Batcave
Encyclopedia
The Batcave is the secret headquarters of fictional DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...

 superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...

 Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...

, the alternate identity of playboy Bruce Wayne, consisting of a series of subterranean cave
Cave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...

s beneath his residence, Wayne Manor
Wayne Manor
In DC Comics, Wayne Manor is a fictional setting, the personal residence of Bruce Wayne, who is also Batman. The residence is typically depicted as a huge stately mansion on grounds outside Gotham City, maintained by the Wayne family's servant, Alfred Pennyworth...

.

Publication history

Originally, there was only a secret tunnel that ran underground between Wayne Manor and a dusty old barn where the Batmobile and Batmicrolite were kept. Later, in Batman
Batman (comic book)
Batman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27, published in May 1939. Batman proved to be so popular that a self-titled ongoing comic book series began publication in the spring of 1940...

 #12 (August–September 1942), Bill Finger
Bill Finger
William "Bill" Finger was an American comic strip and comic book writer best known as the uncredited co-creator, with Bob Kane, of the DC Comics character Batman, as well as the co-architect of the series' development...

 mentioned "secret underground hangars." In 1943, the writers of the first Batman
Batman (serial)
Batman is a 15-chapter serial, released in 1943 by Columbia Pictures. The serial starred Lewis Wilson as Batman and Douglas Croft as Robin. J. Carrol Naish played the villain, an original character named Dr. Daka. Rounding out the cast were Shirley Patterson as Linda Page , and William Austin as...

 movie serial gave the Caped Crusader a complete underground crime lab and introduced it in the second chapter entitled "The Bat's Cave". The entrance was via a secret passage through a grandfather clock and included bats flying around.

Bob Kane
Bob Kane
Bob Kane was an American comic book artist and writer, credited as the creator of the DC Comics superhero Batman...

, who was on the movie set, mentioned this to Bill Finger who was going to be the initial scripter on the Batman daily newspaper strip. Finger included with his script a clipping from Popular Mechanics
Popular Mechanics
Popular Mechanics is an American magazine first published January 11, 1902 by H. H. Windsor, and has been owned since 1958 by the Hearst Corporation...

 that featured a detailed cross section of underground hangars. Kane used this clipping as a guide, adding a study, crime lab, workshop, hangar and garage. This illustration appeared in the Batman "dailies
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....

" on October 29, 1943 in a strip entitled "The Bat Cave!"

In this early version the cave itself was described as Batman's underground study and, like the other rooms, was just a small alcove with a desk and filing cabinet
Filing cabinet
A filing cabinet is a piece of office furniture usually used to store paper documents in file folders. In the most simple sense, it is an enclosure for drawers in which items are stored. The two most common forms of filing cabinets are blocky files and diagonal files...

s. Like in the movie serial, the Batman's symbol was carved into the rock behind the desk and had a candle in the middle of it. The entrance was via a bookcase which led to a secret elevator.

The Batcave made its comic book debut in Detective Comics
Detective Comics
Detective Comics is an American comic book series published monthly by DC Comics since 1937, best known for introducing the iconic superhero Batman in Detective Comics #27 . It is, along with Action Comics, the book that launched with the debut of Superman, one of the medium's signature series, and...

 #83 in January 1944. Over the decades, the cave has expanded along with its owner's popularity to include a vast trophy room, supercomputer and forensics lab. There has been little consistency as to the floor plan of the Batcave or its contents. The design has varied from artist to artist and it is not unusual for the same artist to draw the cave layout differently in various issues.

Fictional history

The cave was discovered and used long before by Wayne's ancestors as a storehouse as well as a means of transporting escaped slaves during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

 era. The 18th century frontier hero Tomahawk once discovered a gargantuan bat (owned by Morgaine le Fey of Arthurian legend) inside what can be assumed will become the Batcave. Wayne himself rediscovered the caves as a boy when he fell through a dilapidated well on his estate, but he did not consider the cave as a potential base of operations until he rediscovered it yet again when he returned to Gotham to become Batman. Much like Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...

's Fortress of Solitude
Fortress of Solitude
The Fortress of Solitude is the occasional headquarters of Superman in DC Comics. Its predecessor, Superman's "Secret Citadel", first appeared in Superman #17, where it was said to be built into a mountain on the outskirts of Metropolis...

, the Batcave serves as a place of privacy and tranquility.

In earlier versions of the storyline, Bruce Wayne discovered the cave as an adult. In "The Origin of the Batcave" in Detective Comics #205 (March 1954), Batman tells Robin he had no idea the cave existed when he purchased the house they live in. He discovered the cave by accident when testing the floor of an old barn on the rear of the property, and the floor gave way. This story also established that a frontiersman named Jeremy Coe used the cave as a headquarters 300 years earlier. Bruce Wayne discovering the cave as an adult remained the case at least through Who's Who #2 in 1985.

Use

Upon his initial foray into crime-fighting, Wayne used the caves as a sanctum and to store his then-minimal equipment. As time went on, Wayne found the place ideal to create a stronghold for his war against crime, and has incorporated a plethora of equipment as well as expanding the cave for specific uses.

Often, Bruce Wayne is depicted as having discovered the cave as a child, falling into it during exploration of the grounds in his youth. This was shown in the movies Batman Forever
Batman Forever
Batman Forever is a 1995 American superhero film directed by Joel Schumacher and produced by Tim Burton. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is a sequel to Batman Returns , with Val Kilmer replacing Michael Keaton as Batman...

 and Batman Begins
Batman Begins
Batman Begins is a 2005 American superhero action film based on the fictional DC Comics character Batman, directed by Christopher Nolan. It stars Christian Bale as Batman, along with Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Cillian Murphy, Morgan Freeman, Ken Watanabe, Tom Wilkinson,...

, as a young Bruce Wayne fell through the wooden cover of an abandoned water well.

The cave is accessible in several ways. It can be reached through a secret door
Secret passage
Secret passages, also commonly referred to as hidden passages or secret tunnels, are hidden routes used for stealthy travel. Such passageways are sometimes inside buildings leading to secret rooms. Others allow occupants to enter or exit buildings without being seen...

 in Wayne Manor itself, which is almost always depicted as in the main study, often behind a grandfather clock which unlocks the secret door when the hands are set to the time that Bruce Wayne's parents were murdered, 10:47 P.M. In the 1960s Batman TV show, the study entrance has been shown to be behind a bookcase which was revealed when Bruce Wayne (actor Adam West) activated a red control switch hidden in a statue of William Shakespeare; which slides to the side when a secret switch is turned, revealing the "Bat-Poles", which allow Bruce Wayne and his ward to change into their Batman and Robin costumes en route as they slide down to the cave. An entrance under Bruce Wayne's chair in his office in Wayne Enterprises, as shown in Batman Forever, connects to a miles-long tunnel which Bruce travels through in a high-speed personal transportation capsule. In Batman Begins, the cave is accessible through a secret door disguised as part of a large display case and unlocked by pressing a sequence of keys on the nearby piano.

