In the 1980s, Batman again stayed within the realms of comic pages but things were starting to change with the character. The stories began to become far more gritty and realistic. The Batman costumes were starting to evolve as well. They were getting to be far more battle-orientated and the campness of the 1960s was gone.

1989 saw the release of Tim Burtons ‘Batman’. It was a huge success and it went on to redefine the lead character for a new generation of fans. The film was dark and sombre. Even the Jokers’ gags had a cruelness about them that had previously not existed. This time it was Michael Keaton who played the lead role with support from Jack Nicholson and Kim Basinger.

Since this, the character has retained much the same image for all of the subsequent movies. That brooding, Gothic feel is evident right up to the latest addition in the film franchise. Actors to have dressed in Batman costumes since 1989 include; George Clooney, Val Kilmer and Christian Bale. There have also been some very good villains who have been portrayed by the likes of Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey, Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

It is safe to say that Batman is going be staying around for a good few years to come. Whoever next plays the main character is uncertain, but it is sure to be interesting.

Like any other respectable superhero, Batman has had his fair share of enemies. Considering that it is almost seventy years since the creation of ‘The Caped Crusader’ you can imagine that to comprise a detailed dossier of each and every foe that Batman has faced would be a mammoth task.

Instead of listing all of his adversaries to date (most of whom few of us would ever have heard of) it would probably be more interesting to mention the most dangerous and infamous.

First up is, of course, The Joker. Out of all of the characters to create misery for Batman he must take first place. The Joker, name aside, is not to be taken lightly. He is a worthy opponent of Batman and is extremely unpredictable and dangerous. Jack Nicholson did a great job of playing the character in 1989′s ‘Batman’ but it has to be said that the late Heath Ledger probably bettered him if only for the dark and downright disturbing edge that he brought to the role in 2008′s ‘The Dark Knight’.

Next up is The Penguin, so named because of his appearance and its similarity to the Antarctic bird. With his long, beak-like nose and squat body he is a rather repulsive character. He is, however, a very intelligent man. He sees himself as a ‘higher being’ but he is also very much of an outcast. In the sixties ‘Batman’ series he was portrayed by Burgess Meredith but of the actors that have played the role Danny DeVito got it down to a tee in 1992′s ‘Batman Returns’. While we are on the subject of that movie there is also Catwoman to mention. Who could forget Michelle Pfeiffer’s sexy slant on the P.V.C. clad villainess? The character had already been portrayed very well by the late Eartha Kitt twenty-five years previously. Who is the rightful queen of that part is debatable.