Some think he’s a myth, so I’m sure rumors spread and differ depending on how often and directly criminals interact with the Bat. Petty criminals may wonder all sorts of things, considering he’s so skilled that he may seem like more than a man, whereas supervillains who face him with regularity are more likely to know his abilities and limitations.

Interestingly, the idea that criminals may wonder whether a hero is just human or has superhuman powers is a plot point of Kobalt, a title from Milestone Media (later bought out by DC) starring a hero of the same name who was essentially Milestone’s take on Batman, although Kobalt may have been even grittier (or par for course considering his comic released during the ‘90s, a period known for grit all around).

I like to believe the whole urban legend aspect of Batman kind of faded out when the justice league started up. I mean you would have to be in denial if you don’t believe Batman exists when he’s on the news being congratulated by the president.

Except, during the late ‘90s JLA run, and in other comics during the late ‘90s and early 2000s, we have actual comics that depicted people not believing in Batman’s existence, even among the super community. Pre-Infinite Crisis New Earth Batman kept his privacy well. He later went public, but a good portion of his time in the Justice League after Crisis on Infinite Earths wasn’t especially public. Remember, from 1986-2006, Batman wasn’t a founding member of the Justice League in DC canon.