Another secret entrance, covered by a hologram, waterfall or a camouflaged door, allows access to a service road for the Batmobile. Another alternate entrance is the dry well where Bruce originally discovered the Batcave, highlighted especially during the Knightfall
Batman: Knightfall
"Knightfall" is the title given to a major Batman story arc published by DC Comics that dominated Batman-related serial comic books in the spring and summer of 1993...

 storyline. At one point, Tim Drake and Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....

 use the dry well to get into the cave, which they had been locked out of by Jean Paul Valley
Azrael (comics)
Azrael is the name of several fictional characters in the DC Comics universe. They are a group of assassins who were created by The Order of St. Dumas to "enforce god's will"...

 during his time as Batman, and Bruce Wayne used it to infiltrate the cave and confront the insane Valley in the final battle between the two men for the title of the Batman. Lured into the narrow tunnel, Valley was forced to remove the massive bat-armor he had developed, thus allowing Wayne, who was wearing his normal, slim outfit, to force him out of costume and renounce his claim to the title.

The location of the cave is known not only to Batman, but to several of his allies. In addition to the so-called "Batman Family", members of the Justice League
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....

 and the original Outsiders
Outsiders (comics)
The Outsiders are a fictional DC Comics superhero team. As its name suggests, the team consists of superheroes who allegedly do not fit the norms of the mainstream superhero community, namely the Justice League....

 are aware of the cave's location. Essentially, anyone who is aware of Batman's secret identity also knows the location of the Batcave, much like how people who have knowledge of Robin's identity have knowledge of Batman's; these, unfortunately, include such villains as Ra's al Ghul
Ra's al Ghul
Ra's al Ghul is a DC Comics supervillain and is one of Batman's greatest enemies. His name in Arabic has been translated in the comics as "The Demon's Head" and references the name of the star Algol. Created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams, he was introduced in Batman #232's...

, who makes occasional visits to the Batcave to confront his long-time nemesis, and David Cain, who infiltrated the cave during the Bruce Wayne: Fugitive
Bruce Wayne: Fugitive
"Bruce Wayne: Fugitive" is a storyline that ran through the Batman comic books in 2002. The story directly follows the "Bruce Wayne: Murderer?" story.-Bruce Wayne: Murderer?:...

 storyline when he framed Bruce Wayne for murder.

Design

The Batcave serves as Batman's command center, where he monitors all crisis points in Gotham
Gotham City
Gotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...

 and the world.

The cave's centerpiece is a supercomputer whose specs are on par with any of those used by leading national security agencies; it permits global surveillance and also connects to a massive information network as well as storing vast amounts of information, both on Batman's foes and his allies. A series of satellite link-ups allows easy access to Batman's information network anywhere around the globe. The systems are protected against unauthorized access, and any attempt to breach their security immediately sends an alert to Batman or Oracle
Barbara Gordon
Barbara Gordon is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media, created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino...

. Despite the power of Batman's computers, the Justice League Watchtower
Justice League Watchtower
The Watchtower is the name of various bases used by the Justice League of America in DC Comics and various other media. It has been portrayed in DC comics as a building on Earth's moon, and as a space-station in orbit in the Justice League Unlimited cartoon.The Watchtower debuted in JLA #4 during...

 is known to have more powerful computers (composed of Krypton
Krypton (comics)
Krypton is a fictional planet in the DC Comics universe, and the native world of the super-heroes Superman and, in some tellings, Supergirl and Krypto the Superdog. Krypton has been portrayed consistently as having been destroyed just after Superman's flight from the planet, with exact details of...

ian, Thanagar
Thanagar
Thanagar is a fictional planet in the . Thanagar is the original home of the humanoid Thanagarian race, noted for the discovery of gravity-defying Nth metal...

ian and Martian technology), and Batman does occasionally use them if he feels his computers are not up to the task; on occasion he also consults Oracle for assistance.

The Batcomputer
Batcomputer
The Batcomputer is the fictional computer system used by comic book superhero Batman. It is located in the Batcave. The Batcomputer was first introduced in fiction in 1964.-Portrayal in fiction:...

 as presented in Batman & Robin is powerful beyond the realm of realistic computer systems, as Alfred Pennyworth
Alfred Pennyworth
Alfred Pennyworth is a fictional character that appears throughout the DC Comics franchise. The character first appears in Batman #16 , and was created by writer Bob Kane and artist Jerry Robinson. Alfred serves as Batman’s tireless butler, assistant, confidant, and surrogate father figure...

 is able to program a replication of himself (his "brain algorithms") that is capable of conversation.

Additionally, the cave features state-of-the-art facilities such as a crime lab
Forensics
Forensic science is the application of a broad spectrum of sciences to answer questions of interest to a legal system. This may be in relation to a crime or a civil action...

, various specialized laboratories, mechanized workshops, personal gym
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...

nasium, a vast library, parking, docking and hangar space (as appropriate) for his various vehicles as well as separate exits for each type, trophies of past campaigns, a large bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...

 colony, and a Justice League teleporter. It also has medical facilities as well as various areas used in training exercises for Batman and his allies.

The cave houses Batman's vast array of specialized vehicles, foremost being the famous Batmobile
Batmobile
The Batmobile is the automobile of DC Comics superhero Batman. The car has evolved along with the character from comic books to television and films. Kept in the Batcave, which it accesses through a hidden entrance, the Batmobile is a gadget-laden vehicle used by Batman in his crime-fighting...

 in all its incarnations (mostly for nostalgia, but also for contingencies, as all are serviceable and in excellent working condition). The 1990s animated series
Batman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series is an American animated series based on the DC Comics character Batman. The series featured an ensemble cast of many voice-actors including Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Arleen Sorkin, and Loren Lester. The series won four Emmy Awards and was nominated...

 gave rise to the idea that Batman keeps a fleet of regular cars of various models and utility vehicles such as an ambulance when the Batmobile would be too conspicuous for a given mission. Other vehicles within the complex include various motorcycles, air
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...

