Batcave facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Batcave |
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The Batcave in Batman (vol. 2) #1 (November 2011)
Art by Greg Capullo |
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| Batman location | |
| Created by | Harry L. Fraser |
| Genre | Superhero comics |
| Type | Underground base of operations |
| Notable locations | Wayne Manor |
| Notable characters | Batman Robin Alfred Pennyworth Harold Allnut Ace the Bat-Hound Barbara Gordon Cassandra Cain Huntress (Helena Bertinelli) Stephanie Brown Dick Grayson Jason Todd Tim Drake Damian Wayne The Outsiders |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
The Batcave is a secret underground place found in American comic books from DC Comics. It is the main headquarters for the superhero Batman. His secret identity is Bruce Wayne. The Batcave is made up of caves hidden beneath his home, Wayne Manor. It's also where his partners work from.
The Batcave has appeared in many places. These include the 1960s Batman TV show. It was also in movies like Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992). You can see it in Batman Forever (1995) and Batman and Robin (1997). It was also a key location in The Dark Knight Trilogy (2005–2012). More recently, it appeared in the DC Extended Universe (2016–2023) and The Batman (2022).
Contents
- The Batcave's Story
- How Batman Found His Secret Base
- Batcaves in Different Stories
- The Batcave in Movies and TV
- Images for kids
- See also
The Batcave's Story
At first, Batman only had a secret tunnel. It went from Wayne Manor to an old barn. The Batmobile was kept there. Later, in Batman #12 (1942), "secret underground hangars" were mentioned.
In 1943, the first Batman film serial showed a full underground crime lab. It was called "The Bat's Cave". You could enter through a secret passage behind a grandfather clock. Bats were even flying around inside.
Bob Kane, one of Batman's creators, saw the film set. He told Bill Finger, who was writing the Batman newspaper strip. Finger used a magazine clipping showing detailed underground hangars. Kane used this as a guide. He added a study, crime lab, workshop, hangar, and garage. This drawing appeared in the newspaper strip on October 29, 1943. It was titled "The Bat Cave!"
In these early versions, the cave was a small study. It had a desk and filing cabinets. Batman's symbol was carved into the rock. A candle was placed in its center. The entrance was a bookcase leading to a secret elevator.
The Batcave first appeared in a comic book in Detective Comics #83 (1944). Over the years, the cave grew much larger. It now includes a huge trophy room, a supercomputer, and a forensics lab. The layout of the Batcave often changes. Artists draw it differently in various comics.
How Batman Found His Secret Base
Long ago, Bruce Wayne's ancestors used the caves. They stored things there. They also used them to help escaped slaves during the Civil War. Bruce Wayne found the caves as a boy. He fell through an old well on his family's land. But he didn't think of it as a base until he became Batman. The Batcave is a private and peaceful place for Batman. It's like Superman's Fortress of Solitude.
In older stories, Bruce found the cave as an adult. In Detective Comics #205 (1954), Batman told Robin he didn't know the cave existed. He found it by accident. The floor of an old barn on his property gave way. This story also said a frontiersman used the cave 300 years earlier.
When Bruce Wayne first started fighting crime, he used the caves. He stored his basic equipment there. Over time, he realized it was perfect for a secret base. He added lots of equipment and expanded the cave for different uses.
Getting Inside the Batcave
The Batcave has several secret ways to enter. One way is through a hidden door in Wayne Manor. This is usually in the main study. Often, it's behind a grandfather clock. The clock opens when its hands are set to 10:48 pm. This is the time Bruce Wayne's parents were murdered.
In the 1960s Batman TV show, the entrance was behind a bookcase. Bruce Wayne opened it by pressing a switch hidden in a bust of William Shakespeare. In Batman Forever, an entrance under Bruce Wayne's chair in his office. It led to a long tunnel. Bruce rode through it in a fast capsule. In Batman Begins and The Dark Knight Rises, the cave is behind a display case. You unlock it by playing a special tune on a grand piano.
