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.
Batman in film
The fictional superhero Batman, who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics, has appeared in various films since his inception. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, the character first starred in two serial films in the 1940s: "Batman" and "Batman and Robin". The character also appeared in the 1966 film "Batman", which was a feature film adaptation of the 1960s "Batman" TV series starring Adam West and Burt Ward, who also starred in the film. Toward the end of the 1980s, the Warner Bros. studio began producing a series of feature films starring Batman, beginning with the 1989 film "Batman", directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton. Burton and Keaton returned for the 1992 sequel "Batman Returns", and in 1995, Joel Schumacher directed "Batman Forever" with Val Kilmer as Batman. Schumacher also directed the 1997 sequel "Batman & Robin", which starred George Clooney. "Batman & Robin" was poorly received by both critics and fans, leading to the cancellation of "Batman Unchained".