- and watercraft
Watercraft
A watercraft is a vessel or craft designed to move across or through water. The name is derived from the term "craft" which was used to describe all types of water going vessels...

 such as The Bat-Wing
Batplane
The Batplane, later known as the Batwing, is the fictional aircraft for the comic book superhero Batman. The vehicle was introduced in "Batman Versus The Vampire, I", published in Detective Comics #31 in 1939, a story which saw Batman travel to continental Europe...

, a single-occupant supersonic jet
Jet aircraft
A jet aircraft is an aircraft propelled by jet engines. Jet aircraft generally fly much faster than propeller-powered aircraft and at higher altitudes – as high as . At these altitudes, jet engines achieve maximum efficiency over long distances. The engines in propeller-powered aircraft...

, and the Subway Rocket (which debuted in Detective Comics #667).

The cave is sometimes powered by a nuclear reactor, but most often by a hydroelectric generator made possible by an underground river.

Later comics, specifically the Cataclysm storyline, suggest that Batman has incorporated safeguards against earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...

s and even a potential nuclear catastrophe, outfitting the cave as a virtual bomb shelter
Bomb shelter
A bomb shelter is any kind of a civil defense structure designed to provide protection against the effects of a bomb.-Types of shelter:Different kinds of bomb shelters are configured to protect against different kinds of attack and strengths of hostile explosives. For example, an Air-raid shelter...

 or an enhanced panic room
Panic room
A safe room or panic room is a fortified room which is installed in a private residence or business to provide a safe shelter, or hiding place, for the inhabitants in the event of a break-in, home invasion, tornado, or other threat. Safe rooms usually contain communications equipment, so that law...

. The city's earthquake redesigned the caverns of the Batcave, with eight new levels now making up Batman's secret refuge of high-tech laboratory, library, training areas, storage areas, and vehicle accesses. It also includes an "island" computer platform (built on the spot where the Batmobiles' hydraulic turntable once was) with seven linked Cray
Cray
Cray Inc. is an American supercomputer manufacturer based in Seattle, Washington. The company's predecessor, Cray Research, Inc. , was founded in 1972 by computer designer Seymour Cray. Seymour Cray went on to form the spin-off Cray Computer Corporation , in 1989, which went bankrupt in 1995,...

 T932 mainframes and a state-of-the-art hologram projector. There's also a selection of retractable glass maps within the computer platform. Kevlar shieldings are prepared to protect the cave's computer systems from its seismic activity. With the cave's various facilities spread amid limestone stalactites and stalagmites, Batman built retractable multi-walkway bridges, stairs, elevators, and poles to access its facilities.

There is a containment vault solely for Lex Luthor's Kryptonite
Kryptonite
Kryptonite is a fictional material from the Superman mythos —the ore form of a radioactive element from Superman's home planet of Krypton. It is famous for being the ultimate physical weakness of Superman, and the word kryptonite has since become synonymous with an Achilles' heel —the one weakness...

 ring. However, it is recently revealed that Batman built another containment facility within the cave for a collection of variety of forms of the Kryptonite.

What is allegedly the world's last Lazarus Pit
Lazarus Pit
A Lazarus Pit is a fictional natural phenomenon in the . They are primarily found in the Batman titles and are commonly used by Ra's al Ghul for their restorative powers.-Fictional history:...

 was constructed inside the cave, although this has been contradicted by events in the pages of Batgirl and the Black Adam
Black Adam
Black Adam is a fictional comic book character, created in 1945 by Otto Binder & C. C. Beck for Fawcett Comics. Originally created as a one-shot villain for Fawcett Comics' Marvel Family team of superheroes, Black Adam was revived as a recurring supervillain after DC Comics began publishing Captain...

 miniseries.

Security measures

The Batcave is rigged with the most sophisticated security system in the world in order to prevent all measure of infiltration. The security measures include motion sensors, silent alarms, steel and lead mechanical doors which could lock a person in or out, and a security mode which is specifically designed to stop if not eliminate all Justice League members in the event that any of them go rogue.

Memorabilia

The cave stores unique memorabilia items collected from the various cases Batman has worked. Originally, these were stored in a room designed just for them; it was explained that Batman and Robin took one memento from each case. Later, the trophies were shown to be in the large main area of the cave, residing among the rest of the Batcave's furnishings.

The most famous and prevalently featured are a full-size animatronic Tyrannosaurus Rex
Tyrannosaurus
Tyrannosaurus meaning "tyrant," and sauros meaning "lizard") is a genus of coelurosaurian theropod dinosaur. The species Tyrannosaurus rex , commonly abbreviated to T. rex, is a fixture in popular culture. It lived throughout what is now western North America, with a much wider range than other...

, a giant Lincoln penny
Cent (United States coin)
The United States one-cent coin, commonly known as a penny, is a unit of currency equaling one one-hundredth of a United States dollar. The cent's symbol is ¢. Its obverse has featured the profile of President Abraham Lincoln since 1909, the centennial of his birth. From 1959 to 2008, the reverse...

, and an oversized Joker
Joker (playing card)
Joker is a special type of playing card found in most modern decks, or else a type of tile in some Mahjong game sets.-Name:It is believed that the term "Joker" comes from a mispronunciation of Jucker, the German/Alsatian name for the game Euchre. The card was originally introduced in about 1860 for...

 playing card
Playing card
A playing card is a piece of specially prepared heavy paper, thin cardboard, plastic-coated paper, cotton-paper blend, or thin plastic, marked with distinguishing motifs and used as one of a set for playing card games...

. The T. Rex comes from an adventure on "Dinosaur Island
Dinosaur Island
Dinosaur Island is an island that has appeared in various comic book series published by DC Comics. The island is not the same "Dinosaur Island" that appeared in Batman #35...

" (Batman #35, 1946); the penny was originally a trophy from Batman's encounter with a penny-obsessed villain named the Penny Plunderer
Penny Plunderer
The Penny Plunderer is an adversary of Batman who first appeared in World's Finest Comics #30 in 1947.-Fictional character history:...

 (World's Finest Comics
World's Finest Comics
World's Finest Comics was an American comic book series published by DC Comics from 1941 to 1986. The series was initially titled World's Best Comics for its first issue; issue #2 switched to the more familiar name...

 #30, 1947). Other "keepsakes" in the cave come from "The Thousand and One Trophies of Batman!" (Detective Comics
Detective Comics
Detective Comics is an American comic book series published monthly by DC Comics since 1937, best known for introducing the iconic superhero Batman in Detective Comics #27 . It is, along with Action Comics, the book that launched with the debut of Superman, one of the medium's signature series, and...

 #158, 1950). These three stories were reprinted in Batman #256.

Modern retellings of the items' origins can be found in Batman Chronicles stories in issue #8 ("Secrets of the Batcave: Dinosaur Island") and issue #19 ("The Penny Plunderers").

