Jokes and theories about Batman and Robin being gay lovers seem to have been around since the beginning, but the comic's creator, Bob Kane, was not in on the fun.

In fact, when Kane found out that people were suggesting Batman was gay, he lost his homo-hating mind.

In 1967, Paul Sann wrote a book about American fads that included the idea of Batman representing homosexuality and, unfortunately, he asked Kane to share his thoughts on the theory.

"Batman is the epitome of virility and manliness—just the opposite image of the fag," Kane said.

Although that not-so-subtle opinion really should have summed his horrific feelings up quite nicely, the comic creator continued, acknowledging psychiatrist and author Fredric Wertham for his role in originally bringing the idea of "gay Batman" into the mainstream.

"Wertham read homosexuality into this thing because I had a man and a boy living in a big house together — in the same bedroom — with just a butler and no female around," Kane said.

"Even so, I suppose the homosexuals like the TV show because of those tight outfits Adam West and Burt Ward wear," he continued. "I imagine they sit around watching them on the screen and slap each other on the knees with the sheer joy of it all."

If Kane was so disgusted by homosexuality, how did he know our little secret — that we all just sit around slapping each other's knees in delight?

"But what can you do about that?" he added, explaining he hasn't figured out a way to stop gay people from enjoying his creation. "I can’t change the characters because they weren’t homos in the first place and because you have to be crazy to fight success."

You'd have to be crazy, indeed.

Kane may have simply been a product of the times, but my, what ugly times they clearly were.

h/t: CBR