1976 and 2016.
The Dark Knight has been the hero I've needed throughout my life
(Originally published on Thrive Global)
Wikipedia describes my favorite (favourite in Canada) fictional character this way:
Batman is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger,[1][2] (Bolded Bill Finger on purpose) and first appeared in Detective Comics #27, in 1939. Originally named the "Bat-Man", the character is also referred to by such epithets as the Caped Crusader, the Dark Knight, and the World's Greatest Detective.
My first memory of Batman is the 1960s TV show, which thankfully Channel 20 in Detroit showed when I was a little kid. I've seen every episode 10x over, and had all of the Mego figures growing up (Thanks Mom & Dad!)
I collected the comic books, owned the Batcave. Had every version of the Batmobile, watched every movie (including the one with George Clooney, which sobered me up after having a liquid lunch prior to watching it.)
My brain is wired to notice the Bat logo almost immediately. I was at a autumn harvest this weekend, and in the country store that sold a variety of fall items, there was a wall of decorations, hooks, etc, and I immediately noticed one that said Batcave on it, with the Bat Logo as the background.
When asked why I love the character so much, it takes me time to explain because quite simply, Batman has been a part of my entire life, so I would say that Batman is a part of me.
Batman is one of the fictional characters that is relatable, because he is human. His powers were in his brain, and not created by a spider bite, or coming to Earth from Krypton. Yes, the comic version seems as if he is abnormally muscular, but that body is achievable.
Batman is one of those characters that you love, but also feel sorry for, because he doesn't seem to be able to be at peace. He lost his parents, and he carries that loss with him. The character never gets over that loss, which haunts him.
Losses are inevitable. My 369 Days taught me all about losses, and even after experiencing my year of worst-case scenarios, I recovered from those losses, forgave those that had a part in those losses (including forgiving myself, which was crucial in my recovery), and now I live a better life.
In a weird sort of way, I wish Batman would forgive those that took his parents' lives. We'd lose Batman, but Bruce Wayne would get back himself.
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