A story in Batman #81 featured Two-Face
Two-Face
Two-Face is a fictional comic book supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. and is an enemy of Batman. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #66 , and was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger....

 tying Batman and Robin to a giant replica of his silver dollar coin. This story was the basis for an episode of Batman: The Animated Series wherein Batman gains the giant coin from that encounter; this has caused widespread confusion as to the actual origin of the coin trophy.

Other pieces often shown in the Batcave are Two-Face's original coin, Deathstroke
Deathstroke
Deathstroke the Terminator , originally simply the Terminator, and known by the Teen Titans as Slade, is a fictional character, a supervillain and sometimes antihero in the DC Comics Universe. He is a mercenary and assassin who first appeared in The New Teen Titans #2...

's sword (the owner of which Batman has fought at least twice), the shroud of the vampiric Monk
Monk (comics)
The Monk is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. He appeared as one of Batman's earliest foes.-Fictional character biography:The Monk first appeared in Detective Comics #31 in 1939. He is one of the earliest significant villains of the series, his battle with Batman being one of the...

, and over-sized ten-pins
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...

.

There is also a glass case display of Jason Todd
Jason Todd
Jason Peter Todd is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Jason first appeared in Batman #357 and became the second Robin, sidekick to the superhero Batman, when the previous Robin went on to star in The New Teen Titans under the moniker of Nightwing.Though...

's Robin
Robin (comics)
Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...

 costume as a memorial to him, with the epitaph "A Good Soldier", which remains even after Todd's resurrection. Barbara Gordon
Barbara Gordon
Barbara Gordon is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media, created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino...

's Batgirl
Batgirl
Batgirl is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, frequently depicted as female counterparts to the superhero Batman...

 costume also remains on display. In the Dark Horse
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...

 two-part crossover, Grendel/Batman II, the skull of Hunter Rose is also put on display in the memorabilia room.

Other Batcaves

The Outsiders were, for a time, based in a Batcave in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

. After Bane
Bane (comics)
Bane is a fictional character who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1 , and was created by Chuck Dixon, Doug Moench, and Graham Nolan. Bane has been one of Batman's more physically and intellectually powerful foes...

's attack during the Knightfall story arc, Bruce Wayne swore that he'd never be caught unprepared to defend Gotham City
Gotham City
Gotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...

 ever again. When Dick Grayson assumed the Mantle of the Bat during the Prodigal storyline, Bruce establishes satellite Batcaves (most of which were not caves in the literal sense that the original one was) throughout the city on areas either owned by him, his company, or unknown or abandoned by the city, in the event that he needs a place to hide and/or resupply, which were pivotal during the No Man's Land storyline. One such Batcave was given to Batgirl
Cassandra Cain
Cassandra Cain is a fictional character in the , one of several who has served as Batgirl, an important character in the Batman comic book franchise. Cassandra's backstory presents her as the daughter of assassins David Cain and Lady Shiva, she was deprived of speech and human contact during her...

, below a house owned by Bruce Wayne himself, during a point where her identity was compromised after she saved a man from rogue government agents, meaning that she could not walk around without a mask. The other satellite Batcaves introduced during No Man's Land were:
  • Central Batcave: Located fifty feet below the bottom of Robinson Park Reservoir, it is accessible through a secret entrance at the foot of one of the Twelve Caesars statues at the north of the park. This safehouse was put out of commission by Poison Ivy, her "Feraks", and Clayface
    Clayface
    Clayface is an alias used by several DC Comics fictional characters, most of them possessing claylike bodies and shape-shifting abilities. All of them have been enemies of Batman.-Publication history:...

    .

  • Batcave South: A boiler room of a derelict shipping yard on the docks across from Paris Island. This safehouse is accessible through a number of false manholes planted throughout Old Gotham streets.

  • Batcave South-Central: Located in the Old Gotham prototype subway station, a four-block stretch of track sealed in 1896 and forgotten.

  • Northwest Batcave: This safehouse is located in the subbasement of Arkham Asylum
    Arkham Asylum
    The Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane, commonly referred to simply as Arkham Asylum, is a fictional psychiatric hospital in the DC Comics Universe, usually appearing in stories featuring Batman...

    . Batman secretly stocked it with emergency rations, all-terrain vehicles, and battery-powered communication equipment.

  • Batcave East: An abandoned oil refinery owned by Wayne Enterprises. It fell out of use during a gasoline crisis when the company moved all its holdings offshore decades ago.

  • Arkham Batcave: Over the years, Batman gathered supplies for a batcave on Arkham Island, as a preemptive measure for any attack on the asylum. He finally utilized it during the events of Batman: Arkham Asylum
    Batman: Arkham Asylum
    Batman: Arkham Asylum is a 2009 action-adventure stealth video game based on DC Comics' Batman developed for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows. It was developed by Rocksteady Studios and published by Eidos Interactive in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment...

     but it was for the most part destroyed by the Titan powered Poison Ivy. It's also implied that Joker knew about this cave as he dispatched his henchmen into the sewers of Arkham to find, most likely because Joker has been fighting Batman for so long and knows that he would have a contingency plan for just such case of an emergency.


Another was introduced in 2002's Fugitive
Bruce Wayne: Fugitive
"Bruce Wayne: Fugitive" is a storyline that ran through the Batman comic books in 2002. The story directly follows the "Bruce Wayne: Murderer?" story.-Bruce Wayne: Murderer?:...

 story arc, this time in the form of an abandoned submarine.

Bat Bunker

Under the Wayne Foundation building, there is a secret bunker. As of Batman #687, Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....

 has taken to using this as his "Batcave", stating that he wishes to embody the role of Batman in a way that is specific to him as well as getting closer to the action in the city. This is similar to the bunker seen in the 2008 film The Dark Knight. The bunker is as well-equipped as the original Batcave, including the Subway Rocket vehicle stationed beneath the bunker.

Other versions

In Batman & Dracula: Red Rain, Batman destroys the Batcave in order to eliminate Dracula's followers; having lured them into the cave after a prolonged pursuit, he sets off explosive charges to destroy the Batcave's walls at the moment the sun rises, destroying the vampires within it, before setting off additional charges to destroy Wayne Manor in order to preserve his secrets. The first sequel, Bloodstorm, shows that a ceiler beneath a brownstone owned by Alfred Pennyworth serves as a lair/laboratory for Batman. Although Wayne Manor collapses into the remains of the cave, part of the tunnel system is still intact, with the now-vampiric Batman establishing his lair there in the story's second sequel, Crimson Mist, the interior including a deep chasm. At the story's conclusion, Commissioner Gordon sets off explosive charges to destroy the cave's roof, letting the sun into the cave once again in order to destroy the monster that Batman has become once and for all.

