Some people prefer Batman silly, others dark. Comic book fans and moviegoers have seen him both ways. Batman executive producer and rights holder Michael Uslan doesn’t like the silly part. On August 30, Uslan will come to the Indiana University Cinema to celebrate three and a half decades of 1989’s Batman, the film that launched one of the world’s most successful franchises. Uslan is looking forward to meeting his cohort – “my tribe” – of comic book fans when he leads a question-and-answer session after the August 30 screening.
In 1939, Bob Kane helped create Batman, an indomitable, self-appointed lawman bent on taking out villains. Initially, Batman even killed his enemies with a gun, something he later vowed he would never do. (His parents had been murdered with a gun.) Although – and perhaps because – he does not possess any “superpowers” like other superheroes, Batman remains one of the most popular characters in fiction.
Batman from Detective Comics (1940) vs. television from the 1960s
Batman made his debut in Detective Comics and was given the name “Batman” in 1940 when Bill Finger and Bob Kane designed the mask-wearing savior of the day. The story became a little less serious with Batman’s ward Robin. Next came Alfred Pennyworth, then Catwoman and Batman’s arch-nemesis, the Joker. Gotham City, the hometown of the Bat-Family, was experiencing a resurgence.
In 1966, Uslan met Kane and Finger. It was during this time that Uslan noticed a change in Batman. The Batman that Uslan had loved since he was eight years old exuded seriousness. But now producers and directors were turning his hero into a comedian from the 1960s TV series. Something inside Uslan roared. He set out to change that.
“From the beginning, I knew Batman was dark,” Uslan said in a recent video call. But Batman’s personality had gone from bold to cheesy, and while watching one afternoon, Uslan had an epiphany 20 minutes in: “Batman is (now) a joke!” Even worse, he said, is that this is the only version of Batman for audiences.
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In 1966, Uslan was in his twenties, but that didn’t stop him – “I don’t come from a rich family” – from raising the money to buy the film rights to Batman from DC Comics, which he did in 1979.
For the next decade, studios rejected Uslan’s interpretation of the Dark Knight. But in 1989, director Tim Burton and production designer Anton Furst joined forces with Uslan and supported him in his dream. Uslan and Benjamin Melniker served as executive producers on all Warner Bros. Batman films, including The Batman and direct-to-video films, until Melniker’s death in 2018.
Uslan was the first in the world to offer a college course on comics
Uslan was also the first person in the world to teach a credit-bearing college course on comics, after convincing a skeptical panel of deans and other academic reviewers.
“It started at IU,” he said, explaining how he used the story of Moses to explain to Indiana University faculty how comic book heroes are connected to Greek and Roman mythology, Bible stories and other historical themes.
“Comics are folklore. They are a legitimate art form,” Uslan said, pointing to Poseidon, Hermes and others and comparing them to today’s superheroes. The dean of IU’s College of Arts and Sciences tried to dismiss this, but eventually agreed with Uslan. Uslan’s course was approved and accredited. “The Comic Book in Society” was the first accredited course on the scientific application of comics.
He continues to teach a three-week course at IU each year.
In 2005, Uslan donated his 30,000 comic books to IU’s Lily Library. “This is my revenge to IU.”
Uslan’s parents recognized the value of comics
One reason comic books are so expensive, according to Uslan, is that “everyone’s mother threw them away.” But not his. When psychologist Fredric Werthham wrote his book “The Seduction of the Innocent” in 1954 about the supposed evils of comic books, many people believed him. Uslan only knew two other boys who were still allowed to read them.
The result was the Comics Code Authority, which tightened the regulations on the representation of comics.
“My mother read some of my comic books and realized not only that there was nothing wrong with them, but that they were probably responsible for my large vocabulary,” said Uslan. And this despite the fact that many of the local children were not allowed to play at Uslan’s house for fear of the dreaded comic books.
His growing collection was not only spared, but appreciated. “My father built shelves in our garage to house them, and eventually had to move them when my 30,000 comic books took up the space.”
Therefore, it seems ironic that Batman’s parents were murdered with a gun (which is why Batman opposes gun violence).
“(The industry) learned that allowing Batman to use this weapon early on was a mistake.”
Batman initially had no mercy for his enemies. According to Batman.fandom.com, he first murdered in Detective Comics #27, when he dissolved Alfred Stryker with acid. Batman continued to kill evildoers, or at least facilitate their deaths, and sometimes carried a gun. Eventually, he rivaled The Shadow and Green Hornet.
Off to Broadway for Batman and Uslan
Uslan’s memoir, “The Boy Who Loved Batman,” is now a Broadway play called “Darknights and Daydreams.” In the memoir, Uslan tells the story of a working-class New Jersey boy who saves his superhero from ridicule and humiliation.
“We start in Tampa on October 1st. It’s so incredibly exciting. For the last two weeks I’ve had to cast my mom and dad,” he said. He sounded happy, sad and full of memories.
When you go
WHAT: 35th Anniversary of the release of “Batman.” This is the 1989 film directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson and Kim Basinger. After the film, there will be a Q&A with executive producer and creator of the Batman film series, Michael Uslan.
WHEN: 30 August, 19:00
WHERE: Indiana University Movie Theater, 1213 E. Seventh St.
TICKETS: $5 at https://am.ticketmaster.com/iucinema/buy
