The ultimate guide to the man behind the mask . . . and the mythology
behind the man.
"Criminals are a superstitious, cowardly lot. So my disguise must be
able to strike terror into their hearts. I must be a creature of the
night, black, terrible. . . . I shall become a bat!" So declared
millionaire industrialist Bruce Wayne, orphaned as a boy by a murderous
thug and driven as a man to battle the scourge of crime by becoming
Batman. Batman swooped into popular culture in 1939-and for nearly
seventy years has thrilled audiences in countless comics, live-action
and animated television programs, and seven feature films. Prowling the
darkened rooftops of Gotham City, roaring through the teeming streets in
the sleek, high-powered Batmobile, and leaping into action when the
iconic Bat-Signal pierces the night sky, the Caped Crusader is a
larger-than-life legend. And now, for the first time in more than thirty
years, everything there is to know about Batman-from the beginning to
the present, and from A to Z-is collected in one comprehensive new
sourcebook. More than 500 pages of entries and illustrations include:
- fascinating details and the complete background on Batman's origins
- biographies of every major character in the Batman universe-including
his closest allies, from Robin the Boy Wonder and faithful butler Alfred
Pennyworth to Commissioner Gordon; and his countless enemies, from the
Joker, Penguin, Catwoman, and the Riddler to Scarecrow, Two-Face, Ra's
al Ghul and Poison Ivy
- classic black-and-white comic book artwork throughout
- two sixteen-page full-color artwork inserts
Even an all-access pass to the Batcave couldn't rival former DC Comics
editor and Batman scholar extraordinaire Robert Greenberger's exhaustive
ultimate archive. The Essential Batman Encyclopedia is a must for every
Batman fan's bookshelf.
BATMAN, the DC Logo, and all related names, characters and elements are
trademarks of DC Comics (c) 2008. All rights reserved.
