On Saturday, September 16, Batman Day was celebrated around the world! How did it go?
LONG LIVE THE BAT!
Once again this year, Batman Day was a big one in comics shops around the globe and with comics fans of all shapes and sizes!
Here’s part of the DC news release about that celebration:
“On September 16, fans around the world will gather for Batman Day, celebrating their love of DC’s hallmark Super Hero, one of the most enduring characters in popular culture. To commemorate this annual tradition, DC and Warner Bros. Discovery are preparing an incredible selection of content and activities to make Batman Day 2023 an incredible experience worldwide!”
If you didn’t make it to your local comics shop to get free Batman comics, you should check with them to see if they have any copies left! Here’s a list of the books that were available: Batman/Catwoman: The Gotham War: Prelude Batman Day Special Edition #1, Batman & The Joker: The Deadly Duo #1 Batman Day Special Edition, and Batman #608: Batman Day Special Edition. Stores also sold the Batman ’89 Hardcover Collection and Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham #1.
On Saturday, the Max streaming service showed Matt Reaves’ The Batman, the films by Tim Burton, Batman and Batman Returns; Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy–Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises; Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and more. TNT also hosted a Batman Day Movie Marathon while TBS ran a The Big Bang Theory Batman Day Marathon featuring fan-favorite Batman-themed episodes of that popular sitcom.
And all that was only the tip of the Iceberg Lounge!
YOU CAN STILL CELEBRATE
Real life can get in the way of comics, so if you didn’t get to join the fun on Saturday, there are still ways to celebrate!
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Remastered in 4K Ultra HD is now available for purchase from Warner Bros Discovery Home Entertainment, celebrating the 30th anniversary of one of the most celebrated films in Batman’s cinematic history with the release of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, now remastered in 4K Ultra HD for the first time. This new version will also include an all-new featurette, Kevin Conroy, I Am the Knight, celebrating the legacy of actor Kevin Conroy, who voiced Batman for 30 years in film, television, video games, and more.
You can fight crime with the 12-inch Batman Adventures figure that transforms into an armored-up Batman so he can complete his missions. With 12 pieces of armor, accessories, and 17 points of articulation, Batman is geared up to fight crime in Gotham City. Perform wild and unstoppable stunts indoors with the Stunt Force Batmobile RC! This new Batman RC can conquer any indoor obstacle, featuring soft tires that ensure a safe ride and a turbo boost button that takes the action to the next level.
Throughout September, the DC Shop offers a collection of exclusive collectibles for the ultimate Batman fan! An impressive, 1:8 scale, handcrafted sculpture, the Batman Classic TV Series Light Up Masterpiece Sculpture features the Dynamic Duo posed heroically atop the Gotham City Police Department, answering the illuminated Bat-Signal. The poses, facial expressions, composition, and costuming—including genuine fabric and satiny-finish capes—magnificently evoke the heroic and laser-focused diligence of TV’s most beloved crime-fighters.
Amazon is celebrating Batman Day 2023 with a full month of exciting offerings that included a shoppable Amazon Live event featuring comic book creator Todd McFarlane. Customers can still shop the Amazon Batman store for featured deals on over 700 items running throughout the month, including exclusive Batman Day 2023 apparel for adults and kids from Merch on Demand, Amazon’s print-on-demand service, as well as comic books, DVDs, toys, and collectibles from DC Publishing, LEGO, Mattel, Spin Master, Funko, Bandai, Trevco, Hallmark, and more. To learn more, visit amazon.com/batman.
Again, that’s only a small number of the ways to celebrate the Dark Knight! For more, you can go to this link at dc.com!
AROUND THE WORLD
One of the things that always impresses me is how global Batman Day has become!
For instance, in Berlin, Batman teamed up with Nightwing. In London, he was working with the Joker, of all people, for Batman Unmasked, an immersive pop-up dedicated to the Deadly Duo! Then in Madrid, Catwoman joined the Dark Knight. Mexico City saw Wonder Woman teaming up with Batman. Paris featured Superman teaming up with Batman! In Japan, there was a Batman Day Fair!
I’m sure you can still purchase Batman Day t-shirts in the WB shop online. You can start or add to a Bat Cowl Collection from Palm NFT Studio as well!
And there are many new Bat-items coming! My favorite is an all-ages adventure called Young Alfred: Pain in the Butler. The book takes us across the years to tell two enchanting stories of past and present Pennyworth. Before Alfred raised young Bruce Wayne, he was a boy himself who made the long journey to Gotham City to study how to be the best butler he can be. This book is a reminder that heroes, even fictional ones, can still fail. They’re people just like us who repeatedly mess up, learn and grow in order to reach their full potential.
MOVING FORWARD
One of the things I enjoyed about Scott Snyder’s time on Batman was that he upgraded the Dark Knight’s technological devices. For instance, he had gloves that he could touch blood with to discover facts about it, like blood type. I want to see more of that!
I have also often said I am conflicted about Batman and Catwoman getting hitched. Granted, I’d love to see Bruce in a different living situation (just as I have enjoyed seeing Superman’s marriage). On the other hand, I’m not certain that Batman can accept Selina’s off-again, on-again “heroic” status. I have a feeling it will still take place. We’ll see.
Still, I hope you enjoyed Batman Day and will look forward to its return in 2024! Can’t wait!
What do you think? Does Batman Day help or hurt DC? What would you like to see happen with the Dark Knight in the years ahead? Did you get to celebrate the Dark Knight on his day? Whatever your opinions, be sure to share them in the space below!
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Wayne Hall creates the Wayne's Comics Podcast. He’s interviewed Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, John Layman, Kyle Higgins, Phil Hester, Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray, David Petersen, Christos Gage, Mike Grell, and Matt Kindt. On this site each week, he writes his "Comics Portal" column (general comics comments and previews) and reviews comics.