Batman's Very First Comic Panel Revealed His Best Skill
DC's Batman is well-known for his tendency to appear and disappear from rooms without ever seen using a door. Among other Bat-traits, his propensity for stealth also allows him to scare the living daylights out of criminals and act more as a symbol than as a human crimefighter. But his most famous tactic debuted sooner than DC fans think — in his very first appearance (and even panel).
Today, Batman is known for his multiple gadgets, allying with the half-dozen members of the Bat-Family, and driving to crime scenes in a high-powered state-of-the-art Batmobile. But in the early days of the superhero, Batman had very few tools at his disposal; he only had a small assortment of gadgets, none of which were outlandish, and his skills at using the dark environment of Gotham City to his advantage.
Related: Batman's First Batmobile Would Make Movie Fans Lose Their Minds
In Detective Comics #27, the very first appearance of Batman, Bruce Wayne accompanies Commissioner Gordon to the scene of a horrific murder. The crime reveals additional murders and Bruce takes his leave of Gordon. Meanwhile, on a rooftop, two criminal lackeys of the main villain are startled when Batman suddenly appears, the full moon illuminating him from behind. The criminals "...do not notice a third menacing figure standing behind them...it is the Bat-Man!"
It is frankly astounding to see just how many Batman tenants appear in his first issue. Batman's costume is not too far removed from his current appearances, James Gordon and his relationship with Bruce Wayne appear on the very first page, and — perhaps most notably — Batman's ability to use fear and theatricality as an effective way to combat crime. «Fear is a tool,» says Bruce Wayne in 2022's The Batman
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