Comic-Con 2019: Batman inducted into Hall of Fame with grand museum-style exhibition
2019 is a big year for Batman. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Caped Crusader, an event that was celebrated with the release of the graphic novel ‘Detective Comics #1000’ in March 2019. Now Gotham’s Dark Knight has received another, very unique honor at SDCC 2019.
Various writers, artists, editors, and more have been inducted into the Comic-Con Hall of Fame in San Diego, California, but 2019 marks the first time that fictional characters have received a chance to be inducted. And who better to be the first comic book character to receive the honor than Batman.
According to Comicbook.com, Batman’s induction and legacy were given a fitting celebration with the unveiling of a museum-style exhibit called ‘The Gathering’, a celebration of the Dark Knight's history across media.
DC Publisher and Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee who accepted the honor on Batman’s behalf talked about the character’s impact saying, “Batman is real in every person who summons the strength and resilience to keep going. That is a superpower. There’s no other way to describe it."
‘The Gathering’, which DC has described as a “black carpet” event, was held at the Comic-Con Museum’s future home in San Diego’s Balboa Park. The event also doubled as the first fundraiser for the museum, which is set to officially open in 2021. Dozens of pieces of Batman history were on display alongside an art gallery featuring artwork from years of SDCC posters and programs.
The event also gave fans a sneak preview of ‘The Batman Experience Powered by AT&T’, a massive exhibition that has been described as the largest-ever collection of Batman-related props, costumes, and vehicles that will be on display at the museum throughout SDCC 2019.
Meanwhile, the legacy of Batman is also set to be celebrated with a reunion panel featuring the cast and crew of ‘Batman Beyond’.
The series, which completed its 20th anniversary in 2019, follows a new teenage Batman in a futuristic Gotham City under the tutelage of an older, retired Bruce Wayne. The panel includes legendary voice actors Kevin Conroy and Will Friedle along with casting and dialogue director Andrea Romano and producers Bruce Timm and Glen Murakami. Director James Tucker and writers Bob Goodman and Stan Berkowitz are also part of the panel.
