COMICS PORTAL: Long Live the Bat in 2024!

Batman Day 2024 is coming! Be sure to check out the celebration in your local comics shop on Saturday, September 21!

Batman Day is celebrated on the third Saturday of September each year. On Batman Day this year, they’re recognizing 85 years with the Bat, so there are a couple of interesting comics coming out, and it all goes back to where it first began with a reprint of Detective Comics #27.

The issue includes not only the lead story by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, but all the ads and back-up features. Fans can celebrate Batman’s 85th anniversary with the very first appearance of the Bat-Man in the story “The Case of the Criminal Syndicate!” This issue also features the first appearances of Commissioner Gordon and the revelation of the Bat-Man’s secret identity as Bruce Wayne.

Here’s a few facts to remember:

— DC published the Detective Comics #27 Facsimile Edition in 2022, at $6.99, with retailer variants, including foil and sketch editions. This time around, DC is publishing foil and sketch editions itself. The main cover will be $7.99, the sketch $8.99, the foil $9.99.

— In 2022, the book was $6.99 with the UPC on the front (as seen above). DC has since moved the UPCs to the back for Facsimile Editions. Not sure what will happen here but I’m rooting for the back, obviously.

Another fan favorite will return to the stands, and that is the Batman/Elmer Fudd Special #1! If you missed it the first time around, be sure to pick it up this time! It’s described as “a surprisingly emotionally charged story of Elmer Fudd and Batman that must be seen to be believed.” If you have read it before, DC is also releasing a Noir edition on the same day.

Also out on Batman Day 2024 is the “zero issue” of Batman: The Long Halloween. This is to prepare us for the final chapter in Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale’s Batman saga which will debut later this month minus Sale, who passed away a few years back (though he will be represented through covers for the issues of this series). Eduardo Risso joins on art for issue one.

In previous years, DC let everyone know how global this celebration of the Bat is. Apparently not this year! That doesn’t mean the Dark Knight isn’t getting his party on around the world. We just haven’t heard much about the festivities from DC… so far! You can always follow @batman and visit www.dc.com/batman to stay up to date on more activations and celebrations of Batman’s 85th anniversary taking place around the world this year.

Instead, DC is focusing a lot this year on the upcoming Absolute Batman #1, which will feature the return of Scott Snyder to the Dark Knight. It won’t be here until October, but a LOT of the online discussion is focusing on this coming comic, and that includes even the Bat-symbol on his chest! As Mr. Snyder has said, every time someone criticizes it, it grows another 10 percent! I for one am looking forward to a different take on Batman by the new Bat-team!

The year of 2024 has been a significant one for Batman. One of the biggest accomplishments has been the animated series Batman: Caped Crusader, which has already been renewed for a second season. There have been some, shall we say interesting, changes in Batman’s lore, including The Penguin being a female (Bruce Timm said there were not enough female foes for the Dark Knight), Commissioner and Barbara Gordon being people of color, and many returns to more of the 1940s tales fans have seen, including Clayface and even the Joker being more as they had originally been portrayed.

Not everyone has been happy with these changes, but it seems to me that most creative people don’t want to do things exactly as they have done before, so I’m okay with it. As long as the stories and storytelling are both good, I’m there!

The Penguin’s MAX debut is taking place later this month, scheduled for Thursday, September 19, at 9 p.m. EDT. I wasn’t a huge fan of The Batman or that film’s take on the character, but maybe more fleshing out of him might make me be more interested in him. (Weird to think that he’s a she on the animated show!)

Batman’s self-named comic is doing very well, it seems, and many of the related Bat-books sure look like they are successes for DC. Hey, they certainly make enough of them!

The hero’s involvement in “Absolute Power” and the “All In” event seems to make him a linchpin in DC for years to come. Maybe they might develop his relationship with Selina Kyle some just to do something different for a while!

Of course, there have been many heroic characters in fiction who haven’t had the success that Batman has. But the “Big Bat Guy” has certainly paved the way for many other superheroes.

I think it’s his relatability that has helped the Dark Knight be such a hit with fans and others. We can understand his desire to prevent others from going through what he has endured. He also has made the best of his opportunities, so that he is a strong leader and someone who accomplishes much of what he sets out to do.

I continue to be amazed at his ability to be translated and redefined by many creators yet still retains the core of who he is. His appearance and his abilities rarely remain the same over time, but his appeal continues to grow. Personally, I’m anxious to see how the “absolute” version of Batman compares to the “regular” version as we move into the future of the Bat.

What do you think? What about Batman makes him so appealing? Will he continue to be this popular over the next 85 years? Do you think this “absolute” version of the character will catch on? Whatever your opinion, feel free to share it in the space below!

---

Dear Spoilerite,

At Major Spoilers, we strive to create original content that you find interesting and entertaining. Producing, writing, recording, editing, and researching requires significant resources. We pay writers, podcast hosts, and other staff members who work tirelessly to provide you with insights into the comic book, gaming, and pop culture industries. Help us keep MajorSpoilers.com strong. Become a Patron (and our superhero) today.