In the alternate reality of Flashpoint
Flashpoint (comics)
Flashpoint is an American comic book crossover story arc published by DC Comics. Consisting of an eponymous core limited series and a number of tie-in titles, the storyline premiered in May 2011...

, the Batcave- here used by Thomas Wayne
Thomas Wayne
Thomas Wayne is a fictional character in the Batman series of comic books. Dr. Thomas Wayne was the father of Bruce Wayne, and husband of Martha Wayne, as well as a gifted surgeon and philanthropist...

 rather than Bruce- is far smaller and more run-down than the traditional version.

Serials

The Batcave first became part of the Batman mythos in the 1943 15-chapter movie serial Batman
Batman (serial)
Batman is a 15-chapter serial, released in 1943 by Columbia Pictures. The serial starred Lewis Wilson as Batman and Douglas Croft as Robin. J. Carrol Naish played the villain, an original character named Dr. Daka. Rounding out the cast were Shirley Patterson as Linda Page , and William Austin as...

 starring Lewis Wilson
Lewis Wilson
Lewis G. Wilson was an American actor from New York City who was most famous for being the first actor to play the DC Comics character Batman in live action ....

. In this version, as later in the comics, it was just a small cave with a desk and filing cabinet
Filing cabinet
A filing cabinet is a piece of office furniture usually used to store paper documents in file folders. In the most simple sense, it is an enclosure for drawers in which items are stored. The two most common forms of filing cabinets are blocky files and diagonal files...

s. It also contained bats (which were only shown as being shadows) and Batman used an enemy's phobia for them to make him talk.

To date, the serials are the only time the grandfather clock entrance to the Batcave has been featured in a live-action incarnation of Batman.

It also featured in the 1949 serial Batman and Robin
Batman and Robin (serial)
Batman and Robin is a 15-chapter serial released in 1949 by Columbia Pictures. Robert Lowery played Batman, while Johnny Duncan played Robin...

 starring Robert Lowery
Robert Lowery (actor)
Robert Lowery was an American motion picture, television, and stage actor who appeared in over seventy films.-Early life:...

.

Batman (TV series)

The 1960s live-action Batman TV series featured the cave extensively, and portrayed it as a large but well-lit cavern containing an atomic power generator, a chemistry lab, punch-card computers, and other electronic crime-fighting devices. In this incarnation, it primarily served as a crime lab and garage for the Batmobile. Perhaps the most famous aspect of this Batcave is that it is accessed from Wayne Manor via two Batpoles (one marked BRUCE and the other marked DICK), which are hidden behind a bookcase that can be opened by pressing a button hidden inside a bust of Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...

. When Bruce and Dick slide down these Batpoles, they are instantly outfitted in their costumes before reaching the landing pads at the bottom. The Batpoles can also be used to lift Bruce and Dick up from the Batcave to Wayne Manor by use of the steamjet-propelled landing pads. The Batcave is also accessible via a service elevator which is used by Alfred. The actual cave that the Batmobile is shown emerging from (and sometimes entering) in the TV show is located in the man-made filming location known as the "Bronson Caves
Bronson Canyon
Bronson Canyon, or Bronson Caves, is a section of Griffith Park in Los Angeles, California that has become famous as a filming location for a very large number of movies and TV shows, especially westerns and science fiction, from the early days of motion pictures to the present...

," in Griffith Park
Griffith Park
Griffith Park is a large municipal park at the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The park covers of land, making it one of the largest urban parks in North America...

, below the Hollywood Sign
Hollywood Sign
The Hollywood Sign is a landmark and American cultural icon in the Hollywood Hills area of Mount Lee, Santa Monica Mountains, in Los Angeles, California. The sign spells out the name of the area in and white letters. It was created as an advertisement in 1923, but garnered increasing recognition...

.

Batman (film)

The cave is present in Tim Burton
Tim Burton
Timothy William "Tim" Burton is an American film director, film producer, writer and artist. He is famous for dark, quirky-themed movies such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet...

's 1989
1989 in film
-Events:* Batman is released on June 23, and goes on to gross over $410 million worldwide.* Actress Kim Basinger and her brother Mick purchase Braselton, Georgia, for $20 million...

 Batman feature film, and is shown to house the Batmobile, which is parked at the edge of a large chasm, as well as the Batcomputer
Batcomputer
The Batcomputer is the fictional computer system used by comic book superhero Batman. It is located in the Batcave. The Batcomputer was first introduced in fiction in 1964.-Portrayal in fiction:...

 and a large vault for Batman's costume.

Batman Returns

The cave is once again seen in Batman Returns, and Bruce gains access to it via a tube/elevator like passage from Wayne Manor, the entrance to which is hidden in an iron maiden
Iron maiden (torture device)
An iron maiden is a torture device, consisting of an iron cabinet, with a hinged front, sufficiently tall to enclose a human being. It usually has a small closeable opening so that the torturer can interrogate the victim and torture or kill a person by piercing the body with sharp objects , while...

, and is activated by flipping a small switch hidden on a small replica of Wayne Manor in the bottom of a fish tank. Alfred also confirms, in a throwaway remark, that there is a stairway to the cave. The Batcave of this film is also shown to be more technologically advanced than in the previous film, featuring more work stations and computers. The most notable revision to the cave is a large walk-in closet carved into a wall, where Bruce stores his numerous Batsuits.

Batman Forever

In this film, the Batcave is accessed through a rotating wall in Wayne Manor's silver closet, the only room in the mansion that is kept locked. The cave can also be reached via a secret tunnel system from Bruce Wayne's office at Wayne Enterprises, through which he rides down in a capsule.

In addition to the standard housing of the computer and equipment, the cave was originally intended to play a larger role in this film. Alfred would reveal a second level to the cave, and an amnesia
Amnesia
Amnesia is a condition in which one's memory is lost. The causes of amnesia have traditionally been divided into categories. Memory appears to be stored in several parts of the limbic system of the brain, and any condition that interferes with the function of this system can cause amnesia...

 stricken Bruce Wayne would explore the cave to jog his memory after an attack by Two-Face. These scenes, however, were cut from the final film. The cave is also shown to have a canal inside of it, which provides access to the sea for water-based vehicles. The cave also has a lengthy tunnel used to launch the Batwing, which emerges from the cliffs underneath Wayne Manor. The cave features a rotating turntable that rises out of the floor, holding the Batmobile, and a large dome-like structure where Bruce's Batsuits and gadgets are stored.

