Did Batman kill criminals in his earliest comic book stories?

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Batman Heath Ledger (seated) as the Joker and Christian Bale as Batman in *The Dark Knight* (2008).

Yes, in his earliest comic book adventures, Batman was quite brutal and did kill criminals. For example, he was depicted tossing a thug off a rooftop and executing a vampire with a silver bullet.1

However, as the character’s popularity grew, the publisher became concerned that these sinister elements might be emulated by young readers. Consequently, DC Comics eliminated Batman’s use of firearms and extreme force, establishing a strict rule that he would never again take a life.1