When did 'Batman will never retire" become a thing?

[Tzigone]

Of course, he won't really retire - there'd be no books for us to read then. But when did it become such an integral aspect of his character to most that he was so driven he never could retire?

I recall some people hating that in The Dark Knight Rises he retired, saying it was antithetical to his character and that he'd stay Batman until he died on the job. I didn't care for the movie either, but that wasn't my primary problem. But it did lead me to think about when that became a thing to so many people (I've certainly seen it enough, anyway). In early comics, retirement was a given. To a degree it makes sense - Bruce was less obsessed in those days (determined and driven, but not to the exclusion of so much else in his life). And at a certain point, the body just can't do what it used to (look at typical age of retirement for athletes). Early on, I think he though he'd complete his mission (making Gotham significantly better, if not perfect), or maybe (after Robin) hand it off to someone he trusted.

Anyway, I would just assume the change came with COIE, but in early Robin issue, he again expresses he notion that he thought he could retire (when Jean-Paul Valley took over). So is that because that aspect of Bruce's personality hadn't been introduced yet, or had it been introduced, but not solidified and pre-COIE Bruce was still leaking in or somewhat there?

[Swallowtail]

As with many things, the Dark Knight Returns probably codified it.

[Jim Kelly]

Frank Miller's story wasn't exactly breaking new ground. There's always been stories about Batman's possible future. And there was also the idea that Batman can't retire, because the task he's taken on is impossible to conclude--there's never a time when there's no crime to fight. But in most of those future stories, there are people who take up the war on crime, so that when Bruce is physically incapable of doing it, he has his proxies who can. For Bruce to retire, without ensuring that his mission is going to be continued by others, that makes no sense. It's more likely that Batman will die with his boots on, because he's not the type to stop fighting.

[jb681131]

Of course, he won't really retire - there'd be no books for us to read then. But when did it become such an integral aspect of his character to most that he was so driven he never could retire?

What ? Where do you get that feeling from ?
There are several stories where you see Batman retiered and his role taken by someone else such as Dick Grayson or Terry McGinnis.

[Restingvoice]

Idk. When was the first depiction of him as someone's so obsessed with crime instead of a person who relax in his armchair for the news before acting? Probably's been building up slowly from there

[bat39]

I suppose in some way it goes back to Bruce Wayne's childhood vow to spend the rest of his life "warring on all criminals". A lot of people, and a lot of creators in particular, feel that should be taken literally.

[Tzigone]

I suppose in some way it goes back to Bruce Wayne's childhood vow to spend the rest of his life "warring on all criminals". A lot of people, and a lot of creators in particular, feel that should be taken literally.

I admit, I prefer the older version of him, where he had a little bit more balance in his life. Can't deny this version brings in the $$$, though.

[Batknight]

I think it should be noted, him retiring in the TDKR is not antithetical to the Nolan version of the character. Nolan's Batman is a very different character than modern traditional Batman. He never swears any vow as a child to dedicate his entire life to warring on all crime to ensure what happened to him never happens to anyone else ever again. He sees Joe Chill killed very early in his life, so the root of a lot of his obsession and trauma isn't there since he gets a resolution to his parents' deaths which Batman typically doesn't. And he spends a lot of the movies wanting to quit once most of the crime has been cleared up so he can settle down and marry Rachel. So while yes, normal Batman would keep fighting until he died, this isn't true of the Nolan movies regardless of your view on TDKR.