Batcomputer

Batcomputer
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
In story information
Type	Computer
Element of stories featuring	Batman

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

The Batcomputer is usually portrayed as a powerful supercomputer on par with the cutting edge of the field. As real-world technology has progressed, the fictional portrayal of the Batcomputer has evolved. The machine began as a punch-card computer and is currently portrayed as a quantum super-computer.

The Batcomputer is networked; a series of satellite link-ups allows Batman access from anywhere on the globe.

The Batcomputer is protected by computer security.

Despite the power of Batman's computers, the Justice League Watchtower is known to have more powerful computers. While the Batcomputer is generally portrayed as a plausible, if powerful, computer, the Watchtower computers incorporate science fiction elements such as Kryptonian, Thanagarian and Martian technology. Batman has been shown using these computers as well.

Comics

The Batcomputer often acts as a plot device or tool for exposition.

In the Death in the Family storyline, Jason Todd uses the computer to deduce the identity of his mother.

Live-action

Batman (TV series)

The 1966 Adam West TV series featured the Batcave extensively, and portrayed it as a large but well-lit cavern filled with all sorts of computers and devices.

In keeping with the show's camp style, a number of whimsical devices were portrayed as part of the cave's computing suite. These included:

• Bat-diamond (power source for the Batcomputer, must be far more pure than a natural diamond, it is well over 10,000 carats (2.0 kg))
• Accelerated Concentration Switch (increases computing power of Batcomputer when it is strained)
• Dual Identity Bat-sensor
• Bat-analyzing Gears
• Batcomputer Ingestor Switch
• Batcomputer Bat-resistance Signal (light comes on when the Batcomputer does not understand the question)
• Special Escaped Archcriminal Bat-locator
• Bat-correction Signal (alerts Batman or Robin when they say something incorrect)
• Anti-crime Voice Analyzer
• Special seismological attachment
• Batcomputer Input Slot (enter some information source, such as a phone book, so a search can be performed)
• Illustrated Bat-slides (Alfred created these to be more informative than the usual cue cards)

The "Batcomputer" was actually surplus equipment from Burroughs Corporation and was one of many pieces of such equipment not only used in the Batcave in the 1966-68 Batman TV series, but also in other 20th Century Fox TV productions of the period, such as Lost In Space and The Time Tunnel (ironically, the former aired in the same time period as Batman during 1966 and part of 1967).

Film

Batman (1989)

The Batcomputer that was used in the 1989 film Batman was realistic in its design. The Batcomputer first appears when Bruce Wayne is in the Batcave seeing in the security videos of the manor when Commissioner Gordon is alerted of Jack Napier and Lt. Max Eckardt's arrival at Axis Chemicals. Later in the film, it is seen when Batman brings Vicki Vale to the Batcave show the lethal combination of The Joker's health and beauty products. Finally, Bruce uses the computer to observe The Joker's challenge to him while recalling that he killed his parents years ago.

Batman Returns

The Batcomputer is first seen when Bruce read the files of the Red Triangle Circus of The Penguin. This comes while Bruce managed to damage Penguin's campaign for mayor of Gotham City via frequency interference by playing a recording in which Penguin was insulting the citizens of Gotham. Towards the end of the film, Alfred does the same thing against the army of penguins in the service of the villain.

Batman Forever

The Batcomputer briefly appears behind the large Batemblem in the Batcave when Bruce is discussing with Dick Grayson after Dick saved Batman from Two-Face in the subway that's under construction. It also appears in a deleted scene when watching the news which frightens Batman and Two-Face. The Batcomputer is ultimately destroyed by The Riddler.

Batman & Robin

The Batcomputer used in the 1997 film Batman & Robin was realistic in its design.

In the film, Alfred programs his brain algorithms into the Batcomputer and creates a virtual simulation of himself. The simulation's appearance may be an homage to Max Headroom.

The Dark Knight & The Dark Knight Rises

The Batcomputer as presented in The Dark Knight is a super-computer with advanced capabilities.

Batman also used a different powerful computer to track down his nemesis, Joker, via a form of sonar.

In The Dark Knight Rises, Batman uses the computer again to search for Selina Kyle's criminal records.

Animation

The New Adventures of Batman

The Batcomputer as presented in the animated series The New Adventures of Batman is capable of natural-language processing. The computer was voiced by Lou Scheimer.

Batman: The Animated Series

In this series, Batman utilizes the Batcomputer archetypically: as an information database and research tool.

Notable uses of the computer include:

• Synthesizing new chemical compounds (An anti-venom to Poison Ivy's poison)
• Researching old news articles (For the origin of Killer Croc)

In "The Laughing Fish" episode, it's revealed that Harvey Bullock knows the existence of the Batcomputer, but how Bullock learned of it is not revealed. It's possible though he just might have been referring to a computer used by Batman as a "Batcomputer" akin to the 1960s TV series habit of everything having a bat- prefix.

In the episode "His Silicon Soul," HARDAC created a duplicate of Batman that survived the computer's destruction, but lost its memory function and believed itself to be the Dark Knight (it had been implanted with information about both Batman and Bruce Wayne.) Using the duplicate, HARDAC planned to reform over the Internet, connected through the Batcomputer. However, the duplicate rebelled, and destroyed the mainframe before HARDAC succeeded and itself.

Batman Beyond

In Batman Beyond, the elder Bruce Wayne uses the Batcomputer to monitor his successor as Batman, Terry McGinnis, and his Batsuit.

The Batman

The Batman, 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 went into service. This is apparently an illegal connection to the GCPD computer system designed to alert him to unusual crimes at the same time as the police know.

The Batcomputer was again used for such plot-advancing tasks as decoding complicated riddles, analyzing digital viruses, and creating virtual personalities.

Young Justice

In Young Justice Robin is able to hack the Justice League records because it shares the same mainframe as the Batcomputer.

Video games

• Batman & Robin, based on the movie of the same name, features several Batcomputers hidden throughout Gotham City. These serve as both a gameplay tool and an in-game save menu.

• In Batman: Arkham Asylum, Batman uses a computer system similar to the Batcomputer, although it is not the computer located in the Batcave. The computer system is later partially destroyed.

See also

• Supercomputer
• Batman and Batcave

External links

• Character Profiles - Gadgets - Batcomputer
• Movies - The Dark Knight - Gadgets - The Batcomputer