Another secret entrance is hidden by a waterfall or a fake pond. This allows the Batmobile to enter. The dry well where Bruce first found the cave is also an entrance. This was important in the Knightfall comic story.
Many of Batman's friends know where the Batcave is. This includes the "Batman Family" and members of the Justice League. Some villains, like Ra's al Ghul, also know. He sometimes visits to challenge Batman. David Cain also got into the cave once.
After Wayne Manor became a new Arkham Asylum, Batman kept the original cave. He sealed off the entrance from the manor. When Bruce lost his memory, Alfred kept the Batcave a secret from him. Other Bat-Family members still used it.
What's Inside the Batcave?
The Batcave is Batman's secret headquarters. It's his command center. From here, he watches over Gotham City and the world.
The most important part of the cave is a supercomputer. It's as powerful as those used by national security groups. It lets Batman watch the world. It also connects to a huge information network. The systems are very secure. Any attempt to break in sends an alert to Batman or Oracle. Sometimes, Batman uses the Justice League Watchtower's even more powerful computers.
The cave also has many advanced areas. These include a crime lab and other special labs. There are workshops, a gym, and parking for vehicles. It has space for air and water vehicles too. There's a huge library and a large bat colony. It even has a Justice League teleporter. Medical facilities and training areas are also found there.
The cave stores Batman's many special vehicles. The most famous is the Batmobile. Other vehicles include motorcycles, air- and watercraft. These are like the Batplane and the Subway Rocket.
The cave is often powered by a nuclear reactor. But sometimes it's shown to use a hydroelectric generator. This generator uses an underground river.
During a big earthquake in the Cataclysm story, the cave was badly damaged. The Bat-family moved most of the trophies and equipment. When it was rebuilt, new safety features were added. These protect against future quakes and even nuclear disasters. The cave became like a strong bomb shelter. The earthquake changed the cave's layout. It now has eight new levels. These include labs, a library, training areas, and vehicle access.
There's a special vault just for Lex Luthor's Kryptonite ring. Batman also built another place to store different kinds of Kryptonite.
Keeping the Batcave Safe
The Batcave has a very advanced security system. It stops anyone from getting in without permission. This includes motion sensors and silent alarms. There are also strong steel and lead doors. These doors can lock people in or out. There's even a special security mode. It's designed to stop any Justice League members if they ever turn bad.
After Bruce Wayne was thought to be 'dead', Two-Face got into the cave. He used a psychic to find it. But Dick Grayson, as the new Batman, tricked Two-Face. He kept Batman's secrets safe.
Batman's Cool Trophies
The cave holds many unique items. These are collected from cases Batman has solved over the years. At first, they were in a special room. Batman and Robin took one souvenir from each case. Later, the trophies were shown in the main area of the cave.
The most famous trophies are a huge animatronic Tyrannosaurus Rex. There's also a giant replica of a Lincoln penny. And a very large Joker playing card. The T. Rex came from an adventure on "Dinosaur Island". The giant penny was first from a villain called the Penny Plunderer. Later, its story changed to be from an encounter with Two-Face.
Other items often seen in the Batcave include Two-Face's original coin. There's also Deathstroke's sword and the shroud of the vampire Monk. Oversized ten-pins are also displayed.
There is a glass case with Jason Todd's Robin costume. It's a memorial to him. It has the words "A Good Soldier" on it. Barbara Gordon's Batgirl costume is also on display.
After the Flashpoint story, a letter from an alternate Thomas Wayne was in a display case. It was a reminder of his love for Bruce. But a villain later destroyed this letter.
Other Secret Bat-Bases
The Outsiders team once used a Batcave in Los Angeles. When Jean-Paul Valley became Batman, Tim Drake made his own secret base. It was in an old barn near Wayne Manor. After Bane attacked, Bruce Wayne made satellite Batcaves. These were secret bases around Gotham City. They were for hiding or getting new supplies. They were very important during the No Man's Land story. One such Batcave was given to Batgirl.
