Fun fact: Batman will enter the public domain (to a point) in ten years
That's right: starting January 1, 2035, Batman will officially be copyright-free and become public domain. BUT people will only be allowed to use the original 1939 Detective Comics Batman and anything outside of that will still be protected under copyright. This means you won't be allowed to give him a sidekick named Robin, Batgirl, etc. You can't use iconic Batman villains like Joker, Catwoman, Penguin, pretty much all of the rogues gallery. No Alfred, no Batmobile, no Bat Signal, no Gotham City, no Arkham Asylum, no Wayne Enterprises, not even his signature grapple hook gun. Pretty much everything Batman-related that came after 1939 will still be off limits.
So what can you use when Batman becomes public domain? You can still make his true identity a wealthy socialite named Bruce Wayne, you can still give him a Batsuit so long as it looks like its original 1939 incarnation, you can use Commissioner Gordon and you can use all of the earliest Batman villains who are now lost to time such as Doctor Death, Monk, Carl Kruger, Frenchy Blake and the Chemical Syndicate. The original Batman also had no qualms about using guns and even killing people! You can make any kind of continuity with Batman you want too. A Wild West Batman, a sci-fi Batman, a Batman slasher film (please don't, lol). So long as you're using the original 1939 Batman as your basis, you can do whatever you want with him come 2035.
So what can you use when Batman becomes public domain? You can still make his true identity a wealthy socialite named Bruce Wayne, you can still give him a Batsuit so long as it looks like its original 1939 incarnation, you can use Commissioner Gordon and you can use all of the earliest Batman villains who are now lost to time such as Doctor Death, Monk, Carl Kruger, Frenchy Blake and the Chemical Syndicate. The original Batman also had no qualms about using guns and even killing people! You can make any kind of continuity with Batman you want too. A Wild West Batman, a sci-fi Batman, a Batman slasher film (please don't, lol). So long as you're using the original 1939 Batman as your basis, you can do whatever you want with him come 2035.
