"playboy" [Was: article on the name "America"]

[Baker, John M.]

Sorry, I accidentally sent this while still typing.  My last paragraph was going to read:
 
So, as used in these early Batman stories from 1941, "playboy" apparently means an individual who, because of personal wealth, is able to devote himself solely to recreation and need not work.  Julie Madison's use of the term seems particularly revealing:  She does not accuse Bruce Wayne of courting other women (though such an accusation would have been well-founded); she accuses him of being without a vocation
 
 
John Baker 


________________________________

From: American Dialect Society on behalf of Baker, John M.
Sent: Sun 7/18/2010 11:14 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: "playboy" [Was: article on the name "America"]



I've now reviewed the early Batman stories from Detective Comics, which have been reprinted in The Batman Archives, volume one (1990).  Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 (May 1939).  Bruce Wayne there is called a "young socialite friend" of Police Commissioner Gordon.

In 1940, Batman also started appearing in Batman Comics, which I do not have access to, so I cannot be certain that the first reference to Bruce Wayne as a "playboy" was in Detective Comics.  The first example that I have is from Detective Comics #47 (Jan. 1941).  There we see the following (reproduced verbatim, including ellipses, except that I have normalized capitalization, which in the original is in the all caps characteristic of comics):  "..In the morning, he steps from the doorway of his private home,... not as the eerie Batman.... but as the spendthrift, pleasure-loving society play boy..... Bruce Wayne!"

In the story, Bruce Wayne is a frequent visitor to night spots, occasioning remarks that his chief occupation seems to be just running around the nightclubs (he is in reality working on a case).  Later in the same story is the passage, "Events have already shaped themselves so that Bruce Wayne may discard the role of idle playboy, and become the eerie Batman."  For whatever it is worth, note that "playboy" is now spelled as a single word.

The term is used again in the following issue, Detective Comics #48 (Feb. 1941):  "Later that evening.... As Linda Lewis walks to the band platform, she stops for a word with a wealthy, society playboy named Bruce Wayne....."  Bruce asks Linda to go to a movie later, and she agrees.  Here Bruce Wayne is not working on a case (although his invitation leads to his involvement in one); he is simply at a nightclub on his own time and asks a singer (whom he knows socially - her father is wealthy) to go out with him later.  It is not mentioned in the story, but Bruce is engaged to another woman.

A third use (or fourth, depending on how you are counting) comes in Detective Comics #49 (Mar. 1941).  Bruce Wayne's fiancee, Julie Madison, breaks off their engagement, telling him "Oh, Bruce, if only you would do something!  [new panel]  ... If only you'd find yourself a career instead of being the public's number one playboy!"  Bruce replies, "Sorry, honey, I'm having too good a time to be bothered with anything remotely connected with work!"  Meanwhile, he thinks to himselve, "(You'd be mighty surprised if you knew I had a career - as the Batman!)"  He does not seem to consider telling Julie his secret identity, though he apparently thinks this would let Julie marry him and he has already revealed it to one person, Dick Grayson (Robin).  Julie then replies, "Then I'm sorry, Bruce, until you decide to make something of yourself, I'm afraid our engagement is off!  [new panel]  I'm not walking out on you, Bruce.  Anytime you decide to change your ways, I'll come back to you gladly!"  He replies, "I understand!  It's all right!"

So, as used in these early Batman stories from 1941, "playboy" apparently means an individual who, because of personal wealth, is able to devote himself solely to recreation and need not work.  Julie Madison's use of the term seems particularly revealing: 

________________________________

From: American Dialect Society on behalf of Baker, John M.
Sent: Fri 7/16/2010 12:00 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: "playboy" [Was: article on the name "America"]




        In the initial story, from 1939, Bruce Wayne was described as a
"socialite."  I'll see if I can find when they started calling him a
"playboy"; it was not too far along.


John Baker


-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf
Of Jonathan Lighter
Sent: Thursday, July 15, 2010 7:39 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: "playboy" [Was: article on the name "America"]

I wouldn't think of ignoring BW.  Was he described as a "millionaire
playboy" from the beginning?  Or a "millionaire socialite"?  Or just a
"millionaire"?

JL

On Thu, Jul 15, 2010 at 7:06 PM, Baker, John M. <JMB at stradley.com>
wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Baker, John M." <JMB at STRADLEY.COM>
> Subject:      Re: "playboy" [Was: article on the name "America"]
>
>
------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------
>
>        I don't think you can ignore the influence of millionaire
> playboy Bruce Wayne, surely the most famous playboy of them all.  It's
> not always clear just what kind of "playing" Wayne does, but his
status
> as a playboy seems to include personal wealth; high society
connections;
> single status (i.e., neither married nor an exclusive relationship);
and
> a reputation for frivolity, including a perceived love of parties
> (though he often misses them or leaves suddenly) and lack of serious
> interests.  (This last is quite true:  Although Bruce Wayne, as
Batman,
> does take a deep interest in crime and justice, he largely ignores
> everything else, including his company, Wayne Enterprises.  Compare
Tony
> Stark, a thoroughly committed industrialist.)
>
>
> John Baker
>

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