Summary
- Batman’s name honors historical figures – Robert the Bruce and “Mad” Anthony Wayne – symbolizing his persistent fight for justice.
- Bill Finger’s crucial contribution to Batman’s creation includes choosing Bruce Wayne’s name with aristocratic connotations.
- By naming Batman after heroes of independence, the creators established a core trait of relentless pursuit of his ideals.
The creation of Batman is one of the most fascinating behind-the-scenes origin stories in comics – as it turns out, not just one, but two actual historical figures provided direct inspiration to Bob Kane and collaborator Bill Finger, as they sought to bring the concept of the Caped Crusader to life.
Nearly a century later, Bill Finger has only just begun to truly receive the full credit he deserves for his contributions to the genesis of Batman. Perhaps among his most crucial part in the character’s creation was his input on the name of the man behind the mask: Bruce Wayne.
To create the name – one of the most memorable in all fiction – Finger and Kane looked back at history, naming the Dark Knight after two real-life heroes, whose own struggles would be reflected in the character’s constant crusade to free Gotham City from the sinister influence of crime.
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Batman’s First Name is Based on ‘Robert the Bruce’
The real Scottish historical figure embodies Batman’s fight against an unjust system
The creators dove into the past, seeking a name associated with nobility and the landed gentry, to emphasize Batman’s modern role as a millionaire playboy. To that end, they eventually chose Robert the Bruce.
The first of Batman’s namesakes is someone movie fans are probably already familiar with: Robert the Bruce. Known in pop culture as one of the supporting characters in Mel Gibson’s much-lauded movie, Braveheart, the historical Bruce actually ruled as King of the Scots for over twenty years, following the events on which the film was based. While he is certainly the reason the name Bruce endures to this day, Robert the Bruce’s influence on Batman’s given name was, in fact, much more direct.
According to Bob Kane’s autobiography, Batman and Me, Bill Finger wanted to choose a name with certain aristocratic connotations for the character. The creators dove into the past, seeking a name associated with nobility and the landed gentry, to emphasize Batman’s modern role as a millionaire playboy. To that end, they eventually chose Robert the Bruce – an individual from a noble background, who became a king himself, but at the same time one who is best known as a freedom fighter.
Interestingly enough, it was Robert Bruce who was given the real-life nickname of Braveheart after his death, not film protagonist William Wallace.
Batman’s Family Name Comes From Revolutionary War General “Mad” Anthony Wayne
Being named for one of America’s founding fathers perfectly fits his aristocractic family
Naming Batman after a war hero fighting for independence was very on the nose symbolism, but it worked to emphasize the core traits of his character.
Batman’s last name was suggested by Kane and was one of the few original ideas he had that made it to print. Kane chose to look at American colonial history and named Batman after “Mad” Anthony Wayne, a Brigadier General in the American revolution who earned his epithet because of the way he ferociously fought against the British. “Mad” Anthony is actually the canonical ancestor to Batman in DC Comics, and there was even a time when Batman went back in time to meet his ancestor in World’s Finest #187, in yet another bizarre Silver Age adventure from the 60s.
It’s fitting that Batman would be descended from a hero of the American revolution, as later writers would emphasize Gotham City’s role in the Revolutionary War. In Alan Moore’s Saga of the Swamp Thing (the same run where Swamp Thing effortlessly destroyed Batman) readers were shown how the Wayne family historically helped build and maintain Gotham from Colonial times until the present. Naming Batman after a war hero fighting for independence was very on the nose symbolism, but it worked to emphasize the core traits of his character: that he will never give up and always fight for what’s right.
World’s Finest (Vol. 1)
#187 was released in 1969. Though he has been referenced several times in the decades since, the historical “Mad” Anthony has made no subsequent significant appearances in DC canon, though his genetic connection to Bruce Wayne has been referenced.
Batman’s Historical Namesakes Helped Shape His Core Heroic Values
What encapsulates Batman better than “No Retreat, No Surrender”?
For any Batman fan, new or old, a greater understanding of his name lends a deeper appreciation for how the character has remained true to his origins.
By naming their superhero character in homage to Robert the Bruce and “Mad” Anthony Wayne, Bob Kane and Bill Finger set a crucial precedent, one which continues to guide how Batman is depicted in concrete ways, to this day. More than just a crimefighter, they established Bruce Wayne as a revolutionary, in the sense that he is relentlessly driven in pursuit of his ideals; more than simply seeking to enact justice and punishment, his goal is nothing short of liberation from the evils of violent criminal behavior.
At the same time, there is one fascinating contrast between Robert Bruce and Anthony Wayne, and their namesake Bruce Wayne. While both historical figures eventually saw their revolutionary movements succeed, the opposite has become a core part of Batman’s character. His crusade is endless, and his fight may be unwinnable – but capturing the spirit of those forebearers who lent their names to the character, Bruce Wayne will never cease trying. For any Batman fan, new or old, a greater understanding of his name lends a deeper appreciation for how the character has remained true to his origins.
Source: Batman and Me