- Bat Bunker: Under the Wayne Foundation building, there is a secret bunker. Dick Grayson used this as his "Batcave" for a while. He wanted to be closer to the city's action. This bunker is just as well-equipped as the original Batcave. It even has the Subway Rocket vehicle.
Other satellite Batcaves used during No Man's Land were:
- Batcave Central: This one was 50 feet below Robinson Park Reservoir.
- Batcave South: A boiler room in an old shipping yard.
- Batcave South-Central: In an old subway station.
- Batcave Northwest: In the basement of Arkham Asylum.
- Batcave East: An old oil refinery owned by Wayne Enterprises.
- Batcave Submarine: An abandoned submarine used by Batman as a home.
Batcaves in Different Stories
Flashpoint (comics)
In the Flashpoint world, the Batcave is much smaller. It's used by Thomas Wayne (Bruce's father) instead of Bruce. It only has a few tables for equipment and a medical area. This shows Thomas's tougher way of being Batman.
Batman Beyond
In the Batman Beyond 2.0 comic series, Terry McGinnis no longer uses the Batcave. He uses Dick Grayson's apartment as his base. If Terry gets badly hurt, his suit automatically takes him back to the Batcave.
In another universe, Terry finds a destroyed Wayne Manor. He goes to the damaged Batcave. He finds old Batsuits and a powerful armored Batsuit. This suit is powered by fake Kryptonite.
The Batcave in Movies and TV
Early Movie Serials
The Batcave first appeared in the 1943 movie serial Batman. It was a small cave with a desk and rock walls. A big black bat symbol was behind the desk. Bats were shown flying around. Batman used them to scare bad guys. An iron door kept enemies from escaping.
The Batcave was also in the 1949 serial Batman and Robin. It had filing cabinets and a crime lab. It also had the first "batphone." In both serials, you entered by walking through a grandfather clock.
The 1960s TV Show Batcave
The 1960s Batman TV series showed the Batcave a lot. It was a large, well-lit cave. It had an atomic power generator, a chemistry lab, and computers. All the devices were clearly labeled. It was mainly a crime lab and a garage for the Batmobile.
You entered from Wayne Manor using two Bat-Poles. They were hidden behind a bookcase. You opened it by turning a switch in a bust of Shakespeare. When Bruce and Dick slid down, they instantly put on their costumes. The Bat-Poles could also lift them back up. Alfred used a service elevator.
Batcaves in Older Batman Movies
Batman (1989) =
In Tim Burton's 1989 Batman movie, the Batcave is present. The Batmobile is on a spinning platform. It's at the edge of a deep pit. A huge switch turns on the cave lights. Bats fly around. There's also the Batcomputer and an office area. A large vault holds Batman's costume.
Batman Returns (1992) =
In Batman Returns, Bruce enters the cave through a tube/elevator. The entrance is hidden in an iron maiden. You activate it by flipping a switch on a small replica of Wayne Manor. Alfred also mentions a staircase to the cave. The cave was huge and bright. It had a forensics lab, a computer, and a closet for costumes. The Batmobile and its repair tools were also there.
Batman Forever (1995) =
In this film, the Batcave is accessed through a rotating shelf. This led to a staircase in Wayne Manor's silver closet. The cave could also be reached from Bruce Wayne's office. He rode down in a capsule. The cave had a main computer and a crime lab. A canal allowed sea access. It also had a long tunnel for launching the Batwing. A spinning platform held the Batmobile. A large dome stored Bruce's Batsuits and gadgets.
When villains attacked Wayne Manor, they destroyed much of the Batcave. But a lower section held the Batboat and Batplane. Batman and Robin used these to fight the villains.
Batman & Robin (1997) =
This Batcave had many flashing neon lights. It was similar to the one in Batman Forever, but more colorful. A capsule with Robin's Redbird motorcycle rose from the floor. A long tunnel with neon lights led out of the cave. The Batmobile's spinning platform returned. The cave had areas for Batman's and Robin's costumes.
