Of the many days of celebration around the world, few are as distinctive as National Batman Day. A day in which a fictional, comic book hero known the world over now gets an annual day to shine. For many, this day is long overdue and provides a way to celebrate the fictional exploits of the caped crusader among friends and family.
What date is National Batman Day in 2023?
The day will be celebrated this year on September 16th. Over the past few years, this day has been in September and that tradition will continue for the many fans who have participated in this annual event.
What is Batman Day and Why is it Observed?
The traditional Batman Day, which will be held on Saturday, September 16th of this year, was created to celebrate the exploits and popularity of the caped crusader. Batman has been one of the most iconic characters in comic books for 80 years. His presence in the comics, television, and on the big screen has been considerable. The fan base for Batman ranks in the tens of millions who buy the comics, watch the shows, and purchase the merchandise.
Batman Day is observed to help those who want to have their love for Batman known around the world. This means that it is a special event in which children of all ages can gather and celebrate the exploits of the caped crusader and his sidekick, Robin. So potent is the popularity of Batman that it created its own day to celebrate.
Sep 16th will be the day for Batman fans to put on a cape and cowl, read their favorite Batman comics, and gather together in celebration of their comic book hero.
History
No one is really sure when the first Batman Day was held. As with many events, celebrations both supported by DC and created on their own by fans have been held around the world for years. While Halloween is a popular time to dress up as Batman, it was only a few years ago that the day began to take on greater meaning in the US, Europe, and everywhere else that Batman is popular.
Arguably the celebrations for the 75th anniversary of Batman fueled the increase in his popularity and helped gain more notoriety for the many events both large and small that were being held in different parts of the US. After the 75th anniversary, which was held in 2014, was over, more people began noticing and participating in Batman Days in their communities.
Over the past couple of years, it is held in September. Because the rise of Batman Day can be attributed to several events, there is no singular source for this day to occur. However, with interest continuing the rise, Batman Day has taken a life of its own. This is particularly true in this day and age of the internet when announcing such events are easier than ever.
The origin of the 80th Anniversary celebration held by DC on March 30th comes from the company itself. Over the years, DC has held celebrations for their more popular characters, such as Superman and Wonder Woman. Batman has been no exception in this regard. Plus, the character may be more relatable in that he has no super powers and uses his bravery and athleticism to catch the criminals. Even if he is aided by his status as Bruce Wayne, billionaire.
Origin
The origin of Batman can be traced to Bob Kane, who came up with the caped crusader for an issue of Detective Comics back in 1939. Partly inspired by the recent release of Superman in Action Comics which garnered considerable attention,
Kane, at the age of 23, remembered the exploits of Douglas Fairbanks in his silent screen classic “The Mask of Zorro”. From that, he created a similar character who dressed in a suit complete with a cowl and wings under his arms. The wings soon became a cape and the familiar look of Batman as we see today.
Celebration
The celebrations around the US for Batman Day on March 30th will start with the release of the book, “Detective Comics: 80 Years of Batman the Deluxe Edition. This work will gather together the early comics of Batman in book form to be enjoyed for reading purposes. In addition, a special “Detective Comics #1000” issue will be released.
WonderCon in Anaheim, CA will host a panel celebrating Batman’s birthday where fans can gather and watch the discussion. From March to September, bridging both celebrations will be many Batman-type programs from the TV, animated, and movie series which will be put on many different networks, cable, and streaming platforms.
The events will culminate on September 16th when the famed Bat Signal will light up the night skies in cities across the US and around the world. During that time, there will be many celebrations held featuring live music, games, food, and more as people gather together to celebrate the caped crusader. In addition, the Six Flags theme parks will hold special celebrations along with having Batman-related merchandise for sale at their locations.
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