DC Comic's Batman turns 75 this year, and to celebrate the milestone Warner Bros. Entertainment and DC Entertainment are throwing a year's worth of festivities fit for a superhero beginning on Thursday.
The highlight of the celebrations is the unveiling of a new 75th Anniversary Batman logo in stark black and white, with "75 Years of Batman" emblazoned below the graphic image.
Inspired by the famous Bat Signal that is flashed across skies to call the Caped Crusader, the logo with block style lettering is being launched across social media.
Along with the logo, a "Cape/Cowl/Create" art exhibit features contemporary artists giving their own twist on Batman's iconic cowl headpiece and cape from the upcoming Batman: Arkham Knight videogame.
Since his first incarnation on March 30, 1939, in the comic book Detective Comics #27, the Caped Crusader has become a cultural icon in print, television, film, in toy stores and video games.
"Batman is an incredibly important property with multi-generational appeal across all of the Studio's businesses, and we're proud to celebrate this milestone anniversary," said Kevin Tsujihara, chief executive officer, Warner Bros. Entertainment, in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
Originally known as The Bat-Man, the character was created by Bob Kane, then 22, with Bill Finger, scripting the story. Just a year after he first appeared in the Detective Comics #27, he got his own entire book titled Batman #1, where he battled now infamous nemesis, The Joker and Catwoman
"Batman is one of the greatest characters ever created, in comics or elsewhere, and even after 75 years he continues to wildly fascinate fans. He is an integral part of pop culture and has successfully captured the imagination of the entire world," Diane Nelson, president of DC Entertainment, president and chief content officer, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, went on to say.
"The origin of Batman, Bruce Wayne and the famous citizens of Gotham are legendary and likely a story you know inside out, even if you've never picked up a comic book in your life, and that speaks volumes to the character's immense popularity and the constructs of the original mythology."
Other milestones for the Dark Knight this year include "Batman Day" on July 23; new Batman titles from DC Entertainment and a new weekly series Batman Eternal launching April 9; new releases from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment including the Batman ’66 TV series for the first time; two new Batman animated shorts; and Fox's upcoming series Gotham, centered around a young James Gordon (known later as Commissioner Gordon).
Also in 2014, Warner Bros. Pictures will begin production of Zack Snyder's untitled Superman/Batman film starring Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck.
