Batman became a popular character soon after his introduction, and eventually gained his own title, Batman. As the decades wore on, differing takes on the character emerged. The late 1960s Batman television series utilized a camp aesthetic associated with the character for years after the show ended. Various creators worked to return the character to his dark roots, culminating in the 1986 miniseries Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, by writer-artist Frank Miller. That and the success of director Tim Burton's 1989 Batman motion picture helped reignite popular interest in the character. A cultural icon, Batman has been licensed and adapted into a variety of media, from radio to television and film, and appears on a variety of merchandise sold all over the world. Now that The Dark Knight showtimes is about to begin, here’s a short synopsis of the upcoming film:

With the help of Lieutenant Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to destroy organized crime in Gotham for good. The triumvirate proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a rising criminal mastermind known as the Joker, who thrusts Gotham into anarchy and forces the Dark Knight ever closer to crossing the fine line between hero and vigilante. For the casts, Christian Bale played the role of Batman/Bruce Wayne, Heath Ledger played the role of The Joker, Aaron Eckhart portrayed Harvey Dent, Michael Caine portrayed Alfred Pennyworth, Gary Oldman played the role of Jim Gordon, Morgan Freeman played Lucius Fox, and Maggie Gyllenhaal played the role of Rachel Dawes.

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