Batman is a famous comic book hero who dedicates himself to fighting crime in a costume that features a black bat mask and a flowing cape. The character first appeared in 1939 in a Detective Comics comic book. Bob Kane was the artist, and Bill Finger wrote the stories. In 1940, a teen-aged assistant called Robin joined Batman to form a crime-fighting team. In 1961, a young female assistant called Batgirl joined Batman and Robin.