Batmobile (1989)

Batmobile
The Batmobile in Batman Annual vol. 3, #1 (January 2017). Art by David Finch.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Detective Comics #27 (May 1939)
Created by	Bill Finger and Bob Kane
In story information
Type	Vehicle
Element of stories featuring	Batman Robin

The Batmobile /ˈbætməˌbiːl/ is the fictional car driven by the superhero Batman in American comic books published by DC Comics. The Batmobile first appeared in Detective Comics #27 (May, 1939), where it was depicted as an ordinary-looking, red car. Housed in the Batcave, which the Batmobile accesses through a hidden entrance, the heavily armored, weaponized vehicle is used by Batman in his campaign to fight crime.

The look of the Batmobile has varied over time, but since its earliest appearances, the Batmobile has had a prominent bat motif, typically including distinctive wing-shaped tailfins. Armored in the early stages of Batman's career, it has been customized over time and is the most technologically advanced crime-fighting asset within Batman's arsenal. Depictions of the vehicle have evolved along with the character, with each incarnation reflecting evolving car technologies. It has been portrayed as having many uses, such as vehicular pursuit, prisoner transportation, anti-tank warfare, riot control, and as a mobile crime lab. In some depictions, the Batmobile is able to be driven unmanned or can be remotely operated. It has appeared in every Batman iteration—from comic books and television to films and video games—and has since become part of popular culture.

Batman is shown driving a red-colored car in Detective Comics #27, the first Batman story. However, this car was never mentioned by name as the Batmobile, and the concept of a red car was abandoned in subsequent stories. Although the Batplane was introduced in Detective Comics #31, the name "Batmobile" was not applied to Batman's automobile until Detective Comics #48 (February 1941). The car's design gradually evolved in early Batman stories. It became a "specially built high-powered auto" by Detective Comics #30, and in Batman #5 (March 1941), it featured a bat hood ornament and a darker exterior color. Eventually, the predominant designs included a large, dark-colored body and bat-like accessories, including large tailfins scalloped to resemble a bat's wings.