trauma”. Korean Association of Psychoanalysis, 2020. Web.
Miller, Frank and Mazzucchelli, David. Batman: Year One. DC Comics, 2007.