The batarang is a roughly bat-shaped throwing weapon used by the DC Comics superhero Batman. Batarangs are a staple of Batman's arsenal, appearing in every major Batman television and film adaptation to date.
The name "Batarang" is a portmanteau of bat and boomerang, and was originally spelled "baterang".
The earliest depictions were of scalloped, metal boomerangs used to attack opponents, which quickly flew back to the thrower.
Batarangs are customizable throwing weapons, based on shurikens and boomerangs, and are collapsible so that a large number of them can fit inside of Batman's utility belt. Batman uses batarang as a weapon of ranged attack, the primary alternative to firearms, which he refuses to use.
They also serve as Batman's calling cards to alert criminal elements of his presence (much like the character's antecedent Zorro, who leaves the mark "Z" to his defeated foes) and props to create an illusion to the superstitious that he commands bats when he throws them.
The use of the batarang has been in a state of constant development since its early appearances.
According to The Essential Batman Encyclopedia,<blockquote>"The most consistently used versions of the Batarang included ones with micro-serrated edges; a hard-impact version for stunning criminals; a remote-controlled one linked to his Utility Belt; and an aerodynamically edged model with a throwing top."</blockquote>
Also known as the Batrope, rope batarangs were used as grappling hooks before the Grapple Gun's introduction.
Electric variants that deliver powerful electric shocks to whatever they come in contact with. These batarangs can incapacitate enemies or overload electronic devices.
After the 1985-1986 Crisis on Infinite Earths, Batman developed smaller batarangs with sharp edges that could disarm criminals.
Explosive variants that explode once they hit their target.
Remote-controlled variants that let Batman fully steer the batarang via a remote control. These are used when a straight line of sight is not possible. These batarangs have cameras in them so that Batman can see where they are going.
In 1946, Batman and Robin developed a "batarang gun", and then a lighter "batarang pistol" in 1947.
A 1957 story called "The 100 Batarangs of Batman!" (Detective Comics #244, June 1957) detailed the magnetic batarang, the seeing-eye batarang, the flash-bulb batarang, the bomb batarang, the rope batarang, the police whistle batarang and the mysterious Batarang X, among others.
Batgirl uses batarangs. Nightwing, a former Robin, is known to use his own modified batarangs called Wing-Dings, which are styled after a bird. Tim Drake, the third Robin, also possesses his own R-shaped shuriken.
Batwoman uses foldable S-shaped throwing weapons stored in two sets of three on her gauntlets; these can be removed and thrown by hand, launched pneumatically, or used as forearm-mounted blades.
Catman uses weapons inspired by Batman's called "catarangs".
Like Robin, Anarky, an occasional antagonist of Batman, makes use of shuriken formed after his own gimmick, the "circle-a".
A Throwing BirdâÂÂcolloquially referred to as a "Birdarang"âÂÂis a roughly bird-shaped throwing weapon used by Robin as a non-lethal ranged attack alternative to firearms.
Batarangs first appeared in Detective Comics #31 (September 1939), in the story "Batman Versus the Vampire".
A 1957 story called "The 100 Batarangs of Batman!" (Detective Comics #244, June 1957) included an "origin story" for the batarang, which was given to Batman by circus performer Lee Collins.
In Frank Miller's ' #2, illustrates one use of Batman's batarang; one criminal thought it was a bat chasing him, and when it hit his hand, revealing to be a batarang, alerting him of Batman's presence.
Later, in Batman #575 (January 2000), that during the hero's fight with the terrorist Banner, the villain thought he saw Batman grabbing two bats from a flock and throws them during their fight.
A rifle-like grappling gun first appeared in Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1. However, the now standard hand-held version of Batman's grappling gun first appeared in the 1989 Batman film. It gradually replaced the batarang and a rope in the comics after artist Norm Breyfogle introduced a grapple gun in Batman #458 in January 1991.
That tool became the standard in the subsequent animated series, comics, films, and video games such as ' and in ' a more advanced version called the Grapnel was introduced which could be used to launch Batman into the air to glide using kinetic energy.
Two versions of the batarang were created for the 2022 film The Batman, though ultimately only one was used in the film.
Batman's chest insignia doubles as a bat-shaped knife, which he first uses to cut through police tape and enter a crime scene and later to cut a powered electrical cable hanging precariously over rising flood waters filled with hundreds of civilians.
The other version of the Batarang created for the film was exclusively used in promotional artwork.
The batarang appears in the DC Animated Universe series ', Batman Beyond, and Justice League. In Batman Beyond, Terry McGinnis utilizes a type of batarang that is collapsible and come in a variety of forms including electrical versions, explosive versions to demolish obstacles, and grappling hooks.
The batarang appears in the Batman animated films ', , ', Son of Batman, Batman vs. Robin, ', ', Batman vs. Two-Face, Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, ', and DC League of Super-Pets.
In ', Batman can wield a single Batarang from the beginning, and the player has the opportunity to unlock multiple variations such as remote-controlled Batarangs and Sonic Batarangs.
In addition, the Collector's Edition of the game comes with a 14" plastic Batarang model affixed to a display base.
The Batarang appears in the sequel, ', introducing a new variation, a reverse Batarang which can loop behind an enemy and attack from behind.
', the third and final installment in Rocksteady's Arkham trilogy, also features the batarang with many of the same variants and abilities seen in the previous two games. Batman also has a new Batarang called the Bat Scanner he can throw high into the air around Gotham to scan a specific area.
Toy and prop replica company NECA produced a batarang replica based in the Arkham Knight design, which can be purchased through video game retailer Gamestop.
This batarang replica can be folded at its middle hinge and rapidly opened with the press of a button, and also has a removable LED light panel.
A Batarang prop from the 1997 film Batman & Robin has been donated to the Smithsonian Institution, and is in the National Museum of American History's entertainment collection.
It was donated by Warner Bros. studio chairman Barry Meyer in 2013 along with other film props, including a golden ticket from 2005's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and models from '.