<P> The Dark Knight is the nickname of the superhero Batman who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics . Batman was first referred to by the nickname in Batman #1 (Spring 1940), in a story written by Bill Finger . </P> <Ul> <Li> The Dark Knight Returns or Batman: The Dark Knight, a 1986 miniseries by Frank Miller </Li> <Li> Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight, a monthly comic book series from 1989 to 2007 </Li> <Li> Batman: The Dark Knight, an ongoing series written by David Finch, started in 2011 </Li> <Li> The Dark Knight Trilogy, a series of films by Christopher Nolan . </Li> </Ul>

When was batman first called the dark knight