Batman ‘66: A Welcomed Blast From The Past by new writer Jacob Harman
October 10, 2013 1:23 am | Leave your thoughts
Three is an important number – it’s the current number of ‘TMNT’ television series, the number of near perfect ‘Star Wars’ movies, and the number of power coin series in MMPR. It is also the number that I call the ‘grace period’ for new comics and TV shows. After three issues or episodes, you should have a good feel as to whether or not the media you are consuming will be enjoyable, amazing, decent, or a total flop. Having just finished the third issue of the new comic series ‘Batman ‘66’, I feel as though the grace period is over, and it’s time to spread the good word of Jeff Parker.
Batman ‘66 is written by Jeff Parker, and so far has had a different artist for every issue. The comic, released once a month, is styled from the 1966 Batman television series. Yes, that series, with Adam West and Burt Ward as the Dynamic Duo! If you haven’t seen the ‘66 TV series, the movie, also from ‘66, is on Netflix, and you should really watch it before reading this comic.
Now, a lot of people give the Adam West Batman a lot of grief, and I can partially understand why – the show was campy, it was cheesy, predictable, and filled with alliteration and one liners. But wait my BatFans! Don’t be bamboozled by these nefarious ne’er-do-wells! It was that TV show that literally saved the Batman franchise from being scrapped. It gave new life, and without it, we wouldn’t have any of the amazing stories and characters we have come to know and love.
That is part of the reason I give the ‘Batman ‘66’ comic a Tupperware, because we are finally seeing a comic that pays homage to the heroes and villains of yesteryear, the characters that literally saved Gotham and all its inhabitants from being scrapped. This series also gives readers something we haven’t seen in the superhero genre for some time – a fun, upbeat comic that always has an happy ending.
So far, the Dynamic Duo has faced some of the most notable villains from Gotham – Riddler, Penguin, Mr. Freeze, the Siren, Red Hood, and Egghead. While each issue has a main story with a main antagonist, there is also a short comic at the end of each issue with another ne’er-do-well being foiled by the Caped Crusader and the Boy Wonder.
And yes, the book does used the overly cheesy names and terminology – holy cheesy one liner Batman! It is also filled with ‘BAM’s and ‘POW’s.
But that campyness is where I personally find the true magic in the book. When I read the character’s dialogue, I can’t help but to read it in Adam West’s and Burt Ward’s voice, or to hear Cesar Romero’s Joker laugh. This comic tells new stories in an old world, a simpler world, a world I miss.
Lately most superhero comics, books, tv shows, and movies have been dark. 1989’s ‘Batman’ really set the tone for the dark hero, and it works fantastically. There are great characters and stories to tell in those dark settings. However, it’s next to impossible to open a newspaper or turn on your local news station without hearing some depressing real life story. There’s a lot of real darkness out in our world, and these fictional heroes were meant to inspire us to do better, to beat the darkness and show how good humanity can be.
The ‘66 TV series did that, and so does this comic. Jeff Parker crafts amazing stories, and although they are predictable, they are fun and uplifting. Batman gets cornered by a bunch of sharks? No problem, he has a can of shark repellent (yes, that’s a real thing in this Batverse). He’s falling from the sky? No big deal, he’ll press a button to summon the Bat Copter (which looks awesome, and is way underrated).
The artwork pairs so well with the uplifting stories – it is bright and colorful, and mimics the television series extremely well. Batman has eyebrows and Robin has short shorts, it’s a fact of life. An awesome fact of life.
Overall, I would recommend any fan of the Batverse give this book a read. It has something that’s been missing for awhile – it is genuinely fun! This book is also appropriate for younger readers as well, no profanities or graphic violence. This book reminds me of watching old VHS tapes of the TV show with my Grandmother, who isn’t around anymore. It plays heavily on nostalgia, while telling new and thoroughly enjoyable stories. Readers both old and young can relate to this iconic version of Batman. A huge bonus to this series – it’s only three issues in, the forth releasing October 16th, so you can easily grab the first three issues and start from square one.
Another fun fact, in issue three we are introduced to a new character in this universe – Dr. Quinn! That’s right, one of our favorite characters from the franchise has made her first ever appearance in the retro Batverse. She even wore a red dress with a diamond pattern, trimmed in white. She also referred to Joker as ‘Patient J’. Hopefully we’ll finally get a Harley Quinn in this wonderful Adam West inspired world, and I can’t wait to see what comes next. Issues five and six are set for release in November and December, respectively.
Tags: adam west, batman 66, burt ward, Jeff Parker
Categorised in: Comic Reviews
This post was written by David Griffin
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