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In 1977 Steve Englehart teamed up with Walt Simonson and Marshall Rogers to create one of the most iconic Batman runs ever published. Englehart’s run, which lasted from Detective Comics #469-476 was lauded for telling an adult-oriented Batman story with dark undertones and mature themes. The storyline also introduced Silver St. Cloud and Rupert Thorne.

In addition to being one of the most iconic Batman runs, Englehart argues that his run served as the basis for Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman film. In fact, Englehart was even brought in during the development stage to help with the story treatment.

“When I did Batman, [producer] Michael Uslan immediately said, ‘Oh, I can see how we can do an adult Batman.’ Which was what I was trying to do, make him an adult,” Englehart says during a panel at Dragon Con. “That’s why there was Silver St. Cloud, so he could have an adult sex life and so forth under the Comics Code. So, they spent 10 years trying to make a Batman movie, and then Jenette [Kahn, DC's then-publisher] called me up and said, ‘Nobody can get it. Nobody gets the vibe like you did, so we want you to work on the movie, and we’ll pay you a certain amount of money.’ And as I later found out, that was not what you should get paid according to the Writers Guild of America, but I didn’t know anything about the Writers Guild of America in comics at that time.”

Englehart and screenwriter Julie Hickson (a frequent Burton collaborator) worked on film treatments for 1989's Batman movie before Sam Hamm came onboard to write the screenplay. Englehart has shared what he says are his story treatments for his work on 1989's Batman movie, which include elements from his comics run, can be read on his website.

“I worked on that movie, and every script that I worked on had Boss Thorne and Silver St. Cloud in it," says Englehart.  And then when the movie came out it was Boss Grissom and Vicki Vale, and I said, ‘What the hell.’ And they said, ‘Well, we changed names because then we don’t have to pay you any royalties.’"

Englehart didn't specify whom from DC would have said that statement.

"So, that’s DC in a nutshell. I felt betrayed and ripped off at that point.”

However, Englehart cites his recent positive interactions with DC as a sign that things are changing for the better.

“We’ve talked about some stuff, so maybe the culture is changing.”

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