The Riddler destroys the cave during an invasion of Wayne Manor by Riddler and Two-Face.

Batman & Robin

This incarnation of the cave features a multitude of flashing lights, mostly in neon. On the whole, this Batcave is similar to that in Batman Forever, only more garish in its decoration. A capsule containing Robin's Redbird
Redbird (comics)
-Automobile:The Redbird is a camouflaged sport coupé with all the armaments of the Batmobile. In addition to that, there are polarizing windows and exterior sliding bulletproof conversion panels, enabling it to be driven by an uncostumed Tim Drake as a "normal" car....

 motorcycle rises out of the floor, and a long tunnel lined with neon lights leads out of the cave. The turntable holding the Batmobile
Batmobile
The Batmobile is the automobile of DC Comics superhero Batman. The car has evolved along with the character from comic books to television and films. Kept in the Batcave, which it accesses through a hidden entrance, the Batmobile is a gadget-laden vehicle used by Batman in his crime-fighting...

 returns, but in a more elaborate fashion.

Batman Begins

In Batman Begins, the cave is still unfurnished, and the only things inside are a small storage space for the Batsuit and its accessories, and the Batmobile. The entrance and exit for the Batmobile are on a cliff, behind a waterfall. Alfred reveals to Bruce that during the Civil War, the Waynes used the vast cavern system as part of the Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...

: after initially abseiling down a well (which Bruce fell down in his childhood) to get into the cave, they discover a hidden Civil War-era mechanical elevator which is still functional and leads to a hidden entrance in the mansion, which they then use as the primary means of entrance to the cave. Near the end of the film, when Bruce talks to Alfred about rebuilding the burnt-down main section of Wayne Manor, Alfred suggests they "improve the foundation", which may mean improving and furnishing the cave as they rebuild the mansion.

The Dark Knight

As Wayne Manor is still under construction in The Dark Knight, Batman's base of operations has been relocated to a large bunker beneath a shipping yard. One access point shown is through a shipping container which houses a secret hydraulic lift. The bunker also contains a wire mesh cage for the Batsuit, along with the associated weapons and tools, toolbox, and spare equipment for the Batmobile. In contrast to the Batcave, the large rectangular shaped room is brightly lit by banks of overhead fluorescent lights. Storage areas for the equipment are located both under the ground or within the walls giving the room a very empty appearance with the exception of a large bank of monitors to go with a well-developed computer system. In addition, the room is equipped with furnaces which Alfred uses to burn documents after Bruce decides to turn himself in.

The Batcave is set to reappear in The Dark Knight Rises in full working condition

Early appearances

The Bat-Cave was first seen in animation in various episodes of The Batman/Superman Hour
The Batman/Superman Hour
The Batman/Superman Hour is a Filmation animated series that was broadcast on CBS from 1968 to 1969. Premiering on September 14, 1968, this 60-minute program featured new adventures of the DC Comics superheroes Batman, Robin and Batgirl alongside shorts from The New Adventures of Superman and The...

, Super Friends
Super Friends
Super Friends is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes, which ran from 1973 to 1986 on ABC as part of its Saturday morning cartoon lineup...

, and The New Adventures of Batman
The New Adventures of Batman
The New Adventures of Batman is an animated series produced by Filmation in 1977 featuring the DC Comics superheroes Batman and Robin, and Batgirl. The current distributor is Warner Bros. Television due to parent company Warner Bros's ownership of DC Comics, which publishes the Batman titles...

. In these cartoons, the Batcomputer
Batcomputer
The Batcomputer is the fictional computer system used by comic book superhero Batman. It is located in the Batcave. The Batcomputer was first introduced in fiction in 1964.-Portrayal in fiction:...

 is present as usual. The voice of the Batcomputer was portrayed by Lou Scheimer
Lou Scheimer
Louis Scheimer is an Emmy and Grammy Award–winning American producer, one of the original founders of Filmation, an animation company, and also an executive producer of many of its cartoons .-Career:Early in Filmation's history, Scheimer also contributed...

 in The New Adventures of Batman
The New Adventures of Batman
The New Adventures of Batman is an animated series produced by Filmation in 1977 featuring the DC Comics superheroes Batman and Robin, and Batgirl. The current distributor is Warner Bros. Television due to parent company Warner Bros's ownership of DC Comics, which publishes the Batman titles...

.

Batman: The Animated Series

In the Batman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series is an American animated series based on the DC Comics character Batman. The series featured an ensemble cast of many voice-actors including Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Arleen Sorkin, and Loren Lester. The series won four Emmy Awards and was nominated...

 episode "Beware the Gray Ghost", the Batcave is revealed to be an exact replica of the lair used by the Gray Ghost
Gray Ghost (fictional character)
The Gray Ghost is a character voiced by Adam West from Batman: The Animated Series.-Batman: The Animated Series:Within the series, the Gray Ghost is a fictional character who appears in a television show and in movies, played by actor Simon Trent...

, a fiction-within-fiction character and idol to Bruce Wayne. There's also an exhibit of a collection of the Gray Ghost merchandise Bruce Wayne has collected since childhood. The Batcave gets introduced in this series as a large underground cavern. Bats are seen flying freely in the cave, with large naturally elevated platforms on which his sidekick Robin
Robin (comics)
Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...

 practices his balance. Batman often utilises the Batcomputer
Batcomputer
The Batcomputer is the fictional computer system used by comic book superhero Batman. It is located in the Batcave. The Batcomputer was first introduced in fiction in 1964.-Portrayal in fiction:...

, impressive technology during the time the series was produced (early-to-mid 1990s), to research information on villains, from an anti-venom to Poison Ivy's plant poison to newspaper articles on the origin of Killer Croc
Killer Croc
Killer Croc is a comic book supervillain in the DC Universe, an enemy of Batman. Created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Gene Colan, while there was a shadowy cameo in Detective Comics #523 , his actual first appearance is credited to Batman #357 , which is also the first appearance of Jason...

. Batman's numerous crime-fighting vehicles are seen parked in an adjacent compartment to the Batcave, with an adjoining not-so-secret subterranean garage which stores Bruce Wayne's mammoth collection of vintage and luxury cars.

In the episode "Almost Got 'Im
Almost Got 'Im
Almost Got 'Im is the forty-sixth episode of the Warner Bros. animated television series Batman: The Animated Series, which first aired on November 11, 1992, and was written by Paul Dini and directed by Eric Radomski...