The Dark Knight Movies
Batman Begins =
In Batman Begins, the cave is mostly empty. It has a small workshop and storage for the Batsuit. There's also a medical area and the Batmobile. The Batmobile enters and exits from a cliff behind a waterfall. Alfred tells Bruce that the Waynes used the caves during the Civil War. They used an old mechanical elevator. This elevator leads to a hidden entrance in the mansion. You access it by tapping three keys on a piano.
The Dark Knight =
Wayne Manor was being rebuilt in The Dark Knight. So, Batman's base moved to a large bunker. It was under a shipping yard. One way in was through a shipping container. This container hid a secret lift. The "Bat-bunker" had a cage for the Batsuit. It also had weapons, tools, and spare Batmobile parts. Unlike the Batcave, this room was bright. It had many monitors and a good computer system. Alfred used furnaces in the room to burn documents.
The Dark Knight Rises =
The Batcave is fully working again in The Dark Knight Rises. You enter by tapping three keys on the piano. This reveals a modern elevator. The newest addition is "The Bat". This is a flying tank aircraft. It was built by Wayne Enterprises. The cave also has a Batcomputer and landing pads. Bridges can go underwater for security. Only Bruce or Alfred can access the computer. The bunker from The Dark Knight also appears. It has weapons and a backup Batsuit.
After Bruce Wayne was thought to be dead, John Blake inherited GPS coordinates. These led him to the Batcave.
The DC Extended Universe Films
Batman v Superman =
In this version, the Batcave is not directly under Wayne Manor. It was in the woods near the manor. Bruce found it when he fell into it after his parents' funeral. After Wayne Manor was destroyed, Bruce and Alfred moved. They lived in a glass house built above the Batcave. The cave has a long passage to a nearby lake. This is for the Batmobile or Batplane. The elevator to the house has an old Robin costume. It seems to be a memorial. An upper level has the Batcomputer and a workshop.
Justice League =
After Superman's death, Bruce kept working from the Batcave. It has a large hangar. He was building a secret transport for his new team. Diana visited him there. He said the cave's security cost millions. When the team formed, Bruce took them to the Batcave. They planned their next move. Barry Allen (The Flash) ran all around the cave in seconds.
The Batman (2022) Movie
The Batman (2022) =
A new Batcave appears in The Batman. It's an old railway station. It's accessed through secret tunnels under Wayne Tower.
The Lego Batman Movie
The Batcave is featured in The Lego Batman Movie. This version is much larger. It has many versions of the Batmobile and other Bat-themed vehicles and suits. It's controlled by Batman's smart computer, 'Puter'. You need a password to enter: "Iron Man sucks".
The Batcave on TV
First Cartoon Appearances
The Bat-Cave first appeared in cartoons like The Batman/Superman Hour and Super Friends. The Batcomputer was always there.
The DC Animated Universe
Batman: The Animated Series =
In Batman: The Animated Series, the Batcave is a copy of the Gray Ghost's lair. The Gray Ghost was a film character and Bruce's hero. Bats fly freely in the cave. There are large platforms for Robin to practice on. Batman's vehicles are parked in a nearby area.
In one episode, Two-Face used a giant penny to try and crush Batman. Batman escaped. Two-Face later said Batman got to keep the giant coin.
The show showed several entrances. In early episodes, Batman used an elevator behind a bookcase. Later, he used the classic grandfather clock entrance. Sometimes, you set the clock to the time Bruce's parents died. In The New Batman Adventures and Batman Beyond, you pulled the pendulum.
The New Batman Adventures =
In The New Batman Adventures, Batman and Batgirl fought a giant robot T-Rex. A comic book story explained how Batman got the robot T-Rex. It became part of the Trophy Room. A large training area allowed Barbara Gordon to train against robots.
