Ok, here it is! Had to dig my magazine boxes off my shelfs to find the
first newspaper strip batman collection. Lets see, beginning on page
4,this is said concerning the evolution of the comic:
"The 1943 Columbia movie serial,Batman,had an effect on both the comic
book & newspaper strip versions of thr caped cruesader. Announced in
trade journals as early as April 17th,1942,the writing of this
15-chapter serial was probably begun in late 1942,continuing into at
least April 1943.Ads appeared in Box office,(July 17th,1943)&Motion
picture herald(july24)promoting the serial. Bruce Wayne's
butler,Alfred,first appeared in Batmen #16,April-may,1943).Since the
movie serial included Alfred & existing scripts are dated before Batman
#16 would have gone on sale,it is certain that DC & the serials authors
(Victor Mcleod,Leslie Swabaker,Harry Fraser)were colaborating.It is
possible that the serial writers invented Alfred. In any event,the
serial certanly affected his apperance. The comic book Alfred began as a
heavyset  character, while he was slim in the serial & strip. The comic
book caught up in late 1943.  A serial shooting script(dated February
5,1943) for the first time calls Batmans cave the "Bat's cave" "
WHEW!! This serial is sometimes shown on cable,its a VERY important part
of the characters history,that is well worth the watching!!
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