", Two-Face uses a giant penny in an attempt to either crush Batman or kill him from the impact, whichever side the giant coin landed on. Batman managed to free himself from the coin by slicing open the ropes. While telling the story of this to other Batman villains, Two-Face commented that Batman got to keep the giant coin. It is seen later in the series (and its spin-offs), in the Batcave.

Several entrances to the cave are seen throughout the series. In early episodes, Batman is seen using an elevator that is accessed through a secret door hidden behind a bookcase. In later episodes, he is seen using the classic grandfather clock entrance from the comics. In certain episodes, the clock-entrance is opened by setting the hands of the clock the time Bruce's parents were killed (similar to certain comic book stories), while in The New Batman Adventures
The New Batman Adventures
The New Batman Adventures is the successor to Batman: The Animated Series produced by Warner Bros. Animation. Although bearing different character designs and animation styles, both shows take place in the same continuity, with TNBA set two years after BTAS. The series aired on The WB from...

, Batman Beyond
Batman Beyond
Batman Beyond is an American animated television series created by Warner Bros. Animation in collaboration with DC Comics as a continuation of the Batman legacy...

, and Justice League
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....

, the pendulum is pulled from behind the face of the clock to unlock the entrance.

The New Batman Adventures

In the 1998 episode "Mean Seasons" from The New Batman Adventures
The New Batman Adventures
The New Batman Adventures is the successor to Batman: The Animated Series produced by Warner Bros. Animation. Although bearing different character designs and animation styles, both shows take place in the same continuity, with TNBA set two years after BTAS. The series aired on The WB from...

, Batman and Batgirl are forced to fight a giant mechanical T-Rex. The comic book tie-in to the Justice League
Justice League (TV series)
Justice League is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from 2001 to 2004 on Cartoon Network. The show was produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It is based on the Justice League of America and associated comic book characters published by DC Comics...

 Batman - Batman Adventures #12 - features a short called "The Hidden Display" which tells how a young Dick Grayson persuades Batman into keeping a robot T-Rex early on his career, which eventually leads to the Trophy Room of the Cave. Either one of these tales could be how the animated Batman obtained the dinosaur. An extensive training area allows Barbara Gordon to take on robots as part of her training.

Batman Beyond

This future Batcave of Batman Beyond
Batman Beyond
Batman Beyond is an American animated television series created by Warner Bros. Animation in collaboration with DC Comics as a continuation of the Batman legacy...

 includes not only replicas of Batman's most famous enemies (both as wax dummies and robot combat trainers), but also a display case with the many permutations of costumes of Robin, Batgirl, Nightwing, and Batman himself. Other items which have been shown to be in the Cave include the Freeze Gun and helmet of Mr. Freeze
Mr. Freeze
Mr. Freeze, real name Dr. Victor Fries , is a DC Comics supervillain, an enemy of Batman. Created by Bob Kane, he first appeared in Batman #121 ....

, the puppet Scarface
Ventriloquist (comics)
The Ventriloquist is a fictional character, a supervillain and enemy of Batman in the . The Ventriloquist first appeared in Detective Comics #583 and was created by Alan Grant, John Wagner and Norm Breyfogle...

, a 'shrine' to Bruce Wayne's childhood TV hero, the Gray Ghost
Gray Ghost (fictional character)
The Gray Ghost is a character voiced by Adam West from Batman: The Animated Series.-Batman: The Animated Series:Within the series, the Gray Ghost is a fictional character who appears in a television show and in movies, played by actor Simon Trent...

, and the costumes of Harley Quinn
Harley Quinn
Harley Quinn was first introduced as a villain on September 11, 1992, in the animated series Batman: The Animated Series, later adapted into DC Comics' Batman comic books. As suggested by her name , she is clad in the manner of a traditional harlequin jester...

, Penguin
Penguin (comics)
Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot III is a DC Comics supervillain and one of Batman's oldest, most persistent enemies. The Penguin was introduced by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, making his debut in Detective Comics #58 .The Penguin is a short, rotund man known for his love of birds and his...

, Riddler
Riddler
The Riddler is a fictional character, a comic book character and supervillain published by DC Comics, and an enemy of Batman. Created by Bill Finger and Dick Sprang, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #140 ....

, Mad Hatter
Mad Hatter (comics)
The Mad Hatter is a fictional supervillain and enemy of Batman in the DC Universe. He is modeled after the Hatter from Lewis Carroll's novel, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, a character often called the "Mad Hatter" in adaptations of Carroll. He made his first appearance in Batman #49 in October...

, Firefly, and Catwoman
Catwoman
Catwoman is a fictional character associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise. Historically a supervillain, the character was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, partially inspired by Kane's cousin, Ruth Steel...

.

Justice League

In the Justice League
Justice League (TV series)
Justice League is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from 2001 to 2004 on Cartoon Network. The show was produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It is based on the Justice League of America and associated comic book characters published by DC Comics...

 animated series, the members of the League seek refuge in the Batcave during the Thanagarian invasion. Later, they also confront Hawkgirl
Hawkgirl
Hawkgirl is the name of several female fictional superhero characters, all owned by DC Comics and existing in that company's universe. The character is one of the first costumed female superheroes...

 in the cave, and use the Batcomputer
Batcomputer
The Batcomputer is the fictional computer system used by comic book superhero Batman. It is located in the Batcave. The Batcomputer was first introduced in fiction in 1964.-Portrayal in fiction:...

 to track her movements. When the Batcave comes under siege from the Thanagarians, one attempts to use Mr. Freeze's Freeze Gun on Superman; Superman repels the attack with a gust of wind, freezing the soldier. Flash also tips the infamous giant penny onto some of the attacking Thangarians ("Tails! I win!"). In a humorous scene, he also points to the T-Rex, stating "That's a giant dinosaur!", at which point Alfred states "And I thought Batman was the detective".

The Batman

The Batman
The Batman (TV series)
The Batman is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation based on the DC Comics superhero Batman. It ran from 2004 to 2008, on the Saturday morning television block Kids' WB...

