Batman turned 75 years old in May and DC Comics have been busy turning the entirety of 2014 into a celebration of the Caped Crusader and his corner of the DC Universe. This will see the release of a new animated movie, a weekly comic book (Batman: Eternal) to add to the ongoing series' currently being published and also a great deal of commemorative merchandise. When the character first appeared in Detective Comics #27 in May 1939, few could have guessed the unprecedented success that was to come in the ensuing years. While Batman, and comics in general, have experienced periodic booms of prosperity and also difficult times over those 75 years, Batman has been on top of the industry for incredibly sustained periods, experiencing many more highs than lows. What is it about the Dark Knight that has such enduring appeal? Why is it that DC can routinely publish more than 10 Batman related titles every single month (in fact, after November there will be 14), as well as featuring him in guest appearances in any number of other DC comics, and yet people have never become sick of the character? There are a wide variety of reasons and factors that contribute to Batman's popularity, and in this article we are going to examine the extended Batman universe, a factor which we believe is integral in sustaining the Bat's appeal. Whenever you have a strong and compelling protagonist like Batman and you place him into the incredibly diverse and interesting world that he operates in, magic happens. Batman's universe is continually being added to and refined, as different writers and artists contribute their ideas to the rich tapestry that is Gotham City. These are the 10 factors that give Batman the best extended universe in comics.
