Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane

Bob Kane

Bob Kane was an American comic book artist and writer, credited as the creator of the DC Comics superhero Batman...

 and writer Bill Finger

Bill Finger

William "Bill" Finger was an American comic strip and comic book writer best known as the uncredited co-creator, with Bob Kane, of the DC Comics character Batman, as well as the co-architect of the series' development...

. A comic book superhero

Superhero

A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...

, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics

Detective Comics

Detective Comics is an American comic book series published monthly by DC Comics since 1937, best known for introducing the iconic superhero Batman in Detective Comics #27 . It is, along with Action Comics, the book that launched with the debut of Superman, one of the medium's signature series, and...

#27 (May 1939), and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics

DC Comics

DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...

. Originally referred to as "The Bat-Man" and still referred to at times as "The Batman", he is additionally known as "The Caped Crusader", "The Dark Knight", and the "World's Greatest Detective," among other titles.

In the original version of the story and the vast majority of retellings, Batman's secret identity

Secret identity

A secret identity is an element of fiction wherein a character develops a separate persona , while keeping their true identity hidden. The character also may wear a disguise...

 is Bruce Wayne, an American millionaire (later billionaire) playboy, industrialist, and philanthropist.