Batman is a
fictional superhero that appears in
comic books published by
DC Comics, primarily taking place within the fictional
DC Universe. With the character having first appeared in
Detective Comics #27 (May 1939), Batman's supporting cast has since been expanded to include other superheroes, forming what is now known as the
Batman Family. As with most superheroes, a cast of recurring enemies to the Batman Family have been introduced throughout the decades, collectively referred to as a "
rogues gallery".