Batman made his first appearance in Detective Comics #27 on March 30, 1939. That series, from which today's DC Comics derived its name, released a celebratory 1000th issue last month.
Moviegoers can help celebrate the milestone with screenings of the four blockbusters that launched the modern "Batman" era in the late 1980s and '90s. Reviews of the movies varied widely and grew increasingly negative as the franchise reached its later years. In hindsight, though, they helped shed the campy vibe of the "Batman" television series of the 1960s and foreshadowed the darker, more complex "Dark Knight" trilogy that Christopher Nolan would make in the 21st century.
The series begins with Tim Burton's Gothic, groundbreaking "Batman" from 1989, which introduced a counter-cast Michael Keaton in the title role and featured Jack Nicholson in a memorable turn as The Joker. Screenings are Saturday, May 4, at 1 and 4 p.m.
