Batman
The first Batman story, "The Case of the Chemical Syndicate", was published in "Detective Comics" #27 (May 1939). Finger said, "Batman was originally written in the style of the pulps", and this influence was evident with Batman showing little remorse over killing or maiming criminals. Batman proved a hit character, and he received his own solo title in 1940 while continuing to star in "Detective Comics". By that time, Detective Comics was the top-selling and most influential publisher in the industry; Batman and the company's other major hero, Superman, were the cornerstones of the company's success. The two characters were featured side-by-side as the stars of "World's Finest Comics", which was originally titled "World's Best Comics" when it debuted in fall 1940. Creators including Jerry Robinson and Dick Sprang also worked on the strips during this period.
John Wagner
Wagner and Grant became part of the so-called "British Invasion" of American comics during the 1980s. In 1987 their first title, a mini-series called "Outcasts", was published by DC Comics with Cam Kennedy as artist. "Outcasts" was well received, though it never sold in great quantities, and this success led to the pair writing Batman in the pages of "Detective Comics" from issue 583, largely with Norm Breyfogle on art duties. Grant and Wagner introduced the Ventriloquist in their first Batman story and the Ratcatcher in their third. The pair also created the bleak nuclear dystopia "The Last American" for Epic Comics with longtime Dredd artist Mike McMahon. Arguments over the direction of that title and the ending of the Judge Dredd story "Oz" led to the end of their writing partnership and they split their work between them: Wagner kept "Judge Dredd", while Grant continued "Strontium Dog" and "Anderson, Psi Division" and became the sole writer of "Detective Comics". Although the two continue to collaborate from time to time, they have never resumed a full-time partnership.