Batman

Thanks to Fred Hembeck for reminding us (me anyway) that last night marked the 43rd (!!!) anniversary of BATMAN, the ifyouweren'tthereyou'dneverbelievehowpopularitwas Adam West TV series. According to legend, the BATMAN comic, after surviving the passing of the Golden Age, was on the verge of cancellation in the early sixties after years of the Caped Crusaders fighting aliens and robots and such. Hugh Hefner began running the old BATMAN movie serials at his Chicago PLAYBOY CLUB and one thing led to another. A more detailed (and seemingly fairly accurate) account can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman_(TV_series).

All I know is that I couldn't wait and that night found me at 7:30 lying on the floor of Jeff Hicks' living room watching that very first episode (with the Riddler!) in color! Jeff Hicks' family had the only color TV around in those days. It would be two and a half years before we got one so my entire original experience with BATMAN was in black and white! Except for that first episode. And that itself was colorful enough to make the whole series colorful in my mind! I bought the 45, the LIFE issue with BATMAN on the cover, I danced the Batusi at school (and so did the bullies so no one beat me up!). As you can see by some of the pics I ran the other day, I had BATMAN posters on my wall and a BATMAN costume with a yellow Bat-emblem gotten froma gumball machine stuck on a grey long-sleeved shirt. Add the store bought cape, mask and utility belt...as well as leftover Zorro gloves and I was all set. It was silly, it was...I hate this word...camp, but dammit it was entertaining as hell and to this day, I'll watch it any time it's on! And do NOT even get me started on how hot Yvonne Craig was as Batgirl if you were just entering an early puberty!