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It’s a question that has driven some of the character’s most famous stories across his 80+ year career: is Batman or Bruce Wayne the “real” figure, and the other merely a disguise worn to achieve a particular purpose? Turns out, that question was answered decades ago — and by no less an authority than the man who had control over the Dark Knight for decades.

Denny O’Neil was a writer and editor with a long relationship with DC, and Batman in particular. He was a writer on multiple Batman comic books in the 1970s including fan-favorite revivals of classic villains including The Joker and Two-Face, and in 1986, he became the editor in charge of Batman and his mythos at the company — a position he held until 2000. During this period, he wrote something known informally as the ‘Bat-Bible’ — a guide to all things Batman as O’Neil saw it, intended to be used as a guide for everyone working on a Batman project under his purview.

The 1989 document — shared online following O’Neil’s death — is filled with a take on Batman that would likely start all manner of arguments online had they come from a lesser figure in the character’s history. I’m particular enamored of, “First, let us agree that Wayne/Batman is not insane. There is a difference between obsession and insanity. Obsessed the man surely is, but he is in the fullest possession of his mental and moral faculties,” personally; others might be fascinated by the firm, “He is celibate. Any kind of sexual involvement would take thought and energy away from his mission.”

Perhaps the most interesting part of the document is that O’Neil has no problem answering the question of which persona is the “real” persona: “Which one is genuine, Bruce Wayne or Batman? Answer: Batman,” he asserts. “Wayne has become part of his tool kit, an identity he finds useful. Wayne's wealth and social position give him entry into the city's center of power where he can acquire information. The Bruce Wayne he has created allows him to exist in civilization without being bothered much by its obligations.”

So, now you have it, straight from the man who made these decisions official back when: Bruce Wayne is just a shell, Batman is entirely sane, and he’s definitely not having sex with Catwoman when we’re not paying attention.

Or, at least, he wasn’t back in 1989.

Batman is the most well-known superhero in the world — surprisingly, given how much he loves hanging out in the dark. But between his comics, TV shows, movies, games, and more, DC's Dark Knight is the hero this city/country/world/universe needs, and we have all you need to enjoy him even more: 

• All the best Batman comics
• The best Batman villains, ranked
• How to watch all the Batman live-action movies in order
• How to watch all the Batman animated movies in order
• All the Batman actors, ranked
• All the Batman TV series, ranked
• All the Batman movies, ranked