He is vengeance. He is the night. He is one of the world’s greatest superhero figures and he celebrates eight and a half decades of existence this year! Batman celebrates his 85th anniversary this year, and since his very appearance in the pages of Detective Comics #27 – the Caped Crusader and vigilante hero of Gotham City has entertained millions of readers and fans worldwide with his relentless pursuit of fighting crime and bringing justice to those threatening the innocent.
Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, Batman remains one of the most recognizable superheroes that doesn’t possess any special abilities or powers. All he has is his mind and body that he has trained to the peak of human perfection, and the alter ego of billionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne is very much a relatable character that many strive to emulate and look up to. Outside of the pages of comics, the character been seen through various forms of media including movies, animated shows, video games, and more, and people have been inspired by the characters exploits and adventures – fighting the likes of The Joker, Two-Face, The Penguin, and other villains alongside his allies and Bat Family who are just as iconic as the Dark Knight himself!
This year Warner Bros. Discovery and SM Malls are bringing that excitement to Filipino fans as the Batcave Experience hits different SM Malls this year! Last May 20th, the press, media, and a ton of Batfans were invited to the first Batcave Experience activation setup over in SM City North EDSA at The Block, Atrium area – where the! Featuring a setup worthy of The Dark Knight and his world that include booths and displays around the area featuring various activities mallgoers can engage with in addition to Batman related toys, shirts, and collectibles being sold in the merchandise area – and there’s even a life-sized Bat Computer and Batmobile that fans can pose and take pictures alongside with too.
The main highlight of the day of course was the Batman Fans Cosplay event – which I personally attended and suited up as the modern comic book look of the Caped Crusader. Featuring cosplayers wearing various iterations of Batman seen over the years that including the Adam West/ Batman ’66 series, Christian Bale from The Dark Knight Trilogy, Ben Affleck from Batman v Superman and Justice League, supporting characters like Robin the Boy Wonder, Harley Quinn, Batgirl, and Catwoman, and even kids dressed up in their own mini batsuits, it was an intimate gathering and celebration of our love for the The Bat and his world whose legacy continues 85 years and counting!
Of course it wouldn’t be Batman without all of the wonderful toys and gadgets at his disposal, and the Batcave Experience provides a setup worthy of the ultimate Batfan to take photos with – including a Bat Computer, a Vault featuring his utility belt and batarangs, and even a life sized Batmobile inspired by the one Robert Pattinson drives in the 2022 film “The Batman”!
Here’s the details on the different areas fans can see and interact with at The Batman Experience via the press release:
Bat Computer: Standing as the centerpiece of the activation, a towering 6 meters in height bat computer will surely amaze fans, and shoppers of all ages can easily relish the Dark Knight’s key milestones.
Batcave Vault: Inside the cave are iconic lairs that provide fans with an interactive retail experience where they can get exclusive merchandise to take home.
Garage and Training Zones: Complete your Batcave experience with the legendary Batmobile set! Inside these zones, fans can play numerous interactive games to level up their journey. Don’t forget to take your photos with numerous photo-ops deployed in all corners!
Cosplay: Get a chance to meet up close your favorite DC Super Heroes and villains from the Batman Universe!
The SM City North EDSA Batman Experience will also feature a meet and greet session with cosplayers on the weekend of May 25 and 26, so if you happen to be with your family and friends and want to experience the world of Batman be sure not to miss out on those dates! The setup will stay in North EDSA until May 29, and then the caravan will be moving to different SM Malls in the coming weeks and months. Here’s the schedule where you can find and visit the setup at a location near you!
SM City Fairview from June 7 to 20
SM City Marikina from July 1 to 17
SM East Ortigas from July 18 to August 4
SM City Masinag from August 25 to September 8
SM City Sta. Rosa from September 16 to September 30