After deducing Batman's secret identity and invading the sanctity of Wayne Manor and the Batcave, Bane not only defeated Batman, but broke his back, leaving him crippled and wheelchair-bound. Helpless, Bruce Wayne left his costume and crime-fighting duties to Jean Paul Valley and set out on an arduous quest to regain his strength and will to fight. Eventually, after much rehabilitation and training with the beautiful but deadly Lady Shiva, Wayne returned to Gotham to reclaim the mantle of the Dark Knight.

As a child, Bruce Wayne witnessed the gruesome murder of his parents, Thomas and Martha Wayne.

Although he worked with Bill Finger on the original comics, Bob Kane is generally credited with creating the character of Batman. He was a twenty-two year old comic book artist when he was charged with the task of creating another superhero in the mold of the DC phenomenon, Superman. According to Kane, the original concept for Batman came from three sources: a Leonardo da Vinci sketch of a man trying to fly with bat-like wings, a 1930s movie titled The Bat whisperer, and the masked heroes Zorro and The Shadow. Batman made his first appearance in Detective Comics #27 (May, 1939).

Scientist Kirk Langstrom was employed as a Zoologist at the Gotham City Zoo where he experimented with bat mutigene to create a serum to replicate the creatures' long life. After testing the serum on himself, Langstrom was transformed into the vicious ManBat.

Bob Kane introduced Batman's young sidekick, Robin the Boy Wonder, in 1940 to give Batman someone to talk to. Robin made his first appearance in Detective Comics #38 (April, 1940).

Bat-Mite, a magical Kobold from another dimension, made his first appearance in Detective Comics #267 when he makes a chaotic attempt to aid Batman in his fight against crime.

The original Batgirl (first introduced in Batman #139) was Betty Kane, the niece of Batwoman (Kathy Kane). A later version of Batgirl (Barbara Gordon) was the daughter of police Commissioner James Gordon.

Catwoman made her first appearance in Batman #1 (Spring, 1940). The Penguin (1941), The Riddler (1948), and Mr. Freeze (1959) were all introduced later.

Although Alfred's family name has since been changed to the more dignified-sounding "Pennyworth", when he made his first appearance in Batman #16 (April/May, 1943), his name was Alfred Beagle.

Ace the Bat-Hound made his first appearance in Batman #92 (June, 1955). Ace was a German Shepherd found by Batman and Robin after his master was kidnapped by a gang of counterfeiters. The character was inspired by the success of Superman's pet dog Krypto in Adventure Comics.