Holy Hollywood! Batman is the first superhero with a Walk of Fame star

It is hard to imagine something new happening to Batman after 85 years of adventures in comic books, television and film. But he has a new notch on his utility belt: He has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Batman is the first superhero honored on the Walk of Fame, which is administered by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. (Mickey Mouse was the first fictional character to receive a star, in 1978.) Batman’s recognition is the 2,790th since the first eight stars were unveiled in 1958.

Comic book readers met the Bat-Man (the hyphen was soon dropped) in 1939, when they opened the March 30 issue of Detective Comics. Out of the costume the superhero is socialite Bruce Wayne. They were also introduced to Police Commissioner Gordon, who would become the hero’s trusted ally and later gained the first name James.

Batman himself may not have been honored on the Walk of Fame before now, but he’s had ties there. Adam West, who starred in “Batman” on TV from 1966-68, has a star, as does Burt Ward, who played Robin, Batman’s trusted partner. (West received a star in 2012; Ward in 2020.) One of his creators, Bob Kane, was also awarded a star in 2015.

Batman is also getting a whole new beginning in a new comic book series with Absolute Batman No 1, from DC. The series, by Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta, presents a bigger, beefier and more menacing Batman: His chest emblem, for example, detaches to become the top of a battle ax. Holy anger management, Batman! The issue arrives in stores Oct 9.

There is also a Batman: Caped Crusader animated series on Amazon, and his most recent live-action film, starring Robert Pattinson in 2022, led to the new spinoff series The Penguin, on HBO.