Batman Beyond =
This future Batcave in Batman Beyond has copies of Batman's enemies. These are wax dummies and robot trainers. There's a display case with costumes of Robin, Batgirl, and Nightwing. Other items include Mr. Freeze's gun and helmet. There's also a 'shrine' to Bruce Wayne's childhood hero, the Gray Ghost. Costumes of villains like Harley Quinn and Penguin are also there. Bruce usually stayed in the Batcave. He helped Terry McGinnis (the new Batman) through a video link.
Justice League =
In the Justice League animated series, the League members hid in the Batcave. This was during an alien invasion. They also used the Batcomputer to track Hawkgirl. Later, the Batcave was attacked, but the League fought them off.
The Batman (TV Series)
The Batman features a very high-tech Batcave. It has large computer screens and blue lights. It has "Bat-Wave" signals to call Batman. The cave also has 'Bat-poles' for Batman and Robin. These help them move faster. The Batcave is also connected to old mines under the city.
In one episode, archaeologists from the future found the Batcave. They thought Thomas Wayne was Batman. They believed Bruce Wayne was Robin. Barbara Gordon (as Oracle) was shown at the Batcomputer in the Batcave in 2027.
Unlike other Batcaves, this one has many exits. The Batmobile and other vehicles leave through hidden exits around Gotham City. Batman also made satellite Batcaves across Gotham.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
The Batcave appears in Batman: The Brave and the Bold. This version shows many trophies from the 1960s Batman TV series. These include a giant clam and an electric chair. A future version of the cave appears in one episode. Humanoid "Man-Bats" live there.
In another episode, Booster Gold says the Batcave is a historical attraction in the 25th century.
Teen Titans
The Batcave makes a small appearance in the Teen Titans episode "Haunted".
Young Justice
The Batcave appears in the Young Justice episode "Downtime".
Beware the Batman
In this version, the Batcave entrance is behind a large fireplace. It's in Bruce Wayne's trophy room. Batman brings unconscious guests there for questioning. In the series finale, Deathstroke tries to destroy the Batcave.
Batwoman
In the TV series Batwoman, Bruce has a Batcave in Wayne Towers. His cousin Kate, Luke Fox, and later Ryan Wilder use it. A Batmobile was stored behind a hidden wall.
Titans
The Batcave appears in Titans.
Batwheels
The Batcave appears in Batwheels. The Batcomputer and M.O.E. oversee it.
The Batcave in Video Games
The Batcave appears as a level in Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe.
Injustice
In the video game Injustice: Gods Among Us, the Batcave is a level. Fighters can use Batman's weapons and vehicles. Green Arrow fights villains there. The 'true' Batman fights an alternate Batman in the cave.
A new Batcave appears in Injustice 2. This version was an old subway station. It's where Bruce keeps his communications hub, Brother Eye.
Lego Batman
The Batcave appears in Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes. It has parking for land, sea, and air vehicles. It has the Batcomputer. It also shows things like a waterfall, a Lincoln Penny, and a robot T-Rex.
Batman: Arkham
In Batman: Arkham Asylum, Batman can use a secret Batcave. It's hidden under Arkham Island. This Batcave is small. It has a Batcomputer and one of Batman's Batwing planes. It was partly destroyed by Poison Ivy.
The Batcave is a challenge map in Batman: Arkham City. Batman can access the Batcomputer's data from his batsuit. Alfred analyzes the data back at the Batcave.
The Batcave is in Batman: Arkham Origins. Players can use the Batwing for fast travel. Alfred is also there. He gives Batman gadget upgrades. The Batcave is badly damaged by Bane in the game.
In Batman: Arkham Knight, Alfred coordinates everything from the Batcave. He also activates the Knightfall Protocol from there. It's unknown if the Batcave survived when Wayne Manor was destroyed. Batman and Robin use a Bat-Bunker under Panessa Studios. Robin works there to cure people infected by Joker's blood.
Images for kids
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Bruce Wayne accesses the Batcave through a clock. Art by David Finch.
See also
In Spanish: Batcave para niños
