Bob Kane, along with Bill Finger came up with the character, Batman. Kane was responsible for the character's first rendering. Finger helped to tweak it. Together, the men came up with a concept acceptable enough for National Publications.

Kane and Finger developed a secret identity or alter ego for Batman, a civilian by the name of Bruce Wayne. Wayne was a rich playboy and industrialist, when he wasn't fighting crime or super-villains.

Wayne lives quite nicely off of his family's riches and Wayne Enterprises. The Wayne's invested heavily in Gotham City before it was profitable to do so. Seen as advantaged because of his family's business acumen and good fortune and not his own, Wayne, is often viewed as pampered and irresponsible.

Batman's personality attributes was influenced by the times. Kane and Finger drew upon movies, current events, comics and pulp magazines to develop the character. The Bat Whispers and The Mark of Zorro were movies which especially influenced Batman's development, as did fictional characters such as Sherlock Holmes and Doc Savage.