, the animated series that debuted in 2004, features a much more high-tech Batcave, with large computer displays and flashing blue lights. Among these displays are the "Bat-Wave" warning signals, an alternate way of calling upon the Caped Crusader before the Bat-Signal
Bat-Signal
The Bat-Signal is a distress signal device appearing in the various interpretations of the Batman mythos. It is a specially modified Klieg searchlight with a stylized symbol of a bat attached to the light so that it projects a large Bat emblem on the sky or buildings of Gotham City...

 went into service. Bruce Wayne is seen mostly without his Batsuit or with his cowl removed while in the cave, unlike in the earlier animated series. As a throwback to the old Adam West TV show, the cave has assorted 'Bat-poles' for Batman and Robin which allowed them from level to level in a faster manner. Unlike the old series, it does not allow for instant costume changes. The elevator system is featured quite a bit as well. A similar trophy room, this time storing memorabilia seen in earlier episodes such as The Riddler's giant hourglass and The Joker's giant playing card trap, appears in the series. The series also shows that it was Alfred
Alfred Pennyworth
Alfred Pennyworth is a fictional character that appears throughout the DC Comics franchise. The character first appears in Batman #16 , and was created by writer Bob Kane and artist Jerry Robinson. Alfred serves as Batman’s tireless butler, assistant, confidant, and surrogate father figure...

 who started the museum, hoping it would be useful if the city of Gotham ever fully accepted Batman, somewhat like the Flash Museum
Flash Museum
The Flash Museum is a fictional museum that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The museum is dedicated to the superheroes sharing the alias of the Flash, with its primary focus on Barry Allen...

.

The cave was also the location of Season 3's climatic finale, in which the villainous robot D.A.V.E. attempts to kill Alfred using an array of trophies garnered by the Batman, putting the Dark Knight in a position where he had to choose to reveal his secret identity or allow Alfred to be killed by the trap. However, even the Batcave isn't impervious to damage. In one episode, a loose raccoon causes a short circuit and subsequent blackout of electricity in the cave. In the direct-to-video
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...

 film The Batman vs. Dracula
The Batman vs. Dracula
The Batman vs. Dracula is a 2005 direct-to-video animated movie based on The Batman television series. It has a much darker tone than the show, and features Vicki Vale...

, it said that Batman's cave is in fact part of a series of Catacombs
Catacombs
Catacombs, human-made subterranean passageways for religious practice. Any chamber used as a burial place can be described as a catacomb, although the word is most commonly associated with the Roman empire...

 under Gotham City, which Batman uses to lure Dracula to the cave and subsequently kill him with the new solar generator. On the episode "Joker's Express," it is revealed that the Batcave is also connected to some old mines
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...

 beneath the city when Gotham was a thriving coal-mining town in the late 19th century.

In the Season 4 episode "Artifacts", archaeologists from the future unearth the Batcave. It's titanium supports are printed with binary code, as the computer information would not survive that long. The archaeologists theorize that Thomas Wayne was Batman and that Bruce Wayne was Robin. In another segment of the episode, set in 2027, Babara Gordon (as the Oracle) is shown at the Batcomputer in the Batcave. Her wheelchair is also uncovered in the cave by the archaeologists, who believe that it was Alfred who used it.

Unlike in many previous incarnations of the Batcave which show only one exit/entrance, the Batmobile and other vehicles exit the cave through a variety of concealed dead-ends and disguised construction sites scattered around Gotham City. Batman also established a series of satellite Batcaves across Gotham on the show. Batcave South-Central debuted on the episode "Strange New World". In "The Joining, Part One", it is revealed that Lucius Fox
Lucius Fox
Lucius Fox is a fictional character appearing in Batman comic books by DC Comics. He was created by Len Wein and John Calnan, and first appeared in Batman #307 . As a supporting character, he acts as Bruce Wayne's business manager who supposedly unknowingly runs the business interests that supply...

 helped the Batman in constructing the Batcave, and all of the Dark Knight's other secret safehouses throughout Gotham. Another satellite Batcave debuted on the episode "The Batman/Superman Story, Part One", under Wayne Industries which served as his new tech lab. The villainous anti-Batman, known as The Wrath
Wrath (comics)
The Wrath is the name of two fictional comic book supervillains published by DC Comics. The original Wrath debuted in Batman Special #1 , and was created by Mike W. Barr and Michael Golden...

 and his sidekick, Scorn, break into the Batcave, and attempt to kill Batman and Robin, causing large amounts of damage in the process.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold

In Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Batman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain...

, the Batcave makes its first appearance in the episode "Deep Cover for Batman," when Owlman
Owlman (comics)
Owlman is the name of several fictional supervillains that appear in comic books published by DC Comics who are the intended reverse counterparts of Batman. Owlman first appeared in Justice League of America #29 , and was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky...

 attacks Batman inside it. In the following episode, "Game Over for Owlman," Batman brings the Joker
Joker (comics)
The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...

, who is at the time partnered with him, to the cave (The Joker accidentally sprayed himself with knockout gas before and after they were in the Batcave, so he couldn't possibly know where the cave's location is). The entrance to this Batcave can be seen briefly in The Brave and the Bold episode "Color of Revenge." It appears to be very similar to the Batman TV series Batcave. In The Siege of Starro Part 1, Faceless Hunter
Faceless Hunter
The Faceless Hunters are an alien race in the DC Comics universe that first appeared in Strange Adventures #124, . They were created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky. The Faceless Hunters hail from Klaramar, the word Klar-a-mar breaks down into "clear of imperfection"...

 attacks Batman in the Batcave. In the episode "Darkseid Descending", a reserve Batcave (very similar to the one in The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight (film)
The Dark Knight is a 2008 superhero film directed, produced and co-written by Christopher Nolan. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is part of Nolan's Batman film series and a sequel to 2005's Batman Begins...

) is located inside the Lincoln Memorial
Lincoln Memorial
The Lincoln Memorial is an American memorial built to honor the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. It is located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The architect was Henry Bacon, the sculptor of the main statue was Daniel Chester French, and the painter of the interior...

.

Teen Titans

In the episode "Haunted", the Batcave makes an appearance when Raven enters Robin's mind.

Video Games

In the 2009 video game Batman: Arkham Asylum
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Batman: Arkham Asylum is a 2009 action-adventure stealth video game based on DC Comics' Batman developed for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows. It was developed by Rocksteady Studios and published by Eidos Interactive in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment...

, Batman can access a secret auxiliary Batcave hidden within the cave system beneath Arkham Island after the Joker takes control of the asylum. This Bat cave is small and fairly spartan (in comparison with Batman's primary Batcave), containing only two small platforms, a Batcomputer
Batcomputer
The Batcomputer is the fictional computer system used by comic book superhero Batman. It is located in the Batcave. The Batcomputer was first introduced in fiction in 1964.-Portrayal in fiction:...

, and one of Batman's Batwing planes. Near the end of the game this cave was destroyed by Poison Ivy.

Also in the 2008 video game Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe is a crossover fighting game from Midway Games and Warner Bros. Games. The eighth game in the Mortal Kombat series, MK vs. DC was released on November 16, . MK vs. DC contains characters from both the Mortal Kombat franchise and the DC Universe...

, the Batcave is one of the fighting arenas.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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