"The" Batman
Since I have Batman on the brain, I decided to write a few words about one of the most imposing things about the Batman: specifically calling him "the" Batman.
There may be more than one Batman (well, maybe this isn't the case anymore with the new 52, but still...), but they are referred to as "the" Batman, not just Batman. You never see other superheros with a "the" prefix before their names. The only time you see that is where the "the" is before a second prefix. such as the Amazing Spiderman, or the Invincible Iron Man (Marvel does a lot of this).
This ties into Batman's entire concept: Striking fear into the hearts of criminals. By calling him "the" Batman, instead of just Batman, it dehumanizes him. It makes him more than just a man. He is a concept. An unknowable fear in the minds of criminals. Nobody knows were he is - no wait, we know now. The Batman is everywhere.
Only a few days to go! I can't wait!
There may be more than one Batman (well, maybe this isn't the case anymore with the new 52, but still...), but they are referred to as "the" Batman, not just Batman. You never see other superheros with a "the" prefix before their names. The only time you see that is where the "the" is before a second prefix. such as the Amazing Spiderman, or the Invincible Iron Man (Marvel does a lot of this).
This ties into Batman's entire concept: Striking fear into the hearts of criminals. By calling him "the" Batman, instead of just Batman, it dehumanizes him. It makes him more than just a man. He is a concept. An unknowable fear in the minds of criminals. Nobody knows were he is - no wait, we know now. The Batman is everywhere.
Only a few days to go! I can't wait!